Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s The Other Great American Songbook

Chappaqua Library, January 28, 2023 “Setting the Woods on Fire”  (Hank Williams, 1952) Written by Fred Rose and Edward G. Nelson, this is a great example of why many people said that Fred Rose could write a Hank Williams song better than anyone, even Williams himself.  Since the song first hit the airwaves, people have … Continue reading Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s The Other Great American Songbook

Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s Bristol and Beyond: The Birth of Country Music

Voorhies Hall, Bay View, Michigan, July 18, 2022 “Keep on the Sunny Side” (Carter Family, 1928) Songwriters get their ideas from all over, but the best ones keep their ears open, knowing that any random phrase they hear might be the germ of a great song.  In the case of lyricist Ada Blenkhorn, she had … Continue reading Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s Bristol and Beyond: The Birth of Country Music