CCR – Rockin’ Real Country

Original Link – UWeekly

Some bands get pinned to a genre that doesn’t adequately describe their actual sound. Oklahoma’s own Cross Canadian Ragweed is one such band. Despite having obvious Southern rock influences, the new CCR (as opposed to Creedence) has been fighting an uphill battle to shake the proverbial “country” cowboy hat that’s been placed upon them. This isn’t because the bandmates dislike country, but rather because they love real country. We’re talking Haggard, Jennings, and Cash… real country. CCR has an aversion to being grouped into the same category as pop country acts like Rascal Flatts and Big and Rich. This is understandable to anyone who has ears and can appreciate the rich history of this musical genre.

Then again, CCR has just as much influence from the outlaw country heroes as they do to Lynyrd Skynyrd or Molly Hatchet. Rock ‘n roll permeates the music of CCR just as much as their country twang. This is probably why the band has yet to reach the commercial success that their songwriting and determination deserve. They’re too country for some rock fans and too rock for most “country” fans. CCR are true originals. Frontman and songwriter Cody Canada answered a few questions about their current tour and latest release, “Mission California.”

UW: What separates “Mission California” from your other records?

Well, one thing is time. We never had time to do it before. We’d usually just get off the road for a couple of days, record, and hit the road again. But with this one we said, “We’re going to take time to do it, we’re gonna live with it, we’re gonna live at the studio; if at all possible we’re going to go somewhere where we don’t know anybody,” and that’s exactly what we did, and we’ll never do different. *laughs*

UW: I’ve got to ask this as a metal fan…how did you come to write a tribute song for the late Dimebag Darrell?

We knew of each other. Of course we knew of Dimebag and Vinnie (Paul, his brother), but they knew of us, which was cool. They always called us when we were in Dallas to get us to hang out at their strip club…VIP stripper room…which is real hard to turn down. *laughs* But man, we never got the chance to do it. The next thing you know, he’s dead. After that happened and after the Dimebag song was on rock radio down there in Dallas, we played a pretty good-sized gig, and Vinnie wanted to play drums on that song. So he did, and after we got off stage I had him sign a Dimebag guitar I bought and stuck it on my wall.

UW: Well, as somebody who was there when it happened, that song really hits home.

Well, thank you for that. You were there? Holy s***! Look, I don’t know how morbid this is or what…but I actually have the pick that he was playing with when he fell. His guitar tech John Graham he gave it to me one night and said, “Man, I don’t know how you’ll feel about this…” I said, “Well, I’m honored, and it’s kinda weird.” But I’ll cherish it forever, and it’s always in my back pocket.

UW: Your musical influences seem pretty diverse.

*laughs* Yeah, they are. You know I grew up listening to a lot of Merle Haggard…the country music that I call country music. That s*** today…I don’t even know what that is. To me, country music died in like ‘94. The other half of the house was my sister who was rocking out to The Who, Skynyrd, and Marshall Tucker…and Molly Hatchet. She was the one that really put the music bug in my head. I remember the first time I heard Ted Nugent and Eddie Van Halen and just thinking, “Well, this is what I have to do, because this is the coolest thing ever. I gotta play guitar.” That’s the kinda thing that made me do what I do…listening to Haggard sing something sad and listening to Eddie just rip a guitar’s guts out.

UW: So you’re not a big “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” fan? *laughs*

*laughs* I am probably the biggest enemy of that song. You know, there was one night in Nashville, and there was this guy, and he bought everybody a round. He held up his glass and said, “Here’s to ‘Honky Tonk Badonkadonk’!” And I said, “Why in the f*** are you toasting that s*** song? That is the worst song ever.” He laughed and said, “I wrote it.” *laughs* Yeah…I didn’t apologize.

UW: You guys just celebrated 14 years together as a band…do you see yourself doing this forever?

Oh yeah, yes. Yeah, we talk about that all the time. You know, there’s really no other option. We love doing what we do and have fun doing what we do, and we get to feed our kids doing what we do. So I don’t see why we would ever want to stop doing it.

Cross Canadian Ragweed will be performing with Blackberry Smoke at the Newport Music Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20. For more information, please visit www.crosscanadianragweed.com or www.promowestlive.com.

Sparkle & Twang: Marty Stuart’s American Musical Odyssey – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

CLEVELAND (October 14, 2008) – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is pleased to announce the opening of its newest exhibit, Sparkle & Twang: Marty Stuart’s American Musical Odyssey. The exhibition, which features a collection of artifacts from classic musicians of the last four decades, will open on Thursday, October 30, 2008, and will run until March 1, 2009, on the 5th and 6th floors of the Rock Hall.

Sparkle & Twang represents 40 years of rock and roll, classic country, rockabilly, bluegrass and southern gospel greats. The exhibition focuses on an astounding collection of performance costumes, accessories, handwritten lyrics, personal letters and instruments compiled by country music artist Marty Stuart.

“This is a very vibrant exhibit, full of historic costumes, instruments and lyrics,” said Jim Henke, vice president of Exhibitions and Curatorial Affairs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. “It offers a colorful look back at one of the roots of rock and roll and includes key artifacts from some Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.”

At the age of nine, Stuart formed his first band in his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi. He went on to join legendary guitarist Lester Flatt and his band as their mandolin player, and before he was 20 years old, he joined Johnny Cash’s band on the road. While he was on tour with Cash in London in 1980, Stuart became motivated to become a collector. He had met Isaac Tigrett, a co-founder of the Hard Rock Café, who invited Stuart to the Hard Rock in London. Fascinated by the scene created around memorabilia from the world’s most influential musicians, such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin, Stuart was inspired to formally craft his own collection.

Eventually, Stuart became a solo artist, achieving fame on his own and earning hit songs, a platinum album, five gold records and four Grammy awards. Stuart also remained dedicated to collecting memorabilia from the stars he met, befriended and performed with. The results are brought together in Sparkle & Twang, where they convey the story behind these legendary music personas and honor the significance of preserving the culture that represents America’s musical past.

“I greatly admire the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and I am a frequent visitor.  I always leave there impressed as to how the Rock Hall uniquely encompasses so many forms of American roots music as part of rock and roll’s overall legacy,” said Stuart. “My collection is primarily based around country music. However, as a collector, I’ve always kept in mind what I’ve witnessed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We all contribute to each other’s story. I consider each item in my collection a treasure from the American musical tapestry, and I’m honored to have them on display at rock and roll’s most prestigious treasure chest.”

Sparkle & Twang features 300 artifacts, consisting of 22 instruments, 31 performance costumes, 26 pairs of boots, 28 handwritten lyrics and more than 100 photographs. Amazingly, Stuart obtained some of the best pieces in his collection from Nashville thrift stores.

One of many highlights from the exhibition includes a collection of items once belonging to country singer Patsy Cline. Included are a pair of the last boots she wore during her lifetime, an autographed photograph, her leather makeup kit and as what is assumed to be her final handwritten letter. The letter, which illustrated Cline’s concept for a performance costume she wanted made, was postmarked to clothing designer Nudie Cohen just five days before her tragic death.

Other highlights from Sparkle & Twang exhibition include:

•    Elvis Presley’s sweater worn in a photograph with Junior Parker
•    Hank Williams Sr.’s handwritten lyrics for “Cold, Cold Heart” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart”
•    Johnny Cash’s first black suit from 1955 and handwritten lyrics for “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Man in Black”
•    Performance outfit worn by Bob Dylan
•    Clarence White of the Byrds’ blue leather suit
•    Pop Staples’ 1962 Fender Jazzmaster guitar
•    Marty Stuart’s first guitar and performance outfit, sewn by his mother

For more information on upcoming and current exhibits at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, visit www.rockhall.com/exhibits or sign up for the e-newsletter at www.rockhall.com/newsletter.

About the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is the nonprofit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. It carries out this mission both through its operation of a world-class museum that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as its educational programs.

The Museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  On Wednesdays the Museum is open until 9 p.m. Museum admission is $22 for adults, $17 for seniors (60+), $13 for children (9-12) and children under 8 and Museum members are free. When you become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the world of rock and roll becomes yours to explore. Call 216.515.1939 for information on becoming a member. For general inquiries, please call 216.781.ROCK or visit www.rockhall.com.