Violation Podcast - Great Albums from the Lone Star State
Honky Tonk Masquerade by Joe Ely, South of Town by Adam Carroll, and Willis Alan Ramsey by Willis Alan Ramsey
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On this, our second “Violation Podcast,” we “violate” our stated mission to discuss albums in their entirety. Well, we actually do talk about albums but don’t take quite the deep dive our loyal listeners have come to expect. Instead, each of us picked an album to share with our listeners that we believe are are “uniquely Texan” by Joe Ely, Adam Carroll, and Willis Alan Ramsey.
Joe Ely's 1978 album Honky Tonk Masquerade is a mixture of old school country, with a touch of zydeco and norteno mixed in, that contains songs written by Ely and his Lubbock bandmates from the Flatlanders: Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock.
South of Town is the debut album by an excellent Texas songwriter Adam Carroll who seems wiser than the 23-year-old he was the debut was recorded. He is like an updated version of Bob Dylan from the Freewheelin' days, with a dash of Townes Van Zandt added for good measure..
Finally, Willis Alan Ramsey's eponymous debut (and his only release) is a classic and touted by many as the first shot across the “Outlaw Country” bow. It’s a touchstone for many Texas artists to come, with songs that are almost impossible to categorize.
These three LPs represent some of the best music Texas has to offer and we hope you enjoy this little window into the world of these great Texas songwriters and performers.
No recommended on this Episode.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Joe Ely
Hoky Tonk Masquerade
The Flatlanders.
Pictured left to right: Steve Wesson, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Tony Pearson, Joe Ely
Joe Ely was a big influence of the Clash. Here’s Ely and the Clash’s Joe Strummer on on stage in California at something called the “Monterey Pop Festival II.”
Photo by George Rose/Getty Images
Adam Carroll
South of Town
Watch Adam Carroll “Bubblegum or Bad Karma” on the Texas Music Cafe.
Here’s a great video of Adam Carroll performing “Red Bandana Blues” to an enthusiastic crowd in College Station. Unfortunately, the video cuts out before the song’s over.
Willis Alan Ramsey
Willis Alan Ramsey
Here’s Willis Alan Ramsey performing “The Ballad of Spider John” on the Texas Connection in 1990.
In 1973 the band America recorded a version of “Muskrat Candlelight” and retitled it "Muskrat Love.” Their version reached number 67 on the Billboard “Hot 100 chart.” You can listen to it below.
In 1976 Captain & Tennille decided to record their own version of the America version of the tune. Their recording hit number four on the “Hot 100 and number two on the Cash Box chart,
