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.