Doug Sahm and Band | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 1973 | |||
Recorded | October 1972 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Country rock, country [1] | |||
Length | 45:05 | |||
Label | Atlantic Records | |||
Producer | Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin, Doug Sahm | |||
Doug Sahm chronology | ||||
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Doug Sahm and Band is the debut solo album of American singer-songwriter Doug Sahm. In 1972, after leaving the Sir Douglas Quintet, Sahm moved to Austin, Texas. He was signed by Jerry Wexler to the newly opened country music division of Atlantic Records, and started the album sessions by October 1972. It featured appearances by Bob Dylan, Dr. John, David "Fathead" Newman, Flaco Jimenez, David Bromberg and Kenny Kosek.
The album garnered mixed reviews upon release and sold poorly. It was listed by Billboard in Top LP's and Tapes at 125. The album was favored in later reviews.
After a string of successful recordings in the late sixties, the Sir Douglas Quintet split in 1972. Doug Sahm, then based in San Francisco, decided to return to Texas and moved to Austin. The burgeoning alternative musical scene of the city included artists such as Willie Nelson and Jerry Jeff Walker. Venues frequented by Sahm included the Soap Creek Saloon and Armadillo World Headquarters. [2]
Interested in the development of alternative country, Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler started a Country & Western division in the label. [3] Wexler signed Sahm among his acts. [4]
Produced by Sahm, Wexler and Arif Mardin, the recording sessions took place during the first two weeks of October 1972, at the Atlantic Records recording studios on West 60th Street in New York. [5] Guest musicians included Bob Dylan, Dr. John, David "Fathead" Newman, Flaco Jiménez, David Bromberg and Kenny Kosek. [5] [6] Meanwhile, Elton John visited the studio. [5]
"Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone" opened the album. It included twin fiddles by Sahm and Ken Kosek, with the steel guitar of Charlie Owens, while Dylan contributed with harmony vocals. Dylan appeared again singing harmony in "It's Gonna Be Easy", written by Atwood Allen, while Allen and Sahm sung the lead. Then, a horn section composed by Newman, Wayne Jackson and Willie Bridges assist Sahm on the Blues number "Your Friends". In "Poison Love" the vocals of Sahm are complemented by Jimenez on the accordion with Augie Meyers on piano, Bromberg on dobro and Andy Statman on mandolin. [7] The Dylan-written "Wallflower" was a lead collaboration between Sahm and Dylan. [8] In "Dealer's Blues" the horn section led by Newman also featured Jack Walrath, Martin Fierro and Mel Martin. [7]
Kosek returned with Sahm with in the twin fiddles in the cover of Bob Wills' "Faded Love". [7] Dylan returned in "Blues, Stay Away From Me", also playing a guitar solo. [8] T-Bone Walker's "Papa Ain't Salty" and Willie Nelson's "Me and Paul" follow. Newman returned in "Don't Turn Around", followed by the closing "I Get Off". [7]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Christgau's Record Guide | B− [9] |
The album was released in January 1973. The singles were "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone" and "It's Gonna Be Easy". [10] The album garnered mixed reviews and sold poorly, [11] reaching 125 on Billboard's Top LPs & Tapes. [12]
The Billboard review was favorable, calling the LP "the ultimate in mellow country contemporary". The review remarked the importance of Dylan's support. [13] Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times wrote a mixed review, saying "There are some rather ordinary moments in the album, but there are some tracks [...] that you just shouldn't do without". [14] The Rolling Stone album guide declared that Sahm "faltered" on "[a] forgettable album". [15] Robert Christgau rated the album "B−", calling Sahm a "talent, not a genius", and opined that the accompanying artists "only inhibit[ed] him". [16]
Later reviews praised the album. AllMusic rated the album with five stars out of five, with critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine concluded "this is music that is vividly, excitedly alive and captures Sahm at a peak. It's pretty much irresistible". [17] The Vinyl District rated the album "A", and opined that it was "an instant classic—energetic, ecstatic, and in general the kind of LP guaranteed to put a smile on your face". [7]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone" | Dave Kirby, Glen Martin | 3:10 |
2. | "It's Gonna Be Easy" | Atwood Allen | 3:32 |
3. | "Your Friends" | Deadric Malone | 5:24 |
4. | "Poison Love" | Elmer Laird | 4:22 |
5. | "Wallflower" | Bob Dylan | 2:41 |
6. | "Dealer's Blues" | Doug Sahm | 2:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Faded Love" | Bob Wills | 3:57 |
2. | "Blues Stay Away from Me" | Alton Delmore, Henry Glover, Rabon Delmore & Wayne Raney | 3:58 |
3. | "Papa Ain't Salty" | Grover McDaniel, T-Bone Walker | 4:31 |
4. | "Me and Paul" | Willie Nelson | 3:35 |
5. | "Don't Turn Around" | Doug Sahm | 3:29 |
6. | "I Get Off" | Doug Sahm | 2:38 |
Red Headed Stranger is the 18th studio album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1975. Following the success of his recordings with Atlantic Records, coupled with the negotiating skills of his manager, Neil Reshen, Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records, the label that gave him total creative control over his works. The concept for the album was inspired by the "Tale of the Red Headed Stranger", a song that Nelson used to play as a disc jockey on his program in Fort Worth, Texas. After signing with Columbia, he decided to record the song, and arranged the details during his return to Austin, Texas, from a trip to Colorado. It was recorded at low cost at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland, Texas. The songs featured sparse arrangements, largely limited to Nelson's guitar, piano, and drums. Nelson presented the finished material to Columbia executives, who were dubious about releasing an album that they at first thought was a demo. However, Nelson had creative control, so no further production was added.
Dylan & the Dead is a collaborative live album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead, released on February 6, 1989, by Columbia Records. The album consists of seven songs written and sung by Dylan, with the Grateful Dead providing accompaniment. The album was produced by Jerry Garcia and John Cutler.
Douglas Wayne Sahm was an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born in San Antonio, Texas. Sahm is regarded as one of the main figures of Tex-Mex music, and as an important performer of Texan Music. He gained fame along with his band, the Sir Douglas Quintet, with a top-twenty hit in the United States and the United Kingdom with "She's About a Mover" (1965). Sahm was influenced by the San Antonio music scene that included conjunto and blues, and later by the hippie scene of San Francisco. With his blend of music, he found success performing in Austin, Texas, as the hippie counterculture soared in the 1970s.
Saved is the 20th studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on June 23, 1980, by Columbia Records. Saved was the second album of Dylan's "Christian trilogy". It expanded on themes explored on its predecessor Slow Train Coming, with gospel arrangements and lyrics extolling the importance of a strong personal faith.
The Sir Douglas Quintet was an American rock band, formed in San Antonio in 1964. With their first hits, they were acclaimed in their home state. When their career was established, the band relocated to the West Coast. Their move coincided with the burgeoning San Francisco psychedelic rock scene of the mid 1960s to early 1970s. Overall, the quintet were exponents of good-times music with strong roots in blues and Texas-regional traditions.
Texas Tornados is a Tejano supergroup, composed of some of country music's biggest artists who modernized the Tex-Mex style including Flaco Jiménez, Augie Meyers, Doug Sahm, and Freddy Fender. Its music is a fusion of conjunto with rock, country, and various Mexican styles.
Shotgun Willie is the sixteenth studio album by Willie Nelson, released in 1973. The recording marks a change of style for Nelson, who later stated that the album "cleared his throat". When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA Records in 1972, the label decided not to release any further recordings. Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager, and while Reshen negotiated with RCA, Nelson moved to Austin, Texas, where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style. In Nashville, Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler, vice president of Atlantic Records, who was interested in his music. Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic Records as their first country music artist.
Phases and Stages is the seventeenth studio album by Willie Nelson, which followed the moderate success of his first Atlantic Records release, Shotgun Willie. Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler at a party where Nelson sang songs from an album he planned to record. The single "Phases and Stages" was originally recorded the same year. Nelson recorded the album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in two days and Wexler produced it.
August "Augie" Meyers is an American musician, singer, songwriter, performer, studio musician, record producer, and record label owner. He is perhaps best known as a founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornados.
Mott the Hoople is the self-titled debut studio album by the band of the same name. It was produced by Guy Stevens and released in 1969 by Island Records in the UK, and in 1970 by Atlantic Records in the US. It was re-issued by Angel Air in 2003 (SJPCD157).
"Wallflower" is a song written and recorded in November 1971 by Bob Dylan. Dylan's own recording was not released until almost twenty years later as part of The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 1961–1991. An alternate version from the same 1971 session was released in 2013 on The Bootleg Series Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969–1971).
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Yesterday's Wine is the thirteenth studio album and a concept album by country singer Willie Nelson. Nelson had been recording for RCA Victor since the early 1960s, and had no significant hits. By 1970, his recordings had reached mid-chart positions. Nelson lost the money from his song-writing royalties by financing unsuccessful concert tours that were generally unprofitable. In addition to problems with his music career, Nelson had problems in his personal life. He had divorced his wife, Shirley Collie, and his Tennessee ranch had been destroyed by a fire.
Keep Your Soul: A Tribute to Doug Sahm is a 2009 tribute album to the late Doug Sahm, released on Vanguard Records.
"Bloody Mary Morning" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. Nelson wrote the song inspired by his struggles to become a "better parent". It was originally released in the 1970 RCA Records release Both Sides Now with the title "Bloody Merry Morning".
Texas Rock for Country Rollers is the third album by American country-music singer Doug Sahm. Sahm composed for the album seven original songs, while covers constituted the rest of the album. It was released by ABC-Dot in 1976.
The discography of Doug Sahm started in 1955 with the release of "A Real American Joe" on Sarg Records. Sahm fronted three bands early in his career: The Pharaohs, The Dell-Kings and The Markays. He released the song "Crazy Daisy" (1959), and he had a local hit in San Antonio, Texas with "Why Why Why" (1960) on Renner Records. Sahm had another local hit with "Crazy, Crazy Feeling" (1961). After he disbanded the Sir Douglas Quintet in 1972, he was signed by Atlantic Records in October 1972, and he released his solo debut album Doug Sahm and Band.
Groover's Paradise is an album by Doug Sahm, produced by musician Doug Clifford and released on Warner Records in 1974. Following his return to Texas after his success with the Sir Douglas Quintet in California, Sahm settled in Austin, Texas. As the local music scene thrived, he was featured as the main attraction in local clubs and he recorded his debut album for Atlantic Records.
Texas Tornado is the second solo album by Doug Sahm, released by Atlantic Records in December 1973. Sahm co-produced the album with Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin. Wexler signed Sahm to Atlantic records after the opening of the label's country music division.
Juke Box Music is an album by singer Doug Sahm released by Antone's Record Label in January 1989. Sahm returned to Austin, Texas in 1988 after living and experiencing success with his music in Sweden and Canada. Upon his return, Sahm started to perform at the Austin night club Antone's. The owner of the club, Clifford Antone signed him to his independent record label.