by Kevin Brown...

So there I was washing dishes in an Ann Arbor deli, age 19, and this song comes over the radio from the student station WCBN. It's "Close up the Honky Tonks," but not in the stately version by Buck Owens that I already knew. This one is a little more uptempo and loosey goosey. Cool singer, great harmony, unique sounding steel.

It was Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers off the vinyl compilation of the same name as the song. I mean, I was a big Beatles and Stones fan, but always harbored a soft spot for country, especially Buck and Merle. My friend Dan was also a rock fan but liked country too, as did I. We used to argue who was better, Buck or Merle, he sticking up for Merle.

So anyway, hearing Gram and the Burritos made me realize that country could be done in a fresh rock-tinged way. Who knows why nobody thought of this sooner? I soon was in a band called the Grievous Angels (pretty original eh?). We did our thing in Ann Arbor and regional college towns, and had a decent following in the days of "progressive country."

A few years later, ended up in Nashville, joined a band featuring Mark True and Ted Lindsay, they were songwriters who eventually had some No. 1 country songs cut by Crystal Gayle. Got homesick for Ann Arbor, headed back north, played in a country-rock band with Steve Newhouse for quite a while. Went solo. Got the itch to do a band again. Was really digging new records by the new "alt-country" bands the Jayhawks and Uncle Tupelo. Started looking for other musicians but nothing much came up. Then I run into the Corndaddies. First time we got together they were pulling out some great covers like "Are you ready for the Country," and "Ain't no more Cane." I was like that football announcer on TNT with his signature "Are you kidding me?" Because I love those songs.

I added my Clarence White/Keith Richard/Jerry Garcia-influenced guitar. Started writing more -- sort of in an autobiographical Kerouac (Dulouz Legend) way, if I may be so bold as to put a hipster spin on it. Jud Branam is a darn good lead singer, nice enough to sing lead on a couple of my songs, giving them a little more oomph. That also allows me to do harmony, which I love. Drummer Will Stewart comes out from behind the drums to sing some great covers. Jerry Hancock adds his own bass thing (check him out).

Corndaddy is essentially a rock band with serious country and even folk/bluegrass leanings. And a pinch of psychedelia. The end.

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