#charley willis

[folk-enjoyer]

Song of the day

do you want to know the history of a folk song? submit an ask or dm me and I'll cover it

"I Ride an Old Paint/Leavin' Cheyenne" Carl Sandburg, 1937

"I Ride an Old Paint/Leavin' Cheyenne" is a traditional cowboy ballad, first published in 1916 by John Lomax in "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads"

and later, in 1921, by Nathan Howard "Jack" Thorp in "Songs of The Cowboys"

and even later in 1927, by Carl Sandburg in " The American Songbag"

all 3 of them propose different origins to the song, which demonstrate a larger story-

Carl Sandburg says in The American Songbag that he heard it from a singer who heard it from a cowhand traveling to the border with some friends:

Jack Thorp says that he heard it from a cowboy in Pecos City, Texas, but doesn't say who.

Luckily, with John Lomax, there actually is a thread to pull with the origins of this song.

John Lomax had learned the song from Cowpoke Jess Morris who at multiple times had said that he learned the song as a child working on his father's ranch from Freed-man Cowboy Charley Willis, a famous Black cowboy and employed by Morris' Father, E.J Morris.

in 1928, he says that he learned it working at his father's ranch at a young age but doesn't specify Charley Willis.

Amarillo Sunday News-Globe (Amarillo, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 133, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 18, 1928 (p. 2)

and in 1952, where he specifies that it was Charley Willis who taught him.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Tex.) Sun, Jun 01, 1952. (p. 18)

In J. Morris' unpublished manuscript and other correspondence that's been archived at the American FolkLife Center at the Library of Congress, he talks about the life of Charley Willis. He was an amazing cowhand because of his soothing voice, how he was leaving from Texas to Wyoming, how he might have actually had a horse called "Old-Paint." If you're interested in learning more about that, i recommend:

this short article

this npr article

and chapter 12 of this book

While neither Charley Willis nor his son were ever recorded singing this song, in 1942, Jess Morris was finally recorded by John Lomax, and this version is probably as close to the version by Charley Willis as we're going to get

it seems that in 1913, Jess Morris recorded the song, but this recording no longer exists, but here's a tag for it.

Steven Wade, The Beautiful Music All Around Us (2012) p.345, The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

as with many things, however, one of the first recorded renditions of this song belongs to Harry McClintock in 1928

based on the similar lyrics in all of the older versions, I believe this song is actually a Descendant of "The Wagoner's Lad" (also called "Lovely Nancy" or "My Horses Ain't Hungry" sometimes) and belongs to the "On Top of Old Smokey" family of traditional folk music.

take a look at the lyrics from the 3 books it was first recorded in

While Sandburg's is pretty different, Lomax and Thorp's versions both contain lyrics that are also in "The Wagoner's Lad" as well as other similarities, as do Jess Morris' version and Harry Mcclintock's.

here are "The Wagoner's Lad" lyrics to compare with

"The Wagoner's Lad" was first compiled in 1906 by Cecil Sharp and published in 1917

where Sharp explains that it was much much older and that the Appalachian culture was particularly skillful at persevering traditional folk songs. this song also probably comes from even older, more traditional folk tunes from English folk music.

it was first recorded in 1926 and performed by Kelly Harrel as "My Horses ain't Hungry"

my favorite rendition is "Pretty Nancy" by Jean Ritchie in 1971

Getting back on the topic of "Old Paint," my favorite version of all time is by contemporary artist Colter Wall in 2023, who combines the best aspects of the traditional song's various melodies and lyrics and really makes the story of the song stick out as a bittersweet masterpiece.

Anyway, I don't know who wrote "Old Paint". like with all folk music, it's very likely that it has multiple origins or that Charley Willis learned it from someone else. Regardless, I'm happy that he's credited with writing the song. black history in the American West is so often erased that whatever shred of recognition that is given to black cowboys is something to hold onto.

[ifelllikeastar]

[music-wrestling-nascar-fan]

[bothkindsofmusic]

Spotify

YouTube

After an extended hiatus, the weekly playlist is back. If you’re new here, I find new and recent indie country releases on Fridays, throw them in a playlist, listen to it over the weekend, edit accordingly and publish it for you to hear, share and enjoy.

It always starts off with something classic, as a nod to where we’ve been and ends with a track by Willie Nelson because I could probably make these for week in, week out for 20 years and never run out of songs. 

While January is typically a slow month, it’s off to a pretty good start. About 2/3 was released in the last 30 days, which is all up front, and the last 1/3 is from Oct/Nov, when I last published a list. I’ve got couple irons in the fire right now regarding getting back on the air, but nothing completely baked yet. In the meantime, give this a listen and let me know what you like.

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Willie Nelson and Friends - “On the Road Again” and “Happy Birthday” (Live, April 30, 2023)

Just when it seems the world can’t possibly use another version of “On the Road Again,” Willie Nelson releases an “On the Road Again” the world didn’t know it needed.

Recorded April 30, 2023, at the Hollywood Bowl with a bunch of friends - the Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson, Lyle Lovett, the Lumineers, Lukas Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Jack Johnson, Rosanne Cash, Beck and Charley Crockett among them - and paired with “Happy Birthday,” this iteration is full of irresistible joy and wobbly harmony.

Despite the number of singers and players, Nelson, who turned 90 that day, remains in charge, singing the words strongly and coaxing yet another behind-the-beat solo from his trusty sidekick, Trigger. Everyone sings along lustily before it careens to a close and a raucous “Happy Birthday” emerges in its wake.

The cut follows Avetts’ take on “Pick up the Tempo” and Dave Matthews’ performance of “Funny How Time Slips Away” from “WIllie Nelson 90: Live at the Hollywood Bowl,” which will be released Dec. 15 in audio and video formats.

Grade card: Willie Nelson and Friends - “One the Road Again” and “Happy Birthday” (Live - 4/30/23) - A+

12/7/23

[bluejaysandblackbats]

NEW FICS FROM POLL

Okay so as a follow-up, I wrote a chapter (or a few chapters) for all of them! Here they are in order:

Frozen in Time (Booster and Rani father/daughter trip)

Princess and the Pea (Jason genderfluid/drag au)

Blue Ribbon Birdie (Tim Drake meets Ted Kord at his fifth-grade science fair)

Five Little Ducks (Jason gets de-aged by a wizard)

To Touch Fate (Jason Batman Beyond AU where he fakes his death to protect his wife and children)

Bloody Valentines (90s vampire camp slasher AU with multiple POVs)

[thedreammweaver]

Law Is For Protection of The People by Kris Kristofferson. Anti cop country song from 1970

The Pill by Loretta Lynn. Pro reproductive rights/birth control/bodily autonomy country song from 1975

Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C. Riley. Country song from 1968 about how conservatives trying to control everyone else through morality panics, “for the sake of the children”, are often doing worse things in private.

Country has always been punk, you guys just haven’t been paying attention cause people who don’t know the first thing about the music keep regurgitating this country music bad opinion.

It’s also part of this false idea that everyone in the south is racist bigots like no, that’s mostly our lawmakers. The south is full of queer people and leftists and POC, we just ain’t in charge.

The kids on TikTok think that just because he was a classic country singer, Johnny Cash was conservative??? My babies he covered a Nine Inch Nails song in his seventies.

Classic country singers (the majority of which came from poor roots) were always talking about how much The Man sucked because they were taking money from poor rural folk. You’re gonna tell me that’s conservative?? Get outta here.

[sonicziggy]

"That's What Makes The World Go Around" by Charley Crockett, Willie Nelson https://ift.tt/WCjsVio

[midlandcountrymusic]

[ezzysartifact]

Fandoms I Write For

School Spirits

Simon Elroy (i love him sm pls)

Maddie Nears

Wally Clark (will not post for him much since he has tons of content already)

Rhonda

Platonic! Xavier Baxter

Platonic! Charley

Z-O-M-B-I-E-S

Wyatt Lykensen (literally watched the movies because of Pearce so)

Willa Lykensen

Zed Necrodopolis

Eliza Zambie

A-Spen

A-Lan

Platonic! Wynter Barkowitz

Cobra Kai

Demetri Alexopoulos (aka my spirit animal)

Tory Nichols

Miguel Diaz

Samantha LaRusso

Aisha Robinson

Chris

Johnny Lawrence

Amanda LaRusso

Platonic! Robby Keene

Platonic! Eli/Hawk Moskowitz

Platonic! Kenny Payne (mentor vibes)

Mech-X4

Mark Walker

Veracity Campbell

Ryan Walker

Spyder Johnson

Platonic! Harris Harris Jr (whoever named him that sucks)

Blue Beetle

Jaime Reyes

Milagro Reyes

Jenny Kord

Platonic! Rudy Reyes

My Babysitter’s A Vampire

Sarah Fox (literally the only character)

Benny Weir

Ethan Morgan

Erica Jones

Platonic! Rory Keaner

Platonic! Horace “Jesse” Black

Julie and the Phantoms

Luke Patterson

Reggie Peters

Platonic! Alex Mercer

Platonic! Julie Molina

Willie

[the-birth-of-art]

Ten examples below the cut. Check with me tomorrow and I'll include nine different ones, but keep the last.

and, of course, the greatest....

most people have never heard genuinely good country music i swear to god good country music should make u feel like ur heart is falling out of ur chest and that you've finally found the home you've been missing all along, a place you've never actually been

[catgirl-kaiju]

subgenre of country music that's just about a city in Texas:

[murderballadeer]

nobody asked but my actual ranking of top 5 male country singers based on personal taste is (in this order) merle haggard, johnny cash, charley pride, george jones and willie nelson. honourable mention to john prine whose music i really love but who i think of much more as a songwriter than a vocalist

[gravitysgone]

I got an Elvis and my mom over my shoulder. Right now I am working on creating a playlist of nothing but the song "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues". I got Waylon Jennings, Dwight Yoakam, Charley Crockett, Charlie Rich, Leon Russell, Hal Ketchum, Elvis Presley, Alison Krauss, Marcus King, Willie Nelson, The Bards and the original and songwriter Danny O'Keefe. My favorite version is the Charlie Rich version.

Because there's nothing The Silver Fox can't make real classy like.

Interesting fact about the Elvis version, he went down to Memphis and recorded it at the Stax studios with Booker T & The MGs.

[straykids-2000]

masterlist

Angst 💔 angst with happy ending💔❤️‍🩹

Fluff 💝 fluff turned sad💝💔

Sumt ❤️‍🔥 Implied sumt 💌

Stray kids

Bangchan

Coming soon

Leeknow

Changbin

Hyunjin

Han jisung

Behind closed doors - coming soon

Birthday Boy - small bit of it

Lee felix

Seungmin

I.N

Ot8

You ask if you can dom them

Enhypen

Heeseung

Jay

Jake

Sunghoon

Sunoo

Jungwon

Ni-ki

Ot7

Y/N has tattoos - coming soon

School of spirit

Wally clark

Maddie nears

Rhonda

Charley

Xavier Baxter

Dawn

Julie and the phantoms

Julie Molina

Luke Patterson

Reggie peter

Alex Mercer

Willie

Flynn

My babysitter is a vampire

Ethan Morgan

Benny

Rory

Jesse

Erica

Sarah

Naruto

Naruto

Sasuke

Gaara

Kakashi

Sakura

Shikamaru

Kiba Inuzuka

Rock Lee

Tsunade

Hinata Hyuga

Shino Aburame

And more

Once upon a time

Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin)

Capitan hook

Emma swan

Regina Mills

Peter Pan

Felix

Bella

Mulan

Jefferson

Ruby

And more

The umbrella academy

Luther hargreeves

Diego hargreeves

Alison hargreeves

Klaus hargreeves

Five hargreeves

Ben hargreeves

Victor hargreeves

Lila Pitts

Sloane

Cobra kai

Miguel Diaz

Robby keene

Anthony LaRusso

Samantha LaRusso

Yasmine

Demetri

Kenny Payne

Moon

Johnny Lawrence

Tory Nichols

Eli Moskowitz

Amanda LaRusso

Daniel LaRusso

[krispyweiss]

Farm Aid 2024 Will Stream Live

- Webcast begins 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Sept. 21

Farm Aid 2024 will stream in audio and video.

Folks who can’t make it to New York for the benefit festival can catch it on YouTube, the Farm Aid website and/or SiriusXM channels 30 (Dave Matthews Band Radio) and 61 (Willie’s Roadhouse) beginning at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 21.

It begins with Farm Aid’s annual media availability, this year featuring artists and farmers in what’s described as “a dynamic conversation” between the performers and their beneficiaries.

Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds) and Margo Price will perform after sets by Mavis Staples, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson with the Travelin’ McCourys, Charley Crockett, Joy Oladokun and others.

9/16/24