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Bruce Hornsby & Ricky Skaggs: Cluck Ol' Hen

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Skaggs Family Records
Released: 2013.08.20
Time:
 61:09
Category: Country, Bluegrass
Producer(s): Bruce Hornsby & Ricky Skaggs
Rating:
Media type: CD
Web address: www.brucehornsby.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2015
Price in €: 1,00





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Intro: How Mountain Girls Can Love - 0:43
[2] How Mountain Girls Can Love (Ruby Rakes, Carter Stanley) - 2:38
[3] Intro: Toy Heart - 0:18
[4] Toy Heart (Bill Monroe) - 4:32
[5] Intro: Bluegrass Breakdown - 0:28
[6] Bluegrass Breakdown (Ricky Skaggs) - 3:33
[7] Intro: Darling Corey - 0:47
[8] Darling Corey (Traditional) - 7:55
[9] The Way It Is (Bruce Hornsby) - 10:23
[10] Intro: The Dreaded Spoon - 1:28
[11] The Dreaded Spoon (Bruce Hornsby) - 3:10
[12] Gulf of Mexico Fishing Boat Blues (Bruce Hornsby) - 5:07
[13] Intro: Sally Jo - 0:36
[14] Sally Jo (Killen/Kershaw) - 6:11
[15] Little Maggie (Dave Guard) - 2:53
[16] Intro: White Wheeled Limousine - 0:30
[17] White Wheeled Limousine (Bruce Hornsby) - 14:20
[18] Intro: Cluck Ol' Hen - 0:50
[19] Cluck Ol' Hen (Bruce Hornsby) - 3:40

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Ricky Skaggs - Banjo, Mandolin, Percussion, Vocals, Producer
Bruce Hornsby - Piano, Organ, Accordion, Vocals, Producer

Mark Fain - Bass
Cody Kilby - Banjo, Guitar
Jim Mills - Banjo
Andy Leftwich - Fiddle, Mandolin
Paul Brewster - Harmony Vocals
Ben Nelson - Guitar
Darrin Vincent - Mandolin, Guitar, Bass, Vocals

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Recorded live in Omaha, Nebraska and Beyondi.



Bluegrass treasures and lively expanded hits wait to be discovered on this fresh collection of songs from the masterful duo of Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby.  Both GRAMMY winners, they share stories and muse about the recordings revealed on this new album.  These exciting live recordings from their highly successful tour also include interaction with their fans.  Hornsby’s spirited piano brings a new dimension to these songs, with electrifying solos and improvisation thrown in the mix of Skaggs, Hornsby and Skaggs’ band, Kentucky Thunder.

Without any restrictions, their music is as fascinating and masterful as the two stars that create it.  The pair blends songs drawn from deep roots in mountain music, adding piano and Hornsby's inimitable songwriting to Skaggs’ instrumental core of mandolin, guitar, bass, fiddle and banjo into a musical feast.  Of course, classic bluegrass is fully represented with three Bill Monroe tunes, including the fast and furious “Bluegrass Breakdown.”  The Washington Post declares “Hornsby's cascading solos and Skaggs's darting runs and chopped rhythms create lots of colorful contrasts.”  Punctuating this release is a vibrantly expansive version of Hornsby's early hit “The Way It Is” and a performance of “White Wheeled Limousine,” and to sum up the free-spirited nature of their collaborations, Skaggs and Hornsby joyfully present the vintage fiddle tune “Cluck Ol’ Hen.”  Skaggs and Hornsby kick up a storm with their mix of high-lonesome harmonies, full throttle bluegrass picking, and improvisational piano.

Skaggs says, “We recorded quite a few of the live performances from our tour and came up with a really great CD. It’s a great merging of two different styles.”  “To me,” Hornsby says, “it’s always been about staying inspired, broadening my reach and moving into new areas.”  Skaggs continues, “Listening to this live CD just reminded me of how much fun we had touring together, as I played music with one of the most talented people on the planet, Bruce Hornsby!  Every show was a gift.”

skaggsfamilyrecords.com



Although they may seem an unlikely pairing, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, who already have a 2007 album together under their belt, complement each other well, bringing a fresh, jazzy good humor and a whole lot of slick, rustic swing to their version of bluegrass. This set was drawn from live performances the two have done together, with some between-song chatter left in to show the easy, fun connection Skaggs and Hornsby capture with each other on-stage.

Steve Leggett - All Music Guide



Pianist/singer/composer Bruce Hornsby is known for his spontaneity and for his ability to play in different genres (He's been a member of the Grateful Dead!) and he excels on his collaborations with Bluegrass mandolinist/singer Ricky Skaggs and his group Kentucky Thunder. Tonight we feature Ricky and Bruce's live album Cluck Ol' Hen.

Ricky and Bruce first played together on the 2000 Bill Monroe tribute album Big Mon and recorded a studio album together in 2007. We'll hear them playing a couple of Bruce's songs and a couple of Bill Monroe ones including their first recording together. On Bruce's equality anthem That's Just the Way it Is, Bruce and Ricky let the sparks fly on an improvised duet section of the song. We'll also hear Caribbean jazz musicians, trumpeter Etienne Charles and saxophonist Jacques Schwartz-Bart duetting and we'll investigate the song You Don't Love Me, first recorded by Bo Diddley under another name, later becoming a blues standard, then twice recorded by Rocksteady singer Dawn Penn 20 years apart.

© 2014 ABC Australia



Cluck Ol’ Hen - Ricky Skaggs and Bruce HornsbyRicky Skaggs, one of bluegrass’ most talented musicians, and Bruce Hornsby, an expressive pop vocalist and pianist, first paired their talents six years ago for the appropriately titled album, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby.

They are reunited for Cluck Ol’ Hen, a live album released this week, which was recorded during a previous tour together. Bruce and Ricky will also have a string of live performances in support of the new project this Fall.

I have listened to my share of bluegrass albums, and this one became a favorite upon my first listen for a number of reasons. Its vibrancy resonates long after the last song ends. The playfulness you hear between Skaggs and Hornsby puts you on the stage with them, and brings the emotion of bluegrass music alive and back to better days in an instant. The soulful, traditional mix of music opens the box for this genre, allowing other music tastes to come on in and test the water. I think you’ll like the temperature.

Knowing that Bruce Hornsby has appeared on albums by Bob Dylan and Stevie Nicks, along with being a part of The Grateful Dead, is sure to make some curious to how this album will blend, as did the previous. The styles of Skaggs and Hornsby are so different that it would seem to take hot wax to make something like this melt together. But that’s exactly what happened. When these two artists start making music together, things heat up real quick.

Grass fans everywhere will enjoy the Bill Monroe classic Toy Heart, in which Hornsby’s jazzy piano breaks out into mountain music. The Dreaded Spoon adds a splash of humor, as you can clearly hear how these two artists love what they do, and love to have fun doing it. Hornsby’s The Way It Is, which topped the American music charts in 1986, rings with the same controversial truths that some things will never change, although with this rendition, proved itself wrong. The traditional title track, Cluck Ol’ Hen, is an all-time favorite for many, and will be sure to provide many more hours of foot tapping pleasure here.

This is not your everyday, run-of-the-mill bluegrass album. This is entertainment at its finest, with two of the most intriguing musical talents you will ever find. The vocals are flawless, the music dances with hints of folk and memories that get pulled out of nowhere. Ricky Skaggs is absolutely one of the best when it comes to the mesmerizing chop of the mandolin, and Bruce Hornsby brings a new, nostalgic flow to bluegrass that I’m sure will make this album a favorite. And that’s just the way it is.

Marybeth Altizer - August 22, 2013
© Bluegrass Today 2015.



Ricky Skaggs Ambassadors and Bruce Hornsby, one of Pop's most talented pianists and singer-songwriters are reuniting for the first time since originally collaborating six years ago. Bluegrass treasures and lively expanded hits wait to be discovered on this fresh collection of songs from the masterful duo of Skaggs and Hornsby. These live songs were originally recorded when the two music icons hit the tour circuit in support of their first collaborative album, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby. Hornsby's spirited piano brings a new dimension to these songs, with electrifying solos and improvisation thrown in the mix of Skaggs, Hornsby and Skaggs' band, Kentucky Thunder. "We recorded quite a few of the live performances from our tour and came up with a really great CD," says Skaggs. "It's a great merging of two different styles. Listening to this live CD just reminded me of how much fun we had touring together. Every show was a gift." Hornsby notes, "I've been fortunate to be a part of scores of collaborations through the years. Along with my time with the Grateful Dead, and the various Spike Lee projects, I consider the long time association with Ricky to be the deepest and most satisfying collaboration of them all. Hopefully this record captures the sound of a bunch of guys having a great time playing music together. That's what it sounds like to me." Without any restrictions, the music is as fascinating and masterful as the two stars who create it. The pair blends songs drawn from deep roots in mountain music, adding piano and Hornsby's inimitable songwriting to Skaggs' instrumental core of mandolin, guitar, bass, fiddle and banjo into a musical feast.

Amazon.co.uk Review



"Scorching record of an unusual mixture of musical styles that just works"

Maverick



"fantastic playing from all involved with Hornsby enjoying playing bluegrass and Skaggs taking pleasure from the stylistic variety of Hornsby's songs."

Country Music People



"As you'd expect from such a pair of accomplished players- not to mention Skaggs' band Kentucky Thunder- the musicianship here is flawless"

R2 Magazine



"It works remarkably well as Hornsby's piano,voice and songs fit the genre well."

fRoots



Bruce Hornsby and Ricky Skaggs are no strangers to each other -- musically or personally. The men have enjoyed a long friendship over the years, and have collaborated with each other several times – most notably on their 2007 release for Sony. The talented artists have once again paired up, this time for the new live disc "Cluck Ol' Hen."

Hornsby spoke with Billboard in an exclusive interview about the the project, which he says turned out exceedingly well.  "A lot of it came from a show we did in Omaha, Nebraska," he said. "There's a beautiful hall there, I think it's called Holland Center. I think it might have been the final show of the entire tour. It was just one of those nights where everything was clicking, and the sound of the recording was also good. You have to be doubly fortunate when you're recording live shows. You hope you have a great show, and you play well, and you hope you get a certain spark that only comes from live play. At the same time, you have to be sure the recording sounds good. It has to be solid, without any pops or feedback or hisses," he said, admitting that everything came together for the album. "Luckily, we had enough really good performances that were recorded well also."

Skaggs and Hornsby's chemistry is on full display on "Cluck Ol' Hen," which includes plenty of unplanned moments.

"For me, it starts with the fact that we both have a similar sense of humor," he says. That's why we kept a lot of the raps between songs, because it helps the record feel more like a live show. It's just a couple of guys relating to each other musically, but also personally. Ricky is a very funny guy, and I like to try to make him laugh, and vice versa. So, I think we connect with each other very naturally."

Of course, it doesn't hurt that both are extremely gifted musical artists, something that shines through on such cuts as "Uncle Pen" or "Little Maggie." Though a listen to his classics like "Mandolin Rain" or "The Way It Is" might not show it, Hornsby says that he has long been a fan of bluegrass music. "It's a style that is very much about improvisation, and virtuosity on the instrument. I've always been interested in playing well. I've loved old time music all my life, and bluegrass festivals. Obviously, there wasn't much room for what I did there, but I didn't care. I just was a fan who loved to hear it. I remember seeing the Earl Scruggs Revue play at a huge basketball arena at the University of Richmond - which showed how popular the music was at that time. I was always interested in the music, and through the years, became interested in country and traditional music."

One of the more interesting cuts from Cluck Ol' Hen is "Gulf Of Mexico Fishing Boat Blues," a song the two recorded before. "That's a song from the first Skaggs / Hornsby studio record. I wrote that, and was inspired by stories of friends of mine from Virginia who were down here, working on some old fishing rig while living in New Orleans. They weren't doing anything bad, or running from some terrible crime that they had committed. I took artistic license there. Musically, I've always been someone who has been interested in pushing the boundaries of different types of music, and in this case, I was trying to write a bluegrass song in an odd time signature. The chorus of the song is in 5/4 time, which served as a little more of a challenge," he admitted.

Another highlight from the disc is the Bill Monroe standard "Darling Corey," which serves as a history marker for the musical partnership between Hornsby and Skaggs. "Around 2000, he was making a Monroe tribute record, and he called and asked me to be a part of it," he recalled, and that track was "Darlin' Corey." It made an impact on many listeners, including Bruce Springsteen, who called Hornsby to compliment him on the track.

Chuck Dauphin, Nashville - August 28, 2013
© 2015 Billboard
 

 L y r i c s


HOW MOUNTAIN GIRLS CAN LOVE

Get down boys, go back home
Back to the girl you love
Treat her right never wrong
How mountain gals can love.

Ridin' the night in the high cold wind
On the trail of the old lonesome pine
Thinkin' of you,baby, feelin' so blue
Wonderin' why I left you behind.

Get down boys, go back home
Back to the girl you love
Treat her right never wrong
How mountain gals can love.

Remember the night we strolled down the lane
Our hearts were gay and happy then
You whispered to me as I held you close
We hoped the night would never end.

Get down boys, go back home
Back to the girl you love
Treat her right never wrong
How mountain gals can love.

Get down boys, go back home
Back to the girl you love
Treat her right never wrong
How mountain gals can love


TOY HEART

Darling, you toyed with toy heart
I think you played the game right from the start
This toy heart was broken when parting words were spoken
Darling, you toyed with a toy heart.

You played with my poor heart like a toy
That toy broke and then we had to part
It never can be mended I hope this romance's ended
Darling, you toyed with a toy heart.

Now darling my time will come some day
Time alone will heal my broken heart
The clouds will roll away, the sun will shine someday
Darling, you toyed with a toy hear.

Now darling you know you've done me wrong
Your love for me has passed and gone
I'll find somebody new, I hope that they'll be true
Darling you toyed with a toy heart


BLUEGRASS BREAKDOWN

Instrumental.


DARLING COREY

Wake up, wake up darling Corey
What makes you sleep so sound
The revenue officers are coming
They're gonna tear your still house down.

Well, the first time I seen darling Corey
She was sitting on the banks of the sea
Had a forty-four around her body
And a banjo on her knee.

Go away, go away darling Corey
Quit hanging around my bed
Your liquor has ruined my body
Pretty women gone to my head.

Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
Dig a hole in the cold, cold ground
Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
Gonna lay darling Corey down.

Can't you hear those bluebirds a singing
Don't you hear that mournful sound
They're preaching darling Corey's funeral
In some lonesome graveyard ground.

Wake up, wake up Darlin Corey
And go get me my gun
I ain't no man for fightin'
But I'll die before I run...


THE WAY IT IS

Standing in line marking time--
Waiting for the welfare dime
'Cause they can't buy a job
The man in the silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies' eyes
Just for fun he says "Get a job"

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them

They say hey little boy you can't go
Where the others go
'Cause you don't look like they do
Said hey old man how can you stand
To think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, Son

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them

Well they passed a law in '64
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far
Because the law another's mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them


THE DREADED SPOON

Here we go to the Tasty Freeze
Or maybe Dairy Queen
If so, then better lock the glove
There's something in there the old man loves
To break it out with a muffled shout
A shout of glee and it comes out

The dreaded spoon, the dreaded spoon
Lord help us, it's the dreaded spoon

Well, hide your cookies and hide your cakes
What he giveths, away he takes
He keep on scoopin' till you taste just great
So better not turn your head away

It's gone, gone, gone
They're gone, gone, gone
To the dreaded spoon

Says he doesn't want a thing
He's not hungry, he says with a tiny wink
We come back with a big ol' cone
And he makes his move and we all moan
Wearing out your ice cream cake
Spilling sprinkles in his wake

The dreaded spoon, the dreaded spoon
Lord help us, the dreaded spoon

Well, hide your cakes and Sunday pies
Apple fritters and curly fries
Nuts and cherries piled so high
Just one swipe and it's say goodbye

Yes, bye, bye, bye
They're gone, gone, gone
Gone, gone, gone
To the dreaded spoon

Well, hide your cakes and Sunday pies
Apple fritters and curly fries
Nuts and cherries piled so high
Just one swipe and it's say goodbye

Yes, bye, bye, bye
They're gone, gone, gone
Gone, gone, gone
To the dreaded spoon


GULF OF MEXICO FISHING BOAT BLUES

I'm in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico
Working on a fishing boat, how long I don't know
Trouble behind me, yes I'm hoping so
Finger on my back, make me say
"Whoa, whoa, whoa"

I'm in the saddle taking a little ride
Swinging with my partner side to side
C'mon Joe, c'mon Lee
Let's go down to the Jamboree
Make a new start, change my name
No more ducking my head in shame
I did run and yes, I hid
Running from the trouble for something I did

Thousand miles away from my home
Five states over, oh I did roam
Right eye peeled on the worker so near
Nobody would think to look for me here
My arms getting so strong working long days
If they find me I'll be better at fighting my way
Out and then I'd swim ashore
Dare 'em all to look for me some more

What I did I can't tell you
I can't believe it was me
In the flash of a light you can lose your sense of right
Change your luck and change your life


SALLY JO

I jump in bed and covered up my head
Wish I was dead, Sally Jo
Sally Jo, where did you go, Sally Jo?

Since you have gone my days are turned to night
Nothin' goes right, Sally Jo
Sally Jo, where did you go, Sally Jo?

The hurt you left has just begun to show
Sally Jo, I feel so low
Sally Jo, where did you go, Sally Jo?

Sally Jo, Sally Jo
Hear my plea, come back to me

I'm like a little dog left out to stray
No one wants me, no place to stay
Sally Jo, where did you go, Sally Jo?

Did I do bad when I was good to you?
Yes or no, Sally Jo
Sally Jo, where did you go, Sally Jo?

The torch I carried shines and light so bright
For me to see, Sally Jo
Sally Jo, where did you go, Sally Jo?

Sally Jo, Sally Jo
Hear my plea, come back to me
Sally Jo, Sally Jo


LITTLE MAGGIE

Oh, yonder stands little Maggie
With a dram glass in her hand
She's drinkin' away her troubles
She's a-courtin' another man

Last time I saw little Maggie
She was sittin' on the banks of the sea
With a forty-four all around her
And a banjo on her knee

Pretty flowers were made for bloomin'
Pretty stars were made to shine
Pretty women were made for lovin'
Little Maggie was made for mine

Lay down your last gold dollar
Lay down your gold watch and chain
Little Maggie's gonna dance for daddy
Listen to that ol' banjo ring

Go away, go away, little Maggie
Go and do the best you can
I'll get me another woman
You can get you another man


WHITE WHEELED LIMOUSINE

She walked into town in a long white gown
And the band played on with no one around
And the rice was gone oh hours ago
And the white wheeled limousine's standing alone

Well they met at the club where the brasses blow
Where the wine did flow oh he moved so slow
But finally one night as the wind stood still
He got up the nerve and she said "I will"

The day did come and the groomsmen arrived
Came a little early to go over their lines
As they walked to the church on the cobblestones
Was heard in the bushes a moan and a groan

Well she walked into town in a long white gown
And the band played on with no one around
And the rice was gone oh hours ago
And the white wheeled limousine's standing alone

She didn't want to think that she lived a lie
There was always talk of a wandering eye
He'd come to the club and he'd look all around
It took a fair minded man not to wonder aloud

Well she walked into town in a long white gown
And the band played on with no one around
And the rice was gone oh hours ago
And the white wheeled limousine's standing alone

And the father of the bride is drinking so slow


CLUCK OL' HEN

My old hen, she's a good ol' hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes eight and sometimes ten
My old hen, she's a good ol' hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes eight and sometimes ten
That's enough for the railroad men

Chorus
Cluck ol' hen cluck when I tell you
Cluck ol' hen or I'm gonna sell you
Last time she cackled she cackled in the lot
Next time she cackles cackles in the pot

My old hen, she's a good ol' hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one and sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

Chorus
Cluck ol' hen cluck and sing
You ain't laid an egg since late last spring
Cluck ol' hen cluck and call
You ain't laid an egg since late last fall

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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