Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

“Kentucky Ridgerunner”: The High Lonesome Remix

I was half distracted driving through southwestern Ohio when I first heard the title track of Lester Flatt‘s Kentucky Ridgerunner album on a community radio station.  The song definitely caught my ear, however, so I made a point of acquiring this album from 1972 – the first of three that year from Lester Flatt.  But when I finally sat down to listen to the record, I was flabbergasted to discover that all the deep-in-the-valley reverb I heard ringing out each time Lester and the boys sang the phrase “Kentucky Ridgerunner” … was all in my head!

Written by Lana Chapel

Produced by Bob Ferguson

So I immediately whipped out my Yamaha REX 50 multi-effects unit, cranked up the reverb, and made a new mix that tried to capture the late-night lonely train cry I originally heard upon my first encounter with the song:

Kentucky Ridgerunner (High Lonesome Remix) – Lester Flatt

[Pssst:  Click on the triangle above to play ”Kentucky Ridgerunner” (remix) by Lester Flatt.]

– LP Musician Credits –

Banjo – Haskel McCormick & Victor Jordan
Bass – Don Smith, English P. Tullock, Jr. & Jr. Huskey
Dobro – Burkett Graves
Drums – Jerry Carrigan, Jim Isbell & Ralph Gallant
Electric Guitar – Dale Sellers
Fiddle – Paul Warren
Guitar – Lester Flatt
Mandolin – Roland White
Piano – Hargus Robbins & Jerry Smith
Rhythm Guitar – Howard Johnson

Not long after making this mix, the REX 50, sadly, bit the dust.  Thus, this recording – another Zero to 180 exclusive – remains the final chapter in the legacy of this vintage 1980s reverb unit and all the warm feeling that the early digital era had to offer.

Yamaha Rex 50 Multi-Effects Unit

Frustratingly, the special effect is a little hard to discern — until, that is, you reach the final chord, at which point the song seems to ring out infinitely.

Categories in this Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All Categories
Archives