Brother Oswald.

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 19 Jan 2007 5:46 am

Lovely tone on this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrawyuKc ... ed&search=

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Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 19 Jan 2007 3:21 pm

I always liked Roy Acuff's voice since I first heard him sing Will the Circle Be Unbroken with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. My ears hear a lot of "soul" in his style. I think he's the only singer on this earth who I can listen to that constantly sings sharp.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 19 Jan 2007 4:34 pm

I used to have an album of his in the 60's, entitled "Bashful Brother Oswald". Unfortunately I lent it to someone and never got it back. It was a great album.

As Willie Nelson once pointed out, in his "Song of Songs", that melody has been used in dozens of songs, including "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes", "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels", "Wild Side of Life", etc., etc., etc. I even wrote one myself called "My Wife Took Away My Pink Flamingo". If anyone wants the words, let me know !

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 20 Jan 2007 2:00 am

I have a vinyl album by Oswald that I believe was put out by Rounder Records. (1972) There is an uptempo tune on the album, called "Kansas City Kitty", which I like very much.

Ric Nelson · Post by **Ric Nelson** » 20 Jan 2007 4:38 am

" The Great Speckled Bird" melody was slightly different, three notes to be exact. Most players miss that, even some of the best. It is behind the lyrics "spec-kled bird" on the second line.

What a beautiful thought I am thinking
Concerning a great speckled bird

In the others songs at that point, the notes go up but in the Speckled Bird, they come down.

Roy would often comment on that and that’s when most of us stated playing it “right” acting like we knew that all along.

Ric

Dan Carey · Post by **Dan Carey** » 21 Jan 2007 3:20 pm

How about Roy Acuff's wreck on the highway?

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 22 Jan 2007 2:40 pm

There was even a Mexican norteno song out back in the mid-1990s that used a melody close to that of the "Great Speckled Bird." I remember walking up to the Fiesta Primavera in Moorehaven, FL circa 1994 and hearing the familiar melody wafting over the PA--Spanish lyrics sung passionately in two part harmony, button accordion , bajo sexto, etc. I did a double take! Not surprising though, as many Mexican-Americans are big country music fans.

Anyhow, I enjoy the Josh Graves versions of "Bird"--and "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight." Just the right mix of blues and country schmaltz, in my opinion.

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 23 Jan 2007 5:46 pm

Who is the steel guitar player behind Oswald? George

Kenneth Berrier · Post by **Kenneth Berrier** » 23 Jan 2007 5:54 pm

George Rout wrote:Who is the steel guitar player behind Oswald?

That is Hal Rugg.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 23 Jan 2007 11:06 pm

I grew up on Roy Acuff, because my family loved him.

I have heard Roy sing "The Great Speckled Bird" hundreds of times and I never get tired of hearing it. A great nostalgic melody.

Aloha,

Don

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 24 Jan 2007 6:26 am

Thanks for noting Hal Rugg.

I see that video as two separate things, Roy's singing and Oswald's playing. Some folks may not be a Dobro fan but love his voice, vice versa, or both!!!!!

For me it's both, I have some of the old Hickory LP's of Roy and I play the Dobro only in the old Oswald style. While I admire and commend players like Jerry Douglas with his "filling every void of sound", to me the music becomes too "busy" whereas the old Oswald sound is still "pretty". Geo

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