Shooter Jennings | TimMusic- “I don’t fear the words and sounds … just try holding them close to my heart”

OK folks, a week late here’s my tour of underground country outlaw legend Billy Don Burn’s shows this mad musical month … sights, sounds and inner sensings. Read on, then open your ears to my nine videos attached below, of just about the steepest, sincerest and sharply striking country music you’ll ever be lucky enough to lay ears on. I will post all my pics, and a blog link on my Facebook page. And if the length of this post is too much for you … get outta my blog, loser.

Unique Bar and Grill, Blue Ridge Summit, PA- Sept. 6
Whatta trip … a great, scenic 500 mile, Friday drive from Michigan to track down Billy Don doin’ his strong songs, straight up no chaser, at this lil’ dive bar in the breathtaking, beautiful Pennsylvania mountains. BDB was on fire, tellin’ tales and belting out plenty potently, “Outlaws At The Cross”, and my request, “Haggard and Hank”, amongst much more. As to the “racin’ down country roads” story, I will add to his words of song- “I don’t tire, and I don’t bleed”- that he don’t hardly ever lose– unless comin’ ’round a curve at 110 mph to … umm .. “run into” a pair of crawlin’ truckers at 20 mph, crampin’ his speedin’ style, and then some. Big fun also that night to meet my new music master buddies of the mountains, who played before BDB- Jeff Swope the chameleon cornucopia of country music, who threw out classics from Buck, George and Porter, at my shout outs … and Josh Morningstar, the strong and soulful, country blues man. See my Facebook post with pics of Jeff’s ostrich boots, owned by Keith Whitley, and Josh’s Billy Don signed guitar. Perfect night of perfect songs with perfect pals.

Billy Don Burns 9/11 Military Tribute- Silver Dollar Saloon, Nashville- Sept. 11
So this was the second BDB show on the tour, as I flew in that morning … and was eatin’ at famed Nashville diners like Pancake Pantry (berry and pecan, maple syrup-soaked pancakes with side of sugar-cured ham) and Brown’s Diner (burgers burgers burgers- thanks Terry for the tip!) by afternoon. Before getting over to Silver Dollar, I hit a couple of classic cool bars down Broadway Ave, aka The Strip- Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and Layla’s (Nashville Hillbilly Music). See Tootsie’s band pics, they indulged my Buck Owens’ jones on “Streets of Bakerfield”- that’s the guitarist playing himself right out the door, so to speak.
At Silver Dollar, after a set of local singer/songwriters did some subdued song-swapping on stools, BDB guitarist Aaron Rodgers’ wife Cadie Calhoun crackled like a live wire, as her band tackled a down home, hard drivin’ set of songs.
Then Silver Dollar host, BDB friend and my new buddy that night, Robert K. Wolf aka “Wolfie” … provided an awesome, heart-gripping American moment for Billy Don, and all there to witness … surprising the Vietnam vet. with a folded Stars and Stripes, as a long overdue welcome home from that overseas war. See pics- ’nuff said.
Then BDB, aided and abetted by beautiful, soulful singing Brigitte London and another new pal, gritty guitar slinger Daryl Wayne Dasher … took the plunge together as comrades-in-arms … laying it out without fanfare … “Fall On My Sword”. This BDB confessor flat out cuts to the heart of the matter- humble don’t even begin to describe it, folks.
As he matched me that night in BDB black T-shirt, meeting Daryl en route to his heading onstage, carrying his guitar with harmonica rack on his neck … by way of intro, I told him I knew he was going to bring that Billy Don personal intensity and integrity to the music he would play. Whew, between Daryl and Brigitte … let’s just say they don’t need to grow a pair, they both got ’em in spades.
Later, Billy Don was just his plain singin’, truth tellin’ self with his band … the outta sight, outta his mind, outlaw country leader, supported by loyal, musically-lethal friends like Buck Thrailkill and Aaron Rodgers. Give a little listen to my video of BDB recounting how Aaron came to join his inner country circle.
And coming in off a tour for just this one night to Nashville, Waylon Jennings’ son Shooter (youngest brother to BDB’s manager, eldest bro Terry) and his band crazily rocked out the joint … sending out helluva raw energy to feel up close. Thanks also to Shooter for taking in my rambling about my ever-closening relationship to true, natural country music.

Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse- Pottsville, TN- Sept. 12
Being a big fan of Joey + Rory, the very likeable farming couple, RFD-TV stars and experienced crafters of unadorned, naturally fine country and gospel music … I had to stop in at Marcy Jo’s for a sausage gravy-graced, egg-on-Angel biscuit breakfast. Walking in just after 7 a.m. open, I was blessed enough to find Rory, diner queen and his sister Marcy, family and friends gathered around the family table in the quaint eatery. Rory was kind to sign all the couples’ CDs, and take a pic with a stranger from Michigan, who stumbled in, wearin’ an even stranger shirt! I had to return a couple days later, for a berry French toast breakfast, and to leave a Carter Family anthology CD from Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop in Nashville, as gratitude.

Billy Don Burns, Britni Coffey and Friends- Spillway Bar, Bowling Green, KY- Sept. 12
And the final BDB tour stop, just over an hour north on I-65, outta Nashville. This BG, kinda dark honky tonk was the perfect sight in the night, for Billy Don
to ply his trade, once more singin’ and playin’ by himself, as at Unique Bar in PA. Really the best way to take in the lasting lyrics, cutting chords and deep-in-the-vault voice of outlaw country’s sly, surveying and soul surviving outlaw … playing his life out, in barrooms across the country. I will shut up now on BDB, and let videos speak volumes.
Arriving early at sound check, like a green tourist, I was frankly bowled over by the sound and sight, under blue lights, of natural country woman Britni Leigh Meador Coffey, multi-instrumental picker/singer/songwriter of Scottsville, KY. This rural organic farmer and biologist similarly sings out very back-to-basics country music … diving deep into bluegrass and country blues roots at ease … soulfully, sweetly singin’ and story-spinnin’, on top of her cutting to the core, raw strummin’ and pickin’. Her faultless, truthful takes on our mutual heros Townes VanZandt’s “Dead Flowers” and John Prine’s “Angel from Montomery” … ain’t never sounded more alive, soaring and emotionally explosive to me. Listen y’all … just go watch and hear her videos, and get a country clue.
And I found that night BG, KY has an amazing depth of country music talent, as evidenced by the variety of others I was lucky enough to hear play that night. Also, kudos to my new pals Kenneth Marr and his wife. Kenneth has done an awesome, charcoal BDB sketch … Billy Don was kind enough to sign one for me (see pic). Closing the night, I was very pleased and blessed enough to drive Billy Don to his hotel. We had a great, interesting chat along the way … our newly deepened friendship means the world to me. And when he wondered where we could get a good burger that late … I was very happy to make him happy with one of my six-pack of Nashville Brown Diner burgers, from my hotel fridge!

“Sounds on Dumont”- Dumont Hill, Scottsville, KY- Sept. 14
After digging deeply her intense, warm singin’ and playin’ Thursday, I changed plans to stick in town … and go see Britni’s bluegrass band, Honeysuckle Conspiracy, at this first ever bluegrass fest, on a sunny Saturday on this mountainous site of a Civil War battle. After gettin’ musically warmed up with the young Red River Fiddlers and the versatile veteran Banjocats, HC flat-out flattened and flattered us lucky listeners, with a sizzlin’ set of intimate, intense bluegrass with just the right sharp-bladed, grassy edge of blue- to let us all feel real close … their musical “conspiracy theory”. Recovering from that storm o’ sound after, I shared with Britni my nickname for HC … “Bluegrass Big Band”, in honor of the multi-instrumentalists in the quartet, anchored by just the right toe-tappin’, dummin’ up a storm. Later, lazily laying with new friends on the grass … we all enjoyed Leipers Fork Bluegrass Band (bluegrassers mainly manned in red) smooth pickin’ and harmonizing on my hometown Motown classic, “My Love”. Sincere sorry to Britni, HC, et al as I lost my I-phone pics and video from the day.

Harlan County Line at Spillway Bar- Sept. 14
Drawn in by their Jim Ford-inspired name, led by rhymin’ named Joe Coe … I returned to Spillway, sat back and reveled in this feisty rockin’ country band.
The locals dancin’ up a storm, bowled over by the back woods power of this bunch. JC promised to consider my plea for them to do up right some day, KY native Ford’s rowdy, leavin’ home classic “Harlan County”. Check out their Facebook profile pic in my BDB photo album- I’m right about dead center, just behind girl in glasses.

Sunday Blues Jam- Wahbah Steakhouse, Bowling Green, KY- Sept. 15
And for y’all big bad blues (& all great freakin’ music) fans out & about Bowling Green … this self-proclaimed roots musicologist from Detroit is tellin’ you the Sunday nite 6-10 blues jam, at this high, high, high ceiling, wooden room on Russellville Rd, is a MUST HEAR. Sorry no pics/video (too busy enjoying’ the smokin’ sounds)- but stumblin’ in on a whim, found 15 to 50 plus blues bad a–es wailing in all the right pianna-poundin’, rockin’, guitar screamin’ & instrumental dreamin’ ways- a great chaser for what ails ya’. Highlights included the 15-year-old jazz/blues/classical young man piano prodigy … to the sparkly beret-clad, very young girl w/mini-box tabletop percussion silencin’ the house acapella, in heart-breaking tribute to her late father … to KY’s own blues guitar gonzo & ex-Cali sideman to Carlos Santana, Bobby Baldwin– who felt compelled to share with me his love of Ben Franklin’s all-time best-selling, irreverent essay collection titled for BF’s not “ass-inine” appreciation on … ahem … the habit of “breaking wind”- “Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School”.

An appropo end for such a long-winded post!

Now y’all best be sure to get with it …

find Billy Don and all my new friends in serious country sounds at …

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TimMusic- “I don’t fear the words and sounds … just try holding them close to my heart”

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Billy Don Burns and Friends … It Don’t Get No Better Than This