American Forces Network (it had once been called as Far East Network ) has a radio program of country hit chart. To my surprise, today's country has many tunes which are not so differnt from prevailing pops not only in melody but delivery. Some tunes are played by country radios and get to be country hits : Elvis Presley's rockabilly used to be so. Such was an exception, however, and the main stream of country music on after the '60s has been rather adult-oriented pops. Our conception that country music is to keep and succeed the tradition of using strings like fiddel or mandolin is beside the point. Waylon Jennings, whom I take up here, succeeded it, inspired rock spirit of the '70s into it, allured young rock audience, and his "Outlaw" was finally recognized on the country scene. "Outlaw" was the gold mine for him who had not adapted to the polished Nashville productions, and was shrewdly sold by the greedy country scene, and was the frame from which he couldn't go out for rock. Despite it, songs in his prime should have the same freshness and excitement as good country rock, because he himself was a musician who had curiosity and the spirit of inquiry.
His 4-disc compilation "Nashville Rebel" has liner notes including his slight biography. Born in the country side of Texas and bred with country radio, Waylon got a job of disc jockey at a radio station still in his teens, where he was baptized rockabilly and R&B and met with Buddy Holly and the Crikets. After going solo, Buddy Holly did some gigs with Waylon as a bassist and also produced his song. The first time I heard the name of Waylon Jennings was from the episode that he might have got on a plane actually taking on Buddy Holly, Richie "La Bamba" Valens and the Big Bopper. After the crush he began playing and got a favor at clubs in Phoenix, Arizona, and this led to making a contract with RCA of Nashville. The Nashville sound of those days is the one in which producers like Chet Atkins of RCA or Owen Bradley of Decca conducted studio musicians and featured full orchestras and choruses, not the one of the band which is formed mainly by strings on honky tonk or bluegrass. The signature songs produced by Chet Atkins are Don Gibson's Oh Lonesome Me , Jim Reeves' He'll Have to Go, the Browns' The Three Bells and Skeeter Davis' The End of the World, and Patsy Cline's I Fall to Pieces by Owen Bradley. They got popular not only in country but in pops (you can hear them on such as "The Golden Age of American Rock'n'Roll : Special Country Edition" or "Teenage Crush vol.2"). In that years Walyon had (That's What You Get) For Lovin' Me or The Chokin' Kind or Chuck Berry's Brown Eyed Handsome Man. Chet Atkins, a splendid guitarist in his own right, put emphasis on the harmony of a lot of instruments and let Waylon play guitar only in the reserved manner. His Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line on the program hosted by Johnny Cash appeared on the DVD "Nashville Rebel", however, reveals his less-country guitar solo played with his proud telecaster. Moreover, this clip also shows his wife Jessi Colter playing keyboards with her luxuriant hair in vogue, and a guitarist cutting rhythms with a twin-necked one. These things are alright for Johnny Cash.
When going into the '70s Waylon couldn't endure anymore the creative restriction on him by Chet Atkins and his disciples, and then he finally win quite a great freedom of production including self-producing after the contractual renewal with RCA. Who granted throbbing emotions to his music was none but the steel guitarist Ralph Mooney. Having backed California's Bakerfield sound such as Buck Owens or Merle Haggard, he confortably plays and spreads melody and his play is resonant with Waylon's guitar solo which glows brighter. The sublime ensemble of strings Lonesome, On'ry and Mean, almost a rocker Honky Tonk Hero with the drums of Richie Albright, the long-time supporter of Waylon together with Ralph Mooney, and distorting guitar, tunes carrying the gap of sounds as if you werre in the desert such as It's not Supposed to be That Way, Amanda, or Dreaming My Dreams with You, just-like-Creedence-Clearwater-Revival Waymore's Blues, and hits like This Time, I'm a Ramblin' Man, Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way and Rainy Day Woman : all these ones sparkle as if it let him wreak his wrath theretofore. (Ralph Mooney passed away in March 2011. R.S.P.)
What made his music called "Outlaw" should be a tune Ladies Loves Outlaws released still before his self-producing years and his preparing for long hair. Together with Willie Nelson who spent unfortunate years at RCA, his appearance with a shabby beard and his attitude of singing the good and bad ideals of cowboys remind folks of the wild aspect of the old country music. The album "Wanted ! The Outlaws" compiles Willie's RCA sides, Waylon's hits, tunes of Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser who collaborate with Waylon by serving his studio. After its ingredient Good Hearted Woman, he had many duet hits featuing Willie. Productions of Chips Moman, who did works with Memphis soul or Elvis, like Luckenbuch, Texas, The Wurlitzer Prize, Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys (the latter two of which are also included in "Waylon & Willie" compiling two men's new ones and Waylon's old ones overdubbed with Willie's voices), are easy-going and delightful as dreamy co-starring of solo hitmakers. Thanks to this "Outlaw", Hank Williams Jr. could leave from his father's shadow, Johnny Cash and the songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson could gild their own career (the significant title tune of "Highwayman" is sung by the two and Waylon and Willie and joined by Chips). "Outlaw" got to be one of good country brands.
Ironical as I told it brand, I cannot deny the impression that the frame of "Outlaw" captured the original Waylon while Willie was free. Rockers whose photos were taken happily with Waylon are rare except Metallica man. However, his sides like the Marshall Tucker Band's Can't You See , Neil Young's Are You Ready for the Country , I've Always been Crazy, Come with Me, I Ain't Living Long Like This , Los Lobos' Will the Wolf Survive ? , his appearances on live videos, the seal arranging a eagle and the letter W together : all these things shows little difference from rock. In great additon to them, it is so special cool that his guitar and Ralph Mooney's steel guitar and so on are in gear. Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard , featured by the silly and popular TV series with car actions and gags, compresses such confort and coolness in the little time of two minutes and more seconds. I look for such things and that's why I extend my tentacles even to country music. (2008/01/30)