Tape Spotlight: Legends at the Pickin’ Parlor
Another fine selection from the Tut Taylor Archives, this tape was rolling at Taylor’s own Old Time Pickin’ Parlor, the music store/repair shop/listening room he ran alongside Randy Wood and Grant Boatwright in the early 1970′s. The Nashville spot played host to some incredible gatherings of bluegrass musicians, and Tut Tape #64, which we believe dates back to 1972, captures a real beaut: three sets by The Country Gentlemen, with tweener sets from the always-enjoyable pairing of Norman Blake and Taylor, and a fantastic duet set by Bill Monroe and Blake.
Yes, the father of bluegrass was in the house that night, although he explains he came primarily as a Country Gentlemen fan: “I just came down to listen to them, but I enjoy playing with Norman here.” He and Blake play a substantial “tweener” of 15 songs, and about halfway through, Monroe mentions he doesn’t want to take up too much stage time. But the electricity in the room keeps him glued to that stage, the audience audibly hanging on every note. If that unmistakably rich, raging mando doesn’t make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, then you might want to check your pulse. At the end of his set, he and Blake are joined by members of The Gentlemen for “The First Whippoorwill” and “Can’t You Hear Me Calling,” and it’s absolutely divine.
The tweeners are gravy on three meaty sets by The Country Gentlemen. Charlie Waller on guitar, Doyle Lawson on mandolin, Bill Emerson on banjo, and Bill Yates on bass (considered the second classic lineup of the group) are joined by Mike Auldridge here on dobro, and it’s not a head scratcher why they were considered one of the must-see acts of the time. For one, they are damn funny fellows, with quick-witted banter and affectionate ribbing has the audience in stitches here, such as right after “Don Quixote” when Waller breaks a string. As he repairs his string, the rest of the bands’ jokingly taunts him school yard-style with a sing-song chorus of, “Charlie broke a striiing. Charlie broke a striiing.”
But it’s The Gentlemen’s knack for seamlessly blending originals, classic bluegrass, and reinterpretations of pop, country and folk songs that really sets them apart. For example, set one contains a glowing take on the traditional “Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor,” followed by Merle Travis’ “Dark as a Dungeon” (which was popularized by Johnny Cash, who performed it at his Folsom Prison concert), and then a vivacious instrumental version of The Beatles’ “Yesterday.” These songs all roll out in succession, but at no point do these feel like straight-up covers. The Gentlemen own them that completely, at times even infusing them with a touch of irreverence. A playfully off-the-hook “Orange Blossom Special” teases everything from the “Bonanza” theme to “Sobre las Olas,” demonstrating that they were not afraid to embrace popular culture with a big, unpretentious grin. It’s an approach that almost seems like a given now, with some bluegrass bands covering everything from Michael Jackson to Ozzy Osbourne. Regardless of how some might feel about that degree of openness, you can’t deny that we’re all steeped in popular culture to varying degrees. Let’s salute the trailblazing Waller and co. for showing the creative possibilities that fly when you kick your way out of the box, a healthy dose of levity intact the whole time you’re stomping.
Audio
A quick note: the order of listening is Side A1, Side B1, and Side A2, but in our archives they are captured as they were ordered on the original tapes. A quick organizing session post download will do the trick, and is well worth it. You can also stream it in order below.
Tracklisting
The Country Gentlemen, Set I
Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor
Tut Taylor & Norman Blake
Indian Creek Blake solo
The Country Gentlemen, Set II
Bill Monroe & Norman Blake
You’ll Find Her Name Written There
Soldier’s Joy significant tape slowing
I Know What it Means to Be Lonesome
The First Whippoorwill with Lawson and Emerson
Can’t You Hear Me Calling with Waller, Lawson and Emerson
The Country Gentlemen, Set III
A Letter to Tom significant tape slowing
Special thanks to our researcher and historian Mitch Wittenberg.
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