MAY 8, 2012



• Paul Thorn's brand new album hits the streets today, and on this project he tries something fun and different: covering songs he loves by other songwriters. "I wanted to take a break from myself, do something different, and just have fun." It's an album of covers, but it's also a Paul Thorn album through and through.

Tune in tonight for a special webcast in which Paul plays and discusses tracks from his new album What The Hell Is Goin' On? and you can join in the conversation via Twitter and online chat. This all takes place on the Stageit website on release day, today, May 8th, at 7:00p CDT.

You will be able to ask questions and make comments during the show via Twitter (@pimpspreachers) and live chat on the Stageit site. The cost is $5.00 and proceeds go to benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. It's an interactive PT experience, and it's for a good cause. Go to Paul Thorn's Website and follow the link.


• Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records announced today the release of Last Of A Dying Breed from Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band’s first studio album since the September 29, 2009 release of God & Guns which debuted at #18 on the Billboard Top 20 and gave the band their highest debut since 1977.  Last Of A Dying Breed reunites the band with producer Bob Marlette who produced God & Guns.

“It was great to get back in the studio with Bob for this new album,” said Gary Rossington “we kind of went back old school this time.  All of us playing together in the studio as a band, tracking songs and creating licks.  We had a lot of fun and the music really flowed for us, so that’s when you know you are on to something good.  We can’t wait to let the fans hear these songs and play ‘em live.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd also has a new bass player, Johnny Colt, an original member of the Black Crowes who has also played with Train and Rockstar Supernova.  When asked about receiving a phone call from Rickey Medlocke on behalf of Lynyrd Skynyrd to join the band, Johnny said, “What else do you say to Medlocke, Rossington and Van Zant? We’re talking southern rock royalty.  We’re talking Lynyrd Skynyrd. The only thing out of my mouth was when and where!”


• When Jim Dickinson died on August 15, 2009 at the age of 67, his hometown paper, The Memphis Commercial Appeal ran a lengthy, appreciative obituary chronicling his many achievements and credits.  The lead read “The North Mississippi Allstars have lost their father, Bob Dylan has lost a ‘brother, rock and roll has lost one of its great cult heroes and Memphis has lost a musical icon with the death of Jim Dickinson.”

His work in the studio with the likes of Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Big Star, the Replacements, Ry Cooder and others had consistently put him in the front ranks of recording studio “go to” guys, not only in Memphis but in Muscle Shoals and Miami, as well. His own recording career was something else entirely.

His music was powerful, a driving force, marked by explosive spontaneity, it was an outlet for a creative spirit who found inspiration in the artists with whom he worked as well as those who had influenced him early on. Son Luther Dickinson writes in his poignant liner notes, “Nobody could rock as hard as he could.”   Yet, for the first fifty or so years of his life, Jim Dickson -- as James Luther Dickinson, his recording artist alter ego -- recorded sporadically and NEVER for the same label twice.

This all changed early in the new century with the release of Jungle Jim & The Voodoo Tiger, the elder Dickinson’s album debut for Memphis International Records.  It was followed, in fairly rapid succession, with the release of Killers From Space and Dinosaurs Walk In Circles.  Now, despite the fact that he’s departed this mortal coil, comes a fourth for the label, the aptly titled I’m Just Dead, I’m Not Gone.  It’s Dickinson’s fourth album for the label and set for release on CD, LP and digitally on July 3rd.

It was on Friday, June 2, 2006 that Dickinson took to the stage of the New Daisy Theater on historic Beale Street for a rare and much anticipated show date.  Backed by the aforementioned North Mississippi All Stars, sons Luther on guitar and vocals and Cody on bass and vocals along with de facto/honorary son Chris Chew on bass plus session jack-of-all-tracks Jimmy Davis on guitar and vocals.  Front and center on piano and lead vocals was James Luther Dickson who commanded the stage for a rollicking set, the cream of which comprises  I’m Just Dead, I’m Not Gone.

-Buffalo

Talk about the end of an era. When George Lindsey passed away early this morning (May 6, 2012) at the age of 83, the world lost one of it's great southern actor/comedians.

Lindsey was best known for his character Goober Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show from 1964 to 1968 and its successor, Mayberry RFD, from 1968 to 1971. He played the same character — a service station attendant — on Hee Haw from 1971 until it went out of production in 1993. He also did many comedy tours and private engagements as the lovable dim-witted character.

Lindsey told The Associated Press in 1985 that "America has grown up with me. Goober is every man; everyone finds something to like about ol' Goober."

Back in 2002, Bill Jarnigan  at The University of North Alabama invited me down for The George Lindsey Film Festival. Just prior to the trip, we published our first print issue of my old magazine GRITZ, and in it I featured an interview I had conducted with George. Of course, meeting and talking to him and handing him the magazine down at the school was quite a thrill. I will never forget meeting Lindsey, his hilarious presentation to the crowd, along with rare film clips, and the general good time that he and Bill delivered, along with the special guest that year, Mike Curb. As I recall, it was also my first meeting with the infamous "Leaning Man," Funky Donnie Fritts, as well as with film maker Tonya Holly. Great memories.

Check out my interview with George from 2002 here.

We'll miss you Goober, but you will live forever in one of the most popular and continuous running television shows of all time.

Funeral arrangements are still being made.

-Buffalo

Back by popular demand, here are the Top Ten spins of the week here in the palatial offices of Universal Music Tribe, just down the hall from the UMT Radio studio. Remember, the albums don’t necessarily have to be new, they just have to have that certain “thing” that makes a Buffalo smile.


1. Kara Clark  Southern Hospitality
    Nashville by way of West Virginia singer/songwriter Kara Clark is one of the most original, unique artists to be seen on a Nashville stage lately. She may have single handedly invented a
   new sub-genre, “Gothic Outlaw Country.”

2. Unknown Hinson  Live & Undead
    The King! I would explain, but I ain’t got time for that mess!

3. Hank Williams III   Long Gone Daddy
    III pays tribute to his grandfather in a big way. For those of you who have seen Hank III play, this album has none of his head banging power punk, it’ straight up old school country & western, including a few tunes written by the original Hank.

4. Thomas Wynn & The Believers  Brothers  Sisters
    I can’t manage to move this one out of my Top Ten. Just listen to Thomas and Olivia and the band and you’ll see why.

5. Chuck Foster    Gettin’ Back To Livin’
    The Old Union keyboard man and singer goes country, with a little help from Bonnie Bramlett and other Nashville talents.

6. The Beatles  Rubber Soul
    My favorite Beatles record changes almost daily, but I have really been diggin’ on Rubber Soul this week.

7. Stevie Hawkins  What The Funk?
    I’m not about to run down this Atlanta drummer/singer’s resume. Just Google it. His new album features some of the greatest funk and r&b musicians of all time, and it is as funky as last weeks dirty socks. Man, I haven’t heard funk like this since the seventies.

8. Kate Bush  50 Words for Snow
    Perhaps Kate's moodiest album to date, and one of my favorites. Haunting. And perfect for playing while I write.

9. David Bowie   Hunky Dory
    Probably my all time favorite album from Bowie.

10. Bob Dylan    Biograph
     I have so much Dylan in my collection it ain’t even funny, yet I always seem to bull out the boxed set. It flows baby.

That’s it for now. Happy listening.  Buffalo

Honestly, I had not been to a rasslin’ match since the 1980s when my buddy The Weasel and I used to go darn near every Monday night to Greenville Memorial Auditorium for the matches. Bell time, 8:15 PM. I used to love going to those matches and seeing all the larger than life wrestlers like Nature Boy Ric Flair, Blackjack Mulligan, Ox Baker, Ricky Steamboat and the biggest of them all, the late great Andre the Giant.

I knew that my old friend from many years ago had become a wrestler, and was doing it on a regional level for many years, but when I was married and living in Greenville, getting down here to Spartanburg for a nighttime wrestling event proved to be nearly impossible. But things change, and now I am living here in Sparkle City, and my room mate pal Tim and I traveled across town last Saturday night to the American Coliseum for American Pro Wrestling, mostly to see our friend “Beautiful Bobby Diamond” in action.

I had no idea it would be so much fun. When we got there, a band was playing classic and southern rock songs, and as fate would have it, they started playing “Can’t You See” the minute we sat down. And to make it even better, they followed that one up with Toy Caldwell’s solo tune “Midnight Promises.” Truth is, they weren’t half bad.

The American Coliseum is not really the size of a coliseum. More the size of a mid-size bar. Only difference is, this isn’t a bar like atmosphere. Their wrestling shows are family friendly events. I enjoyed watching the kids getting into the ring action.

Speaking of fans, there were a few that I assume are regulars, one of which was a lady who yelled at the heels (bad guys) from beginning to end.

I have to say, they give you a lot of entertainment for the reasonable cover charge of ten bucks. It was loads of fun. Just like in the days of Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, these folks are doing it “old school.” I felt like it was 1979 again. Heels coming out onto the stage- I mean ring- and talking junk and getting into it with outspoken fans.

Now there’s no way I can remember the names of all the rasslers we saw. I do remember Chief J. Eagle, a great, loud mouth baddie that, judging by the tons of posters on the walls, is one of their biggest stars. And there was a young wrestler that seemed to be adored by the crowd named Dusty Money. I know, I didn’t get the name either, but he did well. There was a tag team called The Brigade, and just a whole lot of others.

At one point, two of the wrestlers got into an unplanned (yeah, right) scuffle and all of the wrestlers and referees came running out from the dressing rooms to help pull the two off of one another. Well, at least for the moment.

Finally the time came to see my buddy Bobby “Diamond” in action, teaming up with a guy called The Rebel Kid, complete with confederate flags sewn onto his long red pants. It was a fun match. I forget the name of the heels they wrestled against, but in the end, Bobby and the Kid lost the match. Hey, even the best lose once in a while, right?

When I left after over three hours of fun, I vowed to return soon, and let my inner redneck run loose again. Just too much fun.

- Buffalo