Thank YOU, thank YOU, thank YOU. Hello Again! Welcome to another wonderful collaboration between East Side Story and The Post. Let me be the first to officially, whole-heartedly welcome you to the 147th epic edition of East Side Storytellin’! Like the 146, I repeat … 146, previous shows East Side Story has put together, we all decided to take a break from our busy schedules all over town in order to sit back and relax and get everyone cultured up just right in the form of a Nashville writer reading from original prose, followed by an amazing local musician performing and talking about their original music, and then a round-up creative conversation with all featured guests of this event to talk about their individual journeys and personal ties to Nashville. Without further ado, fulfilling the entertainment portion of your day, this is East Side Storytellin’ 147. Let us begin, again.
The first featured artistof the night is a classic mutual friend of the man, the myth, the legend … Bruce Simmons, God rest his beautiful soul. This man, not Bruce, grew up in John Prine’s paradise, smack dab in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. He is one of the co-founding members of the best radio station, the 100% independent, free-form radio station by the name of WXNA where he hosts the weekly program of classic country, rockabilly, and Western swing by the name of Hipbilly Jamboree. He is also the managing editor of The East Nashvillian. On top of all that crazy awesome, this man’s writing on music has appeared in places such as Vintage Rock, Country Music, Nashville Scene, Record Collector, The Journal of Country Music, and many other places. He is featured tonight because we are proud to help him continue to celebrate his debut published book called Shake Your Hips: The Excello Records Story. It was truly an honor to lead the round of applause for the one, the only, Randy not Watson … I’m talking about Randy Fox!
Anyone who knows Randy knows that he is a great writer and a great talker. He wasted no time in jumping right into talking about what he has written in his book about Excello Records. He started at the beginning of the book, appropriate to give the audience a proper introduction to the overall project he created while at the same time giving a professional teaser for everyone to want to buy the book to find out the whole story. Knowing that Randy spent a lot of formative years in my old stomping ground of Bowling Green, I was more than ready to sit in the front row and take in the hip history lesson that Randy had prepared to take us to school on. Randy is a music teacher like none other you’ll find in Nashville media and the streets too.
Randy opened the book by sharing a glimpse of the astronomical artistic influence that Excello Records had on the British Invasion and the world, quite honestly. A brief historical account of the forming of The Rolling Stones quickly transitioned into a clinical examination of the extent of the reach and importance of what happened outside of country music in Nashville during the middle of the last century and how that changed the airwaves everywhere. Not only is Randy’s research and book vital for anyone wanting to get a good view at the overall mosaic of Nashville’s history with entertainment, it is a story that hasn’t been shared to date. Like most of the truly great art in this town, you have to dig below the surface to find the real treasures worth its weight in gold and soul. Randy only read for about 10 minutes, but it was a solid set and sale for you to go out and buy his book TODAY! Take a listen to the reading in the recording below.
Our featured music of the night is more than a band. It is a family. It is also scientific proof of what happens when two supernova stars collide and combine forces. It is true, the foundational pair of our featured band of the night come from two different worlds, musically speaking. One hails from the straight-ahead throwback Soul group Magnolia Sons, and the other from the psychedelic folk of the East Side Storytellin’ alumnus The Allen Thompson Band. But their similar Appalachian upbringings, and genuine appreciation for Soul, Rock, Funk, Country, Folk, and the power of good music with good people in general allow them to build bridges across genres and create a sound like none other in town. More than excited to find a time to get this group on our beloved East Side Storytellin’ show, it was perfect timing to celebrate the core of Nashville’s best supergroup before they take the rest of the world by storm, LadyCouch!
Keshia Bailey and Allen Thompson are kinda the perfect embodiment of the Nashville story of Excello Records. Even before they say a word or sing a lyric, you can feel the passion they have for their music, combining the best of R&B, soul, country, gospel, rock, and everything nice in just a look and a smile. They may add some inside banter with dialogue from Wayne’s World, but they are both as authentic and true as Nashville music gets these days. But like Reading Rainbow, don’t take my word for it. Just go out to any show in town tonight and ask any real Nashville musician how they would describe Keshia and Allen. I’ll bet my life that you’ll get an answer that is similar to the feeling you’ll get when you hear them sing. It’s nothing but the good stuff.
Their music is a blend of their spirit for the city, their friends, and life in general. The second song, the first song that they wrote together, “Foolish in Blue” had a line that transcended every filter of today and hit close to everyone’s home. When they sing their words, “Afraid to sleep because our dreams may come true,” you know you have heard that thought in your head a time or two as well and you also know that their are two types of people in this world = 1) the people who think that thought and stay up all night while sabotaging the next day and what could’ve been and 2) the ones that run head and heart first into deep sleep, their dreams, and wake up refreshed and ready to let those dreams become a reality. I love Keshia and Allen because, like me, they don’t fight fate and they make special happen over the long haul. They have had the courage to chase their dreams, while at the same time they knew from the onset that it wasn’t going to be an overnight success in the eyes of anyone involved in this game. Good stuff takes time. Lucky for us and for the entire family of LadyCouch, the time is now.
Before the music set was finished, it was nice to have another member of LadyCouch join the party. Mike grabbed Allen’s guitar and they all sang an Opry formation version of one of their favorite Little Feat songs called “Willin'”. After Mike sat down, Randy and I joined the stage set up that reminded me of The Dating Game. Instead of making a love connection, we connected in enlightened conversations about each of the featured guests’ past, drive to do what they do, and the amazing sense of purpose that each bring to their craft and personal relationships with each other to make what they make extraordinary. It’s one thing to write a book, it’s another for Randy to teach accurate history and blow your mind with how it has brought us all to music today. It’s one thing for two people to co-write, that shit happens daily in this town, but it’s other-worldly for two real and unique and compassionate people like Allen & Keshia to meet and bring friends together to make some of the best and pure music in a city that bleeds music. Sometimes, in the midst of chaos and troubling times, a small, bright light of hope makes all the adversity make sense. It’s that feeling that inspires us to live fully in the moment and know that the hard work and hard times will pay off for better days. Randy Fox and LadyCouch are testimony to that idea. If you listen to the recording below, you’ll be able to hear the honesty and happy tears that were shared after the reading and the music. The whole show will just make you feel better.
So here is the edited recording of East Side Storytellin’ 147, the night we shared stories and songs with Randy Fox and LadyCouch at The Post East on Tuesday, February 19, 2019. Do yourself a favor and listen to this link and share it with others as many times as you can. It is that good. Enjoy.
Before I say goodbye for this round of fun, I’d like to give a big round of thanks for Randy and LadyCouch for sharing their stories, talents, and time with us.
You can keep up with Randy’s writing here – www.facebook.com/Shake-Your-Hips-The-Excello-Records-Story-738352086564292/
You can listen to more of LadyCouch’s music here – www.ladycouch.com
You can listen to this show, edited, soon, alongside the previous shows too, on our website, www.eastsidestorytn.com, at our In Our Own Words Tab – see here – www.eastsidestorytn.com/in-our-own-words
I’ll keep the gratitude going for Tom Eizonas, my lovely wife and most talented artist in Emily Harper Beard (efharper), and everyone that came out live to support the show … and to everyone who has helped continue to spread the word and support the show online afterwards.
Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to give one last shout out to Tonya and Chris for making The Post so welcoming and positively life-changing for the East Nashville community at large.
Our next show will be
East Side Storytellin’ 148
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
at The Post (1701 Fatherland Street) at 7pm
reading- Cindy McCain
singing- Carole Edwards
That said, that’s all for East Side Storytellin’ 147 and another fabulous event at The Post with East Side Story at the helm. Thanks for coming out and sharing the good word and giving some love to all of these great Nashville artists and our creative ideas. Please remember to be nice to one another out there. I repeat, please remember to be nice to one another. Thank you and goodnight.
Much love,
mE