Saturday morning started out really hectic and I had personal stuff going on and it was keeping me from leaving early enough to park far enough away to walk and I had to park on the premises which was 25 bucks. Was that worth getting to see Country Legend Don Maddox on time? YES….yes it was! I HURRIED into the lot and rushed around trying to get ready for his act and taking numerous personal phone calls. Because of this mid-day I had to leave and come back. I missed several acts during the day on Saturday but I DID catch most of the action, I very rarely have things like this happen but every once in awhile it does. I apologize to the artists I missed.
Don Maddox is a Country Music Legend from the west coast. He is the last surviving member of the family band Maddox Brothers And Rose consisting of four brothers and one sister, Rose. If I go into their history I will ruin the story I have from Friday night.
Friday night Mr. Don and his family sat with me at my table as we watched the show and he was amazed how many people knew whom he was and what he has given Country Music. Of course (as with anybody his age and knowledge) I had to ask him what he remembered about Hank Williams Sr. He told me stories about them both on the Louisiana Hayride after the Opry fired Hank for his alcoholism and he sat near Hank while he was playing some songs and was saying he was “Hotter than greasy cornbread”.
Another story he told me was from the 1930’s when his family sold all their belongings for thirty five dollars which spawned his song “Thirty Five Dollars And A Dream” which he played third in his set. In the 1930’s and 40’s they were regarded as California’s Greatest Hillbilly Band.
Being the only surviving member of the band he has been in self induced retirement for some time now until Muddy Roots brought him back out onto the stage several years ago, and he was part of the Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender. He opened his set with a song called “Boil Them Cabbage” that is so old nobody is really sure who wrote it or when and he followed that with a song they did as a band called “Step It Up And Go”.
His crowning song of the set even though it was not his original was “Wabash Cannonball” which was a Roy Acuff song and a Carter Family song of old. It is one of the greatest Folk Songs of the last century. And in my opinion one of the greatest songs ever wrote and there was no more nostalgic thing than Roy Acuff on the Opry stage balancing his fiddle bow on his nose while screaming like a train whistle and performing this song.
He went on to perform more Maddox Brothers songs called “Paul Bunyan Love” and he played “High Desert Waltz” while playing his popular fiddle solos and heartwarming ballads. He left the crowd dazzled and wanting more as he closed his set “Faded Love” and his signature song “Don Juan Is Still Here” and the ever popular “Orange Blossom Special”. After his stellar set which was one of my top 5 sets of the weekend I got to witness a band I missed in 2014 Muddy Roots in order to cover another band.
The Buzz Jumpers were indeed a band I missed that I am glad I finally got the chance to catch up with. They are a rocking good time and I have had them on my radar for months now, and this weekend they had the place rocking hard with their opening song “You Done Me Wrong”. They are a very roots influenced band and they showed it by playing “Lovesick Blues” and a tribute song to Don Maddox.
They have a very energetic lead singer and she just absolutely wails out the vocals on songs like “Baby Baby Wait For Me” and their song called “Tweedle Dee”. But in my opinion their best song I enjoy the most was “Black Cadillac” and I will be exploring their music further in the future.
Their next few songs I heard them playing was “Whiskey Blues” and several more from their albums and in the future I will be making it a point to hit their merchandise booth for their music. They went on to play some more songs called “Let Me Love You” and they closed their set with “Love Me Honey Do”. Now this was really and truly a great set in every way and I would pay any door cover fee to see them.
This part of my article brings me to a band I first saw play live last year open for Hillbilly Casino as I celebrated my birthday with them and the Three Bad Jacks for my birthday. I met the upright bass player Dan Swan first before I saw the band play and the band I am referring to is Jane Rose And The Deadend Boys”.
Upon arriving once again at the Jack Daniels Bar And Grill this is where I had a major problem with mean staff people. They have a gal behind a desk that seats people and Like I said before I had been having some personal issues and knew I had to leave in a few hours to transfer money to someone. You can only eat so many times a day and every place was expecting everyone to constantly eat and drink. I had to drive and there was NO WAY I was having a beer. I was seated at a four spot table by the stage and got my books out and taking notes and the waitress came and asked what was I doing? So I explained I worked for a website and I’m covering the show and I’d like a water. I have every intention to still tip the server I don’t mind that…5 dollars good enough for a water tip?
I was almost made to move and stand up because the waitress said I was cutting into her earnings, “You are not eating OR drinking”? Man I was really sad at the way I was treated by the staff there and what saved me was several couples were willing to share their table with me to catch the show. I still tipped the rude waitress for the water because I don’t like arguments I like music and Jane Rose would not be spoiled.
They opened their set with “Wrong Kind Of Guy” and right off the bat I noticed how precise and wonderful their lead guitarist was, and his guitar was gorgeous. They play really well together and was well received by the crowd at this side bar as they went into another great song called “Hot Rod Daddy”.
The stage there was small and the venue was smaller too but didn’t lack in sound or quality in ANY way, it was a doggone nice place to see live music even if they were mean to me today. You cannot take one persons mistake and hold it against the whole room. I stood until I was re-invited back to the table by a couple. As soon as I could jot more stuff down I remember them continuing with their song “Bad Lil Betty” and another called “Bitter”.
I ran down to the table to buy stuff and my books were getting moved again so I had to run back up and carry them once again while they played “Whiskey Nights” and another really good song called “Fool”. Like I said all of the drawbacks I had were not really too major against the festival itself but the the hotel and the side bars shouldn’t
expect people to eat meals constantly and drink non stop. On the other hand I do understand making money is a goal but I enjoy outdoor festivals MUCH more because I can set a chair down and report on your band.
As she closed her set with powerhouse songs called “Gone” and “Tore Up” she introduced her band and had some fun with us, she really did a wonderful job. I been friends with her band for some time now and it’s always nice to see them and catch up as friends. “Tore Up” and their last closing song was “Love You Like A Man”.
I stayed in the Jack Daniels bar that part of the afternoon and a really nice couple from overseas sat at my NEW table with me an told me they would stay so I could stay and work. We ended up becoming very nice friends and now talk often. I was eager to see this next young lady perform because I never have yet, she is from the Chicago area and is one of the Moonrunners crowd and her name is Pearls Mahone.
She just recently released her second album “Echos On The Prairie which is really good and I bought it on vinyl.I play her CD in my truck all the time and her first one is real good too. Her and her boyfriend are always nice to me and I enjoy watching music with them guys. I cannot wait to see them again probably at Muddy Roots in Cookeville.
She opened her show with a song called “Saints And Sinners” and started out rocking off the bat! I really like her arrangement of instruments for her next song “I Had Someone Else”. It’s a really good toe tapper and I like her voice on that song, her first album was good but she has grown a lot as an artist since that album. I think she has improved her grip on her songs even more now and her next song was called “Blow Your Top”. Which was from her first album and she did a really good job on it and I thought it sounded better live than on the album, not trying to say anything bad either.
She played a Bob Wills song called “San Antonio Rose” which we all enjoyed and played one called “Oklahoma Hills”. I would surely travel pretty far to see her show out of state. And maybe someday I will do that, I plan to take the website to some farther places in the future. “St. James Infirmary Blues” was another really good song she played in her set.
Her version of “All Of Me” was really enjoyable and my personal favorite song she does is “Old Time Religion” I’m an old softy for religious songs..I enjoy them very much. One of her closing was “Hard Luck”. Like I said at the beginning of the article I had to keep tabs on some personal business and I went over to the main ballroom for a little bit before I had to step away from the hotel….
