Mixtape: High Cotton

It took 52 tries, but at last I've managed to cobble together a country music mix for you. All of it's from the '50s, '60s and '70s, aided and abetted by a treasure trove of back issues of Billboard magazine in PDF format that I stumbled across. It's semi-chronological and full of heat. No real strategy, except for shooting for lesser-known lights (Barkdull! Sargeants! Burgess!) and unusual stories. You know, like the guy who anthropomorphizes his gal into a used car, or the trucker whose pinball obsession has disastrous consequences. Also a couple songs about Jesus, two songs about chickens (which is a modest amount considering how many I found), at least one ode to impotence, and two songs that mention sardines. Have fun with this nearly two-hour blast through Nashville. 'Cause if you don't somebody else will.

Tracklist:
Grand Ole Opry Intro
Tex Daniels & his Lazy H Ranch Boys - Bumbelty Jag
Kenny Roberts - Hillbilly Style
Little Jimmy Dickens - The Galvanized Washing Tub
Gene O'Quin - No Parking Here
Wiley Barkdull - I Ain't Gonna Waste My Time
Mimi Roman - I'm Ready If You're Willin'
Goldie Hill - Ain't Gonna Wash My Face
Al Terry - Let's Postpone Our Wedding
Maddox Brothers & Rose - Wild Wild Young Men
Skeets McDonald - Your Love Is Like a Faucet
Big Bill Lister - Gimme an R.C. Cola and a Moon Pie
Don Reno & Red Smiley - I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map
Jim Nesbitt - Phone Call from the Devil
Wanda Jackson & Billy Gray - If You Don't, Somebody Else Will
Norma Jean - I'm a Walkin' Advertisement (For the Blues)
Del Reeves - Gettin' Any Feed for Your Chickens
Connie Smith - I Can Stand It (As Long as You Can)
Lonnie Irving - Pinball Machine
Wilma Burgess - As Usual
Joanna Neel - Daddy Was a Preacher But Mama Was a Go-Go Girl
Porter Wagoner - George Leroy Chickashea
Roger Miller - Studio Soundbite + Pardon This Coffin
Jeannie C. Riley - The Back Side of Dallas
Johnny Paycheck - Motel Time Again
Johnny Seay - Three Six Packs, Two Arms and a Jukebox
Johnny Cash on Hee Haw
Bobby Harden - Hit in the Head With a Nite Club
Greg Allen - Gearjammers Helper
Nat Stuckey - My Can Do Can't Keep Up With My Want To
Charlie Walker - I Wouldn't Take Her to a Dog Fight
Waylon Jennings - Lonesome, On'ry and Mean
Margie Singleton - Jesus Is My Pusher
Leroy Van Dyke - Who's Gonna Run the Truck Stop in Tuba City When I'm Gone
Billy Mize - Lucky Strike In San Antone
Stonewall Jackson - Herman Schwartz
Jerry Clower - The Last Piece of Chicken
Wynn Stewart - Love Ain't Worth a Dime Unless It's Free
LaWanda Lindsey - Wrong Number
Joe Stampley - If You've Got Ten Minutes (Let's Fall In Love)
Gary Sargeants - Red Hot Memories
Katy Moffatt - I Can Almost See Houston From Here
Townes Van Zandt - Pancho and Lefty
John Anderson - Wild and Blue
Johnny Cash - Chicken in Black
Sterling Blythe - Headin' for the Last Round-Up

Original photo by Willam Eggleston.