I Was There When It Happened

Hal Smith: lead vocal, rhythm guitar
Zoomer Roberts: electric guitar, harmony vocal
Ross Swall: bass, harmony vocal

Hal used to say, "You're not supposed to sing religious songs in bars, but God knows that's where they're needed!" This rum-soaked performance was recorded at the Black Garter Club on October 21, 1972. The thumping sound you hear is Johnny Cash rolling over in his grave.

So Doggone Lonesome

recorded 21 October 1972 at the Black Garter Club
Hal Smith: rhythm guitar & lead vocal
Zoomer Roberts: lead guitar & harmony vocal
Ross Swall: electric bass

Pearly Shells

recorded 21 October 1972 at the Black Garter Club
Hal Smith: rhythm guitar & vocal
Zoomer Roberts: lead guitar
Ross Swall: electric bass

Medley: A Fool Such As I & The White Cliffs of Dover

recorded 21 October 1972 at the Black Garter Club
Hal Smith: rhythm guitar & vocal
Zoomer Roberts: lead guitar
Ross Swall: electric bass

All Over Again

The Shade Trio
recorded 21 October 1972 at the Black Garter Club
Hal Smith: lead vocal & rhythm guitar
Zoomer Roberts: lead guitar & harmony vocal
Ross Swall: bass

I knew the guitar solos from most of Johnny Cash's Sun records, and that knowledge served me well in the years I played with Hal Smith. But this song -- which Cash recorded for Columbia circa 1959 -- was news to me. I therefore invented a guitar break that I felt certain would be close to what Luther Perkins must have played. Hal praised it and I kept playing it. When I finally heard Cash's recording years later, I was surprised at how little my solo resembled Luther's.

This was recorded on a Panasonic 8-track deck. There is a glitch where the tape changed tracks. Hey -- it was 1972!

Remember Me (I'm the One Who Loves You)

recorded 21 October 1972 at the Black Garter Club
Hal Smith: rhythm guitar & vocal
Zoomer Roberts: lead guitar
Ross Swall: electric bass

Medley: I'm Movin' On & The Golden Rocket

recorded 21 October 1972 at the Black Garter Club
Hal Smith: rhythm guitar & vocal (I'm Movin' On)
Zoomer Roberts: lead guitar & vocal (Golden Rocket)
Ross Swall: electric bass

Walkin' Down the Railroad Line

from KTEP radio broadcast of 14 July 2007
Zoomer Roberts: vocal & Harmonica
Buddy Winston: guitar
Bob Burns & Gene Keller: banjo, guitar, vocals

This is from a KTEP broadcast commemorating what would have been Woody Guthrie's 95th birthday. It was a loose affair, with everybody playing on everyone else's songs. I particularly enjoyed doing this obscure ditty from Woody's 1940 Library of Congress recordings. Its construction is ideal for a hootenanny, which this certainly was.

Hard, Ain't It Hard

from KTEP radio broadcast of 14 July 2007
Zoomer Roberts: vocal & Harmonica
Buddy Winston: guitar
Bob Burns & Gene Keller: banjo, guitar, vocals

The Sinking of the Reuben James

from KTEP radio broadcast of 14 July 2007
Zoomer Roberts: vocal & Harmonica
Buddy Winston: guitar
Bob Burns & Gene Keller: banjo, guitar, vocals

Tom Joad

from KTEP radio broadcast of 14 July 2007
Zoomer Roberts: vocal & Harmonica
Buddy Winston: guitar
Bob Burns & Gene Keller: banjo, guitar, vocals