May 2009

Rolling Stone Interview - Bob Dylan's America by Douglas Brinkley

    I ask whether, as a bandleader, Dylan had ever played a set with the perfect guitarist. Dylan jumps at the opportunity to answer rather reminiscently. "The guy that I always miss, and I think he'd still be around if he stayed with me, actually, was Mike Bloomfield," Dylan says of his collaborator on Highway 61 Revisited (who also famously played electric guitar with him at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965). "He could just flat-out play. He had so much soul. And he knew all the styles, and he could play them so incredibly well. He was an expert player and a real prodigy, too. Started playing early. But then again a lot of good guitarists have played with me. Freddy Tackett, Steve Ripley - Mick Taylor played with me for a minute." Full of memory lane, Dylan goes on to tell a story about first meeting Bloomfield in Chicago at a headhunt on the South Side. A social misfit, Bloomfield was the rare white guitarist who had recorded with the likes of Sleepy John Estes and Big Joe Williams. "He could play like Willie Brown or Charlie Patton," Dylan says. "He could play like Robert Johnson way back then in the Sixties. The only other guy who could do that in those days was Brian Jones, who played in the Rolling Stones. He could also do the same thing. Fingerpicking rhythms that hardly anyone could do. Those are the only two guys I've ever met who could...from back then...the only two guys who could play the pure style of country blues authentically."

Finally finished production on the first “episode” of the new radio show called Oklahoma Rock and Roll. It took about two weeks of long hours – by both me and Charlene. Charlene is doing the research. It would be nice to have a staff of 4 or 5 people, but for now it’s just us. I think it’s a good show. Oklahoma has a rich musical history, so there’s a nice variety.

A PARTIAL LIST (with working show or segment titles):
Leon Russell: Don’t Ever Take A Bus To California (The Wrecking Crew, Gary Lewis, Delaney and Bonnie, Joe Cocker, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton)
J.J. Cale
Jazz and Blues (Charlie Christian, Oklahoma City Blue Devils, Jay McShann, Lowell Fulson)
Made In Oklahoma (Jim Edgar and The Roadrunners, The Disciples, Jimmy Markham, etc.)
Rockabilly – Oklahoma Style (Wanda Jackson, The Collins Kids, Big Al Downing, Conway Twitty)
Lee Hazlewood: These Rebel Rouser Boots Are Made For Walking (Duane Eddy, Nancy Sinatra)
Western Swing (Bob and Johnnie Lee Wills, Spade Cooley, Speedy West)
L.A. Power Pop – Okies at Madam Wong’s (Moon Martin, 20/20, Dwight Twilley)
The Keltner Connection (Leon, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, John Lennon, George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, on and on…)

To quote me:

“We’re gonna take a look at not just rock and roll in Oklahoma, but the roots of rock and roll, and we’re gonna follow those roots wherever they take us and let them tell us how we got to this place today… how we got to this thing we call Oklahoma Rock and Roll. As the weeks go by, we’re gonna try to dig deep into the details of the music, and the artists and the musicians that made that music, and how it all ties together. But for the first couple of shows, what I want to do is to try to present the overall picture. I think you’ll find some surprises, and I think at times – I hope at times – you’re gonna be stunned just like we have been each time we find that extra special thing, and that direct link to Oklahoma.”

The first two shows, “Home Sweet Oklahoma” (parts 1 and 2), are basically an Oklahoma Music Revue, with the aim of trying to paint the big picture, and also set the stage for what lies ahead in the weeks and shows to come.

Covered in the first shows, and featured in more detail on future shows, are what might seem obvious: Leon Russell, J.J. Cale, and the whole Tulsa culture of musicians with direct links to people like Dylan, Clapton, Joe Cocker and the Mad Dogs and Englishmen; Wanda Jackson, The Collins Kids, and rockabilly (Oklahoma style); Moon Martin, Dwight Twilly, and 20/20 – the LA Power Pop scene. But we’re also taking a good look (and listen) to the early roots players and bands that changed music around the world: Charlie Christian, blues man extraordinaire Lowell Fulson, the Oklahoma City Blue Devisl, and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. As with any adventure, there are surprises… like the probable first ever Rhythm and Blues record – a smash hit in 1945 by a piano player and singer from Guthrie.

The picture starts to emerge of an art form that owes its heart to a mixture of hillbilly, gospel, blues, rhythm & blues, and jazz. Intertwined with all of that are the Native American and African American cultures. This is America’s music – Oklahoma Rock and Roll.

“Don’t forget… Family is what’s important. Tell your mama you love her. Kiss your babies. We’re all in this together. Bye bye kids…”

from → Radio Show

Charlene and I have moved to the farm where I grew up in Pawnee County. This video shows the beginning of the conversion of a little “barn” to the new studio.

We finished the mixes for the new Red Dirt Rangers record today. Now, the tapes go off to mastering, and then the birth of the long awaited new Rangers CD: Ranger Motel. We've been working in a temporary space that will eventually be the guitar shop after phase one of the new studio is finished. Building progress has been slow because of the weather, but I'm optomistic about getting back at it in the next week or two. And that's something... I'm very seldom optomistic about anything! Cheers... 

December 13, 2006

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Oklahoma! First of all, there's a steady stream of orders for the Tractors Christmas records. We're getting to all of them as fast as we can. If you're still thinking of ordering, please hurry. We've run out once already, but managed to get another shipment in. I'm not sure how long those will last. Also, you can download The Santa Claus Boogie music video on iTunes.

After nineteen years, we have sold The Church in Tulsa. Any sadness is more than cancelled out by the excitement about the move to "The Farm" and the new studio we're building there. I can hardly wait until new recording starts at the studio in the woods. Farm Music!

Though all projects were temporarily set aside while we concentrated on the daunting task of the sale of the building and the big move of the equipment, I'm happy to report that a new Tractors record is finished and waiting for release sometime early next year. The album features songs and performances by the two Tractors big brothers: J.J. Cale and Leon Russell. Cale keeps saying it's the best Tractors record ever.

Merry Christmas from Pawnee County! 

Steve Ripley

Our good friends, The Red Dirt Rangers, are in the studio making a new record. This will likely be the last album we make here. After the Rangers record, we a pulling the plug on The Church Studio. We've been here for over eighteen years. We are selling the building and our wonderful vintage Neve console. We are going to build a studio in the woods at the farm. End of an era, but the beginning of a new one.

The legendary Augie Meyers was here for a few days as a guest of the Red Dirt Rangers to play accordion, B3, and of course, THE VOX ORGAN. Augie was a founding member of two iconic bands: The Sir Douglas Quintet and The Texas Tornados. He played great and mesmerized us all. We're having a great time making some excellent music.

Stay tuned,

Steve Ripley

THE KIDS RECORD 

Hey Kids! Guess what? Big doin’s here in Tractor Land. The long-awaited, much-anticipated, Tractors kids CD is finally available! 

This is something I have wanted to do ever since my own kids, Elvis and Angelene, were little 20+ years ago. As a matter of fact, the song I made up and sang to them when they were small is included on the new CD. It’s called “Spin Around When They Dance.” They ran/jumped/danced around the house in a very crazed fashion, acting out the lyrics and screaming until their faces turned red. 

Also included are versions of “This Old Man,” “The Wheels On The Bus,” and “Old MacDonald Had A Farm.” Our favorite kids songs with the unmistakable, undeniable, non-duplicatable, quite-remarkable Tractors groove. And you ain’t heard nothin’ like Uncle Steve singin’ “E-I-E-I-O” and makin’ farm-animal noises! This is a limited pre-release version. Santa says this is the best thing since Yo-Yos and Hula Hoops. 

Keep your chickens warm,

Uncle Steve & The Tractors

Well, it’s been over a year since last posting some news.  Yikes!  We’ll try to do better.

So, first things first...  The new Tractors record is finally finished.  We’re excited.  Songwriting, playing, and singing by both Leon Russell and J.J. Cale.  Official release will be February/March of 2006, but we may make some pre-release copies available through the website in October.  We will let the fan club members know with a special email.  If you haven’t joined the fan club, now would be a good time.  Also, we are about to make the Tractors Kids Record available on a limited basis.

On a personal note, Charlene and I have moved to the farm where I grew up, by Pawnee, Oklahoma.  We love it (though it takes an hour to drive to the studio).  

Stay tuned,

Early morning notes:

Fats Kaplin and his wife Kristi Rose were in town for a week. Fats indeed played everything in sight—Pedal steel guitar, Fender non-pedal steel, mandolin, bottle-neck guitars, keyboard and button accordions, acoustic slide, and of course, fiddle. As always, he filled the studio with genius noises. We never fail to have a great time when Fats and Kristi Rose hit Tulsa. Lots of wonderful late-night dinners where the red wine gently flows. 

And then... A record wind-storm hit Tulsa, and we were without power for 4 days. That put a big hole in the recording. Even though we had power for the regular stuff at the studio, the air-conditioners didn’t work, and the equipment was in danger of overheating, so we had to leave it off most of the time. Things are back on track now. I’ve started doing my “real” vocals. Singing my heart out so-to-speak. Casey will also be in this week to play bass and sing. Bud Deal and Mike Panno are flying in from California in 2 weeks to play some horns. Very exciting.

For those of you who get ESPN2, I’m singing the theme on a show about dog-training called K9 Nation. My good friend, Scott Mathews, wrote the song and played all of the instruments (what a handy guy). We’re going to put the show “open” up on the website this week. Watch for that. Also, I re-wrote a verse from a song called “Chicken Covers” which is on The Kids Record. A wonderful character named Woody is the dog trainer host of the show. I worked in a little of his philosophy, along with the names of the 5 dog “contestants.” I really just did it for fun (and for Woody) on one of those days when the air conditioner wasn’t working. You can listen to it on the "Work In Progress" page on the Tractors home page.

Cheers,

Steve Ripley

May 19, 2004
Latest Tractors album coming soon! 

Things are going well with the recording of the new Tractors record.  It will be the first mainstream studio Tractors album since the Fast Girl CD in 2001.  Leon Russell wrote one song for the record called “Good Old Days,” and co-wrote another with me called “Up Jumped The Boogie.”  He plays piano and sings on those two songs.  J.J. Cale also contributed a new song for the record called “Rhythm Bone.”  He sings and plays on that one.  Fats Kaplin and his wife Kristi Rose arrive this evening from Nashville.  Fats will be playing everything in sight—several kinds of steel guitars, fiddle, accordions, harmonicas, mandolin, slide guitar, banjo, and maybe the kitchen sink.  The Tractors kids record, now titled “The Kids Record aka Chicken Covers,” is finished and waiting for a release date...hopefully in October.  We haven’t been hearing from you enough lately.  Send us an email and say howdy.

Best to all,