FRONT ROOM MUSIC JIM STRICKLAN CATALOG

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FRONT ROOM MUSIC CATALOG
COUNTRY MAN

Country, Texas, Americana

CREDITS

JIM STRICKLAN – vocals and guitars on all songs.

GUEST PERFORMERS Doug Taylor, Greg Lowry, Gary DeVries, Larry Rothwell, Pauline Reese, Jaime Hilboldt, Richard Bowden, Arlene Faith, Russell Kortright, George Coyne, Danny Hawk, Ted Arbogast, Johnny Gimble, Traci Lamar, Beth Freeman, John Macy, Bob Abbott, Steve Croes, Ann and Lloyd Barnett.

All songs were written and arranged by Jim Stricklan © 2006 Front Room Music™ BMI,
except: Llano Estacado by Hank Williamson, Number One to Nothing by Lloyd Barnett,
and There Stands the Glass by A. Greisham, Mary Jean Shurtz, and Russ Hull.
All songs are used by permission.

Recorded at Parrot Tracks Studio – Manchaca, TX by George Coyne, except tracks 2, 8, and 9.

Mastered by Jerry Tubb at Terra Nova Digital Audio, Inc – Austin, TX

Thanks to Neely Ashmun and Michelle Dewey at BAH! DESIGN Austin, TX for artwork and graphic design.

Thanks to Arlene Faith and Russell Kortright for their generosity and amazing contributions on ALTHEA!

Thanks to Hank Williamson and Lloyd Barnett for letting me borrow their wonderful songs!

Thanks to Tom Arcand of Arcand Video Productions for his excellent work on SETTLES HOTEL and HOME ON THE RANGE!

1 THERE STANDS the GLASS: Pauline Reese - harmony vocal, Doug Taylor - bass, Greg Lowry - lap steel, Richard Bowden – fiddle, Gary DeVries – drums; produced by Jim Stricklan and George Coyne.

2 TEXAS HAS IT ALL: Johnny Gimble – fiddle, Traci Lamar – accordion, Ted Arbogast – bass, Beth Freeman - harmony vocal, Larry Rothwell - guitar & harmony vocal, Gary Devries – drums. Produced by Ted Arbogast at Music Lane Studios - Austin, Texas.

3 AMY FROM McCAMEY: Greg Lowry – lap steel and acoustic guitar solos, Doug Taylor – bass, Gary DeVries – drums; produced by Jim Stricklan and George Coyne at Parrot Tracks – Manchaca, Texas.

4 TEXAS MISTLETOE: Pauline Reese – harmony vocal, Doug Taylor - bass, Greg Lowry - lap steel, Richard Bowden - fiddle, Gary DeVries – drums; produced by Jim Stricklan, George Coyne, Doug Taylor.

5 CHRISTMAS CAROL: Doug Taylor – acoustic bass & mandolin, Jaime Hilboldt – keyboards; produced by Jim Stricklan and George Coyne at Parrot Tracks – Manchaca, Texas.

6 SETTLES HOTEL: Danny Hawk - steel guitar, Doug Taylor – bass; Gary DeVries – drums; produced by Jim Stricklan and George Coyne at Parrot Tracks – Manchaca, Texas. [See enhanced video on PC]

7 LLANO ESTACADO: Larry Rothwell – acoustic guitar and vocals, George Coyne – lap steel solo, Doug Taylor – bass, Jaime Hilboldt – keyboards; produced by Jim Stricklan and George Coyne.

8 NUMBER ONE TO NOTHING: John Macy – steel & electric guitars; Bob Abbott – bass, Steve Croes – drums; Ann and Lloyd Barnett – backing vocals; produced by John Macy at Juniper Studios – Pine, Colorado.

9 ALTHEA (Civil War Suite): Arlene Faith Kortright – fiddle and voices, Russell Kortright – electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, bass and mandolin; lead vocal and rhythm acoustic guitar recorded by John Macy at Juniper Studios - Pine, Colorado; backing vocals and instruments recorded and mixed by Russell Kortright at Dragonfly Studio - Hendersonville, Tennessee; produced by Russell Kortright for Front Room Music™

LINER NOTES

I've mentioned before how much I was influenced by mom's 78rpm records from the late 40s and early 50s. One song from back then was Webb Pierce's honky-tonk classic "There stands the Glass," which I played coutless times on country radio stations over the years. In much the same way that I revisited "Home on the Range" on GRAND CANYON with a hearty new swing arrangement, I refueled Webb's old song, putting it to a lively shuffle beat.

"Texas has it All" orignally appeared on ELYSIAN FIELDS, then on the 1999 compilation disc THE WEST of JIM S. It was also released as an international single on a Hillcrest compilation package around the turn of the 21st century. We felt it was too good a song, with Johnny Gimble's amazing fiddle licks, to not bring around one last time (remastered) on this CD.

"Amy from McCamey" has been on the back burner for years too. I've wanted to demo that song for Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel for many years, and finally got around to cutting it. I love the way it came out and actually know a few Amys...though not as well as the song implies.

"Texas Mistletoe" was a sheer burst of indigenous holiday inspiration. I wrote it in about an hour and finally got around to putting it on wax. Wait a minute, we don't do wax any more, do we? Dig those jingle bells at the end.

"Christmas Carol" was inspired by a ghost in our room at the Luther Hotel in Palacious, Texas some years ago. It's a very emotional piece and one of the songs I'm most proud to have penned.

"Settles Hotel" is a bit of a ghostly tale too and with the accompanying video, documents one of west Texas' legendary structures...something like 'the lighthouse of the plains,' in its heyday. "Settles" is a metaphorical, autobiographical piece. My longtime west Texas pal Hank Williamson wrote "Llano Estacado," and more importantly has lived there 60 years. When he played it for me on a recent home visit, I realized how much it was a part of me, Larry Rothwell, and Pinky Arnold, and all of us west Texas horned toads-- so we were honored to record this one for Hank, his family, and all of you who live out on the Llano Estacado. I also want to express my gratitude to Tom Arcand of Arcand Video Productions in Big Spring, for shooting and producting both the "Settles Hotel" video from the COUNTRY MAN CD, and also video of "Home on the Range."

"Number One to Nothing" was penned by the marvelously talented and funny Lloyd Barnett, who pitched it to me in the hallowed halls of KBRQ Radio--in Denver around 1982. Lloyd's combination of strong lyrics and driving shuffle beat are a dancer's dream! He and his lovely wife Annie sang backing vocals on the vintage Stricklan & Fulton LP HONKY TONK FANTASIES in 1983. When I pulled out the 22-year old master and it still sounded fabulous, I called up Lloyd and asked if I could add it (digitally remastered) to COUNTRY MAN. He gave his blessing and I think it sounds as fresh as the day we recorded it up at Juniper studios in Pine, Colorado. A year after the HONKY TONK FANTASIES tracks were recorded I did a two-song demo at Juniper, with John Macy engineering. One of the tunes, "Lady Rain," ended up on my Colorado retrospective TRAVELOGUE.

"ALTHEA" (Civil War Suite), running just under 9 minutes, was the other tune. I carried "Althea" around {guitar and vocal tracks} for twenty years before asking my Nashville friends Arlene Faith and Russell Kortright to add some instrumental tracks for me. Wow! Did they ever do a stunning, absolutely brilliant production of the song... turning it into a masterpiece. And they did it all themselves, at their home studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Arlene is an amazing celtic violinist (see LINKS on the FRM website), while her husband Russell can play just about anything. My connection with both the Barnetts and the Kortrights orginated in Denver in the 1980s, and it seems only fitting that I should be singing their praises again after all these years. Many thanks folks!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this collection of country, Texas and americana songs. It's been awhile since I have ventured back into my country roots and was really fun to do. Thanks to Michelle Dewey for her cool "retro" CD graphics, to all the writers and musicians who contributed, to George Coyne at Parrot Tracks for years of patience and engineering magic, and to all the fans of country music who have inspired me all these years; especially loyal listeners of my country radio shows at KERE, KLAK, and KBRQ in Denver; KWKH Shreveport; KHLB-FM Marble Falls/Burnet; KATG-FM and KVET-FM in Austin. JIM

DEDICATIONS
COUNTRY MAN is dedicated to my friends Hank & Sandy Williamson with love and gratitude for 40 years of friendship and support; thanks for giving me the courage to make music all these years!

ALTHEA is respectfully dedicated to my great, great grandfathers who served in the Confederate States Army: Benjamin Hullum; Company L 13th Infantry Regiment Tennesee, and Levi Strickland; Company A 18th Cavalry Regiment Tennessee, who fought at Shiloh, Chickamauga, Murfreesboro and Missionary Ridge.

REVIEWS

Review by Lucky Boyd, MyTexasMusic
"Jim Stricklan brings his Western campfire voice to Country music in a successful way on this nine-cut gem. If you like traditional music with a smoothness like Jim Reeves and a warmth like Red Sovine, you’ll quickly enjoy Jim Stricklan’s foray into the Country genre. The bulk are penned by Stricklan and each is delivered well, performed masterfully, and produced professionally. Fellow MTM member Pauline Reese appears on a couple of the cuts. The music is excellent on this disc, as it is well-conceived and expertly arranged. This digi-pack includes a bonus video of one of Stricklan’s songs. The only thing that would have made this album better would be another eight or ten songs. Stricklan has established himself as a Texas treasure with this album. Get it now!"

Review by TJ Greaney published in the December 2006 issue of Country Line Magazine (Texas-Country Music, Cowboy, Outdoor and Lifestyle Magazine)
"Few people have the ability or the drive to place their heart into a music track the way that Jim Stricklan does. This is not a new-age hard-driving rock country CD nor is it a cross between country and pop. Stricklan plays country music, songs that he wrote, from inside himself. On his newest release Stricklan brings in some of the Austin areas best musicians and even a guest appearance by Texas songbird Pauline Reese. These fine musicians along with Stricklan's gift of scribe bring this newest CD together. With all the choices out there when you go to buy music it can be a bit overwhelming and intimidating. It is always best to have an idea or at least a hint of something new, something special, and something to look for in between all those small plastic cases on the shelves or infinite selections on the internet. This is one I would recommend you add to your collection. A wonderful CD with the kind of music that makes you put your feet up and relax,slide them across a sawdust-covered dance floor or even sing along as you drive. In my opinion, that is what a CD is supposed to do!"

Austin360 blogs > Bottlecaps & Wingnuts By Dave Thomas | Wednesday, December 6, 2006 "Jim Stricklan opens with a cover of “There Stands the Glass” to set the tone on his “Country Man” CD: Old-school country. If we were at a honky-tonk listening to Jim Stricklan perform with some of his fun originals like “Amy From McCamey”, or his lonesome cowboy’s lament “Settles Hotel” mixed in, we would have a great time. Dance all night, I suppose....

LYRICS

TEXAS HAS IT ALL

Words and Music by Jim & Leslie Stricklan © 1991 Front Room Music

Texas big ol’ Texas –
You’ve got so many roads to take,
Your freeways and your farm roads
And your dirt trails never end,
For Heaven’s sake—

Texas big ol’ Texas –
You bluebonnet paradise,
Where the pump-jacks and the windmills
And the skyscrapers reach right thru the sky—

Cattle bawlin’ in the cold panhandle snow-
Jalapeno kisses on the Gulf of Mexico,
Adios amigos – home to Texas I must go!

Texas big ol’ Texas –
How your mockingbird can sing!
In the land of bar-b-que and music,
We all share a simple dream—

Caddo Lake and Big Bend
May seem like worlds apart-
But they’re part of the same world
And so dear to my heart,
Standing tall – sister Texas has it all!

Cattle bawlin’ in the cold panhandle snow-

Jalapeno kisses on the Gulf of Mexico,
Adios amigos – home to Texas I must go!

AMY FROM McCAMEY
Words and music by Jim Stricklan © 1998 Front Room Music

Down in a little westTexas town many moons ago,
I was just a lad of seven-teen
When I met a little westTexas girl who set my heart alow,
Hair of flaming red and eyes of green.

A—my….Amy from McCamey, lives down where the Pecos River flows,
A—my….Amy from McCamey, darlin’ you’re my wild prairie rose.

In the white sands of Monahans she took my breath away,
That is where we first tasted love-
Then she stole my heart somewhere in the Davis Mountains,
Underneath the Texas stars above.

North of the Rio Grande and south of Odessa,
That’s where Heaven is to me-
I’m packin’ up my boots and I’m leavin’ this city,
There’s someone way out west I long to see.

A—my….Amy from McCamey, lives down where the Pecos River flows,
A—my….Amy from McCamey, darlin’ you’re my wild prairie rose.
Darlin’ you’re my wild prairie rose.

TEXAS MISTLETOE

Words and music by Jim Stricklan © 2004 Front Room Music

Put on your dress and comb your hair,
Girl there’s Christmas in the air—
We’ll take the truck down to the mall,
Might do some shopping after all.

We’ll decorate an ol’ hill country cedar tree
Come here, honey—come sit on Santa’s knee;
Yea, turn them pepper lights down low—
And we’ll have fun beneath the Texas mistletoe.

Sure ‘nuff’s my favorite time of year,
So many folks are full of cheer—
Hey don’t the neighbors’ kids look cute,
Glad they’re not ours, aren’t you?

Let’s do the two-step to Deck the Halls,
Hear Ernest Tubb say Merry Texas Christmas you all!
It’s true we don’t have too much snow,
But we’ll have fun beneath the Texas mistletoe.

A cup of coffee and some pecan pie,
Hitch up the raindeer—there’s a twinkle in your eye,
We don’t have very far to go—
To have fun beneath the Texas mistletoe.

It’s true we don’t have too much snow,
But we have fun beneath the Texas mistletoe

CHRISTMAS CAROL

Words and music by Jim Stricklan © 1998 Front Room Music

Christmas Carol – she was born on Christmas eve--
On the edge of Amarillo, in a late December freeze;
Raised up in an orphans’ home, just 16 and all alone,
When she had to take her leave--
They reminded Christmas Carol…”it’s better to give than to receive”

Ragged Carol – slowly swept the kitchen floor,
Wondered why the kids were laughing,
Peeking at her through the door…
When all she wanted was a friend, but they’d run away and then
She’d wipe her tears upon her sleeve--
Don’t them children know…”it’s better to give than to receive”

Every year it was the same,
Love by any other name
Couldn’t satisfy her soul—
Lost out in a winter’s storm,
Trying so hard to stay warm
But there was no one true to hold

Lonely Carol – people thought her kind’ve slow-
Women said she’d never go far,
Men knew how far she would go…
When the hunger came around, she’d lay her body down,
She was easy to deceive—
They’d tell Christmas Carol…”it’s better to give than to receive”

Sunday morning – 26 years to the day,
As a children’s’ choir was singing, Christmas Carol passed away;
In a musty motel room, an empty bottle and a broom,

With only strangers there to grieve—
Christmas Carol gave up trying to believe

Christmas Carol – she was born on Christmas eve--
On the edge of Amarillo, in a late December freeze;
Raised up in an orphans’ home, just 16 and all alone,
When she had to take her leave--
They reminded Christmas Carol…”it’s better to give than to receive”

SETTLES HOTEL
Words and music by Jim Stricklan © 1989 Front Room Music

After all of these decades I’m still standing tall.
Somehow I’ve survived the old wrecker’s ball.
These dusty sweet memories are all that will last.
I’m haunted by voices (faces on reprise) somewhere in the past.

Where are the friends who were always around,
And left me alone in the middle of town?
I’m empty inside like an old hollow shell—
Lord sometimes I feel like the Settles Hotel.

I’ve had enough lovers to fill up these rooms,
Bathed in the glow of a chandelier moon-
With my name up in lights, they would all come to me
But now they drive by like they don’t even see.

Where are the friends who were always around,
And left me alone in the middle of town?
I’m empty inside but I’m holding up well—
Lord sometimes I feel like the Settles Hotel.

Once I was open to strangers; oh but that was a long time ago.

After all of these decades I’m still standing tall.
Somehow I’ve survived the old wrecker’s ball.
These dusty sweet memories are all that will last.
I’m haunted by voices (faces on reprise) somewhere in the past.

Where are the friends who were always around,
And left me alone in the middle of town?
I’m empty inside like an old hollow shell—
Lord sometimes I feel like the Settles Hotel.

LLANO ESTACADO
Words and music by Hank Williamson; Arranged by Jim Stricklan for Front Room Music 2006

NUMBER ONE TO NOTHING
Words and music by Lloyd Barnett

ALTHEA - Civil War Suite
Words and music by Jim Stricklan © 1978 Front Room Music

Althea, can I come see ya?
You’ve been waitin’ in the mountains for so long,
And I never meant to leave you there alone,
But the war was ragin’ on and on –
Well it’s over now, and I’m finally comin’ home.

Althea, wouldn’t it please ya –

If I bring you some flowers when I come?
I’ll be stayin’ now, I’m hangin’ up my gun,
There’s been too much hate of late goin’ round,
And there’s far too many good men in the ground.

Althea, I know that you begged me not to go –
But then I could not stay—
My duty was in my way;
Now the Old South has fallen, its sad but its true-
And there’s nothing more that we can do –
At least I still have you…

I’ve saddled up by pony and I’m ridin’ through the badlands of New Mexico
I’ve been on the trail for a couple of weeks,
And I’ll be there in a few more days if it don’t snow…
They’ve blown away the railroad and the bridges into Richmond…
There’s bodies on the highway and the rivers’ runnin’ crimson…
It’s a carpet baggers free for all, a gift from Sherman’s henchmen…

The moon shines on the prairie – like a light on Heaven’s floor –
A lonesome old coyote sings the blues he’s sung before…
I see your face in the campfire light…
I dream about you each and every night;
I can hardly wait for that tire old sun to rise,
So I can saddle up…. And be movin’ on…

Althea , you don’t answer my letters anymore…
At least not for the past year;
Did you just get tired of waiting, or give me up for dead?
Well part of me is still alive – the part that longs to be there by your side.

So hurry up steed, let’s gather some speed – it’s just another mile
There beyond that rocky ridge my true love lies waiting, and I need her smile;
I can see the cabin from the point where I am standin’
My hear it beating faster as I ride into the canyon;
But there’s no smoke in the chimney and no sign of my companion…

I cry out loud – “Althea” – but there’s no sign of you anywhere –
Still I can sense your presence somehow,
And I can feel your spirit in the air,
Then I fall down on my knees…
And I choke on my own tears…
I lay the flowers on your grave stone,
You’ve been gone almost a year.

Althea, can I come see ya?
You’ve been waiting in the mountains for too long…
Now I swear I’ll never leave you here alone…
I’ll be joining you tonight beneath the pine…
It’s too hard to live along –
In 1869.

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE:

Jim in East Texas (photo by Leslie)

Lloyd and Annie Barnett in Colorado

Arlene Fatih and Russell Kortwright in Nashville

Jim on stage in Shreveport, LA (photo by Leslie)

Pauline Reese in Texas

Johnny Gimble and Jim in Austin (photo by Leslie)

Greg Lowry in Austin

Doug Taylor in Austin

Gary DeVries in Manchaca

George Coyne at Parrot Tracks

Hank Williamson and his father Ernest in West Texas

Syd Hullum and Jim in Teague

Larry Rothwell on the phone at Parrot Tracks(photo by Leslie)

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