Music Roots, 652 words

All my guitar work is done by Sonny Thomas at Guitar Solutions in Jasper, Tennessee. Recently when I was there, he was working on a Martin guitar Hank Williams bought at Art's Music Store in Montgomery in his early career. It is now owned by Hank's daughter, Jett Williams.

In case that name doesn't clink a bell in your belfry, Jett was Hank's illegitimate daughter who spent years proving he was her father. She now has a budding singing career of her own. She has that sharp "Hank edge" on her voice that cuts right into the heart.

Since the guitar is valued at half a million, Sonny had to have an armed guard with him and the guitar to and from the shop until the restoration work was completed.

Charley Pride must be proud of his recent induction into the Country Hall of Fame but his real pride and joy is his son Carlton. Carlton is also a singer but his chosen music is reggae.

He has a new CD titled "What You Need," and if you want to hear an unusual arrangement of an old Charley Pride standard, hook into Carlton's version of "Kiss An Angel Good Morning."

What we have here is proof positive that a musical root can shoot off in an interesting new direction.

With his last few albums, Johnny Cash has launched into interesting musical domains. One CD features rock musicians and another is an incredible collection of haunting songs with just Cash and his flattop guitar. As a result of this new image, Rolling Stones Magazine often features items on Johnny.

In a recent interview, Johnny said, "You know, the biggest song of the nineteenth century was about Jess James. The whole country was singing the praises of Jesse James. It's always been an American theme to make heroes out of the criminals. Right or wrong, we've always done it. I think there's a little bit of criminal in all of us. Everybody's done something they don't want anybody to know about. Maybe that's where it comes from."

E.G. Kight from Dublin, Georgia, is making her mark in the blues world. Her new CD will feature a duet with blues legend Koko Taylor. In the world of blues, that's being anointed by the queen.

E.G. plays a demanding schedule of blues venues all over the country but somehow her voice remains strong, with just the right touch of grittiness in it to bring out the pathos of a great blues song. She also writes and plays some licks that make Howling Wolf wiggle his toes in the tomb.

Stay tuned for information on her next CD.

Willard and Marie Cox of Cox Family gospel fame were severely injured in a recent car crash in Shreveport, Louisiana. They were stopped on a highway when a lumber truck slammed into them from behind.

Willard suffered a crushed spine and Marie had several broken bones, internal injuries and a concussion.

Their version of the Terry Smith classic, "Far Side Banks of Jordan," is possibly the best recording of that number, although June Carter did a stunning job with it on the soundtrack to Robert Duvall's "The Apostle." When they sung the song, they didn't realize how soon the would come close to going there. Watch for updates on their condition.

Country columnist Bill Miller says Faith Hill travels with a 300 pound make-up kit. It has seven wheels, three mirrors, padded shelves and 16 inch deep drawers. It cost $4,200 but her big expense is about $5,000 on hair styling and make-up for each concert.

All this seems strange to me because she has one of those classic faces that would look great without a touch of make-up. Like a song I wrote one time, "Them Daisy Mountain women look better in the morning."

-30-