JOHNNY CASH ARTICLES

Since starting this blog back in 2019 I have written many articles on Johnny Cash and with today being 21 years since he left us I am remembering him by playing some of my favourite tracks and also looking back at the articles I wrote.

Photograph: Paul Natkin

I decided to write this latest article to promote the various Johnny Cash articles I have featured on this blog over the past few years. They are listed below with the title, date first published, an image from the article, a short excerpt and the link to the full article.

Enjoy!

JOHNNY CASH - THE MERCURY ALBUMS
First published 26 October 2020

After almost thirty years Columbia/CBS decided that they were not going to renew Johnny Cash's contract. The decision angered many people including Dwight Yoakam who said at the time, "The man's been there thirty fucking years making them money."

Fortunately for him there was a label prepared to sign him and it was Steve Popovich that brought him to Mercury Records. "I really believe in you, " Popovich told Cash during a meeting at The House of Cash. "Our company believes in you. We feel, with the right record that we can help support what you're trying to do here and get some strong records, some hit records." Cash signed with the label in 1986.

Despite releasing strong albums which it has been reported sold little over 200,00 copies in total, it soon became clear that the label were more interested in pandering to the younger artists in their cowboy hats and boots who could be seen everyday on Country Music Television.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2020/10/johnny-cash-mercury-albums.html

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JOHNNY CASH - THE OUTTAKES

First published 2 December 2020

Having already released The Everly Brothers The Outtakes and Janis Martin The Outtakes which, as the titles suggest, contained outtakes and false starts, in early 2007 Bear Family Records turned their attention to Johnny Cash with a three-CD set of outtakes, false starts and studio chat from the Sun Records period. I was fortunate to have been approached to compile the set and write the liner-notes. In this article I will look back at the work that was involved in putting the set together. 

Towards the end of 2006 I was approached by Richard Weize, owner of Bear Family Family, who asked if I would be interested in putting together the set and, of course, I agreed.

My first task was to work out which outtakes had already been issued on the Man In Black 1954-1958 and other releases and compile a spreadsheet detailing where these could be found. I then received nine CDs with various outtakes, false starts and studio chat that also contained some material that had been out before. Unfortunately there were many Sun tracks for which no alternates have survived although what was there made interesting listening.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2020/12/johnny-cash-outtakes.html

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HELLO, I'M JOHNNY CASH

First published 26 January 2021

Sessions for the album began on 17 February 1969 at the Columbia Studios in Nashville with Bob Johnston producing. The first track recorded was the Cash original Southwind which had the distinction of being Bob Wootton’s first session with Cash.

There was a break during which time Cash recorded with Bob Dylan during his own sessions for his Nashville Skyline album,  and performed his famous concert at San Quentin. Recording continued in July and wound up early in September

Musicians and vocalists on the sessions were Bob Wootton (guitar), Carl Perkins (guitar), Marshall Grant (bass), W. S. Holland (drums), Norman Blake (dobro) and The Carter Family (vocals).

The album opens with Southwind which recalls the boom-chicka-boom style he had created back in the fifties at Sun Studios. It captures two of Cash’s favourite themes, trains and heartbreak. It features some blistering guitar by new boy Bob Wootton and great drumming from W. S. Holland and sets the standard for the rest of the album.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2021/01/hello-im-johnny-cash.html

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FORTY SHADES OF GREEN

First published 17 March 2021

The year 1963 started off with the release of the concept album Blood, Sweat And Tears and would find Cash hitting the top spot again with the single Ring Of Fire, his first number one in four years. Cash was also on the road for most of the year including an appearance at the famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. It also saw Cash make his first full concert tour in the United Kingdom with most of the dates in Ireland but, as we shall see later, it included two concerts in England.

The tour was promoted by Tom Costello and Bill Fuller and accompanying Cash on tour were The Tennessee Three (Luther Perkins, Marshall Grant and W. S. Holland), June Carter and his manager Saul Holiff.

Other acts on the tour included The Cadets, Savoy Swing Seven, The Victors Showband, Dermot O’Brien Stellas, Johnny Grant, The Mounties Showband and Pete Brown Showband. Most of the support acts were local bands from the places visited during the tour.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2021/03/forty-shades-of-green.html

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REMEMBERING LOU ROBIN

First published 19 May 2021

So sad to hear that Lou Robin has passed away in California a few days before his 91st birthday. For more than thirty years he managed the career of Johnny Cash and continued looking after Cash's legacy following his death in 2003.

Lou was always kind and supportive of my work on the Fanzine, in which I interviewed him, and also my book, for which he wrote the foreword to the first edition and is reproduced below. He was always there to answer my constant email requests and when I gave up the Fanzine a few years ago he wrote a lovely email thanking me for my work.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2021/05/remembering-lou-robin.html

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HURT - THE SONG AND VIDEO

First published 7 July 2021

Throughout 2001-2002 Johnny Cash and Rick Rubin were working on songs for his next album. Like their previous collaborations several cover versions were attempted including Bridge Over Troubled Water, In My Life, Desperado and Personal Jesus. However the standout track on what would become American IV: The Man Comes Around would be his cover of the Nine Inch Nails song Hurt.

Cash’s version became one of the most talked about songs of 2003 and there is no doubt that it stands as one of the greatest cover versions of his entire career. However, it was nearly never recorded.

As had happened with Rusty Cage a few years earlier Cash was unsure about the song. When he first heard it, and especially the tune itself, he told Rubin, “I can’t do that song, it’s not my style.” Rubin suggested trying it a different way and laid down a track which Cash felt would work.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2021/07/hurt-song-and-video.html

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JOHNNY CASH AT THE CAROUSEL BALLROOM

First published 30 October 2021

On 13 January 1968 Cash played his legendary concert before an audience at the infamous Folsom Prison in California. Columbia were also there to record the concert for future album release. 

A few days before the release of the album Cash played a concert at the Carousel Ballroom in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. The show was recorded by audio engineer Owsley Stanley and now, more than fifty years later, the concert has been issued through the Owsley Stanley Foundation and Renew Records/BMG.

Before we review the new release we take a look at the life of Owsley Stanley, the history of the Haight-Ashbury scene and the Carousel Ballroom.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2021/10/johnny-cash-at-carousel-ballroom.html

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JOHNNY CASH FANZINE

First published 26 February 2022

Today would have been Johnny Cash's 90th Birthday and to celebrate I thought I would look back at my work on the Johnny Cash Fanzine including some highlights, comments from family and friends when I ceased publication and an interview that I did a few years ago. I am also offering a special offer on the Fanzine.

I never, in my wildest dreams, thought that when I published the first issue of Johnny Cash-The Man in Black in December 1994 that it would run for almost twenty-five years.

Of course, it was down to the subscribers, the Cash family, band members, producers, photographers, management and record companies whose support made it all possible.

The decision to cease publication in 2019 was not an easy one to make and I wish I could have celebrated by reaching one hundred issues but alas it wasn’t to be. Health issues and a decline in membership signalled the end. However, I am proud of what I achieved and hope everybody enjoyed the journey with me.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2022/02/johnny-cash-fanzine.html

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THE FABULOUS JOHNNY CASH

First published 15 November 2022

Johnny Cash's debut album for his new label Columbia was released in November 1958 and to celebrate this we look back at the recording, release and success of the album The Fabulous Johnny Cash.

A week after his last session for Sun Records, Johnny Cash was at the Owen Bradley Studios in Nashville cutting his first sides for his new label, Columbia. This first session produced six songs and a few weeks later on 8 August a further ten tracks were recorded during two sessions on that day. To enable them to have enough tracks for their first album and singles a further session was held five days later with nine more songs successfully recorded.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-fabulous-johnny-cash.html

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THE 'SUMMER CASH' CAMPAIGN

First published 18 January 2023

When Shelby Singleton purchased the Sun Records Label in 1969, he started one of the most intensive reissue campaigns ever. In this article, originally published in The Man in Black (Issue #75 - June 2013), we look at the buyout and the subsequent Johnny Cash releases on the Sun International label between 1969 and 1971, a time when Cash’s Columbia career was at an all-time high.

By the mid-sixties Sun Records had been consigned to the past with Phillips being approached by various record companies prepared to buy the label. One of the most persistent was CBS/Columbia who, with Cash on their label, were keen to get all the Sun masters out of circulation. As far back as 1962 Phillips had considered a deal with Mercury Records whereby Sun would act as a production company for the label.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-summer-cash-campaign.html

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JOHNNY CASH - THE BILLY SHERRILL SESSIONS

First published 17 May 2023

When one thinks of Johnny Cash’s producers there are many names that come to mind. Of course high on the list is Sam Phillips, who founded Sun Records, and gave Cash his first break. Also at Sun Records was ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement, whose name would crop up regularly throughout Cash’s career. While his move to Columbia Records saw him working with Don Law and Frank Jones and in the late 1960s Bob Johnston who was behind the legendary prison albums. Into the 1970s and we find Larry Butler and Charlie Bragg working with Cash while the following decade would see Brian Ahern and band members Earl Poole Ball and Marty Stuart taking over the role. Of course any list would not be complete without Rick Rubin who bought Cash’s music to a whole new audience in the 1990s and 2000s. One name often overlooked is that of legendary Nashville producer Billy Sherrill and in this article we look back at his career and his work with Johnny Cash.

Billy Norris Sherrill was born on 5 November 1936 in Phil Campbell a small town located in Franklin County, Alabama. 

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2023/05/johnny-cash-billy-sherrill-sessions.html

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REMEMBERING JOHNNY CASH

First published 12 September 2023

The 12th September 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of Johnny Cash's death and I wanted to pay tribute to a man and artist whose music meant so much to me and was a major influence in my own career as a writer, journalist and consultant. For twenty-five years I ran the Johnny Cash Fanzine and during that time was fortunate to meet and interview many people associated with his career as well as become friends with many of those who subscribed to the magazine. It is a time I will never forget.

I considered many different articles to remember him and could have written about his early career at Sun Records, his Columbia albums, the prison concerts, his work with Rick Rubin or any number of other aspects of his career. However, I have decided to look back at his final concert here in the United Kingdom and meeting him backstage.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2023/09/remembering-johnny-cash.html

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JOHNNY CASH - THE LIFE IN LYRICS

First published 24 November 2023

Johnny Cash wrote over 600 songs covering everything from love songs to murder ballads, prison songs to those about the working man, American history and the plight of the Indians, humorous songs and gospel. In this new book, Johnny Cash The Life In Lyrics, Cash historian Mark Stielper looks in detail at 125 lyrics written by 'America's Foremost Singing Storyteller'.

Within the 374 pages of this lavishly illustrated, hard-back, coffee table book Johnny Cash's fifty years of song-writing is bought together for the first time. However, it is more than just a book of lyrics as there are stories behind the songs which give the reader an insight into Cash, not only as an artist but also a man who spoke to a nation and the triumphs and challenges he faced in his own life.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2023/11/johnny-cash-life-in-lyrics.html

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JOHNNY CASH - AMERICAN RECORDINGS

First published 26 April 2024

Thirty years ago, on 26 April 1994, Johnny Cash released his album American Recordings, his first on his new label and with a new producer, Rick Rubin. In this latest blog, an expanded and updated article that originally appeared in Issue #40 of Johnny Cash-The Man in Black in September 2004, we look back at how his career took on a new direction, the release of the album and its commercial and critical success.

CBS’s decision to drop Johnny Cash after an unparalleled twenty-eight year partnership angered many people. Dwight Yoakam, an up and coming country star back in 1986 that Cash rated highly, didn’t hold back when he said, “The man’s been there thirty fuckin’ years making them money.” And talking about the Columbia executives offices he raged, “He built the building.”

Even in 1986 Cash still had a loyal following playing sell-out concerts throughout the world and shifting over 40,000 copies of every album but this was not enough to justify a record companies investment and many other country stars would suffer the same fate in the years that followed. 

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2024/04/johnny-cash-american-recordings.html

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JOHNNY CASH - SONGWRITER

First published 2 July 2024

By 1993 Johnny Cash was drifting. When his relationship with Columbia fell apart in the early 1980s he signed with Mercury Records hoping that he would get the support and promotion he felt he deserved.

Unfortunately this was not the case and his deal with them soon turned sour. In 1993, with a career that had been going for almost forty years, his prospects looked bleak. He hadn’t recorded for Mercury for close to three years.

Under the terms of his 1986 contract with Mercury they were still owed one more album from Cash. However, neither party were in any particular rush–Cash in producing it or Mercury in releasing it. They both seemed keen to end the relationship and move on.

Read the full article here...

https://peter-lewry.blogspot.com/2024/07/johnny-cash-songwriter.html

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Hope you enjoy the articles and please support my work and follow me here. You can also add your comments to the various articles. If you have any questions or suggestions you can message me through the Contact Form on the main page of this blog. 

Look out for more Johnny Cash related articles in the future.

WAR BY TIMETABLE

Recently returned from my fifth Leger Battlefield Tour... War By Timetable, which explored the role of trains in World War One. This tour covered two of my many interests, history and steam trains and, as with previous Leger Battlefield Tours, did not disappoint.

In this article I take a detailed look back at the tour, the places we visited and where relevant, some World War One history. I have also included just a small selection of the many photos I took during my trip.

Our journey began early in the morning with the short journey down to Stop 24 in Folkestone where we boarded our tour coach for the week. The original plan was to head to Dover and catch the ferry to Calais. Unfortunately, due to problems beyond the control of Leger, we were delayed and a change of plan saw us take the Eurotunnel across to France. I must say at this point that the staff at the Leger desk were excellent, keeping us updated and also supplying food vouchers and drinks during the long wait for our replacement coach to make its journey from Nottingham down to the coast.

During our drive through the French countryside towards our hotel in Saint Quentin our guide, Andrew, pointed out several interesting locations relevant to the First World War including Vimy Ridge, Arras and Cambrai. His knowledge of the subject was second-to-none and he told us stories about how the war started, Britain's involvement and the various battles.

As we passed Vimy Ridge we heard how, in April 1917, four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the 1st Army fought against three divisions of the German 6th Army with the objective of drawing the Germans away from the French forces who were preparing an offensive along the Aisne and the Chemin des Dames Ridge. It was part of the Battle of Arras.

The Battle Of Arras was a British offensive during April and May 1917 which saw them achieve the greatest advance since trench warfare had begun, although when the German defences recovered it resulted in a costly stalemate for both sides.

Continuing towards Saint Quentin we passed close to Cambrai, the site of a late-1917 British attack and the biggest German counter-attack since 1914. It has gone down in history as the first battle to use tanks and records show the use of over 350 armoured vehicles involved during the offensive.

Arriving at the hotel it was time for a refreshing pint and then a good nights sleep in preparation for the busy days ahead.

An early breakfast and then we set off to our first stop of the day, the Steam Railway of the Three Valleys in Belgium whose name derives from the three rivers the line follows, the River Eau Blanche, River Eau Noire and River Viroin. It is a non-profit society that operates the service which connects with the Belgian rail network at Mariembourg.

A specially arranged journey on a period steam train saw us travel the 14 kilometre journey from Mariembourg via Nismes, Olloy-sur-Viroin and Vierves to Treignes, the last station before the French border. The line does continue the 2.5 kilometres to the border but is not used anymore. An enjoyable journey with great views of the Belgium countryside from our carriage. The staff at the station and onboard the train were excellent and very helpful.

At the end of the journey there was time to look around the museum which was very interesting with its collection of various trains, both steam and electric, along with items of railway memorabilia.

Following a quick lunch, Croque Monsieur and a refreshing drink, in the cafe at the station in Treignes we headed out of Belgium and to our next stop in France.

At La Capelle we visited the memorial marking the spot where the German parliamentarians crossed the French lines seeking an Armistice on 7 November 1918.

The German government, under Prince Max of Baden, had contacted President Woodrow Wilson asking him to open the way for an armistice. Conditions were imposed on Germany and they were told to nominate a delegation to Western Front Commander in Chief, Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Once done the Germans were told where to approach the French lines where troops were told to expect the delegations arrival. 

Four cars with full headlights, displaying white flags and with a trumpeter sounding the cease fire approached the French lines near the hamlet of Haudroy. It was there a French bugler, Pierre Sellier, replaced the German trumpeter on the duckboard and would continue the journey to La Capelle and onto Compiegne where the armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, ending four years of conflict. 

On 14 August 1940, during the Second World War, the Armistice Memorial was destroyed by the Germans, who deemed it offensive, and it was reconstructed and inaugurated a few years later after the end of the war.

During the day and while we were on the coach travelling between the different points of interest we were told more about the war. In particular, the history of the 1st Division British Expeditionary Force (the first British formation to move to France and who took part in most of the actions throughout the war), the various battles and in particular The Battle of St. Quentin (also called the First Battle of Guise), the Battle of Le Cateau, the rear guard action at Etreux and the Retreat from Mons.

The Retreat from Mons was the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force and the French 5th Army following defeats at the Battle of Charleroi and the Battle of Mons, both in August 1914.

A counter-attack by the French at Guise on 29 and 30 August failed to end the German advance. Similar attempts by the British at Le Cateau and Etreux also failed.

At Chapeau Rouge, La Groise we stopped to view the BEF Memorial which bears the inscription, "To the Glory of God and to the abiding memory of the 1st Division British Expeditionary Force which from August 1914 to November 1918 served and suffered in France and left there close upon 16,000 dead." It also includes the final two lines of Rudyard Kipling's poem, For All We Have And Are, "Who Stands If Freedom Fall? Who Dies If England Live?"

Following the retreat from Mons in August 1914 many of the soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers were buried in an orchard at Etreux. The family of Lieutenant Frederick Styles, who had been killed during the rearguard action, purchased the orchard and erected a large Celtic Cross in the centre of the cemetery. The cross listed the battle honours of The Munsters.

There are 99 identified graves at Etreux British Cemetery including Second Lieutenant Carol Edward Vere Awdry of the Royal Munsters, whose story was told to us. On 27th August Awdry, sword drawn, led his men in support of the attack that was underway and was killed by a shot through the lungs.

I recognised the surname and was reminded of where from, when we were told about his family. Carol Edward Vere Awdry's half-brother was Wilbert Vere Awdry, an Anglican cleric, railway enthusiast and children's author. More famously known as the Reverend W, Awdry, he was the creator of Thomas The Tank Engine and author of the series of children's books.

Our final visit of the day was to the Necropole Nationale - Flavigny Le Petit Cemetery in Guise. The cemetery was constructed by the Germans following the Battle of Guise in August 1914. It is unusual in that there are soldiers buried from three different nations, Germany, France and Britain. It was interesting walking around and seeing the different headstones/crosses used by the various nations.

The cemetery contains the graves of 2,332 German soldiers killed in World War One. The cemetery also includes other casualties from the war with 2,643 French graves and 48 British graves.

Back at the hotel, following an informative and enjoyable day, with temperatures during the day between 26 and 30 degrees it was good to relax and enjoy a couple of pints in the hotel bar.

Day two began at the Bagneux British Cemetery located close to the village of Gezaincourt near the town of Doullens. 

It was at this point of our trip that we learnt more about the Casualty Clearing Stations. Known originally as Clearing Hospitals they were part of the evacuation chain although they were located further back than the field hospitals. Manned by the Royal Army Medical Corps their job was to treat soldiers so they could return to the front line or, in the case of the seriously wounded, transferred to a base hospital. They were normally located near to railways to allow movement between the battlefield and hospitals. Throughout the war these Casualty Clearing Stations would relocate as the front line moved.

Bagneux Cemetery was our next stop during the tour and along with the Devonshire Cemetery, which was our last stop on the tour (more of which later), was very emotional. There are 1,374 soldiers of the First World War buried or commemorated there including three nurses who were killed in nearby Doullens.

On 30 May 1918 the Germans bombed the No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital based in an ancient citadel in Doullens. The nurses were assisting in surgery when the bombing took place and all three were killed and buried in Bagneux Cemetery approximately 2 kilometers from where they died.

The nurses were, Nursing Sister Agnes MacPherson (age 27), Nursing Sister Eden Lyal Pringle (age 24) and Nursing Sister Dorothy Mary Yardwood Baldwin (age 26). We were shown photos of the nurses while standing near the graves which was a very sad moment.

We had time to walk around the cemetery and read some of the inscriptions on the gravestones. What always strikes me whenever I visit a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery is how peaceful and well-maintained they are and it is thanks to all those who work for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) for all their dedicated and hard work all over the world.

On our short walk back to the coach we discovered part of the railway line that ran past the cemetery and close to the Casualty Clearing Stations in the area.

A 30-minute drive found us at our next place of interest, Heilly Station Cemetery. In April 1916 the 36th Casualty Clearing Station was located in Heilly, to be joined in May and June by the 38th and 2/2nd London. However, by June 1917 all three had moved on.

It was in May 1916 that work began on the cemetery, a short distance from Heilly Station, and was used by the three Casualty Clearing Stations until April 1917. During 1918 it was used by Australian units then hospital burials when the 20th Casualty Clearing Station was based nearby.

There are 2,800 servicemen buried or commemorated with 12 of the graves unidentified. There were also casualties whose graves were not exactly located and special memorials were erected. The cemetery also includes 83 German graves.

Many of the burials were carried out under extreme pressure with many graves close together and not marked individually. Furthermore, some contained multiple burials and these did not include the regimental badges. However, along the cloister walls there are 117 badges carved into the wall.

Once again this is another cemetery that is well-tended and so peaceful. In fact, when we turned up there were volunteers working on cutting grass and undertaking general maintenance. They even stopped working so as not to disturb our visit.

For lunch we stopped at Corbie, a short distance from Heilly, where we found a nice cafe in the city square and enjoyed a meal and drink before returning to the coach.

On our way to our next stop, another train journey, we passed the site where Baron von Richthofen (The Red Baron) was shot down on 21 April 2018 over the Morlancourt Ridge close to Vaux-sur-Somme. There is a debate as to who actually shot him down. It has been said he was flying low over Australian positions and gunners shot him down although another claim is that Canadian pilot Roy Brown who was flying behind and above Richthofen was responsible. Maybe we will never know for sure.

Our next steam train journey would see us travel through the Somme Battlefield in open sided carriages, and was the most interesting of the three train journeys on the tour.

The 600mm narrow gauge railway was built in 1916 for the needs of the Battle of The Somme and used to supply the trenches and artillery with estimates of 1,500 tonnes moved every day. It was part of a larger military network built in preparation of the 1916 offensive. After the war it was operated by a sugar refinery in Dompierre to transport sugar beet. In the 1970s a group of enthusiasts bought the line and rolling stock from the refinery and hunted across the country for other locomotives. They opened the line which ran for 1.5 kilometres in 1971.

We all boarded our open-sided carriage for the journey and had already been advised not to wear anything white during the journey as the smoke and soot emanating from the train while we were in the tunnel might ruin our clothes. Fortunately it was all ok.

During the one-hour return journey, which runs alongside the Somme Canal and River Somme, there are superb views of the Somme Valley. There was also time after the journey to look around the museum, located at the departure point, which held a fascinating collection of narrow-gauge rolling stock and other items.

Another interesting and emotional day came to an end and it was back to the hotel for dinner and a good rest.

The next day found us heading to Le Crotoy and The Steam Railway at the Bay of the Somme for our final rail journey which would take us to St Valery-sur-Somme. It is another narrow-gauge railway that runs the entire length of the bay connecting Le Crotoy with Noyelles-sue-Mer and St Valery. During the summer season it runs on to Cayeux-sur-Mer.

During the almost 25 kilometre journey we passed brooks lined with willows, salt and freshwater marshes, fields, and the beautiful greenery of the Somme Bay.

Throughout the whole trip my love of steam trains and old railways was well catered for and at St Valery there was another highlight for those on the trip who had the same interest as me, and there were quite a few. We had the opportunity to watch as the train was uncoupled and with the use of a turntable moved onto another track and travel to the other end of the train to be coupled for the return home.

We had a couple of hours in St Valery and a group of us walked along the waterfront, grabbed a drink at a lovely little cafe and then a much needed ice cream before returning to the coach.

St Valery is a lovely seaport and resort on the south bank of the River Somme estuary and with its medieval character and long waterfront area has become a popular tourist destination. It is somewhere I would love to visit again and spend more time looking around.

It was back to Le Crotoy and the Communal Cemetery to find out more about those soldiers 'Shot at Dawn'. The actual cemetery only holds four World War One casualties, one of which is Lieutenant Edwin Leopold Arthur Dyett.

During World War One the British Army executed around 300 soldiers of which just three were officer, Edwin Dyett was one of those officers. A junior officer in the Nelson Battalion of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, in October 1916 he was with the rest of the Division on The Somme preparing for the attack on Beaucourt-sure-Ancre.

Feeling that he wasn't suitable, an impression the Company Commander shared, he had already applied to be transferred away from the front. Not considered as quality material he was left as a reserve officer and was only sent forward with the reserves. Unable to find anyone from his unit he chose to return to Brigade Headquarters with another officer. He took exception to being asked by a junior officer to accompany men who needed to be taken back to the front lines and he continued towards the rear.

He was reported by the junior officer for refusing to go forward and the following day was arrested and later charged with desertion. He did not give evidence at his trial and  on 2 January 1917 Field Marshal Haig confirmed the death sentence. Dyett was told on 4 January and the following day, at 07.30, he was shot at dawn by members of his own Battalion. His final words were, "For God's sake shoot straight."

Although China never sent any troops overseas during World War One more than 100,000 labourers served as part of the British Army for both the British and French forces during the war. As the Chinese Labour Corps, they cleared mines, built munitions depots, transported supplies and repaired roads and railways.

Noyelles-sur-Mer was the base depot of the Chinese Labour Corps, their biggest camp and also the site of the No.3 Labour General Hospital. Almost 2,000 lost their lives and 841 are buried at the Chinese Cemetery in Noyelles which was our next visit.

The inscriptions on the headstones are in Chinese and included four different inscriptions in English and Chinese with one reading, "A Noble Duty Bravely Done." There is an inscription carved on the entrance which in English translates roughly to, "This site commemorates the sacrifice paid by the 1,900 Chinese workers who lost their lives during the 1914-1918 war, these are my friends and colleagues whose merits are incomparable." The cemetery is adorned with trees native to China, creating a reminder of their homeland.

I had never heard of the Chinese Labour Corps and it was very interesting to find out more about their contribution to the war. 

The main entry point to the Somme battlefields in 1916 for most of the soldiers was Pont-Remy Station and it was there we headed to next. Now disused, although trains run by SNCF still travel between Amiens and Abbeville, the station and cobbles leading up to the station once echoed to the sound of the many thousand troops heading to the front lines.

I was surprised there is no information at the station on its history and maybe SNCF should consider a board detailing its World War One connection along with relevant images from the period.

Our final visit of the tour was to the Devonshire Cemetery near Mansell Copse (not included in the original itinerary but as our guide put it... 'A Brucie Bonus') and it was somewhere I am glad we had the opportunity to see.

Before entering the cemetery we had a chance to view where the British and German lines were on the 1st July, the first day of the Battle of The Somme. The two images below are taken from where the British trenches were located, south of Mametz, and show the view across to what would have been the German trenches.

Mametz was within the German lines and captured on the first day of the battle while the woods to the east were taken in the days that followed.

The cemetery just visible in the lower picture is the Gordon Cemetery which was made by the men of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders who buried their dead from the 1st July in what had been a support trench.

At the Devonshire Cemetery we heard about their part in the battle. The 8th and 9th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment attacked the German lines on 1st July and suffered very heavy losses as they left their forward trench. Later that day the survivors buried their fallen comrades, over 160 men, in the same trench. Three days later a ceremony was held and a wooden cross was placed bearing the words "The Devonshires Held This Trench, The Devonshires Hold It Still."

Of the 163 graves, ten are unidentified burials and only two were not part of the Devonshire Regiment. Looking at the two rows of graves it was easy to see where the original trench had been and it was an emotional moment to look at the headstones and imagine what it must have been like back in 1916. Along with the Bagneux Cemetery discussed earlier, this visit was the saddest part of the whole trip.

The wooden cross disappeared, possibly stolen, and in the 1980s officers of the Devonshire Regiment, who were visiting the site, decided to do something about it. On their return a collection was made and a new stone was placed at the entrance to the cemetery bearing the same words as the wooden cross. Those words certainly got to me and will forever live in my memory.

It was the end of our tour and time to head back to the hotel for dinner, a final few pints and a last chance to sit and talk to the other people on the tour before packing and an early night. We had to leave early the next morning for our journey home and although it was sad to be going home there were so many memories to look back on. 

I met a great group of people on the tour and especially want to mention Jules whose company I enjoyed over dinner and a few pints.

There are still so many tours I would like to do and next year I will be going on the Operation Market Garden trip to Arnhem with my good friend John Chisholm, who I met on my previous trip to Dunkirk.

Last, but by no means least, thanks go to our knowledgeable tour guide Andrew Thornton and our excellent driver Michael (Mick) Page who besides doing an amazing job, certainly kept the rest of us in the coach amused with their banter and jokes each day.

KEEPING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD

I have followed The Jive Aces for many years and seen them in concert at the annual Big Jive All Dayer in my hometown of Worthing and at their major yearly event Summertime Swing. I also own all of their albums and really enjoy their mix of swing, jazz, rock 'n' roll and jive music.

The line-up consists of Ian Clarkson (vocals, trumpet & ukulele), Alex Douglas (trombone, washboard & blues harp), 'Big' John Fordham (tenor saxophone, clarinet & fiddle), Vince 'Professor' Hurley (piano), Ken Smith (double bass), Peter 'Bilky' Howell (drums) and Grazia Bevilacqua (accordion).

For over three decades they have been the Number One UK Jive and Swing band with a worldwide following, touring all across the United Kingdom, throughout Europe and America.

I have spent many hours backstage chatting to them and the other acts that have appeared on their shows and photographed their 'All Dayers' in Worthing, some of which have been published, alongside my show reviews, in various magazines including Vintage Rock and Vintage World. 

Photograph (c): The Jive Aces

They have recently released their latest CD, Keeping The Show On The Road, recorded at Mad Hatter Studios in Los Angeles, and in this latest article I take an in-depth look, song-by-song, at the album including the history of the songs.

The album opens in style with Rockin' Is Our Bizness, a song written by twins Cliff and Claude Trenier who, under the name The Treniers, had a hit with the song back in 1953. Like the original, the Jive Aces follow a similar sound with a solid, thumping beat and great saxophone solos. During the song each member of the band is given a mention.

Clementine dates back to 1884 and is a traditional American folk ballad often known as Oh, My Darling Clementine. Original lyrics were written by Percy Montrose and based on an earlier song, Down By The River Liv'd A Maiden. First recorded in English by Bing Crosby in 1941 it has also been recorded by Bobby Darin with lyrics by Woody Harris. Ian Clarkson provides a great vocal which is accompanied by excellent playing from the other band members.

In 1931 Duke Ellington and Irving Mills composed what has become a jazz standard, It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing). Ellington, speaking about the song, said, "It was famous as the expression of a sentiment which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time," It is also one of the earliest uses in popular music of the word 'swing.' Opening with some great drumming by Peter 'Bilky' Howell and featuring excellent horn playing by Alex Douglas and 'Big' John Fordham it is given a joyful rendition. Mid-song Vince 'Professor' Hurley shows why he is one of the greatest keyboard players around today. Once again a great vocal from Clarkson.

Henry Mancini's Pink Panther Theme will always be associated with the 1963 comedy film The Pink Panther starring Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The film, the first in a series, also starred David Niven, Robert Wagner, Capucine and Claudia Cardinale. The instrumental was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Original Score) but lost out to Mary Poppins. The original featured a saxophone solo played by Plas Johnson and here it is 'Big' John Fordham who takes all the plaudits for some excellent playing supported well by the rest of the band. With it's smoky nightclub feel and great rhythm it is one of the many highlights on the album.

La Vie En Rose follows and is my favourite track on the album. Written in 1945 it has become the signature song of French singer Edith Piaf who released her version in 1947. During the 1950s the song became popular in America with no less than seven versions making the Billboard charts, including covers by Tony Martin, Bing Crosby and Dean Martin. Edith Piaf is credited with writing the lyrics with music added by Luis Guglielmi while the English lyrics were written by Mack David. The literal translation of the title is "Life in pink."

Grazia Bevilacqua opens the song with her fantastic accordion playing before the rest of the band join in for a beautiful cover of this classic song. Released recently as a single it gave them a number one on the Heritage Chart and the accompanying video has received over seven thousand views on You Tube. Close your eyes and you will be taken back to a French nightclub in the 1940s.

The American blues and jazz standard, St. James Infirmary was made famous by Louis Armstrong's 1928 recording which was credited to Don Redman as composer although later versions listed Joe Primrose, the pseudonym of music promoter and publisher Irving Mills. Within two years more than twenty versions had been released including a recording by country music singer Jimmie Rodgers with the title Those Gambler Blues. Ian Clarkson opens this classic song with some muted-trumpet before performing a bluesy vocal that sends shivers down your spine. Great support from the rest of the band as always.

Written in the 1950s by Clyde Otis and Murray Stein Baby, You've Got What It Takes, originally titled You've Got What It Takes, was first recorded by Dorothy Pay, Brook Benton's sister, in 1958. The following year Benton would also record the song as a duet with Dinah Washington, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot R&B Chart. On this fun version The Jive Aces are joined by Bill Haley's daughter, Gina Haley who I was fortunate to see at one of the Big Jive All Dayer events at which she gave an incredible performance. Clarkson's and Haley's voices work well together and it would be great to hear more duets by them.

Bim Bam was written by pianist and songwriter Ray Stanley and released in 1958 as a single by Sam Butera and The Witnesses. Stanley played piano on early sessions for Eddie Cochran and also recorded a number of his own songs including Let's Get Acquainted and the bluesy Common Sense. Another strong performance from the band with some excellent guitar work although it is not listed who played it on this track.

A major hit for Dean Martin, That's Amore is a classic and has become Martin's signature song. The song, written by Jack Brooks and Harry Warren, first appeared in the Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis film and soundtrack The Caddy in which Martin is the main singer but Lewis joins in. Nominated for an Academy Award (Best Original Song of the Year) it lost out to Secret Love from Calamity Jane. For the second time on the album it is Grazia Bevilacqua and her accordion who make this song a great performance. Following a slow and sexy start the song soon moves up a gear and everyone joins in for a wonderful up-tempo version that finds Ian Clarkson handling the lyrics perfectly. I just love the slowed down ending and interplay between the vocals and accordion.

Composed by New Jersey born Jack Fina, who started out playing piano in Clyde McCoy's band in the 1930s and later joined Freddy Martin's band where he became famous when he featured on Tonight We Love. In 1946 he turned to the classic Flight Of The Bumblebee, written by Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale Of Tsar Saltan, and composed a boogie-woogie version which he called Bumble Boogie. It became a hit and was featured in the 1946 musical It's Great To Be Young. This instrumental is a showcase for Vince 'Professor' Hurley whose pounding piano is really impressive. 

With original lyrics written in 1843 by Ukranian poet and writer Yevhen Hrebinka and featuring a melody based on Valse Hommage written by Florian Hermann, Dark Eyes would go through several lyrics changes over the following years. It has been covered, in various styles, by Maxine Sullivan, Danny Kaye, Spike Jones and Louis Armstrong among others. The song is often described as having an old gypsy melody and that is exactly what is created in the version featured on the album. Another strong instrumental that fits well with the other tracks on the album.

Night Train is a twelve-bar blues instrumental standard written by Oscar Washington and Jimmy Forrest and is another song that has gone through a number of lyrical changes with the earliest credited to Lewis P. Simpkins, co-owner of United Records, back in 1952. Clarkson's bluesy vocal is accompanied by excellent support, especially from the horn section. 

The only original on the album is the title track, Keeping The Show On The Road which fits perfectly among the other tracks. Written by Jive Aces frontman Ian Clarkson the song sums up the bands characteristics and credibility.

Big Noise From Winnetka was originally an instrumental written by Bob Haggart and Ray Baudec, bass player and drummer in the Bob Crosby Orchestra. Lyrics were added by Crosby and Gil Rodin and following it's early success it appeared in films including 1941's Let's Make Music and 1943's Reveille With Beverley. Over the years it has been recorded by Gene Krupa, Kenny Ball, Jack Teagarden and Eddy Mitchell, in French, Quand Une Fille Me Plait. Closing the album is a strong performance that once again shows the skills of everybody involved, especially Ken Smith who plays some great bass and Peter 'Bilky' Howell's drumming.

In the brief liner notes that accompany the album they write, "We have captured the sound and energy of these most requested songs from our live show on record for the first time. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do and that they inspire you to keep the show on the road."

The album certainly bought back many memories of the 2024 Big Jive All Dayer where I watched them perform several songs from the album including Keeping The Show On The Road,  St. James Infirmary, That's Amore and Le Vie En Rose. The latter two were memorable for the accordion playing by Grazia Bevilacqua and the chemistry between her and Ian which was a joy to watch.

I have loved the retro feel that is used on the covers of their previous albums and this latest release is no exception. Featuring an image of a tour bus on the road it sums up the contents of this latest release with its vintage design which was created by Michael Lombardi.

A great album full of wonderful music and one which, I am sure, will find a regular place in the CD player. Don't miss out, pick up a copy today. It can be purchased, along with their other releases and merchandise, from their on-line store - https://jiveaces.org/store

Thanks to Grazia Bevilacqua for providing a review copy of the CD for my collection.