State of the Union -Tennessee

George writes:

The home of the Big Bang, this week. Yes, the Big Bang of country music, not any other minor big bang occurrence. The most important Big Bang in our (musical) lives lasted eleven days, 5 more than the biblical big bang, during which The Carter Family wandered in to the third floor of the Taylor-Christian Hat and Glove Company on State Street, Bristol, Tennessee, looking like hillbillies, and Jimmie Rodgers appeared too. 19 artists were recorded in all, and you can purchase the CD set from Bear Family Records for less than £87. 

First, this video, and check out Porter Wagoner’s suit, how cool is that??? I’m not a fan of Ms Parton’s music, but this simple delivery and fine musical accompaniment makes a splendid tune:

And from one slightly obvious Tennessee artiste to another:

Ike and Tina Turner - Nutbush city limits

That is probably the  best song you will hear all day.

The five most populous cities in Tennessee are Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Clarksville. It’s not terribly to difficult to find about 87 great songs with any of them in the title. For example, the majestic Shadows in 1964

 This song is from the Goodbye Babylon box set. It comes in a wooden box, and with some cotton; this track dates from 1930, Elder Charles Beck accompanies our gospel singer Elder Curry on the piano.

Elder Curry and Congregation - Memphis flu

I hope the frogs of Memphis don’t break the law by croaking after 11pm. 

I found a web page that listed Famous People from Tennessee. It did not include Elvis Presley. Top of the list is someone I have never heard of. Ranker

Memphis, apart from being home to a musician or two of whom you might have heard is also home to Silky O’Sullivan’s, which is of course an Irish bar. And home to a goat tower, the goats kept in  the pen behind the bar have their own helter skelter, and so far there have been no reported goat-related accidents. One of our goats, on the other hand, broke a leg FIVE DAYS after we got him. He hobbled around with a cast for a few weeks and it certainly did not put him off his food.

Our goat Parsley

Knoxville, Tennessee is, to my great disappointment not named after John Knox, a leader of  the Reformation in Scotland. But it is the Knoxville of that cheery number The Knoxville Girl. This version is well worth a listen

Cheery is not an adjective associated with John Knox. 

Another state next week.

CC writes: George was on a roll there. Probably because there are plenty of songs to choose from this week.

Here is one of them

Arrested Development - Tennessee