Friday, September 07, 2012

Joe South, 1940-2012



















To understand Joe South's music is to understand my childhood.  I was raised on a steady diet of Jerry Reed, Charlie Rich, Ray Price, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings.  I vividly recall my dad singing along to Lynn Anderson's "Rose Garden" and Billy Joe Royal's "Down In the Boondocks."  Only later did I learn that South wrote both songs.  Upon acquiring the excellent anthology pictured above a few years ago, I discovered that most everything aficionados say they like about Elvis Presley's Memphis Sessions is even more true of South's best recordings.  A few of South's songs- including "All My Hard Times" (check out Joe Simon's version)- are amalgamations of all my favorite influences. South died Wednesday.


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I reviewed Pat Metheny's stunning concert Thursday at the Folly Theater.

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Kelly Clarkson's performance in Independence on Wednesday floored me.  Here's my review.

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Dedication 4, Lil Wayne's new mix tape, is atrocious.

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Tech N9ne's new song is titled "Earregular".

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I learned about the death of Larry Boehner of Lincoln's Zoo Bar from BGO.  Here's a documentary about the famous Midwestern venue.

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Tim Heidecker recorded an amusing spoof/tribute of Bob Dylan's new Titanic song.

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The video for the Fresh & Only's "Presence of Mind" is revoltingly hilarious.

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I listened to the new Cat Power album for the first time today.  After cursing the new "modern" approach for the first fifteen minutes, I came around.  It's lovely.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

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