deke dickerson Archives - the rockabilly chronicle

Jeremy Wakefield

Published on 5 November 20245 November 2024

Reviews

Jeremy Wakefield – Steel Guitar Caviar!

Eccofonic Records EFCD03
Delaware Drive – Sugar Foot Stomp – Dark Circles – The Red Garter – Taking Off – Hawaii Creeper – Tiny’s Tempo – Mudslide – Hugh’s Blues – Mugsy’s Flop – Penthouse Serenade – I Wish I Were Twins – Blue and Drifting – Steel Guitar Jive

Jeremy Wakefield was called by his peers the “Steel Guitar Wizard,” a nickname he didn’t usurpate. His discography resembles a “Who’s who” of today’s real country music. Just have a look at a few of his collaborations: Dave Stuckey, Deke Dickerson, Wayne Hancock, the Smith’s Ranch Boys, The Hot Club Of Cowtown, without forgetting his own bands: The Lucky Stars and The Bonebrake Syncopators. Sadly, Jeremy Wakefield has kept a very low profile regarding gigging and recordings in recent years. The last album I bought on which he was credited was Charlie Thompson’s Foothill Sessions.

At least we can still continue to explore his discography and be amazed by his prowess. In 2005, he recorded a solo album for Deke Dickerson’s Eccofonic Records, venturing into the jazz fields. For this project, he was helped by many fine musicians from the bands he played with (Russ Blake, DJ Bonebrake, TK Smith). Joey Altruda, Jonathan Stout (Campus Five), Jake Erwin, Whit Smith (Hot Club Of Cowtown), Chris Sprague (Sprague Brothers, Deke Dickerson), and Carl Leyland completed the line-up.

The final result is a mix of Western swing and Bebop with a pinch of Speedy West, and a solid dose of talent everywhere. What makes this album so good is the cohesion. This is not Wakefield AND the band; this is Wakefield WITH the band. Of course, you have plenty of steel guitar, but it never sounds like a sterile demonstration of his skills. The tunes flow effortlessly, giving each and every one a chance to shine.

Listen to Steel Guitar Caviar on Spotify.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Dave and Deke Combo

Published on 3 February 20243 February 2024

Reviews

The Dave and Deke Combo – Moonshine Melodies

No Hit Records – HITCD09 [1993]
Tally Ho – I’m Just Too Lazy – Maybe Baby – You Ain’t As Dumb As You Look – Flipped! – Didn’t It Rock – Salty Boogie – Two Guitars, No Waitin’ – Go Ahead On – Strange Woman’s Love – Warm Lips (Big Trouble) – Show-Me Boogie

Released in 1992, Moonshine Melodies marks the thunderous, smashing debut on long-distance of the Dave and Deke Combo. The group had previously released an eight-track cassette and a highly acclaimed EP (Hey Cuzzin’, already on No Hit Records).
The Dave and Deke Combo formed around Deke Dickerson and Dave Stuckey, joined by Lucky Martin on double bass and initially Bobby Trimble (Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Trio) on drums. The line-up stabilized when Lance Ray Soliday replaced Trimble on drums. Like their EP, this fabulous first album was recorded under the leadership of Wally Hersom, whose work on the first Big Sandy was already exemplary. At less than 28 minutes, with the longest track barely reaching three minutes, it’s a well-executed affair.
The Dave and Deke Combo plays Hillbilly with a strong Rockabilly tinge, with a few boogies (talkin’ or not) thrown in for good measure and a good dose of novelty. The combo maintains the tradition of hillbilly groups such as Rusty and Doug, Jimmie & Johnny, the Farmer Boys (of which they cover I’m Just Too Lazy), etc. Even if Stuckey or Dickerson sing solo on some tracks, the emphasis is on harmonies. Perhaps less evident on record, the Dave and Deke Combo also poses as an heir to artists such as Homer and Jethro, Lonzo and Oscar, or Cousin Jody, bringing a touch of humour to a scene which sometimes tended to take it a little too seriously. And like their illustrious predecessors, this apparent relaxation and humorous approach hides a high level from both a musical and artistic point of view. Even if the album contains a majority of covers (Sparkletones, Tommy Cassell, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jim & Rod), Stuckey and Dickerson prove that they are excellent songwriters whose original songs have no reason to be ashamed of the company of their illustrious elders. Better still, they give the impression of being period pieces because they blend in so well with the selection. We will particularly mention You AIn’t As Dumb As You Look (Dickerson) or Warm Lips (Big Trouble) (Stuckey).
Added to this are their qualities as singers, alone or in harmonies, and musicians. With this album, Dickerson established himself as the heir of the great guitarists of the fifties, Joe Maphis being an obvious inspiration. Stuckey, however, is not to be outdone, as shown in the instrumental Two Guitars No Waitin, on which we hear him strumming on the acoustic guitar opposite Dickerson. The rhythm is also impeccable. Let’s mention Soliday, whose drumming knows how to be discreet. He supports the group subtly and uses his cymbals sparingly, a quality that is too rare among drummers.
With this record, as well as albums by Ronnie Dawson, Big Sandy and the Planet Rockers, No-Hit Records was, for a brief period in music history, the best Rock’n’Roll label in the world.

The Dave and Deke Combo – Hollywood Barn Dance

Heyday Records [1996]
Let’s Flat Get On It – Snatchin’ And Grabbin’ – Right Behind Me – Let Go Of Louie – El Cumbanchero – Cut Out That Boogie – Did Anybody Mention My Name? – No Good Woman – Hitch In My Get-A-Long – Two Timin’ Mama – Slippin’ And Slidin’ (And Scootin’ Around) – Henpecked Peckerwood – Goin’ Steady With The Blues – Deke’s Hot Guitar – Half Shot Boogie – Baby’s Hot Rod – Wild Woman – Chrome Dome

Three years after their remarkable debut album, the Dave & Deke Combo returns with a new double bassist (Shorty Poole) and a new album on a new label (Heyday Records, responsible for the compilation Pushin’ the Norton on which we find, in addition to Dave and Deke Combo, Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys, Jeff Bright, Russell Scott, etc.).
Tim Maag, who briefly played in the Cramps under the name Touch Hazard, came to lend a hand to Wally Hersom for the recording. The album sounds more like an extension than a companion to Moonshine Melodies. The sound is slightly cleaner (I said slightly). One can feel that the group has evolved. Artistically, Deke has progressed further (if that were even possible). This is obvious in the instrumental El Cumbachero or on Deke’s Hot Guitar, which sees him imitating the different guitarists at Stuckey’s call. But even more, his style has freed itself, and his inventive riffs are more present.
Furthermore, the group dynamic seems different. It’s almost invisible at times, but if Moonshine Melodies gave the impression of a collective effort, the differences leading the group to separate shortly after begin to appear on Hollywood Barn Dance. In other words, although the album includes moments of symbiosis like on Moonshine Melodies (Let’s Flat Get On It, Going Steady With The Blues, Deke’s Hot Guitar, or the Ray Campi cover Let Go Of Louie), the personalities of the two leaders assert themselves. Stuckey, who takes the lion’s share in terms of songwriting, tries to keep the group in a traditional line, while Dickerson leads the group towards Rock’n’roll with his guitar and some of his compositions (No God Woman) and relative modernity.
I don’t mean Hollywood Barn Dance is less good than Moonshine Melodies; it’s just partially different. If it weren’t so cliché, I would say it is more mature, and each of the two singers has found their way. The group broke up shortly after. Dickerson continued to explore a more Rock’n’roll vein, and Stuckey recorded a Western Swing album that remains to this day unmatched by any contemporary group (apart perhaps from the Lucky Stars, for whom he plays drums). Then, he formed his own traditional Jazz group. In the end, we can say that this separation will have been more than positive.

The Dave and Deke Combo – There’s Nothing Like An Old Hillbilly

Bucket Lid Records BL503
No More Cryin’ the Blues – Hey Mae Laurie Ann – Red Headed Woman – Moonshine – This Is It – Let’s Rock Tonight – Hey Baby – Alamo – Love Me – Let’s Take a Little Ride Sweet Rockin’ Mama – Lookin’ for Money – I’m Gonna Tell – Laughin’ and Jokin’ – Carryin’ On – Real Cool Rocket – The Stranger Walks – Chew Tobacco Rag – Twin Guitar Twist – Muskrat – In the Meadow

Although the Dave & Deke Combo split gave us two great solo artists (as a bonus, it also gave us a fantastic drummer), sometimes we missed the Combo, its harmonies, and its humour. So when reunion gigs were announced, everyone knew it would be one of the major events of 2005. The first gigs in Vegas and Oneida were a huge success. To celebrate this reunion, the band released a rarities CD.
Tracks 1 to 6 allow us to hear the Combo with Bobby Trimble on drums. These tunes come from their first 8 track demo. One can find the other two songs on the CD version of Hollywood Barn Dance. You’ll also find live cuts, unreleased songs from the Moonshine Melodies and Toerag studios sessions, and rare-to-find songs recorded for Roger Corman. I won’t go into more detail as the liner notes explain everything. It’s interesting to see that a lot of these songs are still in Deke Dickerson’s repertoire today, like “Red Headed Woman”, “Love Me” (not The Phantom’s One) or “Lookin’ for Money”. And the icing on the cake is that you’ve got a brand new recording by the band. Elvis’ In the Ghetto is given the Homer & Jethro treatment and renamed “In the Meadow”. It’s probably one of the best songs the Combo ever produced.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Dave Stuckey’s website

Dave Stuckey and the Dave and Deke Combo on bandcamp

Deke Dickerson’s website

The Dave and Deke Combo (Moonshine Melodies line-up)

The Dave and Deke Combo (Hollywood Barn Dance line-up)

Kyle Eldridge

Published on 19 January 2024

Reviews

Kyle Eldridge – Spooky Moon

Swelltune Records – SR45-010 [2022]
Spooky Moon / Star Struck

Excellent double-sider from the Wizard of the Strings: Kyle Eldridge.
Spooky Moon, a superb mid-tempo country tune with a fiddle, perfectly suits Eldridge’s nasal tone, akin to Gene O’Quin. The flip, Star Struck, is an instrumental tune in the Joe Maphis tradition: virtuosity, energy, tuneful skill and dexterity, and precision, served by a clean and crisp guitar sound.
Stunning! It’s incredible the amount of talent you can put in such a tiny piece of vinyl.

Buy it here or here.

Jimmy Dale Richardson

Published on 30 July 202130 July 2021

Reviews

Jimmy Dale Richardson -‘58 Buick

Fun-Guy Records – FG 5907 [2021]
‘58 Buick / She’s Wild

Though I enjoy sitting comfortably in a armchair and listening to twelve songs in a row, there’s no such pleasure as putting an exciting rock’n’roll single on the turntable, watch it spin and bop in the same time.
Jimmy Dale Richardson, whose previous release on Fun-Guy records (James Heath’s label) blew me away, is back with a killer double-sider, this time with the Reverend Horton Heat as a backing band. The A-side is everything that Rock’n’roll should be: imagine a Chuck Berry rocker led by a Johnnie Johnson piano with hints of Jerry Lee mixed with a good dose of Ronnie Dawson. This kind of mid-tempo is perfect for his voice.
The flip side is titled “She’s Wild”, and is, not surprisingly, a frantic rocker, more in the style of the late great Little Richard.

Jimmy Dale – Dallas Barbershop Sessions

Fun Guy Records – FG-5905 [2019]
Side A: Riverside Jump – Don’t Come Back Knockin’ – Three Alley Cats
Side B: Diggin’ the Boogie – Love Me – Go Go Go

Even though these recordings took place in 1998, they only see the light of the day recently on Fun-Guy records, the Reverend Horton Heat’s label.

Here’s the story. In 1998, Jimmy Dale Richarson, Nick Curran, and Jake Erwin (who were both in Kim Lenz’s Jaguars) decided to record one of their rehearsals. The recording was made like in the good old days, live in the same room with one microphone. With two guitars and one double-bass, this is stripped down and traditional Rockabilly. And the result is impressive. One of the best Rockabilly records I’ve heard in ages and by far my favorite of 2019. This is everything this music should be: raw, threatening, exciting, energic, mean and melodic. One of the best thing that I can say about this album is that it could have easily been released on the late Willie Lewis‘ Rock-A-Billy Records.

There’s no surprise in the setlist, and the songs are well-known to the Rockabilly fans, but the way this trio plays them is so fresh that you’d never believe these are covers.

Deke Dickerson and James Heath have mastered the whole thing (Woah! that makes a lot of talents for one single record), and the pressing is limited to 500, so hurry while it lasts, you couldn’t tell I didn’t warn you.

Available at Fun-Guy Records

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Willie Barry

Published on 28 May 202128 May 2021

Reviews

Willie Barry & the California Hot Shots – The Wallyphonic Sessions

Self Released [2020]

Hillbilly Fever – What Am I Worth – Mean Mama Boogie – Who Shot Sam – One Wheel Draggin – A Night For Love – Kiss Me Sweet – You Better Treat Your Man Right – Three’s a Crowd – Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own – One Minute To One – Island of Love – Last Town I Painted – Milkshake Mademoiselle – Don’t Go Baby – Sweet Sweet Girl

Willie Barry is the singer of the Rock-A-Sonics, an excellent band from the Washington, DC area. Last year he crossed the country and went to Wally Hersom’s Wallyphonic Studios in Pasadena, California. There, he recorded his debut solo album with the cream of the crop of the Californian rockabilly scene, namely Ashley Kingman and Deke Dickerson on guitars, Dave Berzanski on steel guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, Wally Hersom on bass, and Dave Stuckey on drums. How can you go wrong with such a team behind you? Well, Barry indeed didn’t, and these 16 tracks are one of the very best slices of rockabilly/boppin’ hillbilly I’ve heard in ages.
The young singer is gifted with an excellent, subtle, and confident voice. He can easily switch from Ricky Nelson’s softness to Jerry Lee Lewis’s wildness, with some early Geoge Jones and Johnny Horton in between. Not surprisingly, the band does a terrific job. Special mention to Carl Leyland, who seems on fire, playing his best Rockabilly/Rock’n’Roll piano.
The songs, all covers, cover the whole gamut of the genre. Hillbilly Bop, Rockabilly, Rock’n’Roll, whatever the style, the young boy seems perfectly at ease. Icing on the cake, there’s a superb duet with Dani Haberman (Crown City Bombers) on Nobody’s Business But My Own, initially done by Kay Starr and Tennessee Ernie Ford and another one with Leyland on Milkshake Mademoiselle.
As usual, Hersom does a terrific job capturing the live sound and the emergency of the performance.
I couldn’t recommend this album enough.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Deke Dickerson

Published on 11 September 202013 September 2020

Reviews

Deke and the Whippersnappers – Deke And The Whippersnappers

Pig Baby Records – PBR-018 [2020]
Here Kitty, Kitty – Besame Mucho – Wild Wild One – The Girls Gone Rockin’

With just two guitars and one double-bass, it’s back to basic for Deke Dickerson on this new EP.
The Whippersnappers are Bert Avalos (the Moontones) on rhythm guitar and Zander Griffith (Reckless Ones) on double-bass.
They take Jimmy Murphy’s Here Kitty Kitty at the same pace than the original, but they muscle it a bit, and the result is a superb Rockabilly with fine pickin’ and a slap bass solo in the middle.
Besame Mucho sounds halfway between El Cumbachero and Walk Don’t Run.
Wild Wild Thing, a cover of Billy Golden’s 1968 Starday single, is a solid country tune with twangy guitar, tailored-made for Dickerson’s voice.
Surprinsingly, the sole original comes from the pen of Avalos and Griffith. It’s a frantic Rockabilly, very classic in its form but the musicianship makes the difference.
Hopefully, this line-up will soon record an album very soon.

Deke Dickerson & The Sex-Phonics – Morocco Twist

Sleazy Records – SR172 [2019]
Morocco Twist / Barefoot Blues

During one of his tours of Spain, Dickerson teamed up with a bunch of Spanish musicians to record this single.
Side A is an instrumental with twin guitars and Hammond organ. It’s a surf tune with an Oriental vibe and a touch of twist.
The B-side is a Rock’n’roll number in a Chuck Berry vein with vocals.

Big Sandy vs. Deke Dickerson – Jesus & Gravy

Sleazy Records SR142 [2018]
Make A Little Time For Jesus / Get The Gravy Hot

This release is a split single between Big Sandy (side A) and Deke Dickerson (side B).
Fellow Fly Right Boys Ashley Kingman and Kevin Stewart back Big Sandy, helped by Chris Sprague on drums and Ernie Vargas on tambourine. Make A Little Time For Jesus finds him, with no surprise, in full-gospel mode. The man who penned songs like Between Darkness and Dawn, Thru Dreamin’, and many others, has been more inspired in the past.
You’ll find the same musicians backing Deke Dickerson, but Kingman switched to 6-string bass, and Stewart plays electric-bass. The song, a cover of Shotgun Red, is an excellent country rocker that suits Deke’s voice and style to a T.

Deke Dickerson – Echosonic Eldorado

Major Label MLCD 006
Little Innocent – I’m Gettin’ Your Message, Baby – Sneakin’ All Around – Forbidden Love – My Baby Don’t Love Me Anymore – Bop Wax – Don’t That Prove I Love You – Big Guitar – My Eyes On You (with Duane Eddy) – Cut Loose – Echosonic Eldorado – Deke’s Boogie Blues – 40th & Plum – I’ve Lived A Lot In My Time

Whereas Deke’s latest studio album, King Of the Whole Wide World, blended together rockabilly, western swing, rock’n’roll, country soul, honky tonk and more, Deke Dickerson’s Echosonic Eldorado stays within the boundaries of rock’n’roll and rockabilly.
One can hear the influences of Johnny Burnette (Little Innocent), Gene Vincent (Bop Wax sounds like a mix between Bop Street and Crazy Legs) and a lot of Sun sound, helped on that by guest pianist Carl Sonny Leynand in full Jerry Lee Lewis mode. Another Sun connection is the presence of Scotty Moore who introduced via an answer machine the instrumental Echosonic Eldorado. The term Echosonic came from the amplifier used by Moore on the early Elvis recordings and that’s no surprise to find Moore inspired riffs in that instrumental but with the Dickerson’s touch. Another guest is none other than Duane Eddy who lays his instantly identifiable twangy guitar on “My Eyes On You“. With lyrics like “I got a shiny Cadillac car, I got Duane Eddy on guitar” I can easily imagine the smile upon Dickerson’s face during the session. Another highlight is Deke’s Boogie Blues, close to Frogman Henry’s Ain’t Got No Home. As usual with Dickerson, the vocal is, throughout the album, perfect and no need to say that the guitar is hot. Beside the already mentionned Carl Sonny Leyland and in addition to Dickerson on guitar, bass and some piano, Chrsi Sprague sings some backing and harmony vocals and Crazy Joe completes the line-up on drums.
Needless to say that you must have it.

Deke Dickerson w/ Nikki Hill - Soul Meets Country — Deke Dickerson w/ Nikki Hill – Soul Meets Country

Deke Dickerson – Soul Meets Country

Major Label Records MLCD-007 [2013]
Lovey Dovey – Feelins – Struttin’ – Lady Killa
Hot off the press here comes Deke Dickerson’s newest ep, available on both cd and vinyl format (downloads available too). If you liked his previous single cut in Memphis with the Bo-Keys, no doubt that you will LOVE this one. Not only Deke Dickerson reunited with the Bo-Keys for four sides of juicy Memphis soul but he also had the good idea to team with rock’n’roll and rhythm’n’ blues diva Nikki Hill. Side A features two Hill-Dickerson duets, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas’ Lovey Dovey and Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn’s Feelins. Country meets Soul or what? Side B contains Struttin‘ sung by Nikki Hill alone and a new country funk version (with Wah-wah) of Deke’s Lady Killin’ Papa named here Lady Killa. Superb.
www.dekedickerson.com/shopping/merch3.php

Deke Dickerson and the Bo-Keys – Country Meets Soul

Love man / hello Darlin’
Major Label ML45-1

Country soul anyone? Deke recorded this new single with the mighty Bo-Keys and featuring the no less talented Joel Paterson on pedal steel guitar. The result is a killer double A sides (Otis Redding’s Love Man and Conway Twitty’s Hello Darlin’) sounding like a mix between a 60’s country band with a bit of Charlie Rich in it and backed by the Mar-Keys or Booker T. Beautiful 180gr sleeve too.

Deke Dickerson – Live At Duff

Intro and Mexicali Rose – Snatch It and Grab It – Early American – Run Red Run – I’m a Lover Not a Fighter – Ain’t No Grave Deep Enough – Good Time Gal – Misshapen Hillbilly Gal – I’ll Go Down Swingin’ – Honky Tonk Nighttime Man- Make Way for a Better Man – End of the Road – Lover Come Back to Me – Hello Darlin’- I Never Cared for You – Muleskinner Blues – El Cumbanchero

Live albums are pretty rare on the “reviva” rockin’ scene. I don’t know why , maybe the reason is that it gets tough to release albums nowadays and artists want to concentrate on studio stuff, or because some of them, touring a lot, want to propose something different on wax.
Anyway, Deke’s latest output is a live album. And not only this stands as one of the best live album I’ve heard, it could possibly be Deke’s best album. Nothing less.

It was recorded when Dickerson was on tour with the excellent Chicago combo The Modern Sounds (they now have a couple of cd of their own and one backing Eddie Clendening – all excellent check them out!). The Modern Sounds are guitar wizard Joel Paterson who also plays steel and harp, slap bassist Beau Sample and drummer extraordinaire Alex Hall who doubles on piano too.
Dickerson and band play a storming set of rockabilly/rock’n’roll (Jerry Lee’s End of the Road features Hall on piano and Dickerson giving his best Jimmy Van Eaton impersonation). He also takes good advantage of Paterson’s skills on steel guitar to delve further into country and western sounds whether it’s classic honky tonk (Porter Wagoner’s I’ll Go Down Swingin’, Conway Twitty’s Hello Darlin), western swing (Misshapen Hillbilly Gal) or Willie Nelson (Nelson is a genre of its own).
There’s also two instrumentals, Deke’s El Cumbachero and Joe Maphis and Larry Collins’ Early American (with a second guitarist like Paterson it must be hard to resist I guess)
But this album has more to offer. Dickerson once joked – it was on West Coast Ramble I guess – that he was “the whitest man in show-business. Whenever I try to sound like Louis Jordan I end up sounding like Bill Haley”. Of couse it’s wrong but the Modern Sounds allow him to explore style he rarely ventured in. It was a total blast to hear him play Lazy Lester’s I’m A Lover Not A Fighter (with Paterson on harmonica) but most of all he felt confident enough to sing a classic jazz tune like « Lover Come Back to Me », seriously and not as a joke. And he’s right cause he never sounded that well as a singer.
It’s a joint release from Deke’s Major Label and Paterson’s Ventrella and like all Ventrella albums it’s superbly designed and comes in a beautiful digipack.

Deke Dickerson – King of the Whole Wide World

Major Label Records MLCD-003
King of the Whole Wide World (introduction) – Deep River – I Can’t Wait To See You (Go) – Misshapen Hillbilly Gal – Put Me Down – Boone County Blues – Make Way for a Better Man – Itchin’ for My Baby – Do You Think of Me – Fool’s Gold – Trumpet – Early for the Bell – Bomb Shelter (for My Heart) – Double-Clutchin’- King of the Whole Wide World (reprise)
When you think about it, there are only a couple of things that never deceive you . Deke Dickerson’s ability to craft some of the best roots inspired albums is one of these things. But that doesn’t mean he’s predictable, far from that.
Gathering an impressive cast of musicians (as he says himself it could have been called “with a little help from my friends”) like Crazy Joe, Jimmy Sutton, Pete Curry and his partner in crime Chris Sugarballs Sprague, Deke (who plays guitar, bass, drums, baritone sax in addition to his fine singing) adds to a discography that is already faultless one of the richest album of his career and probably my favorite (if you’re interested). He offers a musical journey into american music proving that the label “rockabilly” is by far too restrictive for such an amount of talent.
The title track features just Deke and his guitar in a Jimmie Rodger’s mood with 78’s crackle for good effect. It then kicks off with “Deep River” (an old bluegrass number turned into a straight ahead rock’n’roll) and Dickerson’s “I can’t wait to see you go” featuring the great Carl Sonny Leyland on piano in a Jerry Lee’s mood. Carl also plays on Lewis’ “Put Me Down”, “Bomb Shelter (For My Heart)” another fine country-rocker, “Trumpet” a Malcom Yelvington cover and “Early For The Bell” a song that’ll make every King Cole Trio or Slim Gaillard afficionados happy. Talking about swing, The Lucky Stars (with Crazy Joe) back up Deke on the hilarious western swing number “Misshapen Hillbilly Gal” which is a reason good enough to buy this album.
Mitch Polzak (from the Royal Deuces) guests on banjo for the bluegrass inspired “Boone County Blues”, with top class harmony vocals. Man, as I write this, I realize that I’ll soon run out of superlative anyway, let’s continue. “Make Way For A Better Man” is a Wille Nelson song, but Dickerson adds a heavy dose of soul in it and turns it into a Charlie Rich tune. The basic track of the Honky Tonk “Do You Think Of Me” was recorded in Austin with Dave Biller, Billy Horton and Lisa Pankratz. The always talented Crazy Joe plays a mean 6-string bass solo on this one and to complete this masterpiece Mary Huff from Southern Culture On The Skids adds “ethereal high vocals” (like she did on “Rumors Of Surf”). The album ends with “Double Clutchin'”, an instrumental co-written with Crazy Joe (think Les Paul meets Joe Maphis) and a reprise of “King Of the Whole Wide World”.
Now you’ve understood that this is an absolute “must have” and your next click will lead you to Deke’s website to order it.

Deke Dickerson – Deke Down Under !

My Baby Don’t Love Me Anymore – Cut Loose – Eefin’ Rock – Hey Worm
Deke is back with this EP with both the cd and the vinyl version. It has been recorded in Australia in 2004, while Deke was on tour there, at the legendary Preston Studios. Preston provided great rockabilly and blues on their label (remember the “Aussiebilly” comp on Nervous or more recently Benny & The Fly-By Niters). Back to the record now. The sound and the variety of songs (even if there are only 4) are not that far from “The Melody”. The opening is a Johnny Paycheck tune but is given a rock’n’roll treatment with a good piano drive played by Deke himself. You can easily imagine Jerry Lee playing it like this. “Cut Loose” is a good rockin’ song, with frantic piano and savage guitar and probably one of the wildest tune Dickerson recorded under his name. With a name like “Eefin’ Rock” you know what to expect from this song. Imagine some Link Wray instrumental with handclaps and right in the middle “eefin”. Little Jimmy Dickens’s Hey Worm closes the set. His version is more western swing and less rural than the original. Great guitar solos supported by a swingin’ rhythm section. This one should be in every collection, but hurry folks it’s a limited print of 1000. You’ll find it on Deke’s website (www.dekedickerson.com).

Deke Dickerson – The Melody

Major Label MLCD-002
Broken Heart – Good Time Gal – Right or Wrong – Looks Like I’m in Trouble Again – As Long as I Live – Safely In Love – Love Is Like a Song – Someone Used to Love Me – Mister Cheater – Waitin’ on My Baby – Give Me All Your Love – Tell Me How – Double Naught Spy – Lookin’ for Money – I Never Cared for You
Here’s the new record from this very prolific and multi talented guy. Deke has now a bunch of records behind his belt but this is really the first to give me that feeling : a real album (you see, in the 60’s meaning of the term) more than a collection of singles. It doesn’t mean all the songs sound the same. Deke is too talented to stick on one style. So you’ll find some rockabilly (The moonlighters’s Broken heart, Buddy Holly’s Tell me How), country music with Good Time Gal and Willie Nelson’s I never cared for you (I’ve always thought that Willie Nelson was like the Rolling Stones : far better when they were covered by other artists), a great instrumental that could be the original score for a B-movie. You also find a lot of Roy orbison inspiration behind songs like Mister Cheater and Safely in Love. And this shows what a good singer Deke is. We all know he’s a great guitar player, but now he seems to do what he wants with his voice. Musicians don’t have to be forgotten too : Chris Sprague on drums (The Sprague Brothers) and Jimmy Sutton (Four Charms) on bass (acoustic and electric) with appearances by Carl Leyland (who else?) and Dave Berzansky (Hacienda brothers). In the liner notes you can read «This album is a concept album». Sure, but Deke always makes concept album, and the concept is always the same: quality.

Deke Dickerson – Live on the Radio

Well, this one is a very limited edition as it seems that only 50 copies were made and you only found it on Deke’s website. Too bad that it hasn’t a bigger distrisbution cause it’s really a must have. First the band : the Ecco-fonics here are Chris «Sugarballs» Sprague (from The Sprague Brothers) on drums and some vocals and Wally Hersom (do I need to introduce him?) on bass. Then the songs. Apart those that are almost classics in Deke’s repertoire (Red Headed Woman, I might not come home at all, Mexicalli Rose) you find Dave and Deke Combo songs (Tally Ho, Chrome Dome) and what makes this record valuable : covers not on records (All I can do is cry, flight on the bumble bee twist, Stray Cats Strut played like Louis Armstrong) and songs that will be on Deke next album. And believe me, if the other songs are like the ones you find here, it’s gonna be a killer ! They play all those great tunes in a semi-unplugged sound (it’s live on the radio) and the whole show comes with ads between the songs and you have a great interview to end.Try Deke’s website at www.dekedickerson.com, maybe he still have a spare copy, cause if you haven’t heard Sugarball’s campaign song, you haven’t heard nothing.

Deke Dickerson – In 3 Dimensions

Major Label MLCD 001
I Might Not Come Home At All ~ Top Of The Line ~ Ain’t Got A Reason ~ I Get So Lonely ~ Sittin’ And Thinkin’ ~ Wear Out The Soles Of My Shoes ~ Take The Long Way Home ~ It Would Be A Doggone Lie ~ Let’s Go Wild Tonight ~ Bitter Tears ~ You’ve Been Honky Tonkin’ ~ Too Hot Too Handle ~ Knoxville Boogie ~ Gambler’s Guitar ~ Pinball Boogie ~ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ~ I’m Gonna Live Some Before I Die.

This is Deke’s fourth album and the first on which he’s not backed by the Ecco-Fonics, whoever they can be. As the title says, Deke cut himself in three, playing three different styles with three different bands: Rock’n’roll, Rockabilly and Western Swing.
The Rock’n’roll part is the occasion to hear the swing of veteran Earl Palmer (Little Richard, Ritchie Valens, Eddie Cochran, Willie Nelson and so many others) on drums. He really adds something else to the tune. Bust most of all, what hits you is Deke’s voice. Album after album his voice has matured and he proves he’s a subtle and classy singer with Charlie Rich’s Sittin and Thinkin. The rockabilly segment follows with 5 songs. It’s the more predictable part but contains the excellent Wear Out the Sole Of My Shoes and Bitter Tears closes the set on a high note. For the last part, “Hillbilly Deke”, Dickerson gathered the super hillbilly band with no less than Dave Biller (guitar), Jeremy Wakefield (steel), Bobby Trimble (drums) and Billy Horton (double bass). It’s a festival of swing, guitar and steel (Pinball Boogie), always sung with taste (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) and Bob Wills’ Fat Boy Rag as hidden track.
Deke Dickeson in 3 Dimensions means three times more of pleasure.