It's our 3rd annual Cover Charge Included show on Rockabilly N Blues Radio Hour! All cover tunes all hour long!! This time around, we hear Lee Rocker covering Bruce Springsteen, Ollie Vee covering Talking Heads, Chris Isaak covering Carl Perkins, Carl Perkins covering John Hiatt, The Baseballs covering R. Kelly, Wanda Jackson covering The Coasters, Southern Culture On The Skids covering Wanda Jackson, Di Maggio Connection covering Adam Ant, Levi Dexter & The Ripchords covering Gene Vincent and so much more!
Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey Intro Music Bed: Brian Setzer- "Rockabilly Blues" Southern Culture On The Skids- "Funnel Of Love" Wanda Jackson- "Searchin'" Chris Isaak- "Your True Love" Carl Perkins- "Memphis In The Meantime" Ollie Vee- "Psycho Killer" Dave & Phil Alvin- "Hide & Seek" The Di Maggio Connection- "Goody Two Shoes" Dave Edmunds- "Hey Good Lookin'" Eddie Angel- "Buzz Buzz A Diddle It" Levi Dexter & The Ripchords- "Bi-I-Bicky-Bi, Bo, Bo, Go" James Hand- "Mona Lisa" Lee Rocker- "Dancing In The Dark" The Baseballs- "I Believe I Can Fly" Link Wray- "Hound Dog" Jim Lauderdale- "Lonely Weekends" Blue Cats- "Secret Agent Man" Dion- "Johnny B. Goode" Robert Gordon- "It's Late" Outro Music Bed: Brian Setzer- "Be Bop A Lula"
We hear some classic interview segments and tunes from Roy Orbison as well as Chris Isaak this week plus some rockers from Webb Wilder, Tiger Army, Gene Vincent, Veloninos, Lance Lipinsky & The Lovers, Vince & The Sunboppers, Tennessee Three and so much more!
This week we spin tunes from some of the artists performing at the 2nd annual Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender! We'll talk with festival owner Jason Galaz and hear tunes from Wanda Jackson, Reverend Horton Heat, The Blasters, Chris Isaak, a new track from Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys, Deke Dickerson, Dale Watson, James Intveld, Dibbs Preston, Levi Dexter, Rosie Flores, Slim Jim Phantom (with The Stray Cats) and so much more on this week's Rockabilly N Blues Radio Hour! Hear episode here: Download all episodes HERE! Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey Intro: Brian Setzer- "Rockabilly Blues" Wanda Jackson- "Let's Have A Party" Dale Watson- "Good Luck N Good Truckin' Tonite" Stray Cats (with Slim Jim Phantom)- "I Fought The Law" Deke Dickerson- "Mexicali Rose" Reverend Horton Heat- "Please Don't Take The Baby To The Liquor Store" Dibbs Preston & The Detonators- "Quit This Big Old Town" Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys- "Fine Fine Superfine" James Intveld- "Modern Don Juan" Planet Rockers- "Whatcha Gonna Do" The Blasters- "Marie Marie" Jason Galaz interview Segment 1 Chris Isaak- "Keep Hanging On" Segment 2 Marcel Bontempi- "Shag Rag" Woody Pines- "Walkin' Stick" Levi Dexter & The Ripchords- "Jitterbop Baby" Rosie Flores- "Wrong Side Of His Heart" Alton & Jimmy- "I Just Don't Know" Doel Brothers- "Kissin' Bug Boogie" Go Getters- "Hot Rod Roadeo" Outro: Chris Casello- "Chris' Guitar Boogie"
Chris Isaak joins us this week to discuss his new album, First Comes The Night as well as one of his major influences- Jerry Lee Lewis, his mirror suit, playing on stage with Dick Dale, recording in Nashville (and running into Robert Plant at breakfast) and a special request for an obscure track from "The Killer". We also hear tunes from Janis Martin, Crawling King Snakes, Micky Hawks, Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms, Danny B. Harvey & Annie Marie Lewis and Dale Watson!! Hear episode here: Download all episodes HERE! Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey Intro: Brian Setzer- "Rockabilly Blues"
photo by Andrew Macpherson
Janis Martin- "Believe What You Say" Crawling King Snakes- "Philadelphia Baby"
Chris Isaak interview Chris Isaak- "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing" Segment 1 Chris Isaak- "First Comes The Night" Chris Isaak- "Great Balls Of Fire" Segment 2 Chris Isaak- "Please Don't Call" Chris Isaak- "Down In Flames" Segment 3 Chris Isaak-- "Don't Break My Heart" Segment 4
Chris Isaak- "Running Down The Road" Segment 5 Jerry Lee Lewis- "Charming Billy" Chris Isaak- "Insects" Micky Hawks- "Bip, Bop, Boom" Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms- "I Gotta Get Another Girl" Danny B. Harvey & Annie Marie Lewis- "Don't Lie To Me" Dale Watson- "Adios" Outro: Dale Watson- "10-100"
This week we hear a killer Queen cover from The Eskimo Brothers plus new tracks from Chris Isaak, Si Cranstoun, Jimmy & The Mustangs and Jake Calypso. Plus, we'll get more Christmas tunes from Gas House Gorillas, Danny Dean, The Hillbilly Casino, The Sonics, Raul Malo, Robert Gordon and lots more! Hear episode here: Download all episodes HERE! Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey Si Cranstoun- "Old School" Jimmy & The Mustangs- "Long Black Train" Billy Lee Riley- "Pearly Lee" Danny Dean- "Santa Bring My Baby Back" Gas House Gorillas- "Come Back Baby (It's Christmas After All)" Shaking Bones- "Gimme Some More" Sabrejets- "I Dig Dames" Hayden Thompson- "Fairlane Rock" Baseballs- "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" Fabulous Thunderbirds- "Rockin' Winter Wonderland" The Eskimo Brothers- "Fat Bottom Girls" Jake Calypso & His Red Hot- "Turn Me Loose" Wayne Walker- "Bo Bo Ska Diddle Daddle" The Hillbilly Casino- "Holly Jolly Christmas" The Sonics- "Santa Claus" Robert Gordon- "Blue Christmas" Chuck Berry- "Run Rudolph Run" Raul Malo- "Not So Merry Christmas" Chris Isaak- "First Comes The Night" Eddie Cochran- "Sweetie Pie"
JD McPherson is our guest this hour as we talk about his new project Let The Good Times Roll, Conan O'Brien, confused lyrics for ZZ Top (and his love of the band), opening for Robert Plant, writing with The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, VeeJay 45, etc. We also hear brand new singles from Chris Isaak and the Legendary Shack Shakers, a request from JD for Sonny Burgess and much more on this week's Rockabilly N Blues Radio Hour! Hear episode here: Download all episodes HERE! Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey Legendary Shack Shakers- "Mud" (NEW) Buddy Holly- "Rock Me My Baby" JD McPherson interview: JD McPherson- "Everybody's Talking 'Bout The All American Segment 1 JD McPherson- "North Side Gal" Segment 2 JD McPherson- "It's All Over But The Shouting" Segment 3 JD McPherson- "Let The Good Times Roll" Segment 4 JD McPherson- "Head Over Heels" Segment 5 JD McPherson- "Bridgebuilder" Segment 6 JD McPherson- "It Shook Me Up" Segment 7 JD McPherson- "I Wish You Would" Segment 8 Sonny Burgess- "We Wanna Boogie Chris Isaak- "Please Don't Call" (NEW)
Photo by Jo Chattman (left to right:Jason Smay, Ray Jacildo, JD McPherson, Doug Corcoran, Jimmy Sutton)
Chris Isaak was born this day in 1956 in Stockton, CA. Chris fell in love with his parents 45's as a kid and developed his vintage look and sound from those days. Isaak says his latest project, Beyond The Sun, is the album he's always wanted to make. Recording at Sun Studios where his heroes recorded was an amazing experience. Enjoy some videos of Chris and celebrate this great artist's birthday!
2 Nicks (Nick Waterhouse and Nick Curran), 2 Everlys (Don & Phil), Blasters, Coasters, Paladins, a blues blast of Big Maybelle, Mud Morganfield with Kim Wilson, an early rockabilly entry from a later country legend and so much more fill the playlist on this week's Rockabilly N Blues Radio Hour!
This episode is a hepcat lover's blend of legends like Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Wanda Jackson, Dion and surprising covers by Los Straitjackets (covering Nirvana), Jerry Lee Lewis (covering Led Zeppelin), Di Maggio Connection (covering Talking Heads) and Micky Dolenz (covering Chuck Berry). Lots more too including something new from The Rockats, a live classic from Bruce Johnston and our 2 weekly features of an "instru-mental breakdown" and our "double shot" (this week it's Chris Isaak) to close out the show.
Intro bed- Link Wray- "Jack The Ripper" Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey Chuck Berry- "Johnny B. Goode" Wanda Jackson- "Fujiyama Mama" Robert Plant- "You Can't Buy My Love" Johnny Burnette & The Rock N Roll Trio- "Rock Therapy" Vintage Coke commercial- The Everly Brothers Everly Brothers- "Gone, Gone, Gone" Di Maggio Connection- "Road To Nowhere" Bruce Johnston- "Surfer Stomp" Charlie Feathers- "One Hand Loose" INSTRU-MENTAL BREAKDOWN: Los Straitjackets- "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Duane Eddy- "Rebel Rouser" Music bed- The Travelers (Johnny & Dorsey Burnette)- "The Big House" The Rockats- "Why Do You Love Me (If I Don't Treat You Right)" Eddie Cochran- "My Way" Music bed- The Ventures- "Memphis" Jerry Lee Lewis (w/ Jimmy Page)- "Rock & Roll" Vintage Kellogs commercial- The Monkees Micky Dolenz- "Johnny B. Goode" Howlin' Wolf- "Smokestack Lightning" Ronnie Hawkins- "Who Do You Love" Dion- "Tank Full Of Blues" Music bed- The Ventures- "Caravan" DOUBLE-SHOT OF ROCKABILLY N BLUES: Chris Isaak- "Speak Of The Devil" (live) Chris Isaak- "Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing" Outro- Scotty Moore- "My Baby Left Me"
Our friend Jen caught Chris Isaak's show in Lexington, KY recently and we asked for a full report. There's still time to catch Chris on his current tour. If you're trying to decide whether to go, Jen's account will help convince you to get out to see a show. Here's her review of the night:
17 years. That’s how long it had been since I last saw Chris Isaak in concert. He took me by total surprise then – that was a free concert in the park hosted by a local radio station, and featuring Human League, Chris Isaak and Duran Duran. I came to see Duran Duran…but Chris Isaak stole the show and my heart! I never forgot the fun of that night, the great music, and the stage full of girls brought up from the audience to dance to “Diddley Daddy”.
So here I am, 2012, ticket in hand to see Chris Isaak perform at the University of Kentucky Singletary Center for the Arts. He’s still touring his 13th album, Beyond the Sun (released in 2011), a loving tribute to the rockabilly artists of Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, who have influenced him since he was a kid listening to his parents’ record collection while growing up in Stockton, California.
I was excited to have a 5th row seat, but even more so when I actually found my seat and saw how close I was to the stage! The opening act was a local group from Lexington, Coralee and the Townies, whose self-described “honky-tonk soul” sound was a perfect compliment to the night ahead. Coralee was adorable and animated as she belted out song after song with energy, backed by a tight group of talented musicians. Really a great sound to get the audience revved up!
Finally it was time. The lights lowered to blue, with intro music building to a frenzy, as the band, Silvertone (Rowland Salley, bass; Scotty Plunkett, keyboards; Kenney Dale Johnson, drums; Rafael Padilla, percussion; Hershel Yatovitz, guitar) took their positions on stage. And then… Chris Isaak – tall, lean, tanned, perfect pompadour, and looking much younger than his 56 years of age – walked onto the stage, the spotlight dancing off the sparkles of his black suit. He and his bandmates exchanged hand-slaps as the crowd leapt to their feet in wild applause. Just that quick the lights flashed bright as the band kicked into “American Boy” followed by the surf-twang of “Blue Hotel”.
When you go to a Chris Isaak show, it’s more than just a music concert. From his shining Nudie-style suits, to his banter and self-deprecating jokes with the band, to his walk-through around the theater, shaking hands and sitting on ladies’ laps (“Heavy, aren’t I?”) Chris is a true showman.
“I want to thank you all for coming out tonight to support live music,” he says, then adds, “because if you didn’t I’d be walking around Lexington in a sequined suit with nothing to do.”
“I don’t know if anyone told you not to take pictures, but go ahead and take all the pictures you want. I didn’t get dressed up like this for nothing,” he winked.
The first part of the show was all Chris Isaak, featuring favorites like “San Francisco Days”, “Somebody’s Crying”, “Dancin’” and “Notice the Ring” (one of my faves!). His 1991 breakthrough hit ”Wicked Game” still raises a collective sigh from the women in the audience with the first notes of the guitar’s longing, lusty twang. The driving bass of “Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing” had everyone dancing, as Chris joked about finding love for his lonely bass player, and inviting ladies from the audience on stage to dance around him.
Next was like a show within a show, as the pace slowed some with Chris singing Elvis Presley’s “Doin’ the Best I Can” and telling us of the influence the songs from Sun Studios have had on him, as the crew deftly turned the stage into a Memphis Recording Studio space, with a neon sign, Scotty Plunkett’s piano, and Rowland Salley playing upright bass. Chris kicked it up with Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” as the audience sang along. Then Chris told the story of Carl Perkins’ song, “Dixie Fried”:
“Kenney, tell these people here why this song was banned from the radio.”
“Well, Chris, I heard that, much like yourself, he used to wear those effeminate girly looking suits…”
“No Kenney, that’s not why it was banned… And I want you to know, there’s nothing effeminate about this suit. Your most macho athletes … you know, your figure skaters… they wear suits just like this.”
The audience roared with laughter as Chris and the band got “Dixie Fried”, then slowed things down again with a beautiful version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” that rivals anything done by Elvis himself. Chris finished this part of the show with a rocking version of Jimmy Wages’ “Miss Pearl”(“This song is about a bad woman, who leaves a trail of broken hearts and hickies wherever she goes.”), then right into Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire” with Scotty Plunkett’s piano erupting in ‘flames’. The crowd went wild as Chris and the band raised their arms and waved a thank you before exiting the stage.
We knew the night wasn’t over yet, though, as the stage crew, in lights lowered to blue again, whisked away the studio setting. The band entered and took their places again, as Hershel Yatovitz tore into the surf-inspired instrumental “Super Magic”. Enter Chris Isaak again, now dressed in his famous encore suit covered entirely in mirrors, stopping to give the audience an eyeful as they snapped away on their camera phones, then blowing a kiss to his fans, hamming it up for all its worth. As the drums beat, the guitars sang, and Chris began, “Pretty woman, walking down the street…” a giant inflatable pinup girl appeared in the background, bouncing to the beat of the song. They finished the night with the soulful, swinging “Big Wide Wonderful World”. As the audience cheered, Chris held his guitar high in the air with the message “Thanks A Lot” in letters on the back.
As I gathered my things, heart racing from the excitement of the evening, I knew that sometimes Chris and his band meet with fans after the show, before they leave for the next city. As I walked outside, I heard the low rumble of an idling engine of a very large vehicle… I followed the sound to find the tour bus and a handful of fans waiting. As I neared the crowd I recognized Rowland Salley first, talking, posing for photos and scribbling autographs. I then saw Kenney, Scotty and Hershel also talking with fans. I approached Rowland, who was so kind and smiled so warmly, but I was so overwhelmed I could barely utter how wonderful the show was. Next I chatted with Kenney, who was so relaxed and funny it immediately put me at ease, and I felt as if I were talking with an old friend.
with drummer Kenney Dale Johnson
Then I turned around… and there HE was: Chris Isaak, looking even more handsome up close. I almost forgot I was wearing a little jacket I’d designed, in homage to Chris himself and his sparkly suits – I lettered his name in sequins on the lapels, and across the back copied his caricature from the album “Mr. Lucky” and added a sequined guitar, hearts and scattered rhinestones. I had felt a little conspicuous in it all evening, until that moment, when Chris turned and fixed his gaze on me, and I could see his eyes curiously studying my jacket.
“I made this for you!” I beamed.
“You did??” he smiled. A HUGE smile, clearly appreciative that I would go to such effort. As I turned around so he could see the back he said, “That is so cool! I wish I had seen that – I would have brought you on stage to dance! The next show you come to, wear that and I will!” I made him promise, and he agreed.
with Chris Isaak
Chris also was just as warm and relaxed as could be, and listened intently as I told him that this show was a birthday present to myself, and how long I’d wanted to see him perform. He wished me a happy birthday, and put his arm around my shoulder for a photo.
The whole evening was fantastic – and all the months building up to that evening were well worth the wait. Never again will I let 17 years slip by before I see Chris Isaak in concert again! There are only a few shows left to this tour, so if you’ve never seen his show before and he’s coming to your area, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket! You can see the list of events at chrisisaak.com/events
While Rudolph didn't play in any Reindeer games, he's certainly the most famous!! Check out various covers of "Rudolph" and let me know which you prefer...also, pick up the Chris Isaak Christmas CD for only $6.34 right now at Amazon (see link below if interested). On to the tunes....
Glen Campbell enlisted the help of Chris Isaak, Dick Dale and Brian Setzer on the track "In My Arms" from his recently released "farewell" album, Ghost On The Canvas. Preview it at iTunes or Amazon here:
Charles Hardin Holley (known in the rock world as Buddy Holly) was born this day in 1936. He will have a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame dedicated today on what would have been his 75th birthday had he not been killed tragically in 1959. This week a new tribute album titled Listen To Me featuring Chris Isaac, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, Stevie Nicks and others. Here's a behind the scenes look...
Chris Isaak recorded most of his upcoming project Beyond The Sun at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, TN. The album releases October 20th but you can get a free download of "Live It Up" here:
