Sometimes I am simply amazed at how various strands of an artistic movement, a plot of a novel, an historical era, or my own life weave together in a way that no one could have predicted. Artistically at least, I have enjoyed the results.
This week I listened to a double CD "Dylan, Cash and the Nashville Cats- A New Music City" , which is an excellent compilation of artists and music. Steve Young's version of "Seven Bridges Road" caught my attention immediately.
Originally I had heard the Eagles' cover, which is faster-paced. Young's rendition of his song is superb, especially the way he stretches out certain words. I began to find out more information about Young. Songwriters are to music that character actors are to acting. They do not usually occupy center stage, but many of them are simply brilliant. A singer-songwriter like Young might be a notch higher, but people usually go for the more commercially-successful cover, just as they watch a movie for the star, not the supporting cast.
Young was a pioneer of country rock, being a member of the extremely short-lived psychedelic country band "Stone Country", who released only one album. Afterwards, Young had a solo career and helped establish Outlaw Country, writing "Lonesome, On'ry, and Mean:, immortalized by Waylon Jennings. I actually remember seeing the 1969 "Rock Salt and Nails" album that contained "Seven Bridges Road", but passed it by for something else. Philadelphia FM stations were not playing it, as I recall, and without satellite radio. there was not much exposure. A few years later I became aware of Southern Rock as personified by the Allmans and Marshall Tucker, but much later saw, or heard, the connections.
Maybe it has something to do with living in the South , first for three years in Virginia, and now for ten years and counting in South Carolina.
Here is a song from the 1968 album (that's when the Byrds released "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaxR_mTCU4g
And "Seven Bridges Road":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpV83ovYAyY
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