JACK BLANCHARD'S COLUMN at Music Charts Magazine®

 

When I got that colonoscopy in October
they found my car keys, a pair of dice, and a harmonica.

The music business was tough in the old days too.
Most of the unsigned artists and writers that walked Music Row
never got a chance.
I think we had an advantage
because I was an independent producer of other artists for 4 or 5 years
before Misty and I recorded together.
I knew some people.

In the 60’s we put a lot of stuff on our own little label, Zodiac,
and shopped the them around to radio stations and labels.
In 1967, a country DJ named Hoss Moss heard our “Bethlehem Steel” recording,
played it, and called Wayside Records, a label with national distribution.
They signed us for the four songs from our first Nashville indie session,
and that led to an album.
Wayside made a deal for distribution
and that’s how we wound up on Mercury Records.

We played a lot of Cavalcade of Stars country shows,
and were often asked to be the closing act,
because we did some other stuff the audience liked.
At The Garden State Art Center there were ten big names on the show.
Every act went overtime and they made us cut our show to 10 minutes.
That’s what the union demanded.
We were mad and so was the audience.
I’d do it all again.

We did a show at Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
Our hosts were Harden & Weaver, top DC radio personalities.
Their English comic counterparts, The Two Ronnies, were there too.
Also on the show was The US Navy Band!
Misty and had a lot of fun that day, even if we were outnumbered.

Starday Records was once a giant in country music, with a roster of superstars.
I was producing at Starday Studios in the 1960s,
when Willie Nelson was a writer there,
and not getting enough respect from the owner.
I wrote and produced for several Starday Records artists.
Also some for Pete Drake’s Stop Records.
Misty Morgan recorded a song on Starday under the name Maryanne Mail.
It was called “The Lonely Sentry”
and was on the Starday LP “Country Music Goes to War”.
The war at the time was Viet Nam.

Bill Littleton has died. He was a fellow writer,
and I admired his takes on music and life.
We were sort of pen pals, exchanging points of view,
which included the occasional argument.
As is true with all of my late cohorts, I miss knowing that he’s there.

We were having dinner with Major Schwab at the Shaw AFB Officers’ Club.
The waiter poured a tiny bit of wine in Misty’s glass for her to okay it.
She had such a disappointed expression!
Misty looked up at him and said, “Is that it?”

I just learned how many people uploaded our songs to YouTube.
Along with the songs we uploaded, we’ve had well over a million views.
Amazing, the money we don’t get!

Misty says Social Security is “Go away money.”
It’s “Here’s some money. Now go away.”

A LOVE SONG… “Fly Me to Your Room..”

A TROUBLED MARRIAGE SONG.. “You light up my wife”.

A LOVE SONG FOR WHEN YOU DON’T REALLY CARE ALL THAT MUCH…
“I get empathetic over you.”

VINTAGE CARS…
My ’47 Packard was the first car to have power operated seats. Great car.
Our ’64 Plymouth Valiant was the first car to have an alternater.
It was still a piece of crap.

A SIDE EFFECT…
Misty said, “All those inhalers are making you depressed.”
I said, “I get depressed when I can’t breathe.”

If I’ve ever accidentally written anything to offend radical Muslims,
I was only kidding. Haha.

I’m heading for the roundhouse.
They can’t corner me there.

 

Jack Blanchard

 

 
Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan… Grammy & CMA Award Finalists. Billboard Duet of the Year. Home Page: www.jackandmisty.net Mastering & restoration studio: 407 330 1611

Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan…
Grammy & CMA Award Finalists.
Billboard Duet of the Year.
Home Page: www.jackandmisty.net
Mastering & restoration studio: 407 330 1611