THE "BAKERSFIELD SOUND" IS ALIVE AND WELL IN 2008
AND THE NEW HOMER JOY CD, "SOMEDAY IT'LL BE COUNTRY"
PROVES IT, BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT !
PLAY FREE CLIPS OF ALL 12 SONGS from
SOMEDAY IT'LL BE COUNTRY' BY CLICKING ON THE CD PICTURE BELOW!!!
1. I'm Not Drinkin Enough
2. Play Me Some Rhythm & Blues
3. Jailhouse Relation
4. I Just Called to Listen
5. Oklahoma Blues
6. John Law (Homer Joy & Buck Owens Duet)
7. I'm Just Going Home
8. If I Ever Get Back to Memphis
9. She's An Angel
10. Okie Road
11. Lay It Right Down
12. Sure Get Cold When It Rains
All songs written by Homer Joy/BMI
"Sure Get Cold When It Rains", co/written by Randy Kunz
All songs produced by Homer Joy for First Stone Productions (FSP)
The Homer Joy/Buck Owens Duet of "John Law", is now being heard
all over the world !
It's been Number "1" an amazing "7"
times on the IMN Independent Country Music Charts
Number "1" for 8 weeks in Australia
Out of 2636 songs released by all Major and Independents labels
in January 2008..."John Law" Came on the European UCMA Charts
at Number "25". Ahead of all Nashville releases except GarthBrooks
Came on the Charts at Number "2" in Poland
On at Number "4" in Romainia
And the list goes on and on...So much so, American stations are now
picking it up, and you know, Commercial American stations NEVER PLAY
Independent record releases !
If you have enjoyed the music of, GEORGE STRAIT, LEE ANN RIMES, CLINT BLACK, ALAN JACKSON, ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, GEORGE JONES, AND ALMOST EVERYBODY THAT'S "ANYBODY" IN COUNTRY MUSIC. YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD MOST OF THE GUYS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH GREAT STUDIO WORK ON "SOMEDAY IT'LL BE COUNTRY".
LEAD VOCAL: Homer Joy
LEAD VOCALS: on song "John Law" HOMER JOY & BUCK OWENS
BACKUP VOCALS: Kevin Bailey, Randy Kuntz, Morgan Joy
LEAD GUITAR: Jerry Matheny, Randy Kuntz, Frank Trowbridge
BASS GUITAR: Kevin Bailey, Morgan Joy
ACOUSTIC GUITAR: Jerry Matheny, Kevin Bailey, Randy Kuntz
HARMONICA: Kevin Bailey
MANDOLIN: Randy Kuntz
PIANO, KEYBOARDS: Chris Booher, Randy Kuntz, Dave Cebert
FIDDLE: Milo Deering, Kirk Baumer
DOBRO: Milo Deering
STEEL GUITAR: Milo Deering
DRUMS: Josh Rogers, Preston Joy, Paul Laymon
Influences
Hank Sr., Faron Young, Elvis, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Buck Owens, Jerry Reed, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Black Southern Gospel, Otis Redding, George Jones, Johnny Cash, Bill Monroe,
APRIL 14th, 2007 HOMER JOY at Crystal Palace with "Buddy Owens and the Buckaroos" Homer presenting the original Lyrics of "STREETS OF BAKERSFIELD" to the people of Bakersfield,
The Original lyrics are now on display at BUCK OWENS CRYSTAL PALACE
OCTOBER 20th, 2007...Bakersfield, Ca. Homer Joy Family and Friends reunion...opening the "BLACKBOARD STAGES"
When I began my career... Like everyone else, I guess I was looking for the "fast track" to success and thought I could get there if I consulted someone who had already become the success I wanted to be. Some of the advice I recieved didn't make a lot of sense at the time. But over the years I have found them priceless...
The first thing I was told, had to do with my songwriting...Bob Morris, who ran Buck Owens publishing company and was my Producer, once asked me a question; "Do you want to be a songwriter, or do you just want to write songs ?" That's pretty confusing for a young aspiring songwriter who just sold 3 million records in the first 2 years of his career and then just seemed to "dry up"...About a year later, I was working on some of my songs and all of a sudden, I understood what Bob had said.
I had been so caught up in writing a "hit" song, it dawned on me that there is no such thing for me... The success I had in the past, was with songs I had written about people, places and things I knew about. They were peronal to me and meant something. Not just a bunch of hooks and lines that rhymed... Not long afterward, I got 4 more cuts...
Everyone has a personal "style" in which they write. Not long ago, a friend of mine called me to let me know, he had just cut a deal with a major Publisher and received a $50,000 signing bonus. They were interested in me and he could get me the same deal... I thought about it for a couple of days, thanked him and turned them down. I wasn't holding out for more money, I didn't think I was better than anyone else. I just "know me" and I don't write like that... I admire writers who can all go into a room and write under the pressure that most major Publishers put on you. But that's not me. Not only would I be putting myself clear out of my element, I would be putting my friends career on the line, since he was the one who recommended me...
One of the greatest pieces of advice (among many) that I received from Buck Owens, when I first started out was, "Anybody can be somebody else...but nobody can be you, better than you"... I always try to keep that in mind, when I do anything that has my name on it... People will tell you that there is no reason to "re-invent the wheel" and to a certain degree, their right. But when that means "not being yourself", it's a trap. There are billions of people lined up behind some else, trying to be "them"... How many people are lined up behind you, trying to be you ? I think you see the point...
When we went in and recorded "Someday It'll Be Country". I was blessed to come across talented, professional musicians, who were sick and tired of the status quo in Country music...These guys had done recording projects for LeeAnn Rymes, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Clint Black, Asleep At The Wheel and a lot of other major label stars...Most of them have played on the road with most of the major Country Music stars...Almost all of them were "burnt out"... Never allowed to be themselves, play the song for the songs sake, or contribute their years of creative experience to the project...It was the same old, same old, "pick guitar, get check"... Where your no longer a "part" of something. Just another "mercenary" who is able to read a music chart...
At the beginning of the first session, we played maybe 32 bars of the first song. We stopped, "stone cold"... We went back into the control room and had a talk...I thought they would all faint, when I told them, "Here's the song. Let's do it for the songs sake. Not mine, not yours, but for the song"... To say it was the fun, is a HUGE understatement... To say all of these guys worked hard, is another HUGE understatement. To say, as the Producer, and as the person who did all the vocals, that it was hard on me, is just a stone cold lie... I have never enjoyed anything more...And I've done this for a long time...Everyone listened to the critical statements of others without ego, contributed their own ideas and I think it all shows in the final result... Who could ever forget Milo Deering (Fiddle, Steel and Dobro) with his somber, carved in stone face...Dancing all over the studio. It was so out of character for him, that we almost didn't get through the cut...But that was Milo's own way of telling us, what a good time he was having
When I began this project with Buck Owens, all those years ago. We had some interest from Warner Brothers and a lot of people suggested we go back and try that route again...I just couldn't... The title, "Someday It'll Be Country" and releasing Buck and I doing "John Law" as the first single. Was a way of saying to Nashville. "You didn't understand us then, you don't understand us now and we accomplished all we did, not with your stamp of approval, but in spite of you. So we'll leave the judgement of what we do, to the same people who accepted us and gave us our career's in the first place... The fans"...
To some, I'm sure that sounds like an egotistical thing to say. Realizing that there are so many young and upcoming talents out there, who would kill for a Major Label recording deal... It's not. Having "been there and done that". The down-side to dealing with the Major Labels in today's world. Far out weighs the "up-side".
At best, being Independent is an uphill, sometimes thankless battle. But there's a whole big world out there. Where they stand Major Labels and Independent song release's, side by side. Where the playing field is level. They don't bend to the pressure of the Major Labels and big corporations. They just play what the "people" want to hear. So yes, we took a big risk. But I thank God everyday that we did... Now, even the Major Commercial Radio Stations are asking for a "Hard Copy" of "Someday It'll Be Country". They may be a lot of things, but "fools" isn't one of them... They all know that people are tuning them out and tuning in the Independent Radio Stations, because they can hear what they want to hear... The Major Labels know their sales are down the drain. Because people want a "choice" and they are tired of Nashville shoving "Nash-Pop" down their throat... Then, there's the greatest irony of all...If you look at any Major Independent Chart. You will find the Major Labels, competing with "us"... (because of the level playing field) even though in their world, they don't allow us to compete with "them"...lol...
I once asked Buck, "How do we compete against such odds ? " His answer was absolutely priceless... "If you knock on the door and they won't open it. Kick the son-of-a-bitch in. They might not like you, but at least they can't ignore you"...
We've been asked to do an interview for an article to be titled, "Whatever Happened to Nashville West ?" In the first place; There has never been a "Nashville West" in my opinion...Just a lot of talented people who came from everywhere in this country, to call the west coast home...Does anyone but me remember; We (the west coast) gave the world: Buck Owens, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Merle Haggard, Tommy Collins, Red Simpson, The Beach Boys, Harlan Howard, The Eagles, Ferlin Husky and a ton of other talented musicians, who are still Icons in this industry...No, there never has been a "Nashville West". But if other people ever thought so and wonder why they don't hear from us more. It only means one thing. Unlike Nashville, we haven't been LOUD ENOUGH ! and PROUD ENOUGH !
We need to change all of that...So, once again we knocked on the door... They didn't open it... Now, it's just a matter of "which foot" to use... Thanks Buck... !..
What new grandchild? You all are too funny! I just got a friend request from the Tony Brown and your song John Law is his profile song! Pretty cool do you know him?
Hi Homer....Just thought I would stop by and say howdie! Hope you are still enjoying Bakersfield. I haven't been out lately so I hope you are all havin' enough fun for me too! Please give everyone my well wishes and I hope to see ya all soon! Take care
Hi Homer & Suzan! Just stopping by to say hello and hope everything is going well for you! Thinking of you all the time - miss you both very much!! Hugs, Gro
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