From music to film, Will Oldham, better known as Bonnie “Prince” Billy has donned a variety of hats during his lengthy career in the arts. First there was the “Palace” moniker that has seen album releases with various collaborators under names such as Palace, Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music. On the film side, he has appeared in such motion pictures as Matewan, Old Joy, Wendy & Lucy, and even Jackass 3D. Oldham, who attended Brown University for a spell, made a shift in the late 1990s adopting the name Bonnie “Prince” Billy for his music projects most of which in the time since have evolved around folk music in its many incarnations. For the making of his latest album called The Purple Bird, Oldham headed to Nashville to work with noted producer David “Ferg” Ferguson to make what is his first full-on, traditional country album. It is a flat-out winner and we give it the look-see on the Ear Bliss page this week along with a reissue of Ted Lucas’ 1975 self-titled album Ted Lucas (and commonly referred to as OM, after Lucas’ own record label that originally issued the album). The cult classic is the first in what is planned as a series of reissues from the 1960s/70s Detroit music and counterculture scenester. Let’s take a look.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy
The Purple Bird
No Quarter Records
It’s the kind of record that doesn’t get made much anymore is how best to describe the latest longplayer from Bonnie “Prince’ Billy. On his new album called The Purple Bird, “outsider” indie folk artist Will Oldham, who records under the name Bonnie “Prince” Billy, goes country but not in the way many people think of popular country music in these current times. Instead, Oldham opted for an album in keeping with the prime era of icons like George Jones and Johnny Cash. For it, Oldham appropriately headed to Nashville to collaborate with the award-winning producer/engineer David “Ferg” Ferguson. The Oldham/Ferguson connection dates back some 25 years and the recording sessions for the Johnny Cash album American III with producer Rick Rubin where Ferguson served as engineer and where Cash performed a cover of the Bonnie “Prince” Billy song “I See A Darkness.” Speaking about his relationship with Ferguson, Oldham relates, “He’s a giant of a man, an epic musical force, a dear friend. Our work together on this record was the result of years of sharing hard times and great joys, songs and stories, of making music together and apart. There’s a lot of trust in this record on Ferg’s part and on mine, and the trust was hard- and well-earned. When I listen to the record, oftentimes I can’t help but laugh in wonder that life allowed me to participate in such a thing.” The album came together in a very old school style with many of the songs coming together around the kitchen table at the home of Ferguson who pulled in a cast of A-team Nashville cats to aid the cause. They include the likes of Tim O’Brien, recent Country Music Hall of Fame inductee John Anderson (who also sings on the track “Downstream”), Ronnie Bowman, Pat McLaughlin, Tommy Prine and Roger Cook on the songwriting front along with such ace studio musicians as Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Russ Pahl (electric guitar), Steve Mackey (bass) and Fred Eltringham (drums/percussion). The tunes topic span love (“One of These Days (I’m Going to Spend the Whole Night With You)”) to infidelity (the snappy “Tonight With the Dogs I’m Sleeping”) to current societal issues (“Guns Are for Cowards” and the Celtic-flavored “Downstream” featuring the aforementioned Anderson joining Oldham on vocals) to just getting through life (“Turned to Dust (Rolling On)”). On The Purple Bird, the Oldham/Ferguson collaboration yields a dozen perfectly constructed country songs with a nod to the past and a particular focus on the 1970s brand of country, with a sniff or two of weed in the aroma. Highly recommended. Visit https://www.noquarter.net/products/pre-order-the-purple-bird and sample tracks from The Purple Bird at https://bonnieprincebilly.bandcamp.com/album/the-purple-bird.
Ted Lucas
Ted Lucas
Third Man Records
In Detroit circles in the late 1960s and ‘70s, Ted Lucas was the stuff of legend on the counterculture front. A talented guitarist who also trained as a sitarist under Ravi Shankar mastering the instrument to such a point that he was utilized by Motown as their designated “exotic instrumentalist,” the mid-to-late ‘60s saw Lucas lead two bands testing the waters of folk/psych in
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the Motor City, those being the Spike-Drivers and the Misty Wizards. Whereas the bands released several singles for the Reprise imprint of Warner Brothers Records, it never amounted to much and each band was quickly dropped by the label. The ties to Lucas were not completely cut by the label which at the request of Warner head Mo Ostin who recognized Lucas’s talent, requested a demo tape of his solo work. That was 1971 and when he finally completed the demo and submitted it the following year, it was rejected. The spurning set Lucas on a path to release an album on his own which he did in 1975. The self-titled Ted Lucas released on Lucas’s own OM label (the album is commonly referred to as “OM”), contained the six songs from his Warner demo along with additional numbers. First reissued in 2010 on the small Yoga record label, to the rescue has come Third Man Records headed by Jack White of White Stripes fame to pull Lucas’s music out of anonymity by resurrecting the album once again with additional tracks. It comes as little surprise considering White’s Motor City roots and fondness for all things Detroit. The re-release also begins a campaign by Third Man to issue a bounty of never-before-released material provided to the label by the Lucas family. As for the initial offering, there is a distinct ‘70s folk/country haze hanging over a number of the reissue’s tracks featuring primarily Lucas on vocals and stringed instruments. That haze is particularly prominent on the trippy “It is So Nice to Get Stoned” which just may inspire you to fire one up. Also particularly good are the several extended tracks each of which bring Lucas’s masterful technique on guitar to the fore. In all, the album is like opening up a time capsule and a good one, at that. Visit https://thirdmanrecords.com/products/ted-lucas-1 and sample tracks from the reissue of Ted Lucas at https://thirdmanrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ted-lucas-extended.
LIVE SHOTS:
We’re now officially into spring and there is no better time to check out the live music scene. To help, here’s our weekly look at some of the music happenings to check out in and around Rhode Island. South County and beachside at The Ocean Mist in Matunuck is our starting point this week. The venue hosts a couple of tribute acts on Friday evening with both Brock Landers’ Alice in Chains tribute Real Thing with Alanis Morrisette tribute Jagged Little Pill. Sugar brings the good vibes to The Mist on Saturday night and Sunday Funday features Nun Ya Business with music from 4-7 pm. The Ocean Mistics play music for your listening and dancing pleasure every Thursday at The Mist from 6 to 9 pm. Coming April 4 is Red NOT Chili Peppers. Courthouse Center for the Arts in West Kingston plays host to Creed tribute Almost Creed on Saturday night. Led Zeppelin tribute Houses of the Holy is there on April 4 and Cheryl Wheeler with special guest Kenny White returns to the Courthouse on April 11. Pump House Music Works in Peace Dale (164 Kingstown Road) features Mystic Dead on Friday night and Saturday evening is the monthly potluck open mic beginning at 5:30 pm. The weekend closes with Robin Hathaway’s Big Mouth Blues Band on Sunday at 7 pm. Monday night at the Pump House is the Uke Jam and Tuesday evening is the weekly Old-Time Jam at 6 pm. Wednesday is an acoustic lounge and open mic hosted by Matt Fraza. The Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich presents John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band on Saturday night. Queen tribute Almost Queen is there on April 12 with special guest Steve Leonard. In Jamestown, the Narragansett Café features Whiskey Strings on Friday night and Amber Rose & The Renegades on Saturday evening. The weekend closes with acoustic rock band The Strumdawgs playing a 4 pm show on Sunday. Moving to Wyoming, the Wood River Inn in Wyoming hosts Nick Casey on Friday night and Two Fine Fellas on Saturday evening. Down Westerly way, Brian Templeton who is no stranger to the Knickerbocker Music Center (35 Railroad Ave) stage brings his 7-piece band to the venue on Friday night. Boston-based rock and soul band Reckoners is there on Saturday night and Jesse Desorcy plays a free show in the tap room on Sunday evening at 8. United Theatre in downtown Westerly hosts the best of the 70s with Dizzyfish & The Uptown Horns on April 5. Dawnlands at 40 High Street in downtown next hosts live music on April 19 with performances by Dogs on Shady Lane, Lazy Trail, and Roz Raskin.
In the Northern reaches of the state, Chan’s Restaurant in Woonsocket hosts Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood on Friday evening and Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish on Saturday night. Relive the big band and swing era at The Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket on April 4 when it presents the U.K.-based band Jive Aces. Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland hosts eclectic Celtic powerhouse Reverie Road on Saturday evening at 8 pm. Rock Hearts bring the bluegrass to the Blackstone on April 5 for an 8 pm show. The Met Café in Pawtucket features Steely Dan tribute Hey Nineteen on Friday night. Turas performs an eclectic mix of traditional and current Irish tunes and songs with original arrangements at The Met on April 6 beginning at 5 pm. In Providence, Red Baraat Festival of Colors brings its immersive celebration that melds the sounds of the South Asian diaspora with kaleidoscopic visual imagery to The Strand next Thursday night. The Parlour (1119 N. Main Street) hosts a Sunday afternoon show with Funky Submarine at 1 pm. The venue hosts an album release party for Boston-based singer/songwriter Will Dailey on April 4. Mary McAvoy opens. Coming up at Fete in Olneyville on April 19 is a terrific twin bill featuring Ty Segall solo acoustic with Mikal Cronin opening. Mark the calendars for April 4-6 when Riverdance comes to PPAC for evening performances each night, plus a Saturday matinee show. In Cranston, The Park Theatre hosts acclaimed blues guitarist and singer Joanne Shaw Taylor on Saturday night. In the East Bay, Jane Pickens Theatre & Event Center hosts Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Marc Cohn on Friday night and T Bone Burnett on April 1. Finally, the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River features Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Friday night and Walter Trout on Saturday evening. Singer/songwriter Chris Knight comes to the Narrows on April 4.
Dan Ferguson is a free-lance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcasting Thursday evenings from 6 – 9 pm on WRIU-FM 90.3 and streaming at WRIU on all major platforms.
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