Lift your knees up and holler as you twirl your partner round and round the barn dance floor. This week's release is a heel- toe tapping, country jam; an acoustic two-step portrait of a few memorable characters I've met on the musical road of life. In the 70's. 80's and 90's, I performed in a lot of quaint little honky tonks across the country. Back then, we had to audition to get the gig. If we were good enough we were asked to come back to be repeat offenders. Paid gigs are almost a thing of the past as today's digital music platforms grow exponentially.
We turn our back yard into a honky tonk three or four times a year. Our next one coming up is August 17th, so put that one on your calendar, friends. Musicians tend to flock together whenever a party or a PA system shows up in their radar. Those of us addicted to jamming can't help ourselves. Music flows through our veins like lifeblood.
I miss those days days when musicians got paid well and performed a lot of original material
The made up characters in this song are based on real people I've encountered in clubs, bars and juke joints over the years. This song brings back many fond memories of musical adventures with a happy go lucky vibe. This track is simple, yet catchy; with a chorus that invites happy patrons love to sing along. Picture-perfect Smokeywine harmonies slather a sweet icing on this fun, western affair. (smokeywine.com) Below is a page from our Toy Box Tunes colouring book - version one. This was before we realized that drinking and smootching in bars wasn't the best subject for little kids. (toyboxtunes.com). It's just me and my old guitar pickin' and grinnin'. Lea Sheldan adds much needed harmonies to enhance my gruff vocals.(Leasheldan.com) This song is off our first recording over 25 years ago as Smokeywine the duo. It was originally released as a cassette tape and later digitally mastered and added to the 'Country Love' CD. That is probably the reason why we sound a little bit like chipmunks.Thanks for reading my blogs and for supporting organic, homegrown music and local artists. Until next time, find yourself a partner and do-si-do to your heart's content. Mark Sheldan
#yearofthegreatrelease #listentothis #honkytonk #singersongwriter #marksheldanblog #countrysong #smokeywine #originalmusic #bargigs #guitarpicking #twostep
To listen to Honky Tonk right now click here:
https://twistedgitarco.wixsite.com/marksheldan/my-songs
To listen to Lea Sheldan's new release click here:
https://twistedgitarco.wixsite.com/leasheldan-1/songs
If you have Spotify please download and stream here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5OmuLjGWjvKBbFbysdSW8s?si=mrhJo9hRTMCHwGhKUj52yw
Sing along with the lyrics below:
Honky Tonk
Here come the crowd on a Saturday night
Kicking up a storm and a-feeling alright
In this town’s only one place I know
It’s a little Honky Tonk where I always go
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
It’s a two-step, three-step, howdy ho
Find a pretty woman and I do-si-do
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
Look at little Mary with the red dress on
She’s a-swirling and a-twirling all night long
She can pick a guitar, sing a song
Nothing ever, ever, ever, ever goes wrong
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
It’s a two-step, three-step, howdy ho
Find a pretty woman and I do-si-do
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
Look at chubby Charlie at the microphone
He’s a-pouring his heart out making it known
He’s got country in his bones
When his harp begins to moan
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
It’s a two-step, three-step, howdy ho
Find a pretty woman and I do-si-do
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
It’s a two-step, three-step, howdy ho
Find a pretty woman and I do-si-do
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
Look at Billy and Suzie strutting their stuff
Dancing all night can’t get enough
They’ve been kissing forever, it must be love
And I just want to thank the Lord above
For the little Honky Tonk where I always go
It’s a two-step, three-step, howdy ho
Find a pretty woman and I do-si-do
At the little Honky Tonk where I always go
Written by Mark Sheldan
copyright 1996 Socan
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