1) I found an old country music book recently that said you were on the TV show, “Alias Smith & Jones.” Can you tell us what your role was in that episode and any memories of this experience? The title of the episode was “The Men Who Corrupted Hadleyburg,” in case you want to try and find it on YouTube. We filmed it sometime in the mid to late seventies. I played the part of a card dealer in a casino, but they had to overdub someone else’s hands for the close-up shots because I’m left-handed and didn’t shuffle the cards the way they wanted me to. I enjoyed my day on the set, especially getting to meet and work with one of the co-stars, Pete Duel. He went out of his way to be nice to me, so you can only imagine the shock I felt when only a few days after our filming I heard that he had committed suicide. Our show was the last episode he was in.
2) Back last century when you recorded with Owen Bradley, did you do the majority of your recordings in Studio B, Bradley’s Barn, or in Studio A? And do you remember who of the Nashville “A Team” of musicians backed you? From the late 50’s until the late 60’s I recorded virtually everything in Owen’s famous Quonset Hut studio on 16th Avenue. There were two exceptions. I cut “Three A.M” in Studio B at RCA and “Bright Lights & Country Music” in RCA’s Studio A. When Owen opened Bradley’s Barn for master sessions, I began recording everything there, beginning with “My Life” in 1969 and continuing through “That’s What Made Me Love You” with Mary Lou Turner in 1976. Owen was very generous in letting me augment his regular musicians with members of my Po’ Boys band, but at one time or another, every member of the A-Team played on at least one of my recordings.
3) I always thought that Penny DeHaven was such a good singer and she should have been a bigger star. I enjoyed her duets with Del Reeves and later with Porter Wagoner on the Opry. Weren’t you responsible for getting Penny her first recording contract? Was she ever made a member of the Opry? In the late sixties, I met Penny (her real name was Charlotte DeHaven) in Wheeling, West Virginia, where she sang on Jamboree USA under the name of Penny Starr. Later, I introduced her to Scotty Turner who, at that time, was head of Imperial Records’ country music division in Nashville. He produced several records on her, including some songs that I wrote, but as talented as she was, she never managed to score that elusive big hit. She was never made a member of the Opry.
4) Our Question Of The Month came in from many of you in various forms, but this version from Jason in Oregon was the first one to arrive in my mailbox: How do you feel about Country/Rock artists like Jelly Roll becoming members of the Grand Ole Opry? Does it have to do with his popularity? Of course it does. Remember, the Opry is owned by a publicly traded company that’s in business to make money for its stockholders. One way the Opry makes money is by selling tickets to its shows. Today, there is no artist associated with country music who sells more tickets than Jelly Roll. Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, Jelly Roll was made an official Opry member on March 10th. He was inducted by another new Opry member who also sells lots of tickets, Lainey Wilson. Between them they are a big part of country’s current wave. I was not there, but from what I’ve been told, Jelly was very grateful and humbled by his induction. He has certainly known life at the bottom over the years, and he appears to have turned things around to the point where he can appreciate and enjoy the blessings that are now coming his way. He seems to hold the Opry in high esteem and seems thankful for the opportunity to be part of it. I’ve only met him once, but the next time I see him in the halls backstage I will extend my hand, open my arms, and welcome him to the family. If the roles were reversed, I’d like to think he’d do the same for me.
Quickies: I was wondering will the few episodes remaining of your television show from the 60’s ever be released? I would love to see a full episode. As I have explained before, there are a lot of legal issues involved regarding the guest artists who were on those shows….most of whom are now deceased. I doubt the shows will ever be released unless a good lawyer (who will work cheap) wants to get involved. How old were you when you wrote your first song? And how did you learn to play the guitar? I’d say I was somewhere around ten years old…give or take a year…when I first started trying to make words meter and rhyme. I learned to make a few chords on the guitar by reading instruction books and taking a few lessons from a man who lived in our neighborhood. Young kids tell me today that they’ve learned guitar from courses on the internet. I wish those had existed when I came along! How did you meet the amazing songwriter, Bobby Tomberlin? The two of you seem to have a wonderful songwriting chemistry. Do you have a favorite Bobby story to share? Bobby tells the story of how we met in his wonderful book, “I’ve Lived Country Music.” If you haven’t read it, I suggest you get a copy. He went from being an 11-year old disc jockey meeting and interviewing me at a PoFolks restaurant in south Alabama to being my on-the-road sound engineer, my songwriting co-hort, and one of the most treasured friends I have ever had. I’m extremely thankful that he is such a big part of my life. Do you have to live the lyrics in order to write heartfelt songs that touch the soul? You will forever be my favorite songwriter. Thank you…that’s very kind. I tell people if I had lived every song I’ve written I would be 140-years old! I guess it helps if you’ve learned a few life lessons along the way, but you certainly don’t have to have lived everything you’ve written about to be a successful songwriter. In fact, it’s probably best if you haven’t! I noticed something unusual in the songwriting credits on the album Dottie West Sings. She sings “When Two Worlds Collide,” but credit on the label is only given to Roger Miller. Well, I hope they didn’t send Roger my half of the royalties!! I’m sure this was just an honest mistake, and it probably happens in this crazy business more than any of us realize. Lefty Frizzell’s original recording of “Saginaw, Michigan,” had only Don Wayne’s name listed a writer. On later pressings, my name was added. Do you still stop and tell Miss Minnie and Mr. Roy goodnight before leaving the Opry House? Do you or will you do the same for Ms. Jeannie? Yes, I tell Minnie and Roy goodnight as I pass beneath the gigantic pictures of them that hang in the backstage entrance hall. Jeannie Seely’s picture doesn’t hang there yet, but if and when it does, I will certainly bid her goodnight as well. If I didn’t, knowing her, she’d come back and haunt me!
Thanks for another set of great questions this month, and I hope you’ll continue to send them in. If you’re curious about anything related to me and/or country music let me know. Our address is askbill@billanderson.com. Send in our Question Of The Month and you’ll win absolutely free any item of your choosing from our online store. See you back here again next month.
Author: admincw