Traveling Through

Amazon.com
If you consider soulless, emotionless, insipid country music to be a disease, your antidote is right here. Dick Curless recorded his swan song on Christmas Day 1994 and passed away five months later, just before the record was released. Wrapped within a tasteful, pared-down setting and with an utter lack of pretension, his full and flexible baritone wrings an incredible amount of feeling from these honky-tonk weepers, cowboy ditties, gospel songs, and blues. In an age where country is as much about marketing schemes as it is about music, Curless doesn't seem to have cared whether anybody heard these songs (and nobody, it seems, has heard them), but Traveling Through remains one of the most genuine country albums of the '90s. --Marc Greilsamer

Traveling Through,Dick Curless,Rounder Select,Country,Country & Western,Pop

Average customer rating: Just an old cowboy Traveling man, traveling through, traveling true this singer "really" feels his music!!!!

Traveling Through Dick Curless Manufacturer: Rounder Select ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Honky-Tonk | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tombstone Every Mile Last of the Breed ASIN: B00000036I Release Date: 1995-08-15

Tracks:

1. King Of The Blues
2. Crazy Heart
3. Rattlesnakin' Daddy
4. No One Will Ever Know
5. Just One Time
6. Changing Times
7. I'll Hold You In My Heart (Til' I Can Hold You In My Arms)
8. I Am A Pilgrim
9. When God Comes And Gathers His Jewels
10. Freight Train Blues
11. I Never Go Around Mirrors
12. I Get The Blues When It Rains
13. I Don't Have A Memory Without Her
14. Since I Met You Jesus

Amazon.com

If you consider soulless, emotionless, insipid country music to be a disease, your antidote is right here. Dick Curless recorded his swan song on Christmas Day 1994 and passed away five months later, just before the record was released. Wrapped within a tasteful, pared-down setting and with an utter lack of pretension, his full and flexible baritone wrings an incredible amount of feeling from these honky-tonk weepers, cowboy ditties, gospel songs, and blues. In an age where country is as much about marketing schemes as it is about music, Curless doesn't seem to have cared whether anybody heard these songs (and nobody, it seems, has heard them), but Traveling Through remains one of the most genuine country albums of the '90s. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Just an old cowboy.......2007-05-07

Dick Curless (1932-1995) was called the Baritone of Country Music. He burst on the music scene in 1965 which his trucker hit "Tombstone Every Mile." Because of this song, he is often grouped in that country music sub-genre of trucker music (generally said to have started with the Dave Dudley classic "Six Days on the Road").

Like many artists of his generation, his popularity waned, but he recorded some albums in the 70s and 80s. Shortly before his death 1995, Curless recorded this disc. Curless suffered from health problems throughout his life, but his voice was still strong. The songs are emotional and reflective. As he sings, "I'm just an old cowboy, living in changing times." This is country music the way it was and should be.

Traveling man, traveling through, traveling true.......2002-03-28

Having purchased on amazon.com everything available by Dick Curless on Bear Family Records (2 monster sized box sets) it goes without question that this final cd by him would be next. What a surprise! His voice is as expressive as ever and still wonderful to hear. Hard to believe he died 5 months after recording it...and yet,there is a world-weary presence performing here which lets the listener in on his secret; Life is precious, and those that drink from the Well of Experience walk a long hard road just traveling through.
Dick Curless is the ultimate Country musician in this last offering. Every song has been sculpted from a life whoose cup overfilled with passion, grace, and humility. Wether singing songs that rumble deep, like a cross between Johnny Cash and Leon Redbone...or melodious like Merle Haggard and George Jones....Curless can sing like a yodeling Angel drunk on the Devil's own wine. He was arguably one of the greatest country/folk singers of the 20th century. God bless him.

this singer "really" feels his music!!!!.......1999-01-24

I have had this disc for several months, I listen to it constantly. I carry it to my office and just let it repeat play through-out the day, I never get tired of it. I feel every song, every time I hear it. I cannot finds the words to express how much I enjoy this entertainer.Just want more.

Average customer rating:

Traveling Through Sample Land Manufacturer: Sunburst Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000A3INGU

Average customer rating: Great for historical context, but not exactly listenable This may be a bit too raw and unpolished for most...

Traveling Through the Jungle Negro Fife and Drum Bands Manufacturer: Testament (City Hall ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: From Senegal to Senatobia Everybody Hollerin' Goat ASIN: B000003OR1 Release Date: 1995-02-21

Tracks:

1. Old Hen Cackled, Laid A Double Egg - Ephram Carter
2. Unkown Piece - Ephram Carter
3. Shout, Lula With The Red Dress On - Ephram Carter
4. Buck Dance - Ephram Carter
5. I Love Jesus, Yes, I Do - Ephram Carter
6. Wake Up, Sal, Day Done Come, Let Me Chew... - Ephram Carter
7. Old Lady Dinah Sitting By The Fire - Ephram Carter
8. Jesse James - Lucius Smith
9. Come On, Boys, Let's Go To The Ball - Lucius Smith
10. The Death March - Lucius Smith
11. Emmanline, Take Your Time - Lucius Smith
12. The Sidewalks Of New York - Lucius Smith
13. John Henry - J.W. Jones
14. No Name Piece - Ephram Carter
15. Sal, You Churn The Butter - Ephram Carter
16. Look Out Of The Way - Ephram Carter
17. My Babe - Napoleon Strickland
18. Traveling Through The Jungle - Fred McDowell
19. Sitting On Top Of The World - Compton Jones
20. Late At Midnight, Just A Little 'Fore Day - Othar Turner
21. Granny, Will Your Dog Bite - Napoleon Strickland
22. Number Five - Comptorl Jones
23. When The Saints Go Marching In - Napoleon Strickland
24. Sitting On Top Of The World - Othar Turner
25. Fife And Drum Piece - Othar Turner
26. I'm So Worried - Othar Turner
27. Baseball Bat - Napoleon Strickland
28. Rollin' And Tumblin' - Napoleon Strickland

Amazon.com

The black fife-and-drum tradition is one of the most archaic and least documented styles of American music. Though its distinct aural and rhythmic qualities have their origins in West Africa, fife-and-drum also carries trance-inducing strains of a New Orleans second line, North Mississippi hill-country blues, and even Moroccan jajouka music. It's likely that, at one time, fife-and-drum was widespread in the American South, but to date the only evidence of the style has come from isolated areas around Como, Mississippi, and Waverly Hall, Georgia. Recorded mostly by noted folklorists George Mitchell and Dr. David Evans between 1969 and 1970, Jungle collects field recordings from virtually all the known masters of the form: Ephram Carter and J.W. Jones from Georgia, Napoleon Strickland and Othar Turner from Mississippi. It's an essential document of a timeless though--by the late 1990s--all but extinct art. --Matt Hanks

Customer Reviews:

Great for historical context, but not exactly listenable.......2006-01-07

Although I give this only 2 stars, I am happy to have this disc in my collection. For me, the music is a taste of the roots of funk. A few consecutive tracks are enough to render the sparse instrumentation and limited recording quality kind of grating. Mix some of these tunes into homemade compilations for great seasoning and counterpoint. It might also be a source for unique samples.

This may be a bit too raw and unpolished for most..........2004-10-01

...,but it's real, there's no wannabe writers or anybody trying to be hip, it's just real, raw, pure music. Like humans used to make before corporations and professionalism destroyed everything.
My favorite track here is "Buck Dance", the only instruments used are his voice, hands and feet, just amazing stuff. It reminds me of ring dances from Louisiana that Alan Lomax recorded.
The Fife and Drum tunes are great too, like I said probably not for those used to polished massproduced pop, but amazing. Just buy it.

Average customer rating:

Smashing! Manufacturer: Wicker Pig Music, LLC ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAJDSS Release Date: 2004-10-12

Average customer rating: Exciting bluegrass gospel group with well-grounded, rousing traditional sound, invigorating harmonies, & a variety of material

Traveling Through ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music ASIN: B000F3AJ80 Release Date: 2006-05-02

Customer Reviews:

Exciting bluegrass gospel group with well-grounded, rousing traditional sound, invigorating harmonies, & a variety of material .......2006-05-06

Playing Time - 36:40 -- From Virginia, The Churchmen are an exciting bluegrass gospel group with a well-grounded and rousing traditional sound, invigorating vocal harmonies, and a variety of original and cover material that ranges from fast numbers to slower ballads. After called into their ministry in 1989, the band started singing in churches and released three strong self-produced albums, "The Churchmen," "God Is Calling" and "Gospel Tradition." In 1995, their first national release, "Follow Me," offered an original title tune that received high acclaim and considerable airplay. They then produced "The Tie That Binds" and "The Drifter" on the Mountain Home (Horizon) label. "On The Journey Home," this talented band's 2003 project on the Pinecastle label, was nominated for a Dove Award (gospel music's most prestigious award) and for Bluegrass Gospel Album of the Year. Its catchy, upbeat opening cut, "Get Onboard," has been on the Bluegrass Now Gospel Truths chart for over two years. Since that album's release, The Churchmen have added Rick Keen on resonator guitar (replacing fiddler Shannon Wheeler who left to stay home more with his family). Keen is a great young talent with previous experience in such bands as High Lonesome, Kickin' Grass, and Lonesome Pine.

This latest album continues "sharing the good news of Christ through music." The songs say things that will be a blessing to you. With energy and enthusiasm, The Churchmen show people that gospel music is fun and exciting with a repertoire that is well received at many venues. In churches, the focus is on message and meaning. At festivals, the band grabs attention by emphasizing adroit picking and evocative vocal harmonies, entertainment and drive. Take note of The Churchmen's ability to seamlessly blend their voices in trios or quartets, as well as to arrange their songs with just the right instrumentation to make them special and memorable. Appealing to both young and old, the band members build relationships and connect with the people they're playing for. An important aspect of their ministry is their spirituality, fellowship and ability to love one another as brothers and sisters. Perhaps most important to their success, The Churchmen realize that being a gospel group keeps them on a clear and focused mission.

Steve Martin is the songwriter of the bunch, and he had a hand in writing seven of the twelve songs. "Calvary Says It All" was co-penned with Paul Williams, and stresses the great significance of Jesus Christ's Crucifixion on a hill far away. There are also new inspirational originals from others, along with a couple songs with timeless messages presented in the past. Martin earnestly expresses attitudes and feelings while capturing an essence of traditional music. The uplifting songs bring comfort, joy and happiness. Emphasizing passion and respect, their Christian messages don't proselytize, yet they are able to provide spiritual guidance and direction. The Churchmen are reverent, solemn and humble. The instrumental prowess of The Churchmen is similarly dynamic, and the quintessential result of the whole is a unique, fresh, honest and exhilarating gospel sound that immediately lifts the spirit.

The Churchmen emphasize some recurrent theological threads in their gospel repertoire. Predominant themes include salvation, life's rocky road, and a call to act. Individual salvation is a primary theme found (at least implicitly) in nearly all of their songs. The vocalists sing of making it to that yonder city, being saved or touched by the hand of the Lord. "You Better Get In Line," "Glorious City," "Happy Home On High," "I'll See Heaven Some Sweet Day," "That Home Far Away," and "Sailing Home" are some examples. Life's rocky road indicates the journey that all Christians must endure. We must be strong and God will lead us through life's perilous path of sin. Numbers with this theme are "Calvary Says It All," "Bedside Prayer," "Happy Home on High," and "I've Come A Long Way." The latter speaks to being picked up from the sinking sands while on the glory road. In Danny Bowers' "Double Portion," we are reminded that we often take for granted the Lord's help that gets us through life. Sometimes we need a second serving of His love. The Churchmen acknowledge that "Lord It's A Hard Road Home" when our loved ones are gone and we are faced with life's journey alone. Steven Martin also sings "There's so much work to do and the helpers are few" in this beautiful Tom T. and Dixie Hall song. The good Christian's action orientation suggests that we must work hard to gain God's grace. We work on a building for the Lord, to further the Kingdom of God, and to improve the conditions of the world. The Churchmen provide an enlightened perspective for a related theme in "Thank You For Sending Your Son."

There is a certain feeling that one expects from a bluegrass gospel recording, and The Churchmen deliver. The lilting melodies and bracing rhythmic drive provide the foundation for the tender heartfelt sentiments of their largely original material. The entertaining and professional Churchmen continue to praise the Lord and sing unto Him a new song. They know that there is no better message than the word of Jesus Christ, they thank God for His guidance, and they hope that their musical mission will lead others to Him. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

Average customer rating:

Traveling Through the Jungle - Fife & Drum Band Music From the Deep South Ephram Carter , Lucius Smith , J.W. Jones , Napoleon Strickland , Fred McDowell , Compton Jones , and Othar Turner Manufacturer: Testament ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000B45A5K

Product Description

Testament Records//Traveling Through the Jungle //Fife & Drum Bands From The Deep South /// 1. Old Hen Cackled, Laid A Double Egg - Ephram Carter 2. Unkown Piece - Ephram Carter 3. Shout, Lula With The Red Dress On - Ephram Carter 4. Buck Dance - Ephram Carter 5. I Love Jesus, Yes, I Do - Ephram Carter 6. Wake Up, Sal, Day Done Come, Let Me Chew - Ephram Carter 7. Old Lady Dinah Sitting By The Fire - Ephram Carter 8. Jesse James - Lucius Smith 9. Come On, Boys, Let's Go To The Ball - Lucius Smith 10. The Death March - Lucius Smith 11. Emmanline, Take Your Time - Lucius Smith 12. The Sidewalks Of New York - Lucius Smith 13. John Henry - J.W. Jones 14. No Name Piece - Ephram Carter 15. Sal, You Churn The Butter - Ephram Carter 16. Look Out Of The Way - Ephram Carter 17. My Babe - Napoleon Strickland 18. Traveling Through The Jungle - Fred McDowell 19. Sitting On Top Of The World - Compton Jones 20. Late At Midnight, Just A Little 'Fore Day - Othar Turner 21. Granny, Will Your Dog Bite - Napoleon Strickland 22. Number Five - Comptorl Jones 23. When The Saints Go Marching In - Napoleon Strickland 24. Sitting On Top Of The World - Othar Turner 25. Fife And Drum Piece - Othar Turner 26. I'm So Worried - Othar Turner 27. Baseball Bat - Napoleon Strickland 28. Rollin' And Tumblin' - Napoleon Strickland

Average customer rating:

Strange & True Story of Your Life. Manufacturer: Traveling in Place ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAKERC Release Date: 2005-04-12

Average customer rating:

White Buffalo Manufacturer: Light of Love Ministries ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | New Age | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAJN2Y Release Date: 2005-02-15

Average customer rating:

Breathing Dreams Manufacturer: Redgummy Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CADJJM Release Date: 2001-07-10

Average customer rating:

Christopher Ep Manufacturer: Clockwork ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAL2JQ Release Date: 2005-06-07

Music Album:

1. Travelling Country
2. Turn Back the Years: Essential Hank Williams Collection
3. Walls of Time
4. Waylon Jennings - Greatest Hits (RCA)
5. Western Cowboy Ballads and Songs 1925-1939
6. Why Do Lonely Men & Women Want to Break Each Other's Hearts?
7. World of Conway Twitty [Import]
8. 1994
9. 20 Best of Country
10. All I Wanna Do

Music Album