The Flatlanders
The Flatlanders is an American country band from Lubbock, Texas, founded in… Read Full Bio ↴The Flatlanders is an American country band from Lubbock, Texas, founded in 1972 by Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock.
The fact that all that these Texas music titans, on their first go-round as The Flatlanders in 1972, were completely rejected by the country music establishment is surprising in retrospect but, ultimately, poetic. That each went on to have formidable solo careers is a testament to their talent and determination. Add to this their diverse yet complimentary styles - Joe the street-wise rocker, Jimmie Dale the mystic with the classic country voice and Butch the cerebral folk singer - and you've got a story of one of the most extraordinary kinships in American musical history.
It took these Flatlanders a mere three decades to release the sequel to their legendary debut. So the swift arrival of the group's latest New West album Wheels of Fortune - which comes hard on the heels of 2002's widely acclaimed Now Again - is a delightful and very welcome surprise. The fourteen songs that make up Wheels Of Fortune are absolute wonders of songcraft, sung by three of the most authentic voices in music today.
Joe, Jimmie and Butch initially reunited as The Flatlanders in 1998 to do a one-off recording, at the behest of Robert Redford's people, for the soundtrack of The Horse Whisperer. It was so much fun, the trio regrouped and cut an entire album. The result, Now Again, was unanimously received as a triumph. Mojo magazine dubbed them a "country Beatles." Rolling Stone gave it 3 and 1/2 stars. The Washington Post said, "Given the jaw-dropping quality of the disc, three decades almost seems a reasonable wait." Billboard raved, "An event record that lives up to all expectations." Now Again spent 17 weeks at #1 on the Americana charts and 21 weeks on the Billboard Country charts.
It was only a matter of weeks after the band had completed an 80-date U.S. and European tour when they re-entered the studio. "Once you get somebody on stage, it's kind of hard to get 'em off," Hancock says with a laugh. "Once we got a roll going, it felt good to keep working on something."
"We didn't want to go another 30 years before we made a record," Ely says. "After our last date of the tour, we were talking about it on the bus. We said, 'Well, ought to just get together while the band is hot and fresh and record. Not even think about it.' Basically, that's what we did. We didn't plan it or anything. We just sat down and started recording songs that we'd like to hear on tape. That's what this record is."
In March 2003, the Flatlanders and their band - Robbie Gjersoe (guitars, banjo, vocals), Steve Wesson (musical saw), Tony Pearson (vocals), Gary Herman (bass), and Chris Searles (drums) - convened at Joe Ely's Austin studio, with Ely again producing. Guests included steel guitarist (and noted producer) Lloyd Maines, guitarist Mitch Watkins, and accordionist Joel Guzman. The Flatlanders ended up cutting more than 30 songs, 14 of which appear on Wheels of Fortune. Some of the tunes are brand new while others have been kicking around in the individual repertoires of Ely, Gilmore, and Hancock for some time.
Hancock reflects, "We came together as a bunch of friends who happened to be musicians, too. There's just that crazy Lubbock mystery to it. We've all had our focus on the quality of the songs and the music, instead of any kind of 'me first' thing, or any kind of ego trips. It's almost like the old Marx Brothers thing: Three guys get to the door at the same time, and they all say, 'Oh, no, you go first.' 'No, you go first.' 'No, please, please, you go first.'"
Ely adds, "We've always been close, but now I think that we all realize that this is something that is really special. There are very few people who have remained as close as we have, especially in the music world. There are cases out there where brothers won't even talk to each other because they've been in the music business together. We consider this a real precious thing."
"For it to still be as much fun as it was in the beginning, I feel blessed," says Gilmore. "A lot of musicians don't get that luxury."
Copied and pasted from http://newwestrecords.com/theflatlanders.php
The fact that all that these Texas music titans, on their first go-round as The Flatlanders in 1972, were completely rejected by the country music establishment is surprising in retrospect but, ultimately, poetic. That each went on to have formidable solo careers is a testament to their talent and determination. Add to this their diverse yet complimentary styles - Joe the street-wise rocker, Jimmie Dale the mystic with the classic country voice and Butch the cerebral folk singer - and you've got a story of one of the most extraordinary kinships in American musical history.
It took these Flatlanders a mere three decades to release the sequel to their legendary debut. So the swift arrival of the group's latest New West album Wheels of Fortune - which comes hard on the heels of 2002's widely acclaimed Now Again - is a delightful and very welcome surprise. The fourteen songs that make up Wheels Of Fortune are absolute wonders of songcraft, sung by three of the most authentic voices in music today.
Joe, Jimmie and Butch initially reunited as The Flatlanders in 1998 to do a one-off recording, at the behest of Robert Redford's people, for the soundtrack of The Horse Whisperer. It was so much fun, the trio regrouped and cut an entire album. The result, Now Again, was unanimously received as a triumph. Mojo magazine dubbed them a "country Beatles." Rolling Stone gave it 3 and 1/2 stars. The Washington Post said, "Given the jaw-dropping quality of the disc, three decades almost seems a reasonable wait." Billboard raved, "An event record that lives up to all expectations." Now Again spent 17 weeks at #1 on the Americana charts and 21 weeks on the Billboard Country charts.
It was only a matter of weeks after the band had completed an 80-date U.S. and European tour when they re-entered the studio. "Once you get somebody on stage, it's kind of hard to get 'em off," Hancock says with a laugh. "Once we got a roll going, it felt good to keep working on something."
"We didn't want to go another 30 years before we made a record," Ely says. "After our last date of the tour, we were talking about it on the bus. We said, 'Well, ought to just get together while the band is hot and fresh and record. Not even think about it.' Basically, that's what we did. We didn't plan it or anything. We just sat down and started recording songs that we'd like to hear on tape. That's what this record is."
In March 2003, the Flatlanders and their band - Robbie Gjersoe (guitars, banjo, vocals), Steve Wesson (musical saw), Tony Pearson (vocals), Gary Herman (bass), and Chris Searles (drums) - convened at Joe Ely's Austin studio, with Ely again producing. Guests included steel guitarist (and noted producer) Lloyd Maines, guitarist Mitch Watkins, and accordionist Joel Guzman. The Flatlanders ended up cutting more than 30 songs, 14 of which appear on Wheels of Fortune. Some of the tunes are brand new while others have been kicking around in the individual repertoires of Ely, Gilmore, and Hancock for some time.
Hancock reflects, "We came together as a bunch of friends who happened to be musicians, too. There's just that crazy Lubbock mystery to it. We've all had our focus on the quality of the songs and the music, instead of any kind of 'me first' thing, or any kind of ego trips. It's almost like the old Marx Brothers thing: Three guys get to the door at the same time, and they all say, 'Oh, no, you go first.' 'No, you go first.' 'No, please, please, you go first.'"
Ely adds, "We've always been close, but now I think that we all realize that this is something that is really special. There are very few people who have remained as close as we have, especially in the music world. There are cases out there where brothers won't even talk to each other because they've been in the music business together. We consider this a real precious thing."
"For it to still be as much fun as it was in the beginning, I feel blessed," says Gilmore. "A lot of musicians don't get that luxury."
Copied and pasted from http://newwestrecords.com/theflatlanders.php
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The Flatlanders Lyrics
After The Storm I walked out on the levee to watch the river…
All You Are Love It might not mean much to you babe But it means…
Bhagavan Decreed Trains cannot defeat me when I'm stoned little darling Stick…
Blue Wind Blew Well, the blue wind′s blown my dreams away My true love's…
Borderless Love Walking the line between pleasure and pain Biding my time be…
Cry For Freedom Well my old friend, is this how you cry for…
Dallas Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night? Well…
Deep Eddy Blues Deep eddy blues... not much to lose Time on my hands...…
Down In My Hometown Down in my hometown there is a fortune They used call…
Down In The Light Of The Melon Moon Woody walked out of the cotton field In his head he…
Down On Filbert Up on the Double Divide Down on Filberts Rise I chanced to…
Free The Wind You move the wind, you move the water You move the…
Give My Love to Rose I found him by the railroad track this morning I could…
Going Away Is that the moon I see Over there in the west? Or…
Homeland Refugee With a backpack full of yesterdays On a freeway full of…
I Tonight I think I'm gonna go downtown. Tonight I think I'm…
I Don't Blame You I have been a wayward lover and I'm sorry For I…
I Thought The Wreck Was Over [Chorus] I thought the wreck was over I thought the fire was…
Indian Cowboy If you ever go out to the circus Where the…
Jole Blon (Traditional) Jole Blon, Louisiana On the bayou in the m…
Julia Sundogs barkin', barkin' round my dreams Three ring circus r…
Just About Time Everybody's saying it's just about time But it's partly abo…
Keeper Of The Mountain (Al Strehli) I remember you a-tellin' me don't clutch you…
Long Time Gone You cheated me and left me lonely I tried to be…
Love Oh Love Please Come Home As you read this letter that I write to you Sweetheart…
Love's Own Chains My mind can't rest, I await the day I turn and…
Mama Does the Kangaroo Everybody dancin' on a Saturday night Mama and Papa got it…
Midnight Train That midnight tram is a long and a slow one The…
Moanin' of the Midnight Train Sweetheart, your heart is loaded down with useless burdens a…
Mobile Blues Headed south to work a pipeline Make some cash while in…
My Wildest Dreams My Wildest Dreams Grow Wilder Every Day There's nothing I ca…
My Wildest Dreams Grow Wilder My Wildest Dreams Grow Wilder Every Day There's nothing I c…
My Wildest Dreams Grow Wilder Every Day My Wildest Dreams Grow Wilder Every Day There's nothing I ca…
No Way I I don't need no rear view mirror to show me Where…
Now It's Now Again Remember when we used to be here now Livin' in the…
Now Its Now Again Remember when we used to be here now Livin' in the…
Once Followed By The Wind Once followed by the wind Once led astray by strangers from…
One Day At A Time (Willie Nelson) (Chorus) I live one day at a time I dre…
One Road More Well my old shoes are layin' on the floor 'cause…
Pay The Alligator Sheriff pulled me over and he started his jive In a…
Ramblin' Man Well I'm your Ramblin' Man and I can lift your…
Right Where I Belong Now that I Know everything that I know is wrong Am…
Rose From The Mountain Well she's my Rose from the mountain where I come…
Satin Shoes If your headed down to the river Be sure to catchup…
Shadow Of The Moon Oh it may take a lifetime darling, or it may…
She Belongs to Me She's got everything she needs, she's an artist She don't lo…
She Had Everything (Butch Hancock) (Chorus) She had money, she had time Sh…
She Smiles Like A River Well she smiles just like a river Rolling softly to the…
Sittin' On top Of The World Was in the spring, one sunny day My sweetheart left me Lord,…
Snowin' On Raton When the wind don't blow in amarillo And the moon along…
South Wind Of Summer When the South Wind of Summer sings thru the trees And…
Sowing On The Mountain [Chorus] Sowing on the mountain, reaping in the valley Sowin…
Stars In My Life The stars in my life will shine like sunshine If only…
Thank God For The Road There's the sky, here's the earth This is the road for…
The Ballad of Honest Sam There never was a bad man in the movies Who could…
The Heart You Left Behind You told me that this time you are leavin' To beg…
The South Wind of Summer When the South Wind of Summer sings thru the trees And…
The Stars In My Life The stars in my life will shine like sunshine If only…
The Way We Are Every night you and I catch a wandering eye We stand…
There's Never Been There's never been a story told That no one would believe …
Tonight I Think I Tonight I think I'm gonna go downtown. Tonight I think I'm…
Tonight I'm Gonna Go Downtown Tonight I think I'm gonna go downtown. Tonight I think I'm…
Treasure of Love I got a pocket full of pennies But a heart full…
Wavin' My Heart Goodbye Standing in the station I got no destination I'm waving my…
Wishin' For You That midnight tram is a long and a slow one The…
Wishing For A Rainbow Standing at a crossroad in the rain I been here before,…
Yesterday Was Judgement Day Yesterday was judgment day how'd you do How did you do…
Yesterday was Judgment Day Yesterday was judgment day how'd you do How did you do…
You Make It Look Easy Shattered and scattered to the four wild winds My angels and…
You've Never Seen Me Cry The windmills and the water tanks all stand on solid…