The "twangcore" and "Americana" boom of today owes a large debt to the shaggy twangers and no-hit wonders of yesteryear -- this section looks at the hippiebilly and stoner bands and a few odd, random artists from the 1960s, '70s and early '80s, back before there was anything called "alt-country." This page covers the letter "E."
Jonathan Edwards "Jonathan Edwards" (Atlantic, 1971)
Back in 1971, Jonathan Edwards broke through with the breezy Top-40 hit, "Sunshine," and helped define the early-'70s singer-songwriter roots revival. Early albums combined country and country-rock with wimpy (but pleasant) folkie love songs; gradually Edwards drifted more solidly into the folk circuit and left the other stuff behind. These are his first two albums -- some of it's dorky hippie folk-rock pop (which I like anyway) and some of it has a pleasant true-country feel and rich, satisfying arrangements, sort of a refinement of the eclectic retro-isms of the early 'Sixties jug band scene. These early albums are definitely worth checking out, though you have to be willing to go back into that goofy Woodstock Nation vibe and soak up a little love and good vibes... But if you do, these are pretty rewarding albums.
Jonathan Edwards "Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy" (Atlantic, 1972)
Jonathan Edwards "Have A Good Time For Me" (Atco, 1973/Collector's Choice, 2005)
Yay. This one of Edwards' best records -- a stonerbilly gem sporting a solid country feel, with fiddles, twang and pedal steel galore. It's a longtime favorite of mine -- an album that I am very, very happy to see in print on CD. The title track is as savagely bitter and sarcastic a song about a dead love affair as ever was made... from there it drifts into some sappy, spacy, hippie-folkie tunes (which I actually like, but can't really recommend) until Edwards hits the country vibe again with a great cover version of Jimmie Rodgers' "Travellin' Blues." The album's true gem, though, is a Joe Dolce song called "My Home Ain't In The Hall Of Fame," which was a perfect statement of purpose for a guy whose debut album had put him in the Billboard chart's Top Five, but whose subsequent releases were about as anti-commerical as you could get... It went on to become an alt-country anthem, both through Edwards's excellent version, and a fine cover by bluegrasser J. D. Crowe... That song alone is worth the price of admission for this fine old hippie album. Recommended!
Joe Ely - see artist discography
The Everly Brothers - see artist discography
Don Everly "Brother Jukebox" (ABC/Hickory, 1977)
An endearing, if somewhat rickety, solo album by this much-beloved Everly brother. Going all-out country/countrypolitan on this one, Don hits a home run with the title track -- his definitive rendition of Paul Craft's "Brother Jukebox" has one of the greatest singalong choruses ever committed to wax, and remains one of my favorite lost-nugget country oldies... The rest of the album is much iffier, though, with Everly straining at the edges on more than a few of these songs, especially the more sensitive, emotive ballads. Still, it's worth it for the one song, and intriguing for devoted Everly fans and idle bystanders as well... (Other Everly Brothers albums, and solo works, are reviewed on the Everly discography pages...)
