In the wake of the pandemic, which has hit musicians very hard (as it has many others), we are offering the option – but not the obligation – for you to add a donation on top of your download purchase to further support production of this release.

Sample Tracks

TRACK LIST

Side A

1. Good Deal Lucille (J.D. Miller, Al Terry, Bob Theriot)
   Earl P Ball- Piano and Vocal
   Kelli Jones- Tambourine

2. When Love Dies (Redd Stewart)
   Kelli Jones and Tif Lamson- Vocals

3. Moonshine Polka (Lou Wayne)
   Max Baca- Bajo Sexto
   Josh Baca- Accordion
   Noel Hernandez- Bass
   Chris Rivera-Drums

4. I’m Waiting for Ships That Never Come In (Abe Olman, Jack Yellen)
   Peter Rowan- Vocal
   Danny Levin- Piano
   Greg Piccolo- Saxophone

5. Big Big City (Jerry Foster, Bill Rice)
   Johnny Nicholas- Vocals and Resonator Guitar

Side B

1. I’ll Sail My Ship Alone (L. Mann, M. Burns, H. Bernard, H. Thurston)
   Linda Gail Lewis- Piano and Vocals
   Johnny Nicholas- Electric Guitar
   Trey Boudreaux- Bass

2. You Don’t Have to Be a Baby to Cry (Terry Shand, Bob Merrill)
   Johnny Nicholas- Vocal and Piano
   Katie Shore and Danny Levin- Fiddles

3. There’s a Little Bit of Heaven (Moon Mullican, Lou Wayne)
   Katie Shore- Fiddle and Vocals

4. So Long (Moon Mullican)
   Kelli Jones- Vocal
   Noel Hernandez- Bass
   Joel Savoy- Acoustic Guitar and Percussion

5. Make Friends (Ed McGraw)
   Johnny Nicholas- Vocal and Piano
   Danny Levin- Piano

Background

AUBREY “MOON” MULLICAN (1909 – 1967) is revered for perfecting a wildly eclectic yet seamlessly organic blend of western swing, classic country, blues and jump-blues, big-band jazz, boogie-woogie, R&B, gospel, rockabilly, pop standards, gloomy odes to pensive self-pity, upbeat odes to optimism, sentimental ballads, novelty/comedic songs, and more. An agile piano player and a fervent singer, Mullican described the rambunctious side of his hybrid repertoire as “East Texas sock” that could “make goddamn beer bottles jump on the tables!” But Mullican could also play it sweet and gentle, and croon with a sincere poignance that was just as effective as his exuberant rowdiness. Whatever the mood, Mullican’s 100-plus records were deeply convincing. He inhabited those songs.

In terms of both music history and his personal legacy, Moon Mul- lican’s deft piano style formed an important bridge between western swing and rockabilly. Jerry Lee Lewis, for instance, acknowledges Mul- lican as an important stylistic influence, and holds him in high esteem. So do many other musicians. And Mullican’s “East Texas sock” rhythms -- one of them, in particular, known in some circles as a “push beat” -- also influenced early rock, as heard on such hard-driving hits as Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline.” In turn -- underscoring the futility of categorizing music, past a certain point -- western swing bears the strong stamp of big-band jazz. The accomplished Austin-based pianist Floyd Domino, who plays on this tribute, succinctly described Moon Mullican as “Count Basie, two octaves lower,” while Billy Grammer, a prominent country guitarist who recorded with Mullican, explained that “western swing is nothing but big-band music played on stringed instruments instead of horns." In Moon Mullican’s capable hands such terminology swirled around, came back full circle, and then dissolved into unimportance, because he simply played it all.

Moon Mullican was born and raised in the piney woods of East Texas. Blues was the first style that he learned there, and he quickly absorbed country, too. In the 1930s Mullican started playing in the bands of such western swing pioneers as Pappy Selph, and Cliff Bruner.

Mullican also worked with Jimmie Davis, a master of risqué double-entendre songs who radically changed his image when he became the governor of Louisiana. By the mid-1940s Mullican was leading his own group and recording prolifically, including originals such as “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone,” which topped the national country charts in 1950. But Mullican far preferred to go fishing rather than tour exhaustively to promote hit records -- so he was much happier when his songs did not climb to number-one.

Mullican’s cane-pole downtime was likewise hampered by the demands put upon him and his fellow mem- bers of the Grand Ole Opry, who were all required to make numerous personal appearances. Despite his laid-back ambivalence about ambi- tion, however, Mullican went on to rack up more hits, most notably the perennially popular “Pipeliner Blues,” also known as “Old Pipeliner.” In addition, Mullican and Hank Williams co-wrote “Jambalaya (On The Bayou),” the top-selling country record of 1952, which is one of Williams’ best-known signature songs. Legalities precluded Mullican from being officially credited for “Jambalaya,” and his name did not appear on the record. Instead, legend has it, Williams’ people paid Mullican under the table.

Moon Mullican continued to record and perform until 1967, when he passed away after playing a New Year’s Eve party. More than half a century later, Mullican continues to inspire people who appreciate the soulful spirit, the remarkable breadth, and the consistent high quality of his work. The expressive new renditions of his songs on this tribute, co-produced by Johnny Nicholas and Joel Savoy, pulse with the same passion and artistic commitment that Mullican brought to the originals. Collectively they touch on every facet of Mullican’s music, from torrid and toe-tapping to touching and tender. Yes indeed, Moon Mullican played it all.

Ben Sandmel

Ben Sandmel is a New Orleans-based author, folklorist, and drummer. He played on and produced the Grammy-nominated album Deep Water by the historic Cajun-western swing band the Hackberry Ramblers, which includes a rendition of “Old Pipeliner.”

Credits

Recorded by Joel Savoy on location in Fredericksburg, Texas, November 2021. Additional recording by Joel Savoy at Valcour Records in Eunice, Louisiana.
Mastered by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering
Design by Billy Burdett.

Personnel
Katie Shore- Fiddle and Harmony Vocals
Floyd Domino- Piano
Rusty Blake- Steel and Electric Guitar
Scrappy Judd Newcomb- Electric and Acoustic Guitar
Chris Maresh- Bass
Tif Lamson- Drums