Willie's 90th birthday bash covers a century of American music, whose course he changed by moving back to Texas

Willie Nelson greeted Keith Richards at the Hollywood Bowl Sunday.
(Photo by Randall Michelson of EB Media, via Los Angeles Times)

"It’s not much of an exaggeration — and yet it defies logic — to say that you could trace the history of American music’s last 100 years during the two nights of “Willie Nelson 90: Long Story Short” at the Hollywood Bowl over the weekend. Jazz, country, gospel, blues, rock, Nashville pop, Americana, even hip-hop (well, he smokes with Snoop) are all seamlessly part of Nelson’s DNA, and all were represented over the dozens of tributes paid to him as he turned 90," Mikael Wood and Erin Osmon report for the Los Angeles Times.

More than 45 artists took the stage to honor Nelson; Osmon and Wood chose 10 outstanding moments, including Roseanne Cash and 86-year-old Kris Kristofferson, who sang “Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again).” Sturgill Simpson "said the only reason he went to Nashville to make country records was 'because I grew up listening to country records by Willie Nelson' — records, he added, that exist 'outside of the box of what most people think country records can be.'" Other standoiuts: Beck, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Allison Russell and Norah Jones, Lukas Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois, Sheryl Crow and Keith Richards, who joined Willie for "a beautifully crusty version of Waylon Jennings’ 'We Had It All,' which sounded about a million years old, and Billy Joe Shaver’s very aptly titled 'Live Forever.'"

In advance of the concert, Michael Granberry of the Dallas Morning News did an overview of Nelson's career, which began in rural Texas, went to Nashville for songwriting, and returned to his home state: "Willie did more than change the course of American music with his risk-taking move from Nashville to Austin. Nearly half a century after the release of "Red Headed Stranger," his legacy extends to performances in the White House. To his fans and friends, Willie is a timeless icon. He shows not a shred of shame as the country’s most alluring pot smoker. And he somehow manages to rise above political and cultural divides, appealing to young and old, rich and poor, even to the most outspoken on the left and right." Joe Nick Patoski, who wrote the 2008 biography Willie Nelson: An Epic Life, told Granberry that Nelson is “the single most important Texan of the 20th and the 21st century, because he not only reflects — he defines Texas culture. No single person epitomizes the qualities that make Texans different from other people and separates Texas from the rest of the world, not just the United States.”

Quick hits: Every crisis needs a bird; Black gospel pioneer honored; 'How to thrive when everything feels terrible' . . .

Photo by Salwan Georges, The Washington Post

In a world full of crisis, what can help? "From time to time, I read or hear reports that the world's birds are in crisis. . . . There's a cardinal outside my kitchen window, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. For a passing moment, mine were the only eyes and this was the only bird. My heart swelled, and I smiled at the bright red jacket and jet-black mask as if seeing them for the first time. Nature is such a snappy dresser. . . . One imagines all creatures in this violent world must be scrambling for camouflage or cowering in bunkers, then along comes this guy, flashy and unafraid," opines David Von Drehle of The Washington Post. "Here's where that cardinal finally lands: One cannot usefully address a threat to birds if they do not delight in individual birds. (Maybe not all of them, but some.) One cannot meaningfully answer the climate crisis if they lack excitement about the human capacity for invention and reinvention. One cannot make progress toward equality and inclusion if they don't see and love the potential of humankind — enemies included — and one cannot build the future if one fears the future."

Associated Press photo via University of Pittsburgh

"I didn't know it was going to be a legacy," Pace Barnes told Jessie Wardarski of The Associated Press. Her father was one of the nation's first African American composers of gospel music, "and the owner of one of the country's first independent, Black gospel music publishing companies," Wadarski reports. "Today, the University of Pittsburgh is restoring his work from the 1920s to the 1950s and cementing his place in the genre's history."

Meet David Mas Masumoto, a Japanese American peach farmer planning a world without him. "The legacy he'll leave behind, as a father and pioneering organic farmer, and all of the legacies that have quietly guided him here, to his family's 80-acre stone fruit and raisin farm is preserved in his book, Secret Harvests: A Hidden Story of Separation and the Resilience of a Family Farm," reports Caroline Hatano of Civil Eats. "He explores the depths of his family history, uncovering long-held secrets and grappling with impossible decisions made when his family was imprisoned during World War II."

Oreo cow (Belted Galloway) with calf (Photo by Doug Young via Riversmith Farms)

Did you know that Belted Galloway is a breed of cow that looks like an Oreo cookie? And while the Oreo cookie is not a rural thing, American farmers help make them. Now American scientists have uncovered the best technique for getting to its delightful, creamy center. "MIT researchers twisted apart hundreds of Oreos to find the perfect method," reports Stacey Leasca for Food & Wine. "Who says science can't be fun?"

Rural life poses stresses and hazards that urban dwellers don't experience. This article, "How to Thrive When Everything Feels Terrible," by Christine Porath and Mike Porath in Harvard Business Review, hits the mark for people from all walks of life, particularly those in more isolated areas. "Research shows that we can protect ourselves from the damaging effects of toxicity by taking steps to ensure we are 'thriving' — a psychological term to describe the state in which people experience a sense of both vitality and learning."

In a shocking discovery, Superglue is more super than we originally thought. "Researchers turned superglue into a recyclable, cheap, oil-free plastic alternative," report Allison Christy and Scott Phillips for The Conversation, a platform for journalism by academics. "Unlike most traditional plastics, this new plastic can be easily converted back to its starting materials, even when combined with unwashed municipal plastic waste." It's a game-changer.

"Going, Going, Gone! One email to this Montana-based auction school later, I was connected with auctioneering instructor Nick Bennett," reports Caroline Carlson of The Daily Yonder. "A 2012 Western College of Auctioneering graduate, Bennett works as a professional auctioneer and appears to be the most decorated faculty member at the school. He's the 2021 International Auctioneer Champion, the 2017 U.S. Bid Calling Champion, and the 2014 Montana State Auctioneer Champion. . . . I talked to this industry legend about his rural roots, going to auction school, pre-auction nerves, and the first auction he ever called. Enjoy our conversation."

The Brown family of rural Iowa brings music and joy to the world, and restoration to its hometown of LeMars

Brown family members are farmers and musical performers.
(Photo by Dan Videtich, Successful Farming)

The Browns are farmers and a whole lot more. "After touring the globe for 22 years, the musically gifted group decided it was time to find a home base," reports Laurie Bedord of Successful Farming. "That dream brought them back to their hometown of Le Mars, Iowa, where they revitalized several historic buildings and created a unique draw for the community. . . . The Browns' story begins nearly 140 years ago when Charles Brown homesteaded the family farm southwest of Le Mars. . . . That's where Keith and his wife, Shelly, raised their four children — Jessica, Michaela, Adam, and Andrew. . . . Because Shelly grew up in a home filled with music, she wanted to foster a love of music in their children."

Shelly told Bedord, "It was my grandmother who nurtured a love for song and music. When Keith and I started dating in college, I would drag him to my concerts. . . . As the kids came along, they were surrounded by music. . . . A college friend suggested I teach the kids singing parts." Bedord adds, "It didn't take long for Shelly to realize her children had talent. The soundtrack of their childhood was brimming with Southern gospel music, a genre filled with messages of love, understanding and compassion."

Despite farming and raising kids, Shelly had also been performing with a musical trio, Bedord writes. "In 2000, Shelly faced a dilemma. After a decade together, one woman in the trio decided to leave the group, but there were still engagements that had to be fulfilled." Shelly told Bedord, "I felt an obligation to keep those commitments and thought maybe the kids could come along and sing a few songs. At one of the events, somebody asked if we would be interested in singing as a family. . . . I took the $200 we received from our first performance and opened an account at the bank under 'The Browns.' It snowballed from there, with one request leading to another."

Bedord writes, "It wasn't long before the family's calendar began filling with engagements across Iowa. As their popularity grew, so did their travel. . . . Fast-forward to 2015. The Browns had been touring nationally and internationally for 15 years. . . . In August 2015, the family purchased a historic structure in downtown Le Mars. . . .The Browns converted the building into offices, recording studios, and a 150-seat theater for live performances. . . . The demolition and restoration meant a lot of sweat equity from every member of the Brown family."

Rob Bixenman, mayor of Le Mars, told Bedord, "The theater makes for a unique attraction to our downtown that draws many tourists to our retailers' front door." Bedord writes, "In total, the Browns performed more than 100 shows in the theater last year. Besides their traditional Christmas shows, the family plans to host myriad events in 2023. . . . Two of the Browns' most recent ventures are kitty-corner to the theater. At the Central Event Center, guests can enjoy a homemade meal showcasing Iowa foods."

Adam Brown told Bedord, "When we bought these buildings, God had a plan."

Jerry Lee Lewis, an energetic founder of rock 'n' roll, is dead

Jerry Lee Lewis, known as "The Killer," at the 2015 Jazz Fest in New Orleans. (Photo by Matthew Hinton, NOLA.com)

Jerry Lee Lewis, the last of the rural-raised founders of rock 'n' roll, died Friday at his home in Mississippi just south of Memphis. He was 87.

Wikipedia base map

Born in Ferriday, La., Lewis and "two of his cousins, the future evangelist Jimmy Swaggart and the future country singer Mickey Gilley (who died this year), liked to sneak into a local dance hall, Haney’s Big House, to hear top blues acts perform," writes William Grimes of The New York Times. "He showed an aptitude for the piano, and his father borrowed money to buy him one."

“The more he practiced, the surer the left hand and wilder the right hand became,” Nick Tosches wrote in Hellfire: The Jerry Lee Lewis Story, one of two 1982 biographies. The other was Myra Lewis’s Great Balls of Fire: The Uncensored Story of Jerry Lee Lewis, noting both his signature song and the personal scandal and tribulations that diminished his career.

But in 1986, Lewis was in the first class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he was inducted this month to the Country Music Hall of Fame, reflecting the genre in which he found more lasting success. Last year, he and Swaggart did a gospel album, The Boys from Ferriday. But at the start, his "pounding boogie-woogie piano and bluesy, country-influenced vocals helped define the sound of rock ’n’ roll," Grimes writes.

"Tender ballads were best left to the old folks," writes Hillel Itale of The Associated Press. "Lewis was all about lust and gratification, with his leering tenor and demanding asides, violent tempos and brash glissandi, cocky sneer and crazy blond hair. He was a one-man stampede who made the fans scream and the keyboards swear, his live act so combustible that during a 1957 performance of 'Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On' on 'The Steve Allen Show,' chairs were thrown at him like buckets of water on an inferno."

How often is your state named in popular songs?

Does your state inspire musicians to write songs? Julia Silge, who writes a blog, data science ish, used figures from the Billboard Hot 100 from 1958 to the present to chart two maps, one that shows how many times a state was mentioned in song lyrics and one that divided mentions by population to find which states got more or less than their share of attention, Ana Swanson reports for The Washington Post. (Pictogram: Number of mentions by state)

"Southern states like Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky turned out to have an outsized influence, as did states like New York, Hawaii and Montana," Swanson writes. "Nebraska and Maine also fared well." (Number of mentions by state per every million residents)

Silge found that New York had the most mentions, 51, although she estimates that many of those references probably refer to the city, not the state. Second was California, with 26 mentions, followed by Georgia (21), Texas (13), Tennessee (11), Alabama (9), Mississippi (8), Kentucky (7) and Hawaii and Virginia (6).

When accounting for mentions per every million people, Hawaii was No. 1, followed by Mississippi, New York, Maine, Georgia, Montana, Alabama, Tennessee, Nebraska and Kentucky.

NEA honors rural craftsman with annual Heritage Awards; 2012's best -- snowshoes, baskets, gospel

National Endowment for the ArtsSnowshoes made from ash wood and rawhide by Paul and Darlene Bergren of Minot, North Dakota -- the Begrens' craftsmanship and teaching have been honored by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Daily Yonder reminds that The National Endowment for the Arts has announced its National Heritage Awards for 2012. And that Paul and Darlene Bergren -- dog-sled and snowshoe makers from Minot, North Dakota -- are among them. "The awards honor artists who are preserving traditional crafts, music, and visual arts through teaching and the excellence of their own work. Over the past 30 years, hundreds of rural makers and musicians have been recognized, from woodcarver George Lopez (Cordova, New Mexico) to zydeco accordionist Clifton Chenier (Opelousas, LA) to weaver Teri Rofkar (Sitka, Alaska). Many folk expressions originated as the practical arts of rural life (saddlery, quilting,..making snowshoes)." A list of the 2012 winners and past winners is available here.

Flip sides of 45s had a civil rights message

A researcher at Baylor University has discovered that many "B" sides of old 45s had gospel songs that deal with civil rights. Robert Darden, an associate professor of journalism at Baylor and a former gospel editor for "Billboard" magazine, is working to collect and preserve as many early recordings of gospel music as possible. "The reason we haven't realized this before is that when we've known about a song, it is almost always the hit or ‘A’ side," Darden said in information released from Baylor. (Photo, "O Mary, Don't you Weep," 1954, Baylor University. Click to listen to excerpt)

Darden began the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project because he was concerned that early gospel by lesser known artists might be lost. Since 2005,  Darden has gathered for the collection more than 2,000 loaned or donated LPs, 78s, 45s and tapes. The recent discovery "tells us that the gospel community was much more involved in the civil rights movement than we previously thought," said Darden. (Read more)

Writer yearns for those rural hymns of old

When's the last time you heard an old-fashioned hymn sung? "These days, many churches have turned to 'praise choruses' -- songs that employ simple, repeated words of praise rather than the more poetic, penitent language of vintage hymns," Randy Speck of Albany, Ky., writes on his Notorious Meddler blog.

"I have watched hymn-singing decline over the past several years. It is a big loss," writes our friend, left. But he puts it a lot better than we could: "The difference between the hymns and the praise songs is the difference between a sonnet and a greeting card. They don't have the depth and the poetic language that a song would have from the old hymnal."

Randy goes on to pay tribute to the great writers of hymns, one great singer of them (whom we both knew) and that old-time religion. Randy's writing is more than "good enough for me." To read his post, click here.

Arson blamed for fire that destroyed the radio home of a top Southern gospel disc jockey

On Friday, a fire gutted a Morganton, N.C., radio station that is home to three-time Southern Gospel DJ of the Year John Whisnant Jr. Whisnant said authorities blame the fire on arson carried out possibly to hide a burglary at WCIS (760 AM), reports Mark Price of The Charlotte Observer.

"News of the fire has become the talk of the Southern gospel music industry nationwide, due to postings on popular Web sites like Singingnews.com and Sogospelnews.com," Price writes. "As a result, offers of financial assistance have come from radio stations across the United States and Canada, Whisnant says." The building was valued at about $119,000, but the station also lost 3,000 CDs and DVDs in the fire. (Read more)

The Whisnant family, which has performed Southern gospel music around the country for four decades, bought the station in 1993. The station broadcasts seven days a week, including a live morning show as well as live airings of local church services. Whisnant told Tracy Farnham of The News Herald in Morganton that the station would recover. "We will be back," he said. "Make no mistake about it. It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when." The station already has received plenty of offers of help, including from neighboring station WMIT-AM, which sent an engineer to discuss how to get the station back on the air. (Read more)