Anderson Proud Of Country Roots
John Anderson deserves credit.
During the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, when country music was under assault by those who wanted it homogenized, Anderson was one of a cadre of young players who held fast to the old ways.
Just 17 when he migrated to Nashville, he called his music “rockabilly outlaw” and joined the likes of Emmylou Harris and Ricky Skaggs in creating an alternative to mainstream darlings Barbara Mandrell, Kenny Rogers and the late-period Dolly Parton.
Anderson and Moe Bandy were among the few traditionalists who could score a radio hit in those dark days.
In 1981, US magazine said, “In the fading hard-core tradition of George Jones, Merle Haggard and Lefty Frizzell, he has brought renewed beauty and elegance to the twin-fiddle, steel guitar tradition of the old-time honky tonk balladeer.”
“He is the George Jones/Buck Owens/Lefty Frizzell/Webb Pierce of the ‘80s,” opined the Nashville Gazette.
The Florida native had great success with such hard-core country hits as “The Girl At The End Of The Bar,” “Lyin’ Blue Eyes,” “She Just Started Likin’ Cheatin’ Songs,” “Wild and Blue” and “Would You Catch A Falling Star.”
Anderson won the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award for new artists in 1983, but began to stray from the faith. He dabbled with novelty tunes and country-rock, and had his biggest hit ever with the lighthearted (some would say lightweight) “Swingin’.” At its peak, it went to No. 30 on the nation’s all-time top juke box playlist (the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” logs in at 31).
In 1992, after a decade-long career slide, Anderson signed with a new record company and weighed in with one of the great country music comeback albums of all time, “Seminole Wind.”
Anderson wrote the evocative and ecologically tinged title track after listening to his grandmother reminisce about her life in old Florida. A chilling piano-and-fiddle arrangement has turned it into a modern classic.
Since “Seminole Wind,” Anderson has been on something of a winning streak, turning out a succession of handsome, straight-ahead country records.
“I probably will be country till I die, the way it’s looking,” said the singer, echoing the title of one of his post-“Seminole Wind” LPs, “Country For Life.”
“It’s cool to be country these days, but it’s been pretty hip for me all these years. I was very fortunate to get an early start.”
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: John Anderson and Great Plains will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Spokane Opera House. Tickets are $16.50, available at G&B Select-a-Seat outlets or by calling 325-SEAT.