From the Vault...

12/08/2019
#1702

info
Red Foley
"Chattanoogie
Shoeshine Boy"

© Living Era Records

Year of Release: 2002

Rating:

track listing
  • Chattanoogie
    Shoeshine Boy
  • Sugarfoot Rag
  • Smoke On The Water
  • Hang Your Head
    In Shame
  • Shame Shame On You
  • Harriet
  • Old Shep
  • Have I Told You
    Lately That
    I Love You
  • New Jolie Blonde
    (New Pretty Blonde)
  • Tennessee
    Saturday Night
  • Never Trust A Woman
  • Blues In My Heart
  • Tennessee Border
  • Candy Kisses
  • Tennessee Polka
  • Sunday Down
    In Tennessee
  • Don't Be Ashamed
    Of Your Age
  • Steal Away
  • Birmingham Bounce
  • Just A Closer Walk
    With Thee
  • M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I
  • Midnight
  • Alabama Jubliee
  • Peace In The Valley
  • Goodnight Irene

  • WSVNRadio Archives
    A B C D E F G H I J K L M
    N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    Red Foley related sites:
    Red Foley Website
    Wikipedia
    Previous Review: #1701
    Revolution #9--Standing In Your City
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    Jimi Hendrix Experience--The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Box Set)
    Red Foley
    "Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy"



    Before Hank Williams Sr, and Waylon & Willie, and before Johnny Cash, and before all the other artists that everyone enjoyed from the 1970s, there was Red Foley. He was one of the most popular Country artists in the 1940s/1950s, along with Bob Wills, Tex Ritter, Ernest Tubb, Webb Pierce. Living Era Records has always released amazing compilations of many of the music artists. Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy by Red Foley captures his hits and more, from 1944 to 1950. Foley achieved "Smoke On The Water" (1944), "Shame, Shame On You" (1945), "New Jolie Blonde (New Pretty Blonde)" (1947), "Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy" (1950), "Birmingham Bounce" (1950), "Goodnight Irene" (1950; with Ernest Tubb), "Midnight" (1953).


    Every song is fantastic -- some standouts are songs that would be covered in later decades by other artists: "Old Shep" (Elvis Presley), "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" (Rod Stewart), "Candy Kisses" (George Morgan), "Peace In The Valley" (Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash). "Goodnight Irene" would be famous by Gordon Jenkins. 25 total songs in this compilation, and not one bad one in sight.n If you like "Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy," you'll enjoy "Tennessee Saturday Night"; it has the same kind of melody in style as Foley's #1 hit. "Never Trust A Woman" is a talking song, and reminds me of another great talking song, Tex Williams' "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette." Foley not only was known as a famous Country singer, he covered gospel music. "Steal Away," "Just A Closer Walk With Thee," and "Peace In The Valley" are included here, from the gospel music of Red Foley. ("Old Shep" was another Gospel classic. Elvis Presley had covered it, as Elvis' version is more slow-paced than Foley's version.) One instrument stands out in most of the songs -- the steel guitar.


    Discover Country when it all started -- Red Foley's Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy is a fantastic collection of Country music you really don't hear anymore. In fact, this style of Foley's Country wasn't even heard in the popularity of the 1970s Country. It is way different than Country after the 1970s. This is Country at its finest. Country, with a touch of Gospel. Red Foley's music is a great and wonderful walk down the Country avenue, in a style and sound that was unique, and most likely would not be captured again.


    Red Foley passed away on September 19, 1968, at the young age of 58 years old. At the time of his death, he was performing in two Grand Old Opry shows, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that included Country artist Billy Walker, and 19-year-old Hank Williams, Jr. Hank Jr. noted that Foley was somewhat slower than usual, had no appetite. Before the second show, according to Walker, Foley came to his dressing room and Walker shared his faith in Christ: Foley said, "Do you think God could ever forgive a sinner like me?" He began to tell me all the rotten things he had done in his life, and I looked him in the face and said, "Red, if God can forgive me, He can forgive you." I prayed with Red. He went out, and the last song he sang was "Peace in the Valley." He came over to side of the stage and said, 'Billy, I've never sung that song and feel the way I do tonight.' Foley suffered respiratory failure that night and died in his sleep, prompting Hank Williams, Jr. to write and record (as Luke the Drifter, Jr.) "I Was With Red Foley (The Night He Passed Away"). According to the song, which charted that November, his last words were, "I'm awful tired now, Hank. I've got to go to bed." Foley had sung "Peace in the Valley" at Hank Sr.'s funeral. Foley was interred in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville. (Information taken from Foley's Wikipedia article.)


    Red Foley -- a legend. A Country legend. Country at its finest. Discover how Country music first started. Fantastic music. Long live the music of Red Foley.


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    Previous Review: #1701
    Revolution #9--Standing In Your City
    Next Review: #1703
    Jimi Hendrix Experience--The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Box Set)