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Run C&W

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Run C&W
OriginNashville, Tennessee, USA
GenresBluegrass
Years active1992–1995
LabelsMCA
Past membersBernie Leadon[1]
Vince Melamed[2]
Jim Photoglo[2]
Russell Smith[2]

Run C&W was an American novelty bluegrass group that was active in the early 1990s, playing mostly cover renditions of classic soul and R&B songs in a bluegrass or roots country style, including banjo, harmonica, washboard, and multi-part vocal harmonies.[3][4] They also played a handful of original parody songs. The band's name is a mix of the abbreviation for the "country & western" music genre (C&W), and Run DMC, a popular hip-hop group of the time.

The band was composed of veteran musicians including lead vocalist Russell Smith, formerly of the Amazing Rhythm Aces; banjoist Bernie Leadon, formerly of the Eagles and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; along with Nashville songwriters Jim Photoglo and Vince Melamed, both of whom played various instruments.[3] In performance and in the album artwork and liner notes, the members portrayed fictitious non-identical quadruplets The Burns Brothers, each with pun names: Crash'n Burns, G.W. "Wash" Burns, Side Burns, and Rug Burns.[3] Their father was known as "Dad Burns" and their mother as Augusta "Au" Burns.

Run C&W recorded two albums, both on MCA Records: 1993's Into the Twangy-First Century, followed by 1994's Row vs. Wade, and filmed at least one music video.

Discography

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Albums

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Title Details
Into the Twangy-First Century
Row vs. Wade
  • Release date: July 19, 1994
  • Label: MCA Records

Singles

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Year Single Album
1992 "Itchy Twitchy Spot" (Parody of "Achy Breaky Heart") Into the Twangy-First Century
1993 "Hold On, I'm Comin'"

Music videos

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Year Video
1993 "Hold On, I'm Comin'"

References

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  1. ^ "A Gathering of Eagles". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. 26 Aug 1994. p. 57.
  2. ^ a b c "Run for the hills". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. 23 Aug 1994. p. 45.
  3. ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Run C&W Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  4. ^ "What's going on?". Record-Journal. Meriden, Connecticut. 25 Nov 1994. p. 49. ...as the opening act, Run C&W, which performs countrified remakes of r&b classics.