A Note To Patrons

Chicken Songs For Colonel Sanders

A few weeks ago a Carnival Saloon reader from Utah called Nora Flood left a lovely comment that pointed out it's been a while since my last poultry post and suggested some chicken songs from her own collection that might be to my taste. I duly bought all eight and have since enjoyed learning more about the artists who performed them.

Since today would be the 119th birthday of Colonel Sanders, the man who did more to popularise fried chicken around the world than any other, it seems fitting to share them with you. These are the first four recommendation from Nora's list; I will post the others at a later date.

MP3: Pink Anderson - Chicken

Despite having a career that spanned five decades bluesman Pink Anderson's place in musical history is likely to be cemented for inspiring Syd Barrett to name his band after him. Syd noticed Pink's name alongside Floyd Council's on the sleeve of a Blind Boy Fuller album and thought the two went rather well together.
Buy: Amazon

MP3: Blind Pete - Banty Rooster

Charley Patton wrote Banty Rooster in 1910 at age 19. 24 years later Leadbelly discovered Arkansas fiddler player Blind Pete while working as chauffeur/talent scout for John Lomax. They recorded this track in Little Rock on 27 September 1934.
Buy: Mississippi Blues & Gospel 1934 - 1942

MP3: Richard Johnston w/ Jessie Mae Hemphill - Chicken and Gravy

This might sound like it was recorded many moons ago but Richard Johnston is a contemporary bluesman who's supported The Killers. I've not seen it but apparently the documentary about Johnston, Hill Country Troubadour, is really great.
Buy: Amazon

MP3: Louisiana Red - Chicken Licken

I can't help but warm to a song that's dedicated to a girl "who liked to eat a lot of chicken". Louisiana Red, aka Iverson Minter, first recorded for Chess Records in the 40s but if you are in Belgium over the weekend you can catch him at Blue Moon Festival of rock 'n' Roll, Blues and Boogie in Visé.
Buy: Amazon

Many thanks to Carnival Saloon correspondent Nora Flood for pointing me in the direction of these great songs. If you like them you should check out her radio show, Shootin' Creek, on Fridays 3-6 pm MST on UtahFM (archives available online). As usual do let me know what you think and suggest others in the comments below.

More Chicken Songs at Carnival Saloon
Chicken Songs For The Soul
Chicken: Anyone For Seconds?
Clucking Brilliant
Thighs, Wings, Legs & Breasts

State Songs #21: Maryland

This could easily have been just a tribute to Maryland's 'Charm City', Baltimore, but I've managed to find a few tracks that mention other places in the so-called 'Old Line' state. I hope you enjoy them; let me know what you think and please suggest more in the comments below.

MP3: The Jayhawks - Baltimore Sun

Followers of my State Songs series will know that The Jayhawks can always be relied on for place name songs. This is probably my top tune from their album Blue Earth.
Buy: 7digital | Amazon

MP3: REM - Don't Go Back To Rockville (live)

One of my favourite REM songs. Mike Mills wrote it as a plea to his girlfriend who planned to move back to her home town in Maryland. This version is from a 1981 gig at Tyrone's in Athens, GA - three years before the more countryfied studio version surfaced on Reckoning.
Buy: 7digital | Amazon

MP3: Tompall Glaser & The Glaser Brothers - Streets of Baltimore

You're probably more familiar with Gram Parsons' version from his solo debut GP but this is the original. I first heard it last year thanks to Setting the Woods on Fire's brilliant Gram Parsons Originals collection.
Buy: Amazon

MP3: Gavin Friday - Baltimore Whores

This is from Hal Willner's Rogue's Gallery project. The lyrics are not for those with a sensitive disposition and were apparently edited out of most sea shanty collections.
Buy: 7digital | Amazon

MP3: Erica Wheeler - Maryland County Road

Erica Wheeler is a Maryland native whom I know next to nothing about. This pleasant acoustic live track is a fine addition to the Songs Mourning the Passing of Small Town America canon.
Buy: Amazon

MP3: The Avett Brothers - Girl from Annapolis

WNCW DJ Martin Anderson introduced me to the Avett Brothers when I asked for some local music recommendations during our trip to North Carolina a few years ago. This is from a live set recorded on their home turf at MerleFest in 2006.
Buy: 7digital | Amazon

We stay on the East Coast with our next state - Massachusetts. If you have any favourites you think I should include, do let me know.

Neighbouring States
State Soongs #8: Delaware - Perry Como, Dolly Parton, The Duhks
State Songs #9: District of Columbia - Magnetic Fields, The Staple Singers, Leadbelly, George Clinton & Parliament

The Journey So Far
State Songs - links to every post on this musical road trip