MUSIC WEEK AUGUST 23, 1975

D u IV

PERFORMANCE |\/|ore U.S. BCtS in DURING THE past few years George Jones' there's been a notable upsurge in the number of U.S. country performers undertaking tours in the United Kingdom, although the Storey Agency tours majority have kept to theatrical acts" commented Mike Storey, 20 years of hits dates. A more recent development, THE MIKE and Margaret Storey "and the country music clubs, however, is the rapidly increasing Entertainment Agency, currently where the majority of our acts 7 promoting the tour ol U.S. artists Till , 'LONG staying-power of the he would be in a position to amount of Stateside acts who have Gus & Jo Ann Thomas, has work, have become a most country music entertainer is record duels with Tammy Wyncttc found that substantial audiences announced a number ot other valuable market." proved convincingly with the case who, up until the beginning of this exist in the larger country music tours scheduled to take place in of George Jones, lie scored his year, was his stage partner as well clubs and, currently, the Mike & the Autumn and early 1976. These The Agency, which currently first success back in 1955 with as his wife. Margaret Storey Entertainment include visits by U.S. artists Patsy represents over 250 local country Why Baby Why - a chart-topper "There were other reasons as Agency has the husband and wife Montana and Judy Rose, Doc & acts, have recently moved into with his initial release - and, 20 well" explained Jones. "The team of Gus and Jo Ann Thomas Chickie Williams, Eddie Noack and larger premises with Look Records years Hater, has remained the association with 'Pappy' Daily, appearing at such venues: Canadian singer/songwriter Dick and will be co-operating on a consistent hit-maker as well as which lasted around 15 years, was The Thomases who hail from Damron. In addition the Agency number of projects, including being one of the music's most a wonderful one - and a most Wheeling, West Virginia, and arc will be promoting nationwide, management and music publishing, popular booking attractions. fruitful one. But, on the other long-time regulars on the famous tours by British artists Stu Stevens in the future. Their address is Throughout the years Jones has hand, I found it very restricting as WWVA Jamboree ~ made their and Brian Maxinc. September South Studios, 38 developed as possibly the most far as choice of material was UK debut last year and success has "Wc arc planning to become far Knowle Road, Golcar, prolific of all U.S. country artists concerned. The majority of songs brought about this second round Huddersficld, Yorkshire. and, besides having over 85 chart came from one publishing concern of engagements. Once again more involved with American singles to his credit, has released so I was left with the situation they've been drawing regular full around 110 albums. that I had to write my own songs houses, and their two hour stint In Britain he is one of the few or choose from a limited on stage at Stevenage's Times Wimbledon contest artists to have had albums catalogue. Only occasionally wc Club, where they were backed by regularly released from a number would pick songs from other the Reading group Frisco, still of different recording companies sources, generally in the case of a didn't appear long enough to quell and has built up a very loyal big hit title. the enthusiastic response. winners announced following. In addition his "Now working with Billy Unfortunately, though, ONE OF' the longest running performers from all over the UK. distinctive styling and considerable Sherrill at Epic, I can have the performing before club audiences country music talent contests ever The performers were split into solo, vocal range has made him an artist choice of any songs and 1 now has provided its own drawbacks staged was concluded last Sunday duo and group categories. upon which many local acts have possess the greatest freedom since and the duo were forced to (August 10) at Wimbledon's The winners, who received a based themselves. I first started recording. abandon some of their Tennessee Country & Western trophy and cash prizes, were: Solo Earlier this year, at the Seventh contemporary material in favour Centre. - Julie Hodgkins; Duo — Morning International Festival of Country of the older, more familiar songs. The contest, which commenced Dew; group — Kinda Country. A Music, George Jones made his long EDITED by Hence a generous helping of Hank on February 18 and continued grand final featuring all three overdue British debut. Williams' numbers, as well as such every subsequent Sunday, was winners is scheduled for August 31 Unfortunately his 25 minutes on Tony By worth standards as Ashes Of Love, organised by the Centre's owner at the Tennessee Centre. stage, backed by his Jones Boys, California Blues and Put You Chris Forde and attracted provided only a slight insight into "As far as ducts with Tammy Hand In The Hand, won straight his vast, instantly familiar arc concerned, I'm not quite sure through to the Stcvenage Club repertoire. Nevertheless he created of the situation at the moment. It members. Nevertheless Gus and Jo Bebb takes over Charlie Rich UK an electrifying presence and could appear that it would all be Ann Thomas' performance was promoter Mervyn Conn over but it may not be so. most suited to the environment Country Club ooncert idiut immediately started negotiations Apparently some of the people at and their cabaret style approach - B PUARIIPCHARLIE RICH,Dir'U who brokeKr^l'o into for a nationwide tour. Epic have approached Tammy on solo spots as well as ducts mingled BBC PRODUCER Bill Bebb the British charts last year with "The trouble with Wembley the subject and she seems willing." with amusing repartee - went over returns to the country music radio The Most Beautiful Girl In The was that it was one of those shows Currently Jones is spreading his well. Also making a brief waves when he takes over from World and Behind Closed Doors, that was just a little too long," field of activities. Last March he appearance was the Thomas' 12 Colin Chandler on Wednesday makes his British concert debut commented Jones during a recent opened Possum Hollow, a 500 year old daughter Mary Ann, a evening's Country Club. Bebb next month. trans-Atlantic call from his ranch seatcr couptry music nightspot in talented youngster who could well formerly produced the Country In support will be new RCA home in Alabama. "Somebody just Nashville's Printer's Alley and, last develop into a substantial country Meets Folk and Country Style country discovery Sarah Johns had to give up time and, as I was month, a club on the outskirts of entertainer. programmes but, for the past three who will have a single, I'm Ready at the end of the evening, I was Nashville which has been named TONY BYWORTH years, has been working away To Love You Now, released to that guy". The George Jones' Entertainers from country music. In a direct coincide with the visit. George Jones is not an artist International Supper Club. swop around Colin Chandler takes The dates scheduled for the who has bowed down to current "While Possum Hollow is ALBUM over Bcbb's production duties on tour arc: Gaumont, Ipswich trends where country music is a strictly a country music club — Music Through Midnight, (September 20); Davenport step removed from pop, but rather the largest in Nashville - the REVIEWS On BBC Radio London, Bob Theatre, Stockport (21); In has kept his music in country's Supper Club will feature all kinds SYDNEY DEVINE Powcl's London Country returns Concert - BBC-TV (22); City solid traditions. Reared in Texas, of music and will cater strictly for Live From The City Hall Glasgow. to Sunday afternoons on Hall, Newcastle (24); New Theatre, he inherited his musical talents the music industry. We've already Emerald SLD 38. Producer: September 14 and fills a two hour Southport (25); Apollo, Glasgow from his parents and gained his slot commencing at 2.00. first pracitcal experience working got members from the publishing Gordon Smith. With five albums (27); Theatre Royal, London (28). church socials and other local sections, record companies and already to his credit and a growing events. artists and we're hoping for some reputation South of the border, After service in the U.S. international members. this Scottish country singer is Marines - and action in the Next month George Jones is being pushed hard by Decca Top Country albums Korean War - Jones returned scheduled to tour the United towards nationwide success. This Kingdom and, this time around, may well be the album to provide home to Texas and took up a job he'll have enough time on stage to as a house painter while, in his the final breakthrough, embracing spare time, he lined up gigs. It was get through a far greater selection as it docs a broadly familiar YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND, Don Williams, ABC ABCL 5127 one of these appearances that of material that his Wembley repertoire of country-ish and KEEP MOVIN' ON, Merle Haggard, Capital E-ST 11365 brought him to the attention of U. appearance allowed. He'll be traditional songs like Wolverton BEST OF TAMMY WYNETTE, Tammy Wynette, CBS 63578 W. "Pappy" Daily, a prominent accompanied by the Jones Boys Mountain, Send Me The Pillow, STAND BY YOUR MAN, Tammy Wynette, Epic 69141 Houston record distributor who and guest artist on the show is Truly Fair, Road To Dundee, Now DON WILLIAMS VOL. 3, Don Williams, ABC ABCL 5125 was later to become the artist's Word recording artist Wanda Or Never and other trusted items 6 THE BARGAIN STORE, Dolly Parton, RCA LSA 3217 manager and record producer. Jackson. from his songbook, all rapturously 7 SAMPLE CHARLEY PRIDE, Charley Pride, RCA SAS 1005 The association led to a The venues set for the tour arc: received by the Glasgow audience. 8 BLANKET ON THE GROUND, Billie Jo Spears, United Artists contract with Starday Records Leisure Centre, Gloucester (Sept. Chart-status sales arc assured in UAS 29866 and, subsequently, releases with 11); ABC Peterborough (12); Scotland and a sensible stock-item YT!ME Y0U TOUCH Gaumont, Ipswich (13); Coventry elsewhere. ■in ^ ME, Charlie Rich, Epic EPC 80828 the Mercury, United Artists and Theatre (14); Empire, Liverpool 1003 GREEN & STEEL GUITAR. Lloyd Green, M&M SLME Musicor labels. (18); Odeon, Hammersmith (19); "A lot of my early recordings GEORGE JONES 11 0F MERLE Gaumont, Southampton (20); The Best Of George Jones. Epic t-ol 23234 HAGGARD, Merle Haggard, Capitol were songs that I had written Theatre Royal, Norwich (21); 12 JOHN R. CASH, Johnny Cash, CBS 80634 myself simply because I was very Music Hall, Aberdeen (24); Apollo EPC 80847. Billy Sherrill. A limited in my choice of material. Centre, Glasgow (25). country pop giant on a 1975 Ia ?amSIE-5T HITS' G,en CarnPbell, Capitol ST 21885 At that time I wasn't a known compilation of tracks going back A UGKER TanVa Tucker Recent Album Releases: 15iq ^INTRODUCINGJ CAL' SMITH, Cal' Smith,MCA MCF MCA 2713 MCF 2714 artist, so nobody wanted to write The Best Of George Jones to 1972. The Jones voice is songs for George Jones. I was just icsonant, fairly throbbing with the T forced to write my own material. Epic I-PC 80847 required sentimentahty and 1 ctpc. D. Ll0VdOP GreenIMPORT ALBUMS Famous Country Music Makers sincerity and right for the o r>oi ' Monument KZ 33368 Fortunately the majority of these RCA DPS 2056 0UL IVlAN Larrv Trider songs turned out pretty good for romantic agony of songs like 3 nhmcv rX, HISl HAIN1DS' ' Ranwood R-8129 George & Tammy & Tima (with Nothing Ever Hurts Me (Half As d rwe lil ' Jeanne Pruett, MCA 479 me." Tammy Wyncttc) Epic EPC 80655 0F D0LLY PART0|NJ Jones remained with Daily until Wc Must Have Been Out Of Our Bad As Losing You) or A Picture APL1-1117 ' Dolly Parton, RCA the beginning of the seventies Minds (with Mclba Montgomery) Of Me (Without You). Apart from 5 E AMING MY DREAMS when he departed from Musicor producing with a languid touch, ln fn?mn t 0 rov ded 16 ' Waylon Jennings, RCA APL1-1062 and signed with Epic Records. One RCA LSA 3230 Billy Sherrill also kicked in two of Rritainl u " P ' H Country Music Association (Great Current Single: Whilo ti "I 0n 33,65 spec'a,'st Country Music shops in the UK. of the reasons for the cliange of These Days (I Barely (let By) the best songs, The Door and We 9 OV albums are labels was that, with the new deal, Can Make It. dim.i i j consistent sellers in all the shops, it Epic EPC 3540 specificsnorifio areas6 n0t whichl. t,iat may manv not be artists reflected register in the above-average CMA (GB) Chart. sales in PAGE 34