California, country music, all of it just doesn’t seem the same without you. Nice to see, though, how much attention you’ve gotten in the press this week, leading up to your funeral (in Bakersfield today). People all over, lots of them, are feeling the loss. Can’t blame them. The music had more power than perhaps even most fans knew. The songs were strong, extremely likeable, and they reached far and wide.

That’s the name of the new album by my buddy Tom Heyman, a supremely talented musician who was formerly the guitarist (and songwriter) with Philly’s Go To Blazes and is now busting through the briars on his own pathway as a singer-songwriter. His previous album Boarding House Rules did indeed rule, but Deliver Me takes things several steps further. His voice is sturdier, and that title track…whoa. That’s some serious songwriting.

Check it out here (there’s a free MP3 of the song via that link, too, so don’t despair.)

I keep coming back to ol’ Tompall Glaser, the Nebraska kid with the sweet harmonizing voice who hit the charts with his brothers before turning into a Nashville mogul, thanks to a little sing-song ditty (“Gentle on My Mind”) that they happened to publish and stars just couldn’t stop singing. Waylon’s best pal during the Outlaw heyday until they had a fight and stopped talking. Now…where’d he go? Get back out here and sing us another round.

In the meantime, check out “Gideon Bible,” from his 1973 solo album Charlie.

Caught this on Spread the Good Word:

Now get this

Nearly a year has gone by and I still haven’t figured out how to post a damn song via Comcast. Lazy bum.

My first post with a photo, trying to see how it looks. Lee Hazlewood, announcing the debut of his new label, LHI (Lee Hazlewood Industries).

Is playing at the San Francisco Bluegrass Festival next weekend. It’s not really a “bluegrass” festival, but there is *some* bluegrass involved–just most of the music is basically country and/or old time folk. Not that I’m complaining. The festival is free, the music’s GREAT, and extremely well organized.

This guy’s story is pretty wild. He was a Southern singer, regional appeal, who wound up with quite the reputation as a boozer and ladies man, but also a top-notch musician and front man. And quite the charmer, or so they say. He cut at least several dozen songs (I don’t know how many), and believe it or not, Sony (which owns Columbia, for whom Poole recorded in the 1920s) is releasing a four CD (yep, four) box set on the guy. Pretty cool, must say.