Totally Biased Fan Review: Country and West – Dottie West (Original 1970 – Re-released and remastered, 2021)

Dottie West died as a result of injuries from a car accident at 58 in 1991. Until the last 15 years or so, I have mainly known her from her songs with Kenny Rogers. Every country music documentary that I have seen, every country music book that I have written mentions Dottie West, claiming that she had one of the best voices ever in country music. She has received a lot of praise from her peers and the many who have tried to follow in her footsteps.

This album has been deemed a country music classic and it has been re-released on vinyl and released for probably the first time on cd and definitely the first time digitally. More than likely it is because of the anniversary of her passing.

She died like she lived – dramatically – she had a pretty tough life. Maybe that is why the crying, hurting songs can be sung with such truth and power. If you look at the writers of these songs, you will understand where the respect is aimed at and who is doing the aiming. It is not hard to see why she can sing these songs so convincingly, as though she wrote them herself.

Fans of traditional country music will know these songs and this voice instantly. While Kenny does not feature on this album, he probably sang more duets with Dottie than he sang with Dolly. You can understand the partnering with both, as they have a lot of similar qualities in performance and style.

Like a lot of musos who died too young and tragically, Dottie packed an awful lot of songs into a short time. Early in her career, Dottie made great friends with some of the biggest country music stars of all time. Back then they were just young, up and coming talents, or soon to be discovered ones – Loretta, Willie, Dolly, Tammy, etc. She had a lot of problems and tragedy in her life which stopped her from doing more as a solo artist, but probably added substance to what she sang.

She was from a school country music that never really dies. It is music that will be continually covered, appreciated, played over and over again. You will need a big box of tissues when you listen to this album, but as your heart is breaking, your tears are falling, there will be a huge bucket of appreciation for a voice which is country gold.

I have heard that there is another “Collection” album to be released later in the year. It could be another one to track down to give you the full picture and the legacy that will carry on.

Track listing[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	“It’s Dawned on Me You’re Gone”	Hank CochranRed Lane	2:50
2.	“As Long as I Love You”	Dolly Parton	3:07
3.	“Love’s Farewell”	Wayne White	2:29
4.	“I’m Only Human”	Alex Zanetis	3:50
5.	“Today I Started Loving You Again“	Merle Haggard	3:00
6.	“Left Over Feelings”	William C. Rainsford	2:38

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	“(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again“	Dallas FrazierA.L. “Doodle” Owens	3:14
2.	“Tomorrow Never Comes“	Johnny BondErnest Tubb	2:40
3.	“You Destroyed Me”	Rainsford	3:06
4.	“I Stayed Long Enough”	Tammy Wynette	2:18
5.	“Loving You (Has Meant Everything to Me)”	Don Gibson	2:56

Musical personnel

• Larry Butler – piano
• Kenneth Buttrey – drums
• Pete Drake – steel guitar
• Buddy Harman – drums
• Roy Huskey – bass
• The Jordanaires – background vocals
• Millie Kirkham – background vocals
• Grady Martin – guitar
• Norbert Putnam – bass
• Jerry Shook – guitar
• Bobby Thompson – banjo
• Pete Wade – guitar
• Bill West – steel guitar
• Dottie West – lead vocals
• James Wilkerson – guitar

Technical personnel

• Danny Davis – producer
• Tom Pick – engineering
• Al Puchucki – engineering
• Roy Shockley – recording technician
• Tasso Vendikos – photography

Totally Biased Fan Review – Ice Cream Man – 8 Ball Aitken

8 Ball Aitken is one in a million (pun intended) and he’s ours (when he is not America’s) and we love him for his uniqueness. He is the man who plays guitars made out of biscuit tins, space shuttle fragments, a few bits from the Eiffel Tower, a jaffle iron, old Ford cars, the old roof from the Pub with no beer, footy boots and cricket bats….well, some of those things and a whole lot more.

It has been a tough year for 8, stuck in the U.S for more time than usual, having to have surgery, and delivering most of his gigs via the Internet and Facebook. He still managed to be productive and find his way home to Australia.

This album had me at the title and 8’s album covers are always great to view. I had heard Hard Times and Struggle, he sang it at last year’s Tamworth and of course his co-writer, Allan Caswell does a version on his latest album which is a bit different.

He did try a few new songs out on us on his online gigs as well. He is back in Queensland now, doing some gigs and things are almost back to normal for him. I do love Peace, Love and Understanding, Boomerang and Weight of the World a lot.

8 delivers a few different types of country. I guess that the blues element is always there, the swamp music and a touch of cajun. The production is always top class, he is a guitar man and that is always front and centre the focus. His husky, bluesy, slightly twangy voice and a strong rhythm section is also a strong feature of 8’s songs. Mother Nature’s Mad has a cool riff, and there is always a cool riff in 8’s songs.

A lot of 8’s music centres now on that bluesy, rocky feel. It is changing direction a bit from some of the more country tones that it used to have and it is getting a bit more towards pure blues. As I wrote in a previous post, there are now about 94 types of country music and they have cousins in other genres. Good music, in the end is good music.

Ending the album with Weight of the World is a good thang. It is an awesome song and rounds the album off well.

8 always delivers and gives us something to treasure. He pushes the envelope when it needs to be pushed and he throws in something familiar for us to hold on to. In a world that is forever changing, it is nice to have that guarantee.

Great job, 8. May the cool music continue.

Songs

1.     Ice Cream Man

2.     What Goes Up

3.     Peace, Love And Understanding

4.     Boomerang

5.     Flames Of Love

6.     Love Me Or Leave Me

7.     Hard Times And Struggle

8.     Mother Nature’s Mad

9.     Solitaire

10.  Weight Of The World

All songs written by 8 bar track 1 with Zed Charles, track 7 with Allan Caswell and track 8 with Phillip J Russell.

Musos:

8 Ball Aitken: Vocals, guitars, bass, harmonica

Tom Hambridge: Drums and Percussion

Buddy Leach: Sax, Keys, clav, bells, backing vocals

Dillion James Aitken: Hammond Organ Piano, Backing Vocals

Taya Chani: Backing Vocals

Alice Wallace: Backing Vocals

Josue Vilches: Backing Vocals

Michael Caruana: Clav

Tim Carter: Banjo

Produced by 8 Ball Aitken

Mixed by Tom Hambridge and Michael Saint-Leon at Switchyard Studios, Nashville

Engineered by 8 Ball Aitken at Red Rocker Studio and Tim Carter at the Tree House, Nashville

Mastered by: Dave Harris, Studio B Mastering

Photography: Toby Kroner

Album Artwork: Lindy Loo and 8 Ball.

One more time – The 79 types of country music – plus one

It has been requested again, so I am just going to post it and press the repeat button when I am asked in future. I would like to make this point quite clear – this is not my list. It is an old story, but back in 2004, when I returned from Tamworth Country Music Festival, I was sent an email from one of the official Tamworth Country Music organisations, asking me to complete a survey. They asked me normal questions like was it my first time to Tamworth, where did I stay, what did I do, where did I eat and it had a question that I have been asked repeatedly about for 17 years. Which of the following types of Country Music did you listen to in Tamworth? There were 79 types. I had to tick boxes. To be honest, I am still not quite sure what a lot of them mean, and thus I would be flat out giving you an example. Some are more obvious – again, this is not my list, I just checked (yes or no, as George Strait would sing). Added to that is Allan Caswell’s donation, Temporary Country and now it is 93, given a site that I looked up this morning which added some more. So it is 93 or 94 types now. In the end, if it floats your boat (or horse), just enjoy it for what it is.

Country Blues

Country Rock (Hard)

Country Rock (Soft)

Steam Punk Country

Country Comedy

Newgrass

Children’s Country

Spoken Word Country

Appalacian Country

Yodelling

Classic Country

Country Swing

Texas Swing

Yodelling

Country Waltzes

Calypso Country

Northern Country

Southern Country

Heartland Country

Disco Country

Fusion Country

Country Romantic Music

Country Love Songs

Thread Country

Blues and Roots Country

Orchestral Country

Country Strings

Country Brass

Country Steel

Latin Country

Mexican Country

Outback Country

Bar Room Country

Gothic Country

Cowpunk

Bakersfield sound

Neo Traditional Bluegrass

Bluegrass gospel

Bro Country

Bubblegum Country

Canadian Country Music

Christian Country Music

Urban Country

Cosmopolitan Country

Franco-Country

Gulf and Western

Hokum

Honky Tonk

Lubbock Sound

Nashville Sound

Psychobilly

Punkabilly

Outlaw Country

Talking Blues

Truck-driving Country

Southern Soul

Southern Rock

Red Dirt

Tex/mex

New Mexico Music

Countrypolitan

Country Reggae

Country Gospel

Plains Country

Island Country

Hillbilly Country

Home Sewn Country

Bluegrass

Soultry

Traditional Australian Country

Traditional American Country

Celtic Country

Swamp Music

Cajun Music

Country Pop

Thrash Country

Alt. Country (Americana)

Country Folk

Bush Ballads

Mountain Music

Country and Western

Western Music

West Coast Country

Punktry

Kiwi Country

Contemporary Country

Heavy Metal Country

Country Instrumental

and Temporary Country (added by Allan Caswell)

The Single Life – 13th February, 2021

Lots of singles this week, folks. One of the most interesting couples in Australian Country Music at the moment are Blake Dantier and Cass Hopetoun. They have very different styles in country music. Blake is very traditional country, Cass is more contemporary or pop country. Interestingly, Cass has had more major recognition. Blake has a new single, Wish You Were My Beer. It is very 90’s country, which of course, is my favourite era of country music in America, and it is a song which is universal. It makes more sense when you hear the song, which is a rippa.

Another young fella who has been hot the last couple of years and with the same first name, Blake O’Connor, has a fun song out called Willin’ and Ready. It is a good song to dance to once we are allowed to again. A real toe tapper.

I really like Brooke Lambert. She has that little twang lilt in her voice and her latest, Damn, I tried. The more that I play it, the more I love it. She has a special quality. It is a sad song, but you know how I love those. Interestingly, it is classed as pop. Take it from me, it is country.

Another young woman who impressed me last year was Katie Brooke. Cosmic Cowgirl is a very hummable tune and one to sway to. It is a lovely song – where west meets the skies. Fabulous.

Swifty, (Andrew Swift) released another song yesterday from his forthcoming album. I think this is the third single. Head Full of Honey is an up tempo country song which originally supposed to be a slower song. It is a good singalong song and another toe tapper. The shoulders are shifting. Sweet.

What happens when you get one of the most respected instrumentalists and producers in the country and one of the best songwriters in the country together? Lindsay Waddington plus Allan Caswell equals Lynchburg. The song is called Just Get Better. Of course with Sir Allan involved, it can’t be anything but country. I think the harmonica adds a cherry to the top of this finely crafted little song which can mean a lot with a little 2:44 song. It is probably the kind of song that we need at the moment.

Brittany Elise, sorry hon, I am a bit late on this one. Find Your Music was released in January. It is a bit of an empowerment song. It is a Be Yourself song. Brittany Elise has a powerhouse voice and she is a fine singer/songwriter. She has a big future. I think she has a lot to say.

Okay, now, Watling and Bates are urging you to get your Rockabilly on and your dancing shoes to boot….(see what I did there?) with Candy Moon. Yee Haa. I think it is their best yet.

Well, how is that for a mixture…..go get ’em folks!