i wore the album out

 

Rasputina -- Sister Kinderhook

songstress style, obscure edition: linda manning

source

Oh Linda Manning, you're a mystery. A few cute rockabilly tunes from her can be found on YouTube, but just two photos have turned up in my extensive Google Image Searching, and nary a clip from the Linda Manning Show which this obituary says she lead. What gives? Why didn't anyone preserve any more vestiges of Linda Manning? Oh well, her elusiveness kinda heightens her mystique.

I first stumbled upon her portrait many and many a year ago (in a kingdom by the sea) and included it in this round-up of hillbilly fillies. Since then, she's always been in the back of my mind when I am getting ready before the mirror, because she is actually Perfection and if I could only have one "look" for the rest of forever I would choose her exact hair & makeup style, the end.

Behold: the 1960s country-singer kitsch is obvious, from her piled-high hair to that cool ruffled dress. Then there's just the right hint of dark glamour in her heavy cat-eye liner and long inky-black tresses.

Now, here's the only other picture I could find of Ms. Manning, but it doesn't disappoint:

source

A big-haired country singer who can also bring the Liz Taylor Old Hollywood glam factor?!

Instant style icon status for Linda!

Here are my favorite songs of hers; she had a cute li'l voice, like a rockabilly Annette Funicello!

---------

From Birmingham, AL's own wiki site:

"Linda Elane Manning Grissom (born November 24, 1946 in Cullman; died December 18, 2005 in Cullman) was a country and pop singer. 

Manning recorded a half-dozen tracks for Tennessee-based Doke and Bulletin Records in the late 1950s and earned a spot as a featured singer on WAPI-TV in Birmingham, and hosted her own radio program from Cullman. In 1964 she was featured alongside Lee Stover and Tony Bellus on Cincinnati, Ohio's WLW-TV music variety program "Jamboree". 

She married baseball player, actor and minister Mel Novak in Birmingham in October 1968 and lived with him in Hollywood, California."

 ---------

Do you have a mysterious style icon who haunts ya?  A long-forgotten girl in a vintage snapshot with the best outfit, or a two-bit movie extra who just had "It"? I think these shadowy almost-fell-through-the-cracks people are even more fascinating than the well-known stars, don't you?

fashion with blondie and the rockats

Debbie Harry talks rockabilly style with some "ex-Teds" at Warhol's Factory, 1979.



Sounds like a dream, but it's real, thank goodness!

a killer's dream

Lately I've become smitten with the songs of Miss Rachel Brooke. She draws from smoky old-time blues, honky-tonk, and rockabilly with heavy shades of gothic Americana; the perfect soundtrack for rainy and mysterious Springtime evenings! It's just a shame that artists like her are pushed into this obscure alt-country niche, 'cause she sounds like she'd be right at home on the country airwaves in the days of the Carter Family or Hank, back when country skewed spooky.

I'm crazy about this duet with Lonesome Wyatt!!
(Just hope my roommate doesn't take it the wrong way, ha.)

Her official website: http://rachelbrooke0.wix.com/rachelbrooke

She's also trying to raise funds for a European tour right now.

  Hope you're doing well out there and enjoying some beautiful Spring weather ♥

Kitty Wells (1919 - 2012)

May the Queen of Country Music rest in peace ♥

100 years of Woody Guthrie

"As through this world I've wandered

I've seen lots of funny men;

Some will rob you with a six gun

And some with a fountain pen.

And as through your life you travel,

Yes, as through your life you roam,

You'll never see an outlaw

Drive a family from their home."

 

 

Today marks the centennial birthday of Woody Guthrie. The man wrote some of the most direct and eloquent songs concerning our country: he spoke out against our gross failures and social injustices, and stood up for America's most marginalized people, while also celebrating the intense beauty and richness of our unique heritage. Unfortunately not everyone listened, and to this day I think many folks could stand to give a good hard listen to Guthrie's songs and ideas.

Happy birthday, Mr. Guthrie!

Happy Birthday, Loretta Lynn!

Loretta was among my first true role models, and so much of who I am today comes from taking her records to heart. She taught me to always be spunky and brave, to never feel ashamed of coming from nothing, and of course the magic of AquaNet. Thank you, Loretta Lynn!! I love you more than my Irish setter ♥

Somewhat tangentially... the stars have aligned, and the universe has sent me my Spirit Dress. It is a '60s two-piece square dancing set; snagged for $15 on eBay-- more than I usually spend, but not too bad, and I guess that's the nice thing about tax refunds. The hint of Victorian gothic on top of pure country-western kitsch makes my little heart sing; it looks the way my soul feels, haha.

 

PS: Loretta fans, have you read her new memoir? I think it's about the stories behind her lyrics. Can't wait 'til next month when I'm done with school, and I'll finally have time to read non-school related books :) 

Have a magnificent weekend! 

steely resolve

I never really make New Year's Resolutions, but this year I am. You see, my poor li'l Electromuse lap steel guitar has been sitting in the corner, all dusty and neglected, for too long now. I've had it for about two years, but I get in this awful habit of practicing avidly for a few weeks, then just... forgetting about it for months and months. It's such a cute little thing, from the 1940s and sounds swell! It's just shameful, my inability to take up any instrument seriously. So my New Year's Resolution is to be a good girl and practice the damn thing. 

When I start to feel lazy, here are some songs zinging with steel to inspire me, and maybe you.
 

And d'you like my dress? I'm in love with it! In this dress, I feel ready to become a Queen of the Steel Guitar.

Oh boy, now if I fail, all 434 (!!) of you will be so disappointed in me. Can't be letting my public down, eh! So, what are you working on for 2012 ?

 

(PS: If you still aren't hip the appeal of the steel guitar, let Tammy tell you:
)

dakota's american gothic playlist

Hello there! Today I felt like sharing some of my musical inspirations of late.

I truly love early 20th century country songs, Appalachian murder ballads and disaster songs like nothing else on this earth. They express such a beautiful and beguiling mix of sentiments. On the one hand, they're such pure, unaffected, morally righteous songs. No matter your religious views, the honest faith that no matter how bad things get in this world, there's something greater waiting beyond is really eerily touching. Then on the other side, there's so much morbidity and sorrow and evil going on in these songs;  people are stabbing their lovers left and right, little babies are dying, and forsaken ladies are just giving up and dying of heartbreak. It's such a hard, unflinching look at the cruel ironies and discomforts of this old world. As you can see I'm really really passionate about music from hardscrabble, rundown rural America, because well, that's all I've known for most of my life. I'm afraid I just can't relate to the privileged, suburban-raised folks that dominate most every music scene these days. So here are some songs of darkness, doubt, cryin' steel guitars and high lonesome sounds to give your week a bright cheery start. 

Lastly, why not listen to a radio skit by Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family?

(I love Maybelle as much as you, but good gosh, she can't act! AP and Jimmie aren't too bad, though, eh?)