“A COUNTRY LIVING LEGEND” – by Des Kelly HE IS ONE OF A VERY FEW ACTUAL LIVING LEGENDS OF COUNTRY MUSIC, OR THE “MUSIC OF LIFE”, AS I REFER TO IT. HAS BEEN AROUND WITH PAST ICONS (IN MY BOOK), SUCH AS MERLE HAGGARD, GEORGE JONES, RAY PRICE, AND CHARLEY PRIDE, TO NAME JUST A FEW, STILL PLAYS AN ACOUSTIC/ELECTRIC GUITAR THAT HAS CERTAINLY SEEN BETTER DAYS, NAMED TRIGGER (AFTER ROY ROGER’S HORSE), HAS “BEEN THERE & DONE THAT”, WITH THE BEST OF THEM, INCLUDING THE LATE, GREAT WAYLON JENNINGS, HE CERTAINLY LOOKS THE PART, AND HIS AGE, AND DOES NOT EVER BOTHER TO EVEN TRY TO LOOK ANY YOUNGER THAN HE IS, ALTHOUGH WILLIE NELSON WAS QUITE A HANDSOME YOUNG DUDE DURING HIS HALCYON DAYS, QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO. WHAT STRUCK ME ABOUT WILLIE NELSON WAS HIS “STYLE” OF SINGING. SURE, HIS TONES ARE SLIGHTLY MORE NASAL THAN ...

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“MORE PITNEY, PLEASE” – By Des Kelly        Troy Seals & Max Barnes wrote the song, George Jones recorded it in 1985. The question asked ?, “Who’s gonna fill their shoes” ?. It was appropriate, simply because, as the older “Country Music” started to get “younger” instead of the other way around, the younger performers began to record what is titled “Modern-Country”.        Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, of course, but I still much prefer the music of the era of the 60’s & 70’s. Although I am now a Lankan/Aussie, grew up in the age of Country Idols like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers & other Cowboy Singers (in Ceylon), came to Australia & followed the great career of Aussies like Slim Dusty (the man in the hat), and later, Reg.Lindsay, who was kind enough to have me on his “Country” television show, in Adelaide ...

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“A RAY OF HOPE” – By Des Kelly He was a “ray of hope”, at what price ?. Yet another “Star”, of the best music in the World, as far as I am concerned, anyway, His name ?, Ray Price, of course. Many “rays of hope” in the “Country-World” of America, shone for a while, then faded, to a dull “glow”, only because there were so many aspiring Artistes in that field of music, one had to be “extra-special” not only to “find” a host of “Star-followers”, but, more importantly, to “keep”these “fans” in high pursuit of their ‘Icons”. “Women first, even to the gallows” was an adage I recall from younger days. Growing up, the names Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and Anita Carter, stood out because of the fact that they always performed perfectly, with their individual “styles” in presenting a “Country- Song”. Dolly Parton not only ...

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“THE JONES’ BOY” – By Des Kelly Hot on the heels of Ray Price, is another confirmed favourite of mine, incidentally, the favourite of millions of Country Music Fans, throughout this planet, the name of George Jones stands out like a beacon, and yet, there was not “much” of this Music Legend, nicknamed “the possum” for this very reason. A “little guy”, huge “rebel” & “Super-Star”, served in the American Marines, making it obvious to those around him, that here was another “classic Country Star, in the making, and proving, beyond doubt that this was the case indeed. In an Era when there were so many Country Music Geniuses to contend with, it must have been something of a nightmare to try to figure out which songs to record, in order to have a “hit”in the business known as “Country”. American Country Music has always been noted for being far ahead ...

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