|
BarkellWH -> RE: ports (Oct. 5 2014 12:01:23)
|
quote:
...that you prefer Willie over Emmylou, who is way better. But I have to say if there is one thing I do like a lot about Willie, it is his guitar phrasing. I think Emmylou is an over looked master.
Nothing strange about liking both Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris equally, or preferring one over the other while liking both. I personally love to listen to Emmylou Harris. She has a voice, particularly on her earlier albums, that is crystal clear and rings like a bell. Absolutely beautiful singing. I agree that she has not received the public accolades she deserves, but she has done pretty well in spite of it. She got her start in the Washington, DC area at various venues, including the old Cellar Door on M Street NW in Georgetown.
In my opinion, however, Willie deserves his iconic status. He has been around for more than 50 years, and he has sung and written some great songs, produced some great albums, and never fails his audience in live performance. Willie has more character etched into his face than all his contemporaries combined. The lines etched into his face complement the look of his beat-up guitar. Together they make an organic whole.
Nevertheless, my favorite Country & Western singer was Marty Robbins, who, unfortunately, died in 1982. Marty Robbins' singing and music was much more weighted on the "Western" half of the Country & Western genre. He sang Western ballads, many with a Spanish flavor, that told stories of Gringos on the border falling for Mexican maidens, gunfighters, cowboys, trail drives, etc. His well-known song, "El Paso" is the perfect example. Robbins was born and grew up in Glendale, Arizona, just outside Phoenix, where I was born and grew up. Many of his songs are Gringo versions of "Corridos," a form of narrative and ballad singing in Northern Mexico.
Bill
|
|
|
|
