Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groover
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Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groover
Child prodigy. Great songwriter. Multi-instrumentalist. Plays blues, country, Tex-Mex, rock & roll & some shades in between. Is on the same stage as Hank Williams Sr. at his last (or next to last) performance. With the Sir Douglas Quintet he writes, & has a big hit with She's About a Mover on the west coast. Has a song called Michoacan that gets some radio play, until they figured out he was singing about fine herb. Arrives in Austin at the dawn of the Outlaw Country movement. Records Wasted Days & Wasted Nights & inadvertently helps revive the career of Freddy Fender (who would much later be a fellow member of Texas Tornados). Appears on the cover of Rolling Stone - twice. Makes incredible roots/blues record Doug Sahm and Band with Bob Dylan, Dr. John, David Bromberg & Flaco Jimenez. Follows that up with Groover's Paradise featuring the CCR rhythm section (Doug Clifford & Stu Cook). Plays iconic Austin City Limits - twice, & indeed a third time with Texas Tornados. Appears in Cisco Pike with Kris Kristofferson. Is featured in More American Graffiti. Stays under most people's radar despite a quality & prolific career. Moves to western Canada for a few years and wins a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy) for The Return of the Formerly Brothers. Wins a Grammy with Texas Tornados. Get's re-introduced to a new audience in 1994 when Uncle Tupelo records Give Back The Key To My Heart & Doug sings a verse. Records a stellar record - SDQ '98 with an assortment of musicians, including The Gourds backing him. Dies less than 2 weeks after his 58th birthday. He is no household name, but what a music resume!!...& a musician's musician to boot.
I've got to admit, I'd never heard of Doug Sahm when I discovered & devoured Uncle Tupelo. On Anodyne at the beginning of Give Back the Key to My Heart an unfamiliar voice says…"Let's nail it on this one, ya ready guys?" Same voice takes the amazing second verse. Did a little research & found out it was Doug Sahm, that he'd had a nice career & had unfortunately died far too young. Left it at that, then about 4 years later a couple of others on the board started playing his stuff. As I am inclined to do I jumped into the deep end & listened to just about everything I could find. I found & have come to admire an exceptional, versatile, pure musical entity that no doubt should be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. There are likely people on this board who are bigger fans & more knowledgeable than me & I welcome any additions & back stories & concert experiences.
For those inclined to dig deeper into Doug Sahm's career & legacy, check out the fine work compiled at the Adios Lounge, far more in depth & better researched than my bit. http://www.adioslounge.com/search?q=doug+sahm Much more on his friendship with Dylan, plenty of sample songs to hear too.
As far as starting points for those unfamiliar, I'd have to say start here: As mentioned, Dylan was all over this session as a backing musician, but he can be clearly heard harmonizing on Wallflower.
The CCR backbeat on this is wonderful.
These 2 records are also featured on the very fine The Genuine Texas Groover: Complete Atlantic Recordings & features many extra songs & alternate takes from those sessions...a great investment.
Also near & dear to my heart is the tragically out of print Texas Rock For Country Rollers, which includes the original recording of Give Back The Key To My Heart. Get it: http://www.mediafire.com/?78xj4n2fkodu9se
Here is an amazing soundboard recording (gleaned from Adios Lounge) from 1972 featuring - Doug Sahm, Leon Russell, Jerry Garcia and Friends
Thanksgiving Jam
Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, TX
November 23, 1972
http://www.adioslounge.com/2008/11/happy-thanksgiving-from-doug-sahm-and.html
Of course, fans of The Bottle Rockets also know about their tribute record, Songs of Sahm, which includes his hardest rocking, & almost impossible to find song I'm Not That Kat Anymore.
Additionally, some of you know I'm from Canada....it made my heart proud that when Doug lived in Canada he wrote a great song about a real Canadian historical figure & folk hero....a Metis Indian named Louis Riel, who in the late 1800's stood up to the Canadian government even though he was a member of Parliament, exiled to the States, married, returned & was eventually arrested & ultimately executed. He does a different take of this on SDQ '98 featured below with The Gourds backing.
In His Own Words:
An interview on Texas Radio. This was a bonus track on The Return of the Formerly Brothers. He talks about his career, Freddy Fender, him & Dylan playing in a bar for free, his manager, label woes, his time in Canada & spark for aforementioned song Louis Riel
http://www.mediafire.com/?pen81pg969b3804
File also contains a humorous answering machine message.
Rolling Stone Covers:
Austin City Limits 1976 - This is one trippie, hippie audience
Cotton Eyed Joe (Insane fiddle skills - Augie Meyers rare turn on guitar)
She's About A Mover
Austin City Limits 1981
Child Prodigy
Cisco Pike
Short bit with Kristofferson
(With Huggy Bear from Starsky & Hutch & from 3:00 on a scene with Doug & Kris)
Doug Sahm clip from Amsterdam
Texas Tornados on Letterman 1990 (house band & appearance, whole episode distilled)
Texas Tornados @ Gruene Hall
Frustratingly, Doug Sahm recorded under several monikers, so it's tough to lump his stuff into a straight line, I'll attempt to here, using AllMusicGuide as source:
1968 - Sir Douglas Quintet + 2 - Sir Douglas Quintet + 2 = Honkey Blues
1969 - Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino (Augie Meyers joins band)
1970 - Sir Douglas Quintet - 1+1+1=4
1971 - Sir Douglas Quintet - The Return of Doug Saldaña
1973 - Sir Douglas Quintet - Rough Edges
1973 - Doug Sahm and Band - Doug Sahm and Band
1974 - Doug Sahm - Groover's Paradise
1976 - Doug Sahm & The Texas Tornados - Texas Rock for Country Rollers
1977 - Sir Douglas Quintet - Live Love
1980 - Doug Sahm - Hell of a Spell
1983 - Sir Douglas Quintet - Border Wave
1983 - Sir Douglas Quintet - Midnight Sun
1988 - Doug Sahm - Back to the 'Dillo
1988 - Amos Garrett/Doug Sahm/Gene Taylor - The Return of the Formerly Brothers
1989 - Doug Sahm - Juke Box Music
1994 - Sir Douglas Quintet - Day Dreaming at Midnight
1998 - Doug Sahm - S.D.Q. '98
2000 - Doug Sahm - The Return of Wayne Douglas (Recorded just before he died)
Plus 4 other records with Texas Tornados I didn't list as he was an equal band member.
Clams asked me for a contribution about 3 months ago. Procrastination ensued. About a month ago on holiday at our cabin (where I'm sitting right now), I started a rough outline & motivation was severely lacking. One day we went out for supplies and in a small Northern Ontario town, over a thousand miles from Texas I happened upon a greasy flea market. The place reeked & everything smelled like it had been festering in a damp basement....moldy, musty & smokey. Always on the lookout for vinyl I tried not to breathe through my nose and flipped through the 3 or 4 dozen vinyl specimens. Near end of my search I stopped upon a Doug Sahm record I didn't have...Juke Box Music from 1989. Still factory sealed after all those years & selling for $1. I found my motivation.
Rest in Peace Doug.
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Great job, 3mile. Glad you found your motivation. Here's to Doug and his beautiful vibrations.
“Excited people get on daddy’s nerves.” - M. Cooley
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Great write up,3mile - Willie Nelson, JJW and all the "cosmic cowboys" owe a huge debt to the original. The longest hair in Texas.
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Nice write-up.
The first Doug Sahm song I can remember hearing was Steve Earle covering "She's About A Mover" on a live tape my dad had.Before the song Earle says,"this one goes out to Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers, wherever you are." I have been a fan ever since.
The first Doug Sahm song I can remember hearing was Steve Earle covering "She's About A Mover" on a live tape my dad had.Before the song Earle says,"this one goes out to Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers, wherever you are." I have been a fan ever since.
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
3milelake wrote:
Clams asked me for a contribution about 3 months ago. Procrastination ensued. About a month ago on holiday at our cabin (where I'm sitting right now), I started a rough outline & motivation was severely lacking. One day we went out for supplies and in a small Northern Ontario town, over a thousand miles from Texas I happened upon a greasy flea market. The place reeked & everything smelled like it had been festering in a damp basement....moldy, musty & smokey. Always on the lookout for vinyl I tried not to breathe through my nose and flipped through the 3 or 4 dozen vinyl specimens. Near end of my search I stopped upon a Doug Sahm record I didn't have...Juke Box Music from 1989. Still factory sealed after all those years & selling for $1. I found my motivation.
I was loving this paragraph before I even got to the part about the vinyl. Great post all around, 3mile. Thx!
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Sahm got a mention in the latest Stephen King book I read (the main character actually sees a concert or runs into him or something).
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
jr29 wrote:Nice write-up.
The first Doug Sahm song I can remember hearing was Steve Earle covering "She's About A Mover" on a live tape my dad had.Before the song Earle says,"this one goes out to Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers, wherever you are." I have been a fan ever since.
Yeah, Shut Up & Die Like an Aviator...recorded in London, Ontario.....damn though, I'd never made the Sahm connection, even though I've had this one for years...It's cool you point out "this one goes out to Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers, wherever you are.".......because on the Sahm version of Wasted Days & Wasted Nights he begins with..."now a song written by the great Freddy Fender, Freddy this is for you, wherever you are...." LOVE Earle's ode & consistency. pretty cool.
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
more Sahm here
“Excited people get on daddy’s nerves.” - M. Cooley
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
dude. fantastic write up on tricky career. tough arc to get your hands around with all the fits and starts....but you got it quick. nice.
my intro also came thru uncle tupelo. NPR gave a great obit on him when he died. i'm sure it's out in innerwebs land.
amazing artist that i am still learning about. thanks for a great write up.
my intro also came thru uncle tupelo. NPR gave a great obit on him when he died. i'm sure it's out in innerwebs land.
amazing artist that i am still learning about. thanks for a great write up.
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Tough, tough artist to tackle. Excellent work 3mike.
You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Cooley will be playing a few shows at the Hole In The Wall in Austin. Here's a pic of Doug at the same venue.
“Excited people get on daddy’s nerves.” - M. Cooley
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Thanks for the kind words, bonus link & added pics.
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Surprised I missed this one: Sir Douglas Quintet - "Mendocino" - 25 January 1969, Playboy After Dark
Brief interview by Hugh Hefner & performance
Brief interview by Hugh Hefner & performance
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
* thought this should live here too, after the discussion of Sahm being backed by The Gourds.
This is a great 5 song set from 1998, recorded at High Sierra Music Festival.
http://www.box.net/shared/static/3iiqb2t2pa.zip
----------------------------------------------------------
1998 show recorded at Stubbs in Austin, TX
http://archive.org/details/gds1998-10-28.aud.flac16
This is a great 5 song set from 1998, recorded at High Sierra Music Festival.
http://www.box.net/shared/static/3iiqb2t2pa.zip
----------------------------------------------------------
1998 show recorded at Stubbs in Austin, TX
http://archive.org/details/gds1998-10-28.aud.flac16
“Excited people get on daddy’s nerves.” - M. Cooley
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
bovine knievel wrote:* thought this should live here too, after the discussion of Sahm being backed by The Gourds.
This is a great 5 song set from 1998, recorded at High Sierra Music Festival.
http://www.box.net/shared/static/3iiqb2t2pa.zip
----------------------------------------------------------
1998 show recorded at Stubbs in Austin, TX
http://archive.org/details/gds1998-10-28.aud.flac16
Thanks for these Bovine Knievel.....awesome stuff...The Gourds are a natural compliment to Sir Douglas
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Couple of pics:
Chuck Prophet posted this on twitter today
Doug Sahm and Hank Williams 12/19, 1952 at the Skyline Club in Austin, TX It was Hank Williams' very last show. . .
Chuck Prophet posted this on twitter today
Doug Sahm and Hank Williams 12/19, 1952 at the Skyline Club in Austin, TX It was Hank Williams' very last show. . .
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Ha! Was coming to post this. Alejandro Escovedo and Patterson posted today as well. Very cool.
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
3milelake wrote:Doug Sahm and Hank Williams 12/19, 1952 at the Skyline Club in Austin, TX It was Hank Williams' very last show. . .
Shaking the hand of the rambling man from Montgomery
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You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/mu ... doug-sahm/
Sir Doug & the Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove, a documentary premiering at SXSW Film
Sir Doug & the Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove, a documentary premiering at SXSW Film
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Can't wait to see this.3milelake wrote:http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/mu ... doug-sahm/
Sir Doug & the Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove, a documentary premiering at SXSW Film
“Excited people get on daddy’s nerves.” - M. Cooley
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
the Hole in the Wall was just up the street from the Tower Records where I worked. Had countless lunches there and lots of crazy nights. It was home of the Reality sandwich--chicken fried steak covered in jalapenos and then cheese melted over the top. You eat that and you see realitybovine knievel wrote:Cooley will be playing a few shows at the Hole In The Wall in Austin. Here's a pic of Doug at the same venue.
It was one of the main places where the Gourds cut their teeth as a live band, both with and without Doug Sahm
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
this is pretty damn awesome!
I used to see him around Austin all the time, sitting in at the Continental a bunch of times (he was always a highlight at the Elvis birthday concert) and at other local joints. Also saw him sit in with Dylan in 95, they did an amazing version of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues. Funny thing is that though I saw him a lot, it was always as a guest artist, I never got to see him do a full show of his own. Like Willie Nelson, he is someone I ran into while shopping at HEB (grocery store chain)
I used to see him around Austin all the time, sitting in at the Continental a bunch of times (he was always a highlight at the Elvis birthday concert) and at other local joints. Also saw him sit in with Dylan in 95, they did an amazing version of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues. Funny thing is that though I saw him a lot, it was always as a guest artist, I never got to see him do a full show of his own. Like Willie Nelson, he is someone I ran into while shopping at HEB (grocery store chain)
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
I see the great Alvin Crow, who played quite a bit with Sir Doug damn near every Thursday night at the Little Longhorn Saloon here in Austin. He is a legend and plays a ton of Doug. There are a few old trucks in the back of the joint, and the tailgate we sit on was in disrepair, so I built a new one, and carved "Groovers Paradise" on the back. I'll have to see if I can dig up a picture.whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:this is pretty damn awesome!
I used to see him around Austin all the time, sitting in at the Continental a bunch of times (he was always a highlight at the Elvis birthday concert) and at other local joints. Also saw him sit in with Dylan in 95, they did an amazing version of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues. Funny thing is that though I saw him a lot, it was always as a guest artist, I never got to see him do a full show of his own. Like Willie Nelson, he is someone I ran into while shopping at HEB (grocery store chain)
Alvin recently dropped a Doug Sahm cover album as well: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/alvincrow2
Oh...and the HEB connection...I run into Hayes Carl fairly often at my local HEB.
Love each other, Motherfuckers!
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
When I was there Alvin Crow always played at the Broken Spokepearlbeer wrote:I see the great Alvin Crow, who played quite a bit with Sir Doug damn near every Thursday night at the Little Longhorn Saloon here in Austin. He is a legend and plays a ton of Doug. There are a few old trucks in the back of the joint, and the tailgate we sit on was in disrepair, so I built a new one, and carved "Groovers Paradise" on the back. I'll have to see if I can dig up a picture.whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:this is pretty damn awesome!
I used to see him around Austin all the time, sitting in at the Continental a bunch of times (he was always a highlight at the Elvis birthday concert) and at other local joints. Also saw him sit in with Dylan in 95, they did an amazing version of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues. Funny thing is that though I saw him a lot, it was always as a guest artist, I never got to see him do a full show of his own. Like Willie Nelson, he is someone I ran into while shopping at HEB (grocery store chain)
Alvin recently dropped a Doug Sahm cover album as well: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/alvincrow2
Oh...and the HEB connection...I run into Hayes Carl fairly often at my local HEB.
Been to the Little Longhorn a bunch. Last time I was there was 7=8 years ago, when we were visiting friends. I saw James Hand that night.
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
I have a pretty decent vintage poster collection. I have this one, it's just another in the long backlog of things that need to be framed. Zappa and the Sir Doug Quintet: I am not worthy!
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Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
for those with no Tejas connection, HEB is a grocery store chain named after Howard Edward Buttpearlbeer wrote:I see the great Alvin Crow, who played quite a bit with Sir Doug damn near every Thursday night at the Little Longhorn Saloon here in Austin. He is a legend and plays a ton of Doug. There are a few old trucks in the back of the joint, and the tailgate we sit on was in disrepair, so I built a new one, and carved "Groovers Paradise" on the back. I'll have to see if I can dig up a picture.whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:this is pretty damn awesome!
I used to see him around Austin all the time, sitting in at the Continental a bunch of times (he was always a highlight at the Elvis birthday concert) and at other local joints. Also saw him sit in with Dylan in 95, they did an amazing version of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues. Funny thing is that though I saw him a lot, it was always as a guest artist, I never got to see him do a full show of his own. Like Willie Nelson, he is someone I ran into while shopping at HEB (grocery store chain)
Alvin recently dropped a Doug Sahm cover album as well: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/alvincrow2
Oh...and the HEB connection...I run into Hayes Carl fairly often at my local HEB.
there are also numerous buildings in TX named for Ima Hogg, including on the UT campus in Austin
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
This may only make sense to WWCD, but here is the definitive song about the Texas-based grocery store chain, HEB. Pretty sure this is specifically referencing the HEB on S. Congress and Oltorf. I make my kids listen to this song when I take them grocery shopping.
Love each other, Motherfuckers!
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groo
Watched this last night. I've been a casual fan for a long time, but I really want to dig in deeper. He was something else.3milelake wrote:http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/mu ... doug-sahm/
Sir Doug & the Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove, a documentary premiering at SXSW Film
Re: Artist of the Week 09/02/12 - Doug Sahm - The Texas Groover
Wanted to listen to Doug Sahm this morning and wasn't sure what record to go with. Did a quick search and BAM! this old thread came up. Perfect.
NP:
NP:
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