The Official Charlie Louvin Website URL has been Changed to
www.charlielouvin.net
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MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR From Charlie Louvin and Family!
New album December 9th, 2008!
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New album Sept 16th, 2008!
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51 ST. ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARD NOMINEE: Charlie Louvin 'Steps To Heaven' - Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album. We are Proud to Announce Charlies 2008 Release "Steps To Heaven" has been Nominated for a Grammy Award! Congratulations Charlie!
Charlie Louvin:
Country Music Hall of Famer and half of the legendary country duo The Louvin Brothers, Charlie Louvin will release two new albums on New York City’s Tompkins Square label.
Steps to Heaven, due September 16th, 2008, features ten traditional gospel classics including two Louvin Brothers songs. The release will be followed by Charlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs, out December 9, 2008. Both albums were produced, recorded and mixed by Mark Nevers (Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Andrew Bird, Bobby Bare Sr.)
Instead of hanging back at age 80, Charlie has instead chosen to challenge himself. Steps to Heaven was recorded live with a gospel choir comprised of three sisters, journeyman gospel pianist Derrick Lee, and Chris Scruggs adding doghouse bass and electric guitar. Louvin had never recorded with black gospel musicians before, and in doing so discovered a new musical path. "I did things on the gospel record I had no idea I could do. I'd be thinking along the way, ‘How can I do things I've never done before?’ And I did it."
Although some might be surprised at a thematic Charlie Louvin album dealing with death and destruction, one needn’t look any further than the very first Louvin Brothers album to find a connection. Tragic Songs of Life, released in 1956, is full of emotional songs detailing heartbreak, betrayal, violence and loss. Inspired by Tompkins Square’s recent Grammy-nominated 3CD box set People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs, 1913-1938, Charlie reached back for a couple of songs from that first Louvins album, and pulled nine songs from the box set to create a moving and sometimes raucous new take on traditional songs of tragedy.
Influences
AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOS: By Fan Request! We are Now Offering Autographed Photos of Charlie Louvin Available Online! To Order Your Personally Autographed Photos Today Select from the Following Posted Photographs. We Currently have 3 Photos to Choose From. These are 8X10 Black and White Photos for $3.00 Each! All Prices Include Shipping an Handling Charges! This is a LIMITED TIME OFFER Prices are Subject to Change in the Near Future! Each Photo will be Personally Signed by CHARLIE LOUVIN! Also Available for Purchase we have the NEW - CHARLIE LOUVIN - LIVE AT SHAKE IT CD! CD's are $15.00 each! This Includes Shipping an Handling Charges! These Special offers are available for CONTINENTAL U.S. ORDERS ONLY! ALL SALES FINAL! ALL ORDERS will be Shipped U.S.P.S First Class Mail! TO ORDER: Send Cashiers Checks or Money Orders ONLY! In the Correct Amount of TOTAL ORDER PRICE! Along with Complete Order Details and Correct Shipping Address Information to the Following Address: Charlie Louvin Photos, 2851 Sainville Rd., Manchester,TN 37355.
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Charlie Louvin,Webpage By Randy Ventle! Photo's By Charlie Louvin and Friends, Thank You All! View The World Premier Video of The New Charlie Louvin "Ira" Country Music Video!
Charlie Louvin and Billy Bob Thorton!
Charlie Louvin and Friends!(Attention) If Slideshows fail to load Simply Refresh Page!
Stars Of Country Music!
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The term "living legend" gets thrown around quite a bit, but it actually applies to Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Louvin.
The magical harmonies and depth of feeling found on Louvin Brothers recordings of the 50's and 60's inspired a new generation of musicians, firmly establishing the Louvins' stature as one of the most influential duos in country music history.
In 2006, the Tompkins Square label reached out to Charlie about making his first new studio album in over ten years. They enlisted Mark Nevers, who engineered sessions for many top country artists, and produced Calexico, Lambchop, Candi Staton among others. Guests on the album include Elvis Costello, George Jones, Jeff Tweedy, Will Oldham, Tom T. Hall, Tift Merritt, Marty Stuart, Bobby Bare Sr., David Kilgour, members of Bright Eyes, Lambchop, Clem Snide, Superchunk and more.
Louvin enjoyed the experience. "Mark Nevers is one of the best engineers I've ever worked with. My brother and I cut our teeth on some of those old songs and they influenced us tremendously. I'm glad we're able to remind people of them."Charlie was born July 7, 1927 in Henager, Alabama. He and his older brother Ira worked as field hands on the family farm. In the evening, they would listen to the country hits of the day on their father's Victrola. Inspired by the tight-harmony duets of The Delmore Brothers, Monroe Brothers and Blue Sky Boys, the brothers began developing a distinctive style called "shape note singing" based on gospel harmonies they had learned in church.The duo nailed down steady work in the 40's on local radio stations in Knoxville and Memphis. They also toured heavily in Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee during this period. On one swing through Dyess, Arkansas, Charlie remembers an encounter with a teenager named Johnny Cash. "We were playing with Eddie Hill. I was selling tickets and I saw this young man standing outside alone. I asked him to show me where the bathroom was. As we walked back, he noticed I had two soda crackers in my shirt pocket. He asked me why, and I said, 'To keep from starving to death.' I invited him in to the show I could tell he didn't have any money. Years later in his book (Man In Black, 1975), he said he always ate two soda crackers before he went on stage." Cash also recalls the date in an intro to his version of the Louvin's "When I Stop Dreaming" on the recent Columbia/Legacy release, Personal File.
The Louvins scored their first record deal with Apollo in 1947, released a single on Decca in 1949, and recorded 12 sides for MGM in 1951 and 1952. One of those sessions took place with Hank Williams waiting outside for his turn in the studio. Their recording and performing schedule was sporadic due to Charlie's military service during the Korean War. Upon his return to the States, they began recording for Capitol Records, which remained their label home until the brothers parted ways in 1963.
Marking a shift from gospel to secular material, the Louvins scored their commercial breakthrough in 1955 with the top ten hit "When I Stop Dreaming." They toured in early 1955 with soon-to-be superstar Elvis Presley as their opening act, and became members of the Grand Ole Opry. From 1955 through 1962, the Louvin Brothers churned out 12 hits on the Billboard country chart, including "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby," "You're Running Wild," "Cash On The Barrelhead" and "Knoxville Girl."
Although the Louvins hit machine had slowed by the early 60's, they instead created a string of themed albums, cult favorites that still resonate with today's alt-country audience, including A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers and Satan Is Real. By 1963, with a shifting marketplace and interpersonal tensions mounting, the Louvin Brothers parted ways. Ira released his lone solo album, The Unforgettable Ira Louvin, in 1964. He died in a car crash in Missouri on June 20, 1965.Charlie's solo career began in 1964 with the top five hit "I Don't Love You Anymore," and he followed it with six Billboard-charting singles from 12 Capitol LPs. By the late 60's, a renewed interest in the music of the Louvin Brothers began to take shape.
The Louvins' continued legacy is at least partly attributed to Gram Parsons, who, according to legend, paid people to scour LA record shops looking for their out-of-print sides. His versions of Louvins classics "The Christian Life" from the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, or "Cash on the Barrelhead" from Grevious Angel, serve as the blueprint for so much "alt-country" that was to follow. Emmylou Harris' first hit was the Louvins' "If I Could Only Win Your Love." Uncle Tupelo covered "Great Atomic Power" on their third album, March 16-20, 1992. "The Christian Life" has been worked into The Raconteurs' live set recently.The Louvin Brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2001.
In 2003, Charlie was invited to open on a national tour with Cheap Trick and Cake. That year also saw the release of Livin', Lovin' Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers on Universal South, a Louvin Brothers tribute album featuring James Taylor, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, and Johnny Cash among others. The collection went on to win two Grammy Awards in 2004.
CD Ordering Information: If you would like to Purchase either of these Great CD's or any others that are Available Please Contact: Ernest Tubb Record Shops, P.O.Box 500, Nashville,TN 37202. Telephone: (615)-255-7503. You may also Order Online at (http://www.ernesttubb.com). www.ernesttubb.com
HI CHARLIE: I JUST COMMENTED YOU FROM MY BRITTA & BROOKE FAN SITE..THIS IS THE CORRECT SITE WITH MY SONGS ON ED PRODUCED AND DONNA RAY SANG ON..SORRY FOR THE ERROR!..HAVE A GREAT NIGHT!..GILBERT
HOWDY CHARLIE: HOPE YOUR DAY WENT WELL!..I SEE YOU HAD DONNA RAY(ARTIST ON THE LOUISIANA HAYRIDE) AND ED GOWENS(ECHOTA RECORDS) ON STAGE WITH YOU RECENTLY IN NASHVILLE.I'M A COUNTRY SONGWRITER AND THEY ARE MY CLOSE FRIENDS.ED PRODUCES ALL MY DEMOS AND DONNA HAS SUNG ON A FEW DEMOS MINE..IF YOU GET A SEC, CHECKOUT MY COUNTRY SONGS UP I'M PITCHING..HAVE A GREAT NIGHT!..GILBERT
Hello Charlie... Hope you are doing well. Looks like you are going everywhere doing shows. Would love to visit you back in Nashville again. Sure want to get there before the year ends, don't know yet. Stay safe and sing purdy...Alive in Texas Love ya, WANDA CLARK
Hi Charlie! Thank you for accepting my friend request! You probably don't remember me, but i used to hang out with you and Tom Slade at the Grand Ole Opry. I never got to say thank you for all the times that you got me backstage! Some of my fondest memories to date have been because of you! Thanks again! -Jodi Ann
Hi, Charlie...Hope you are staying well. Sounds like you had a great time at the Guitar Pull. I'm so glad you are keep'n the doors open for us Country Singers. Would love to see ya soon at the Opry! Stay in touch. Your Texas Friend, Love ya, WANDA CLARK
Hi Charlie, It was an honor playing guitar for you at the Jamboree by the Lake. I love Cash on the Barrelhead and I Still Miss Someone, you did a great job. Say hi to Betty. Hope to see you again, soon.
Thank you for adding us to your friendlist. You got some great songs, and we're looking forward to hear some more from you. Please feel free to visit our page and listen to something you don't hear every day: Country Music From Denmark!!!!! Cheers! Lonerock - Scandinavian Country That Rocks!!
Hi Charlie, It was an Honor meeting you at the Jamboree By The lake and having the chance to sing with you, I waited many years to get this chance to meet you and will always remember how we first met, Love to you and your wife, Hope to see you again soon,,,
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