Willis Alan Ramsey is the first, and only, album ever recorded by the Texas songwriter Willis Alan Ramsey. The album's genre is hard to categorize with touches of country, country rock, folk, and folk rock. The tunes range from the reflection and regret of "The Ballad of Spider John" to a heartfelt tribute to Woody Guthrie on "Boy from Oklahoma". It was recorded on Leon Russell's Shelter label in 1972, and Leon sat in on piano, keyboards, vibraphone. Other guest musicians include: Carl Radle, Jim Keltner, Red Rhodes and Russ Kunkel. The song "Muskrat Candlelight" was later covered by the band America in 1973 and then by Captain & Tennille in 1976, both using the title "Muskrat Love." "Ballad of Spider John" was covered by Jimmy Buffett on his 1974 album Living & Dying in 3/4 Time. The songs "Geraldine and the Honeybee" and "Wishbone" have been covered live several times by Widespread Panic [1] [2]
[edit] Track listing
- "Ballad of Spider John" (Ramsey) – 4:16
- "Muskrat Candlelight" (Ramsey) – 3:18
- "Geraldine and the Honeybee" (Ramsey) – 2:15
- "Wishbone" (Ramsey) – 2:42
- "Satin Sheets" (Ramsey) – 2:32
- "Goodbye Old Missoula" (Ramsey) – 4:53
- "Painted Lady" (Ramsey) – 3:02
- "Watermelon Man" (Ramsey) – 3:25
- "Boy from Oklahoma" (Ramsey) – 3:54
- "Angel Eyes" (Ramsey) – 3:07
- "Northeast Texas Women" (Ramsey) – 5:43
[edit] Personnel
- Willis Alan Ramsey - guitar, bass, harmonica, vocals
- Leon Russell - piano, keyboards, vibraphone, vocals
- Robert Aberg - guitar (acoustic, electric, & slide)
- Red Rhodes - pedal steel guitar
- Dusty Rhodes - fiddle, violin
- Carl Radle - bass
- Jim Keltner - drums
- Russ Kunkel - drums
- Eddie Hinton - guitar
- Nick DeCaro - accordion
- Charles Perrino - guitar, vocals
- Ernest Watts - saxophone
- Kenneth Buttrey - drums
- Waller Collie - drums, vocals
- Tim Drummond - bass
- John Harris - piano
- Cathy Pruitt - cello
- Tim Self - fiddle, violin
- Larry Stedman - piano
- Leland Sklar - bass
- Kenny Bulbey - drums
- Mike Sexton - vocals
- David Ward II - bells, cowbell, sound effects
- Grant Conch - sound effects
- Terry Dodson - sound effects
[edit] Production
- Producer: Denny Cordell/Willis Alan Ramsey
- Recording Engineer: Bob Potter/Peter Nichols
- Mixing: Al Schmitt
- Art Direction: Marlene Bergman
- Photography/Artwork: William Matthews
- Liner notes: Ellis Widner
[edit] References
