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 "J"
Jump 'N The Saddle Band "Jump 'N The Saddle Band" (Atlantic/Collector's Choice, 1983/2005)
Hey, these guys aren't really a country band at all! Or at least, they weren't by the time they got around to recording this one-off album in the early 'Eighties. The 'Saddle Band were a veteran Chicago bar-band with early roots in the '70s western swing revival, an early influence you can hear in their song selection, which includes "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens ," "Let Me Go Home Whiskey" and "Deep In The Heart Of Texas," choices that reflected the repertoire of Asleep At The Wheel, the greatest of the hippie hick swing bands. 'Saddle's moment in the sun came with the "Three Stooges"-themed fluke novelty hit, "The Curly Shuffle," which was a staple of the early MTV era. That song, like the rest of the album, was pretty much straight jump blues, leaning towards the bluesy side of things. This disc might evoke some nostalgia for a few MTV babies, but I'm not sure how well it holds up, all these years later... (Available through Collector's Choice Music.)
