Larry A. Smail's Blog

For many years I played in bands as a lead guitar player. I played some rock in a rock band for a time before joining up with a family-based band doing various styles of music from polkas, waltzes, square dances…

My next band to play in was a country band. I followed this band playing county, some rock, top 40 of those times, bluegrass, some polkas and other varied music. Although this band was called a county band we did do a variety of music. Each of these bands supplied interesting facts about music and the various genres and the issues of personalities.

However, there came a time for me to stop playing. I was tired of two and three night weekends traveling about doing music and coming home smelling like smoke. I quit! Many years later I started playing in gospel bands and still play in a free-lancing way.

BUT- many of those songs of country music had melodious tunes I enjoyed. I really didn’t pay a lot of attention to the lyrics, during those days, for I was a lead guitar player.

As I began to organize my thoughts for this fifth CD, I eventually settled in to the title of, “HEARTACHES AND HONKY TONKS (Mostly). Last December, Laurie and I spent some days in the Nashville area. We walked the streets of the famous Music Row in Nashville. Walking those streets filled with old-fashioned honky tonks with live music exploding from many forced the decision for the title indeed. I remember announcing this title on the way home. Bands play in these places hoping to have an agent stop in and sign them up. They play for tips. This has been happening since the forties, at least.

I sat down listening and searching for various songs of the honky tonk era and eventually came up with the list below. I added some of the famous performers of each song, but most have been recorded many times by varied artists. You may have noticed the extra word in the title of “mostly.” A couple of songs do not fit the true honky tonk time. I have, also, included one gospel song.

This CD is different with past recordings for I did all guitar work, bass guitar. five-string banjo, percussion, piano, keyboard and all lead vocals and harmony vocals… A lot of effort. The time recording happens here at my home with a digital recorder. This CD is better than the others, for I began to work with mastering the music. I had failed awhile back and sort of forgotten about it. I studied more on mastering and completed each song with improvements.

The CD can be purchased for $10.00. (Fifteen dollars with shipping and handling.) Send check to myself at 481 Butler Road, Kittanning, PA 16201.

Photos for this CD are from my sister, Ruthie Wolfe.

The song list:

1. Good Hearted Woman (Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson)
2. Texas Honky Tonk (Justin Trevino and Amber Digby)
3. Statue of a Fool (Jack Greene and Ricky Van Shelton)
4. Tennessee Whiskey (George Jones)
5. You’re Still On My Mind (George Jones and LeeAnn Womack)
6. Ain’t You Even Gonna Cry (Jim Ed brown and Merle Haggard)
7. Pop A Top (Alan Jackson, and Jim Ed brown)
8. Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show and Darius Rucker)
9. My Next Broken Heart (Brooks and Dunn)
10. Night Life (Ray Price and Willie Nelson)
11. Swinging Doors (Merle Haggard)
12. Am I That easy To Forget (Marty Robbins and Jim Reeves)
13. City Lights (Ray Price and Bill Anderson)
14. 14. Walk On By (Leroy van Dyke)
15. Lord Send Your Angels (Candy Hemphill Christmas and the Easters)

The time is immense with deciding on songs, the arrangements and then further planning the music, but the time keeps me out of trouble. ..mostly!