Report From The Country, Part Six: George Jones Live At Dancetown USA
Published May 11th, 2006 in Treasure Tags: C&W, Music.
Fortune found me one afternoon in Cincinnati, Ohio back in 1988. We’d driven all night from Nashville, Tennessee, and I’d crashed hard for most of the day. Now I wandered up and down the street in front of the gig, waiting for sound check to start. My companion had already worn out her welcome. We had nothing to say to one another — we were both exhausted, and we were strangers. A typical draggy day on the road.
And then I found “Live At Dancetown USA” by George Jones in the back of a dusty record shop. A British release on the small indie Del-Rio label (a subsidy of Ace Records), it was not an easy record to find. In fact, I never saw another copy. I never saw it on CD at all. (Remember, this was before the ubiquitous convenience of internet shopping.) I can’t believe this is currently out of print. The Jones legend shines brighter on this record than on just about any other in my collection.
My band was obsessed with George Jones at the time. We’d grab everything we could find of his seemingly endless catalogue, combing through the mixed bag of his hit-and-miss studio recordings, looking for gems. We tried to reproduce many of them on stage — and I use the term “reproduce” with extreme prejudice. So it was a revelation to hear George himself, not as a stiff popular singer grabbing for top ten formality, but in front of what sounds like only a few dozen people who want to party just as badly as he does.
This album was recorded around 1965 and was, according to the liner notes, “deemed unsuitable for release at the time due to a number of fluffed lines and false starts by the star of the show who was obviously feeling pressurized [sic?] by the presence of recording equipment.” I have to assume this is a bit of diplomacy, for George sounds anything but nervous on these recordings. Rather, he sounds extremely “relaxed” (another bit of diplomacy).
Fortunately, this album was edited with historical hindsight, not for mainstream ears. All the rambling patter, rushed tempos, off-mike asides and audience chatter has been left intact. Furthermore, though the show was clearly recorded with final mono mix in mind, it’s presented here in the original three-track stereo. The balance is a bit odd — George and his guitar are panned to the left, bass and fiddle are center, and the guitars and drums are on the right — but you can hear the nuances of the performances just as clear as a bell.
My band mates and I finally got to see George Jones for ourselves when he came to Phoenix in the late 80s. We had to drive deep into the east valley, through a part of town we’d never been to before, to a spring training facility we didn’t know existed. We were late. But we got there in time to witness George singing from second base into a clear summer night, surrounded by several hundred worshiping acolytes. He even made such late-career marginalia as “Right Left Hand” and “I’m Not Ready Yet” sound like affirmations from on high. And when he sang “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” it sent shivvers up my spine as the crowd responded to every line with whoops and hollars of congenial solidarity.
By all means, download George Jones - “Live At Dancetown USA”
Alternate Link
EXTRA: There is quite a long discussion of this album at steelguitarforum.com. It covers not only the work of steel guitarist Buddy Emmons, but offers historic details about Dancetown USA itself. Even better, another thread offers downloads of a couple of the bonus tracks from the CD edition.
Glad to know I’m not the only one. When I dragged the wife to see him, the first thing she said as he took the stage was “He looks like a used car salesman!”
Then he sang.
Tom
I would like to add that George’s new career is in the Breakfast Sausage & Country Style Hamburger Patty business,
With this new found knowledge in hand, one thought. Hootenanny. George, Jimmy Dean and the elusive and mysterious Bob Evans.
Thanks for the music Derrick.
Rob
They can get Shoney to open the bill — he was a comedian who started on the Opry and moved over to Hee Haw during its final years. Later he opened a popular chain of breakfast bars strategically located nextdoor to Motel 6.
Beautiful.
Just wanted to tip my hat to bands like Meat Puppets, Minutemen, etc. who, because of their admiration for certain musicians like Mr. Jones (and certainly their live/recorded “reproductions” of their songs), were the catalyst for my own introduction to and eventual fandom of the same artists. I only saw George once, in the mid-90’s at a hotel in Atlantic City, NJ of all places. It was the only time (save for Johnny Cash) I ever felt like I was in the presence of a true legend. He totally slayed me. The show I saw was after his recent recovery from a heart attack, which makes the irony of his choice as a future breakfast sausage and burger vendor totally hysterical to me! But I guess that’s George…
I had the experience as a young man to be in a band that opened for George at a county fair in Virginia, back about ‘76 or so…
The Jones Boys band came out to warm up the crowd…25 minutes later they were still playing, no sign of George.. abot 20 more minute and here he comes, being supported one under each arm by “chick singer” backing vocalists… to messed up to stand up he then proceded to sing one of the finest shows I ever heard in my life for about an hour
I am so glad i got to see and hear that show…
and I am so glad that “Live @ Dancetown” exists, even if criminally out of print.
thanks for the zip, although I have the CD there’s a bunch of folks who need to hear this stuff!!
Thanks so much for this download. I am a George Jones fan, but my exposure to this point has been pretty much limited to his later, shinier, more orchestral material so this is especially fun to listen to.
I do a lot of driving through rural Kansas, Wyo, Colo, and Nebraska for work and I must say this gem, in addition to your other fine C & W downloads, have made these trips more enjoyable.
On a related note: I still recall a blazing MP’s rendition of “White Lightning” at Hamilton College (NY) back in the summer of 1987. In fact, that may have been the last time I’ve heard that number until now. Thanks again!
Someone lent me this album when I was a teenager. I’ve been looking for it ever since. Thanks for posting it. Reminds me of another song of his that I’d like to find: “These Are My Favourite Lies”. Great tune.
Hmmm… That one seems to have eluded my collection…