Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

Tag: Ernest Tubb

"Four Wheel Drive"
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Zero to Infinity: Buddy Emmons

This week we said goodbye to Buddy Emmons, one of the world’s great musicians and subject of three prior Zero to 180 pieces.  Here is but a *45-second live demonstration (beginning to end) of Buddy Emmons’ singular genius with the pedal steel guitar: “Four Wheel Drive” (live) Buddy Emmons (1965)

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"Ode to Big Joe"
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“Ode to Big Joe”: Big Joe Talbot, That’s Who

Thanks to the contributor of YouTube’s only audio clip of “Ode to Big Joe,” I now know which country singers are being affectionately parodied by The Willis Brothers in this song. Question:  Can you close your eyes and identify the four music legends being spoofed? Scroll down for the answer

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"BluEmmons"
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“BluEmmons”: Landmark Steel Guitar Jazz

Just as Louis Jordan’s pairing of jump blues with country-style steel guitar might have been seen as a radical move in 1947, Buddy Emmons‘ decision to feature his masterful steel guitar stylings within a modern jazz context was considered equally bold in 1963 when Mercury released groundbreaking album, Steel Guitar

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"Gibson Girl"
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“Gibson Girl”: Actually, Billy Byrd’s a Gibson Guy

Guitarist Billy Byrd – according to Ernest Tubb‘s biographer, Ronnie Pugh – ”came from a pop and jazz background, and there were some people who were leery of the notion that he could play country with Tubb.  [But] he did it and did it well.  The ten years Billy was

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"Abilene"
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“Abilene”: It’s the Bass

“Abilene” was originally an album track on Bob Gibson‘s 1957 album, I Come For To Sing:.  “Little is known about the origins of this song,” say the liner notes on the back of the LP, and yet “Abilene” is widely known to have three authors — Bob Gibson, Lester Brown,

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"Rhodes-Bud Boogie"
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Texas Troubadours: Backup Band Extraordinaire

Perhaps it’s not fair to single out a backing band in country music, since there are so many outstanding ones — The Texas Playboys, The Cherokee Cowboys, The Drifting Cowboys, The Golden West Cowboys, The Brazos Valley Boys, The Western Caravan, The Buckaroos, The Strangers, The String Dusters/Pleasant Valley Boys

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"Big Blue Diamonds"
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“Big Blue Diamonds”: Early 70s Resurgence

I first encountered the song, “Big Blue Diamonds,” as covered by Little Willie John in 1962, from a Starday-King cassette entitled Country Tunes Done R&B. “Big Blue Diamonds” (plural) was penned by Earl “Kit” Carson and first issued on a 1950 King 78 sung by Red Perkins.  Tex Ritter also

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