Down On The Corner

By Paul Moffett

Steve Cooley got back to town after a trip to Branson, Mo, where he was involved in the new Dillards album project. A dozen tunes were laid down at Caravelle Studios, with Herb Pedersen of the Desert Rose Band producing. Overdubs are scheduled for the Record Plant in L. A. On the list of players to help out are David Lindly, violin, Bob Warford, guitar, and former Ricky Nelson steel man Tom Bromley. No release date has been announced.

Shaking Family and their manager, Stephen Brown, have parted ways. The parting is said to be amicable. Shaking Family sound man Steve Wilson has also gone his own way.

There were some names familiar to Louisville-area fans on the recent FarmAid IV show. The Hammerheads played, although I confess that I missed them. Guitarist Tony Bowles, who is working with the Henry Lee Summer Band, climbed the big stage with Henry Lee. The Kentucky Headhunters also made the trek to Indy.

Alan Needham of Fire Department says that FD is scheduled to get into the studio soon. No details on material or completion date.

Alan also reported that the recent benefit for a Jaws of Life for Stanton, Ky. was a success. The city now has one of the life-saving devices.

Over at Louisville Homefront, the April show was a near-sellout. The group Yer Girlfriend packed the house with their following, and Jan Marra, a frequent guest on the Homefront stage, brought a few in herself. The Homefront crew put a pair of radio shows in the can for uplink to the National Public Radio satellite.

For the record, WFPL FM 89, one of two radio stations owned and operated by the Louisville Free Public Library, is the originating station for the Homefront program. Locally produced radio programs, once common, are now quite rare. It's even more remarkable when the programming is sent to the rest of the country via satellite. The Homefront program is one of two locally produced live music shows that WFPL puts up on the satellite. The other is The Lonesome Pine Specials, which are rebroadcast by over one hundred stations in the U.S., according to Susan Watkins of the Kentucky Center for the Arts.

After the LHP show, a trip to Barry's to catch the return of da Mudcats seemed in order. Other musically inclined folks seemed to have the same idea, including Everett Duncan, WFPL "Saturday Night Blues Party" host Scott Mullins, Martha and Harlan Brewer of Kessler's Friends, plus three or four other players. Da Mudcats have been on a break following the recent passing of harmonica wiz Jim Rosen's wife.

Spanky Lee has wrapped up a CD of Spanky tunes. The eponymous CD will have fifteen songs, all written by various members of the band. Distribution has not yet been set up, but the CDs and cassettes should be available at Spanky shows. For more information, call Mom's Musician's General Store.

Ruperto T has been shopping his saxophone album to record companies in England. Two are said to be interested.