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Lonnie Ratliff Country Music Newsletter
June 1st., 2009
Number of Newsletter Subscribers:  7,945

====================

Part # 1 of a new short story
I am writing is in this NEWSLETTER
Lonnie

Spotlight Artist

Bobby Bare

"Click" Photos & Logos below for Bobby Bare Websites
__

______

=================================================
Bobby Bare (born Robert Joseph Bare on April 7, 1935 in Ironton,
Ohio) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the
father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.

Early career
Bobby Bare had many failed attempts to sell his songs in the 1950s.
He finally signed with Capitol Records and recorded a few rock and
roll songs without much chart success. Just before he was drafted into
the Army, he wrote a song called "The All American Boy" and did a demo
for his friend, Bill Parsons, to learn and record. Instead of using
the version Bill Parsons did later, the record company, Fraternity
Records, decided to use the original demo done by Bobby Bare. The
record reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, but they made an
error: the singles' labels all credited the artist as being "Bill
Parsons."
Career at RCA (1962–1970)
Bare's big break in country music came when RCA Records' Chet Atkins
signed him. The first song he released on the label was "Shame On Me"
in 1962. His second RCA release, "Detroit City," was his first top-ten
Country single, reaching number six. It also hit number 16 on the pop
charts. Then a surge of hits followed, including "500 Miles Away from
Home" (based on a traditional folk ballad written by Hedy West as "500
Miles") and Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds." He also recorded with
Skeeter Davis, Norma Jean and Liz Anderson. In 1968, he recorded an
album with a group from England called The Hillsiders. In 1969, he had
a Top 5 hit with Tom T. Hall's "(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn".
Career at Mercury (1970–1972)
Bobby Bare moved to Mercury Records in 1970 and immediately scored a
Top 3 hit with "How I Got To Memphis" and had two Top 10 hits from
early Kris Kristofferson compositions, "Come Sundown" (1971) and
"Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends," (1971).  He also scored a
#12 hit in 1972 with a version of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show's pop
hit "Sylvia's Mother", written by Shel Silverstein.
Second Career at RCA (1973–1977)
After a couple of years at Mercury, Bobby returned to RCA Records in
1973 and scored with Billy Joe Shaver's "Ride Me Down Easy" which
nearly made the Top 10.
Bobby Bare started to release novelty songs recorded live with
selected audiences. One such song, "Marie Laveau," reached the number
one position on the country chart in 1974; it was his only number one
hit. This song was co-written by his friends Shel Silverstein and
Baxter Taylor, who received a BMI Award for the song in 1975.
Silverstein penned other songs for Bare including a Grammy-nominated
hit, "Daddy What If," which he recorded with his five year old son,
Bobby Bare, Jr. The song was an immediate success as well not only
reaching #2 on the country charts but nearly reaching the Top 40 on
the Pop charts. Bare's album, "Lullabyes, Legends and Lies" became his
most commercially successful album and Bobby had a new audience with
pop radio once again playing his songs and a new following with
college kids. These two songs, however, would become Bobby's last Top
10 hits. Bare later recorded a very successful album with his family,
written mainly by Silverstein, called "Singin' in The Kitchen." It was
nominated for best group category in Grammy Awards, but was declined
by Bobby himself.  He continued to record critically acclaimed albums
and singles. His biggest hits during this time included "Alimony"
(1975), "The Winner" (1976), and "Drop Kick Me Jesus (Through The
Goalposts Of Life)" (the world's only Christian-football waltz, and a
1976 Grammy nominee. In 1977 he recorded "Redneck Hippie Romance" and
"Vegas" (a duet with his wife Jeannie).
Concept albums were nothing new for Bobby, In 1967, Bare came up with
a concept album called "Bird Named Yesterday," which was very
successful.  His most successful concept album is "Lullabyes, Legends
and Lies". He also is the first to be given full control of his work
and thus the very first Outlaw.
Career at Columbia Records (1978–1983)
Bobby signed with Columbia Records and continued to have hits like
"Sleep Tight Good Night Man" a near Top 10 in 1978 and releasing
critically acclaimed albums like "Bare" and "Sleeper Wherever I Fall".
In 1979, he started off Roseanne Cash's career in a big way by singing
a duet with her called "No Memories Hangin' Round" which went Top 20
for them. In 1980, he scored a near Top 10 with "Numbers" which came
from his album "Down and Dirty" where Bare started to experiment with
Southern rock and continued this with his next album "Drunk and
Crazy". In 1981, Bobby released an album entitled "As Is" which was
produced by Rodney Crowell and returned Bobby back to his country
roots with songs like "New Cut Road". Bare was still doing well
chartwise into the early 1980s. In 1983, he released a Top 30 duet
with Lacy J. Dalton called "It's A Dirty Job". His last trip into the
Top 30 came that summer with the novelty song "The Jogger".
Film career
Bobby Bare was also given an opportunity to star in the movies. He
acted in a Western with Troy Donahue, A Distant Trumpet, and a few
episodes of the TV series No Time for Sergeants. He turned his back on
Hollywood to pursue his career in country music.
Later career in country music and today
From 1983 to 1988, Bobby hosted Bobby Bare and Friends on The
Nashville Network which featured Bobby interviewing songwriters who
sang their hit songs on the show.
In 1985, Bobby signed with EMI America Records where he scored 3
charted singles, but none of these reached the upper regions of the
charts.
In 1998, he formed the band, Old Dogs, with his friends Jerry Reed,
Mel Tillis and Waylon Jennings.
In nearly 50 years of making music, Bobby has made many firsts in
country music. Bare is credited for introducing Waylon Jennings to
RCA.  He is also one of the first to record from many well- known song
writers such as Jack Clement, Harlan Howard, Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey
Newbury, Tom T. Hall, Shel Silverstein, Baxter Taylor and Kris
Kristofferson.  In 2006, he recorded a new album after over 20 years,
called The Moon Was Blue, produced by his son Bobby Bare, Jr., who is
also a musician. He continues to tour today.
=================================================

NOTE from Lonnie - I always feel a little guilty because I never have
time to listen to mp3's new artists and songwriters send me,
unsolicited I might add.  I hate it but I just delete them because I
finally figured out I could try to be a nice guy or I could try to
work and pay my bills.  My banker had a very stern suggestion that I
needed to keep working and be a nice guy on my own time after all my
bills were paid.  Turns out that spare time does not exist so I just
had to give up on listening to unsolicited mp3's, CD's and giving my
opinions and suggestions.  Now I just concentrate on my music business
out of necessity but I figure I can give you some links that will
answer your questions better than I could anyway.

Here's some books available this week on EBAY
..........
=================================================
__

"You gotta peel a few taters & mop a few floors"
by
Lonnie Ratliff

I suppose one of the things I have never understood about some
singers is how unprepared they are to actually be singers. They will
practice singing and playing their guitar for hours on end but that is
where they seem to think it should all end. You ask them about even
the most basic element of how to run their business as a singer and
you get the classic "I'm not interested in the business part I just
wanna sing" answer. Well let me tell you, Nashville is full of people
getting rich off these singers who are not interested in the business
side of music. This type artist is also the one who wastes more time
looking for a manager than it would take to learn how to manage
themselves. My answer to anyone who says they need to find a manager
has always been "manage what" ? ?
If you're not making any money or being approached by a major label
wanting to sign you then there is nothing to manage.
.
I always look at the music business like I would any other business.
You start out by doing everything yourself and you only hire other
people when you can afford them. If you are the best cook in the
county and decide to open a restuarant but you are on a shoe string
budget then you have to do everything yourself. You've got to cook all
the meals which you love to do but you also have to mop the floors and
peel the taters, that kinda sucks. If you want to have a succesful
restaurant some day there is no way around doing this grunt work
yourself because you have no extra money to pay tater peelers & floor
moppers. One good thing you will learn from this non-cooking labor is
that once everyone in the county figures out how good a cook you are
your cafe will be packed for dinner every evening. Then and only then
you can then afford to hire some help. When you hang that "Help
Wanted" sign in the cafe window you will already know how long it
should take to peel a peck of taters and you will have learned that
you have to change the water in the mop bucket a few times to get the
floor good and clean. With this insider information you are now gonna
know who is a good floor mopper or tater peeler when they ask you for
a job just by talking to them.   When you do hire someone, because of
your familiarity with exactly what their job will entail that person
will be an asset who will help your business, not bankrupt it.
.
Just like the restuarant business or any other business It isn't easy
to learn all one needs to know and the smart ones will keep on
learning as long as they are in the business. That knowledge they pick
up will be reflected in their success. You can't make a couple of
phone calls or read an article and figure it all out in one afternoon
but you can figure it out eventually. It's not rocket science. You are
just singing songs and entertaining folks who already like music and
by now you already figured out that you can sing. All you gotta do is
turn that into a career instead of an expensive hobby.
Always keep in mind that most of the people you know probably hate
their jobs. If you can figure out how to make a living singing you
will be one of the lucky ones who can spend a lifetime doing something
they love. That should be worth peelin' a few taters and moppin' a few
floors. Just set your mind to figuring out how the business side of
your music career works.
.
As that famous "Okie" Will Rogers once said there are three ways to
learn how to do something. Some people will learn by reading books,
some will learn by watching what others do and there will be those who
just have to piss on the electric fence to figure it out. I guess in
the end it doesn't matter how you learn as long as you learn.

Copr 2009  Lonnie Ratliff
=================================================
Getting to know Joni Compretta

1.  Where were you raised up and where do you now work out of.  Are
you from a large city, small town or out in the country ?
I am from a small town on the Mississippi Gulf Coast called Bay Saint
Louis. After my hometown was destroyed in 2005 due to Hurricane
Katrina, I decided to move to Nahville to pursue my dreams in the
Country music industry.

2.  Have you recorded any CD's.  If so what are the titles and where
can someone buy them ?
Yes, shortly after moving to Tennessee, I met producer Lonnie Ratliff
and finished my first CD titled "Out Of Mississippi". The CD may be
purchased online at CD Baby, Amazon.com, jonicompretta.com , the
Nashville Showcase website as well as many other downloadable websites
online.

3.  What is your main outlet for live performances ? Nightclubs,
Festivals, Linedance Clubs.
We perform at a variety of venues such as festivals, fundraisers and
night clubs. We will perform pretty much anywhere there is the need!
Lol!

4.  Who would you say are your favorite country artists ?  Major
Label
My favorite artists vary across genres: Elvis, Wanda Jackson, Conway
Twitty, Dolly, Alabama,Martina McBride,Faith Hill, Miranda Lambert,
Lonnie Mack, Melissa Ethridge, Jerry Lee Lewis and so many others!

5.  Who would you say are your favorite country artists ?
Independent Label
Erin Hay, Bengt Pederson, Brent McAthey, Thornbirds & Perley Curtis

6.  What is the highest profile "Gig" you have ever played ?  Did you
open for Garth or The Beatles ?  Play for the Queen or at the White
House ?
We played at Relay For Life in Pigeon Forge alongside Louise
Mandrell. She is a very delightful and charming lady!

7.  What is the most personally satisfying "Gig" you have ever played
?  Disaster benefit, Uncle Joe's 100 year birthday party, hospital,
old folks home etc!
I would have to say Relay For Life, my heart was touched when I was
able to meet and talk to all of those affected by cancer, especially
the few children I met. They are such an inspiration to me, what
strength they have!

8. What is the most obscure CD sale and/or fan you have ever heard
from ?  Sold a CD in Russia or Got an E Mail from a soldier in Iraq
Etc!
I received an email from a fan in Zimbawbe Africa! I think that's how
it's spelled! Lol!

9.  What is your favorite 3 songs you have recorded and also your
favorite 3 cover tunes you sing at gigs.
Favorite 3 songs I have recorded are: Driftaway, I Love You and Only
Lonely
Favorite 3 Cover songs I perform at gigs are: Gunpowder & Lead, Stay
and Jailhouse Rock .

10.  What do you see on the horizon for your career in the next 12
months ?  Recording a new CD or going on tour to Switzerland etc!
I hope to get back into the studio soon to have some new material
produced. I will be going back to Sweden for 3 weeks in July to
perform at some major Country music festivals there and will also be
returning in October to do a tour with "Wanda Jackson" The Female
Elvis. Wow! What a dream come true!

BONUS QUESTION BELOW - Use this space to ASK YOURSELF A QUESTION &
THEN ANSWER IT.  I probably forgot a good question that your fans
would like to have the answer to so give it your best shot.

11.  Where do you see your career in 5 Years, 10 Years?
I am working very hard at getting out there and being heard, I hope
to be a household name in the near future! Lol!

================================================================
Lonnie's Cracker Barrel Special For Country Singers

The Ads below are this week's featured country artists.  If you are
interested in purchasing one of the
slots below in a future NEWSLETTER contact Lonnie about a Cracker
Barrel Special Ad.
NashvilleShowcase@... (
http://us.mc559.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=NashvilleShowcase@comcast.net
)

For those of you not in on the insider joke about this being called a
"Cracker Barrel Special" the reason is that Lonnie spends all the
money you pay him for these ads eating at the Cracker Barrel
restuarant.

=========================================================
Amanda Nagurney    Contact: AmandaNagurneyMusic@... Website
www.AmandaNagurney.com
=========================================================
Wayne Longtin Sr.     Contact:  wjlongtin@...  Website  (
http://www.waynelongtin.com )
www.waynelongtin.com ( http://www.waynelongtin.com )
=========================================================
Maria Benham     Contact: mariabenhammusic@...  Website
www.myspace.com/mariabenham2 ( http://www.myspace.com/mariabenham2 )
=========================================================
Marla Ratliff      Contact: marlaratliff@... (
http://us.mc559.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=marlaratliff@yahoo.com )
Website   http://marlaratliff.com/
=========================================================
Will Cox       Contact: willcoxmusic@...        Website
www.willcoxmusic.com ( http://www.willcoxmusic.com/ )
=========================================================

Erin Hay        Contact: ErinHay2002@... (
http://us.mc397.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ErinHay2002@yahoo.com )
website www.ErinHay.com ( http://www.erinhay.com/ )
=========================================================
Perley Curtis     Contact:  perley@... (
http://us.mc559.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=perley@perleyc.com )
Website  http://perleyc.com/

================================================================
Click on PHOTOS below to play demos produced by Lonnie Ratliff

Kenny Chesney
Demo

Click Photo to Play
Garth Brooks Demo

Click Photo to Play
Shawn Camp
Demo

Click Photo to Play
Jack Greene
Erin Hay / Duet

Click Photo

================================================================

================================================================

================================================================
Getting to know Mike Cullison

Mike Cullison
www.myspace.com/mikecullisonmusic

1.  Where were you raised up and where do you now work out of.  Are
you from a large city, small town or out in the country ?
Raised in Shawnee,  Okla.;small town. I now redide in Nashville, Tn.

2.  Have you recorded any CD's.  If so what are the titles and where
can someone buy them ?
I have two cd's recorded. BAC,(Big American Car)in 2004 and Blue
Collar Tired,2007. Cd Baby carries both as well as numerous
download sites such as i-tunes.

3.  What is your main outlet for live performances ? Nightclubs,
Festivals, Linedance Clubs
MY main live performances are clubs and festivals. I am beginning to
do more house concerts as well.

4.  Who would you say are your favorite country artists ?  Major
Label
I'm old school so I would say Merle Haggard, George Jones, Billy
Joe Shaver and Dwight Yoakam.

5.  Who would you say are your favorite country artists ?
Independent Label
I would say Johnny Neel, Davis Raines, and Delbert McClinton

6.  What is the highest profile "Gig" you have ever played ?  Did
you open for Garth or The Beatles ?  Play for the Queen or at the
White House ?
I was in a band "Lone Walter" and we opened for Three Dog Night.I
have also toured with Johnny Neel and W.I.N.D. from Italy. That was a
great
time.

7.  What is the most personally satisfying "Gig" you have ever
played ?  Disaster benefit, Uncle Joe's 100 year birthday party,
hospital, old folks home etc!
I got a band together and played my wife's birthday party a couple
years ago. Played all of her favorite songs.

8. What is the most obscure CD sale and/or fan you have ever heard
from ?  Sold a CD in Russia or Got an E Mail from a soldier in Iraq
Etc!
Sold a few cd's in Japan.

9.  What is your favorite 3 songs you have recorded and also your
favorite 3 cover tunes you sing at gigs.
Honey Don't, Waiting in your Welfare Line and Going Up The Country.

10.  What do you see on the horizon for your career in the next 12
months ? Recording a new CD or going on tour to Switzerland etc!
I am in the process of doing another cd and having the process filmed
by an Emmy winning photographer. I am also looking to tour Europe
later this year.

11. How do you go about finding your subject matter for your songs?
I have found that you usually don't have to look far for subject
matter. The hard part is to say it in a way that hasn't been said
before. I am very lucky to have written with some of the best and I
have learned a great deal from them. Being more of a lyricist,I can
take on any subject that I want.

================================================================

Title                                                Click to Play
Suitable for singer   Contact copyright owner
========================================================================
1.Forever                                          Male /Female
jdavidstillman@...

========================================================================
2.  A Soft Place To Fall            Female
budman9927@...
========================================================================
3. Is George Jones Country            Male
jon.philibert@...
========================================================================
4.  Country Music Weekend              Male
fredleonardmusic@...
========================================================================

========================================================================

========================================================================

================================================================

CALL ON ME.

Love and friendship are good,
each by itself,
but to find them both together is a bonus blessing.
I am lucky.

Misty and I have been together since we were very young,
and very often we can still see that young person shine through.
In certain light, and in the right mood,
she still looks like my 23 year old girlfriend.

We wanted to grow old together,
and we're getting our wish.
I have no complaints.
We're young inside... we still look ahead with hope and enthusiasm...
we still sit and talk for hours... some times about the past,
but mostly about the future, and what we plan to do.

We hang out together and stick up for each other...
Best friends.

We like the old music and styles, but we keep up on new things.
We don't want to be stuck in the doo-wop or folk song or disco era
when we had our biggest hits.
We are busy learning and trying new things.

I'm often inspired to write songs about friends in love.
Here’s one now.
It's our next single on Stardust Records
and we have mp3's for DJs.

*     *     *
To listen to the song, click  one of these links:

CALL ON ME.
BROADBAND:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=7286862&q=hi
DIAL-UP:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=7286862&q=lo
Lyrics:

“CALL ON ME.”

When you're standing at the crossroads of your life
And the plans you've made are fading out of sight
Well, if every road you travel
seems to go nowhere
Call on me, call on me
And I'll be there

When the darkness closes in, call on me
When the teardrops start again, call on me
And if time has taught you trouble,
much more than you can bear
Call on me, call on me
And I'll be there

When you come to the end of your dreams,
And your world falls apart at all the seams
If your friends have turned to strangers,
and you need someone to care,
Call on me, just call on me,
And I'll be there

When the sun is growing dim, call on me.
And I'll make you warm again, just call on me.
Well if life left you with memories,
and you need someone to share,
Call on me, oh please, call on me
And I'll be there

Jack Blanchard

© 2009.

--
Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan...
Grammy Nominees... Billboard's Duet of the Year.
HOME PAGE: http://jackandmisty.com

BROWSE OUR CD CATALOG HERE: http://elvinsystems.com/jm/catalog.htm
BUY OUR CDs HERE: http://birdwalk1.tripod.com/jandmorder.htm

SoundClick:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=69863
YouTube: http://youtube.com/jackandmisty

MySpace: http://myspace.com/jackandmisty
================================================================
Lonnie's Featured Original Song

Kentucky Lake was written by myself along with Tom Mitchell & Dick
Fegey back in 1994.  I was producing a project on Sharon Beavers that
we were trying to market to the Department of Tourism.  This song
ended up on the cassette album but another song on the album was
considered more appropriate so Kentucky Lake kind of got overlooked.
I never realized how well the song stood on its on as just a country
jazz type song so it just remained on the shelf all these years until
recently I gave it a listen and realized there were not a lot of
country songs out there with this kind of feel and someone looking for
something a little different might want to record it.  I am not a
singer but it seems like it would be a pretty fun song to sing also.
I think the message of the song takes us back to a much simplier time
in America.  I have always been a sucker for Norman Rockwell's America
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Rockwell ) and I would imagine I
am not the only one.  Anyway give it a listen and if you would like to
record it contact me for a mechanical license.  Lonnie Ratliff
NashvilleShowcase@...

Kentucky Lake

When I feel the hand of the blues
Has tied together both my shoes
I know it's time to take a break
And head for Kentucky Lake

By the edge of old Kentucky Lake
Life is a piece of cake
Oh how the sweet the taste
Of life on Kentucky Lake

When I feel those low down breezes blow
I start looking down that old familiar road
I know a piece of mind awaits
By the edge of old Kentucky Lake

(INST)

When I feel those low down breezes blow
I start looking down that old familiar road
I know a piece of mind awaits
By the edge of old Kentucky Lake

So if you feel the hand of the blues
Has tied together both your shoes
You are welcome to my hideaway
By the edge of old Kentucky Lake

You are welcome to my hideaway
By the edge of old Kentucky Lake

Lonnie Ratliff / Tom Mitchell / Dick Fegy
Copr. Okie Acres Music (BMI)
================================================================
Getting to know Lotta Källström

Lotta Källström
www.lotta-k.com
1.  Where were you raised up and where do you now work out of.  Are
you from
a large city, small town or out in the country ?

I was born and raised in the small village; Östra Husby in Sweden
and
have created my music career from here. It all started with
guitar lessons, which I got from an old lady and my dreams of
becoming
an artist began to grow. Now I´m working fulltime as a
musician/entertainer with jobs om festivals, private & company
parties, radio, and so on.
2.  Have you recorded any CD’s?  If so what are the titles and
where can
someone buy them ?

I recently released my debut-album "Red Strings" who is a mix of my
own countryrock songs and my favorite covers.
You can buy the CD on www.cdbaby.com and even order it from my
homepage www.lotta-k.com or download songs from I Tunes
3.  What is your main outlet for live performances? Nightclubs,
Festivals,
Line dance Clubs,

Most of my live performances I do in Company parties or on private
occasions. I perform live in a radio-show as a "Jukebox" every second
Friday, where I´m playing the listeners favorite wishes songs. In
the
summertime me and the band plays in different countryfestivals in
Sweden and Norway.
4.  Who would you say are your favorite country artists ?  Major
Label

Dolly Parton of course:) She made so many great songs and she is also
a fabulous woman!
Willie Nelson and the Swedish band Cookies and Beans are also really
good!
5.  Who would you say are your favorite country artists?  Independent
Label
Dani Carroll
6.  What is the highest profile "Gig" you have ever played?  Did you
open
for Garth or The Beatles ?  Play for the Queen or at the White House
?

Playing Live in TV shows is something extra; it makes you nervous in
a
good way, which I really like!
7.  What is the most personally satisfying "Gig" you have ever
played?
Disaster benefit, Uncle Joe's 100 year birthday party, hospital, old
folks
home etc!

Once a month I play in an old people’s home. It feels really good
in
my heart and they all became my friends.
8. What is the most obscure CD sale and/or fan you have ever heard
from?
Sold a CD in Russia or Got an E Mail from a soldier in Iraq Etc!

Most of the CD: s I sell on my gigs and the best is to get e-mail
response when people tell me that they like my music.
9.  What is your favorite 3 songs you have recorded and also your
favorite 3
cover tunes you sing at gigs.

My favorite covers on my CD is:
Those memories of you. A great song that Parton, Ronstadt and Harris
trio sang.
Hey good lookin´. Hank Williams song that really makes me swing:)
Tennessee waltz. This song has followed me for years and I never get
tired of it.

My own songs:
Made of love
Happy
Salty teardrops
10.  What do you see on the horizon for your career in the next 12
months ?
Recording a new CD or going on tour to Switzerland etc!

In the next 12 months I will continue writing songs for my next
album,
and hopefully I can start recording it in the end of the year. I´m
also looking for great covers to add on the upcoming CD. Any
Suggestions:)
And of course a lot of gigs, I´m almost fully booked until February
next year, which feels really good.
11. If I could choose a person to perform together with it would be:

I would love to sing a duet together with Willie Nelson:)
================================================================

Great store - Traditional Country - Steel Guitar CD's - Original
Western Swing CD's

"click bannder below"

================================================================
Lonnie's new short story
Part I

Raylene Ridenhour And The Red River Renegades
Part I "Counting Worms"
by
Lonnie Ratliff

The sun was just coming up over the Kiamichi mountains behind her as
Raylene fought back sleep behind the wheel of the big Chrysler Newport
convertible.  She glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure the Red
River Renegade's band trailer was still back there.  Sprawled out in
the big Chrysler's leather seats, sound asleep were the band members
who had all insisted they go to the after hours party last night when
they finished their gig at the Texoma club there on the Red River just
North of Paris, Texas.  All of the loud promises from pre-party
negotiations with her band insisting they would help drive home were
now replaced by loud snores and incoherent grumbling in their sleep.
WBAP was playing on the radio and Raylene turned it up just a little
when the DJ announced the next record would be Johnny Bush's "You Gave
Me A Mountain" thinking to herself, "damn, I can relate to that this
morning".

Raylene's life had been pretty uneventful until three years ago when
she decided that country music would be her life.  With absolutely no
idea of what she was doing, she formed the Red River Renegades and
never looked back.  At the time of her life changing decision Raylene
was working at the Grandpappy Point Marina on Lake Texoma in the bait
shop.  It was about the most boring job in the world but she tolerated
it because there were not a lot of career opportunities open to a
Colbert High School graduate in Bryan County, Oklahoma.  Then the
proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, which by the way turned
out to be a worm and not a straw, was the day that Raylene found
herself in the back of the bait shop counting fishing worms and
putting them into cardboard containers to sell to fishermen for bait.
Heaven forbid that there wasn't exactly thirty six worms in the box of
three dozen that a fisherman bought later.  After taking a long hard
look at her slimy hands and bleak future Raylene never made a big
scene, but instead just walked to the front of the store and told the
owner's wife they could just mail her check to her because she was
quitting.  This didn't seem to come as a surprise to anyone at the
bait shop.

With her career in the fishing industry behind her, Raylene now had
to deal with the fact that there were not a lot of options open to her
when it came to employment.   She knew if she wanted a job she would
have to create it herself.  Raylene sat there in her bedroom in their
trailer house in Cartwright, Oklahoma thumbing through the Country
Music Roundup magazine scanning the lyrics to the latest hit songs.
She had already read all the articles in the magazine the first day
she bought it at the drugstore in Durant so the printed song lyrics
were all that was left to read.   Her guitar was lying on her bed and
the radio was tuned to the Sherman, Texas country station and finally
these obvious signs dawned on her.

Raylene realized what she really wanted to do was be a country
music singer.  This should not have come as a big surprise as she knew
that her parents had named her after the legendary country singer Ray
Price. Country music was as much a part of her life as the air she
breathed.  The one thing needed in her life right now was some good
advice as to how she should go about pursuing this new career path.
Raylene as usual turned to her grandparents Ernest and Mattie
Ridenhour.  Over the years she had learned that most of the time when
she tried to talk to her own parents, it always ended in a vocal storm
of shouting .  She had no reason to believe that an announcment that
she was going into the music business would cause anything short of a
full fledged Oklahoma "Twister".  Raylene knew if it was left up to
her Mom and Dad she would be counting worms for the forseeable future
and thanking her lucky stars she had such a good steady job.   Until
she had some answers to at least the most obvious questions about why
she thought she could be a singer, Raylene planned to keep the
confrontation with her parents somewhere in the future.

Grandpa was a lot more excited about Raylene's announcment that she
was going to be a singer than she would have ever thought possible.
When she thought about it though she remembered his independent spirit
and realized that old Ernie wasn't the kind who would have counted
worms for anyone either.  He told her they would need to talk to
anyone they could find in the area who was or had been in the music
business and see if they could get any pointers or advice on the best
way to go about making a living in the music business while living in
Bryan county.  Grandpa said he had heard of a man named Spears, from
Antlers, Oklahom, a guitar player who had moved to Lawton and made a
living out there in the clubs.  Raylene insisted that she was not
interested in any permanent move and wanted to remain in Cartwright if
she could.  They were able to track down Ken Spradlin in Denison,
Texas who had played in the area all his life.   Just across Lake
Texoma in Kingston they found Dale Lay who had spent his whole life
working out of the area and had even recorded a few records for a
label out of Texas.  Grandpa got both singers to agree to talk to them
about the business and Raylene's journey down that honky tonk highway
began.

Copr. 2009  Lonnie Ratliff
================================================================

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Buying a house in Nashville ?

If you are thinking of moving to Nashville and need to buy a house I
recommend you get in touch with my buddy Craig Stahl.
Some of you will know Craig from his 13 years working with Alan
Jackson and also as my partner in Okie Acres Music & Studio.
Give him a call when you need property in Nashville or sign up for
his Newsletter
I hope you enjoyed our first issue of Roadie Real Estate.com. Please
email me your thoughts and suggestions. If you liked it
please hit the forward e-mail button at the bottom of the page.
Please visit my website at www.RoadieRealEstate.com (
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=8jdziecab.0.rguiddcab.iwlxrccab.36&ts=S0278&p=http%3A%2F\
%2Fwww.roadierealestate.com%2F
)I would love t
o help you buy or sell your next home or help you with any of your
Real Estate needs. If you are not moving anytime soon,
please keep me in mind to be of service to friends and family. I
really appreciate your referals.

Craig Stahl "The Roadie Realtor"
615-578-9175
rocksolidproperties@... ( http://www.ymlp73.com/ )
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http://cdbaby.com/all/devore )

Imprinters To The Stars Since 1985

Since 1985, we have been imprinting and/or embroidering apparel,
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==================================

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Artists if you need a little help getting your latest record off the
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She speaks the DJ's language fluently.

**************

Artists looking for someone to help you with your CD Cover artwork,
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