​Rest in peace Malcolm Young

In 1965 a group of guys from Shively, Kentucky started a band called the New Rhythm and Blues Quartet. Two years later they moved to Miami and shorted their name to NRBQ. A year after that they relocated again, this time to New Jersey, and over the next 50 years would be signed, then dropped by major labels earning the title “The best bar band in the world!”

Tiddly Winks is their 8th album. It was released in 1980 on their own Red Rooster Records and distributed by famed folk, bluegrass, and blues label Rounder. It features some poignant writing and great musicianship. “Me And The Boys” might be considered a single from the album. It’s a summer drive of a song that hints at rockabilly, and rattles down the road. It also should have been more than a fan favorite and never received the attention it deserved.
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Pianist Terry Adams and the rest of the musicians that make up NRBQ were. and still are, extremely underrated and overlooked. Their music never stayed the same, mixing R&B, 60’s pop, rockabilly, and jazz. If you haven’t heard of them before, you should check them out and hopefully they will be popping up in your town soon.

Those of you who know me or follow my blog know that I’ve never been the biggest fan of modern country music. Notice I said modern. I have a fondness for the older recordings of Jimmie Rodgers, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline etc. but aside from the lyrics (the genre is home to some of the finest lyrics ever), I find modern country music predictable, sterile, often lacking honesty or soul. 

One clear exception is Dwight Yoakam. My first real exposure to him wasn’t through his music, but as Doyle Hargraves, a heel of a character from the 1996 film Sling Blade. He was memorable in the role, sparked an interest, and I went back to see what all my modern country music loving friends were talking about. I was surprised to find an old school country artist being suffocated under all that sheen and slick production.
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“Tears for Two” is a song he co-wrote with Holly Lamar and is from the soundtrack to his 2001 film South of Heaven, West of Hell. Both the film and album were panned by critics, but this little number showcases his talents as a songwriter, musician, and vocalist. If you who hate modern country music this is a great introductory track, and if you always liked him this is one that flew under the radar.