Looks like rain : the songwriting legacy of Mickey Newbury / Brian T. Atkinson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Atkinson, Brian T., author.

Series:

John and Robin Dickson series in Texas music

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Newbury, Mickey, 1940-2002.

Newbury, Mickey.

Newbury, Mickey, 1940-2002--Influence.

Country musicians--United States--Biography.

Country musicians.

Musicians.

United States.

Composers--United States--Biography.

Composers.

Musicians--United States--20th century--Interviews.

Genre:

Biographies.

Interviews.

Physical Description:

xvii, 225 pages, 15 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

College Station : Texas A & M University Press, 2021.

Summary:

Mickey Newbury (1940-2002) grew up in Houston and moved to Nashville in the early 1960s, following his muse. He wrote top hits for many well-known artists, including Don Gibson, Andy Williams, Kenny Rogers, Tom Jones, and others. He is probably best known, however, for being name-checked in the song 'Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)' by Waylon Jennings. Newbury has been cited by Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, and many other eminent singer-songwriters as a primary influence. In his own independent fashion, Newbury helped to loosen the grip maintained for decades by the Nashville studio system, thus paving the way for later innovators like Willie Nelson, David Allan Coe, and others. He is still the only songwriter to produce hits on four different charts in the same year in 1968: 'Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition was In)' on the pop/rock charts, 'Sweet Memories' on easy listening, 'Time Is a Thief' on the R & B charts, and 'Here Comes the Rain, Baby' in country. Following the successful pattern established in his previous works on Townes Van Zandt and Ray Wylie Hubbard, veteran music journalist Brian T. Atkinson has interviewed artists such as Kris Kristofferson, Bobby Bare, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, and many others to learn how Newbury's influence continues to shape the musical and artistic approach of both seasoned and newer performers. Forewords by Larry Gatlin and Don McLean set the stage for a fascinating look back at one of the most revered songwriters and musicians of recent decades.

Contents:

Verse: Just Dropped In

Eric Taylor p. 9

Jerry Newbury p. 9

George Ensle p. 12

John Carrick p. 13

John Nova Lomax p. 14

Ray Wylie Hubbard p. 15

Sam Baker p. 16

Harold F. Eggers Jr. p. 17

Guy Clark p. 19

Verse: Looks Like Rain

Bobby Bare p. 23

Wayne Moss p. 24

Charlie McCoy p. 26

Norbert Putnam p. 28

Donnie Fritts p. 31

Billy Edd Wheeler p. 33

Chris Gantry p. 35

Billy Swan p. 37

Bucky Wilkin p. 39

Buffy Sainte-Marie p. 41

Ramblin' Jack Elliott p. 44

Chorus: Heaven Help the Child

Larry Gatlin p. 49

Allen Frizzell p. 51

Ed Bruce p. 53

Dallas Frazier p. 55

Pat Alger p. 57

Johnny Lee p. 62

Mickey Gilley p. 63

Joe Henry p. 65

Mark Germino p. 68

Richard Leigh p. 72

Jay Bolotin p. 74

David Shepherd Grossman p. 76

Fred Roller p. 78

Interlude: A Song for Susan

Susan Newbury Oakley p. 83

Chris Newbury p. 93

Jack Williams p. 98

Verse: I Came to Hear the Music

Juan Contreras p. 109

Troy Tomlinson p. 110

John Lomax III p. 114

Owsley Manier p. 115

Larry Murray p. 119

Randy Dodds p. 122

Marty Hall p. 126

Jonmark Stone p. 131

Bob Rosemurgy p. 134

Chris Campion p. 138

Joe Gilchrist p. 141

Verse: Sweet Memories

Chris Smither p. 147

Rodney Crowell p. 148

Steve Earle p. 151

Buddy Miller p. 154

Matraca Berg p. 156

Leslie Satcher p. 158

Jennifer Warnes p. 162

Gretchen Peters p. 164

Will Kimbrough p. 168

Bob DiPiero p. 171

Darrell Scott p. 173

Walt Wilkins p. 176

Fred Eaglesmith p. 178

Tom Russell p. 181

Chorus: A Long Road Home

Chuck Prophet p. 187

Charlie Worsham p. 189

Andrew Combs p. 191

Jonny Fritz p. 192

Joshua Hedley p. 195

Will Oldham p. 197

Bill Callahan p. 201

Robert Ellis p. 202

Joe Pug p. 204

Coda: Matt Harlan p. 209.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781623499266

1623499267

OCLC:

1246423897