Mac Curtis • Early In The Morning + Nashville Marimba Band CD
Mac Curtis delivers a fascinating mixture of Rock 'n' Roll, Country and Nashville sounds on this unusual 24-track collection, bringing together his two albums originally associated with the GRT label. Early In The Morning, originally released in 1970, finds Curtis tackling a superb selection of Rock 'n' Roll, Blues and Country favourites alongside his own material.
The album features Curtis's versions of classics including Big Boss Man, Ain't That A Shame, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Stagger Lee, I Got A Woman and Running Bear, as well as Country favourites such as I Fall To Pieces, Gentle On My Mind and For The Good Times. Produced by Tommy Allsup, the recordings show a different side of the Texan Rockabilly veteran as he explored the broader Country and Rock 'n' Roll sounds of the early 1970s.
The real surprise comes with Mac Curtis's Nashville Marimba Band, a wonderfully eccentric collection of instrumental versions of Country hits played on marimba. Originally recorded for GRT but not released until Curtis financed its issue himself in 1977, this second album takes the listener somewhere completely unexpected, with Orange Blossom Special, Spanish Eyes, Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town, Help Me Make It Through The Night and Pistol Packin' Mama all receiving the Nashville Marimba treatment.
Completed with two bonus tracks from a 45 RPM single, this 24-track CD offers a fascinating glimpse into the later career of one of Rockabilly's great characters. From straight-ahead Rock 'n' Roll and Country to the wonderfully unlikely sound of a Nashville marimba band, Early In The Morning + Nashville Marimba Band is a genuinely unusual Mac Curtis collection.
