The term “honky tonk” has two meanings. It can be a tavern or club in the South which is comfortable for the common working man, not unlike a pub in the UK. It also describes the style of music played on the jukebox or by bands which perform on the weekend at those venues.
This week and next, we’ll take a tour through classic and contemporary Honky Tonk artists and music, including Johnny Horton, Hank Snow, George Jones, The Mavericks, and many more. We’re honky tonkin’ … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine!

LISTEN:

Artist / “Title” / CD / Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle /
              Smithsonian Folkways
The Texas Troubadours / “Leon’s Guitar Boogie” / Almost to Tulsa / Bear Family
Johnny Horton / “I’m a Honky Tonk Man” / Columbia Country Classics Vol.2 / Columbia
Kelly Willis / “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away” / Kelly Willis / MCA
Ted Daffan’s Texans / “Born to Lose” / Columbia Country Classics Vol.1 / Columbia
Robin & Linda Williams / “Honky Tonk Nation” / Sugar for Sugar / Sugar Hill

Jerry Jeff Walker / “London Homesick Blues” / Viva Terlingua / MCA
Hank Snow / “The Rhumba Boogie” / I’m Movin’ On and other Great Country Hits / RCA
Martha Fields / “Exile” / Dancing Shadows / Self Produced
Charlie Rich / “Big Boss Man” / Rockabilly Stars Vol.1 / CBS
Texas Troubadours / “Almost to Tulsa” / Almost to Tulsa / Bear Family

George Jones / “She Thinks I Still Care” / George Jones Country Classics / Enlightened
Floyd Cramer / “Last Date”/ Country Legacy / RCA
Suzy Bogguss / “Straighten Up and Fly Right” /Swing / Campadre
The Mavericks / “Dance the Night Away” / Trampoline / MCA

The Byrds / “You’re Still on my Mind” / Sweetheart of the Rodeo / Columbia
Val Mindel & Emily Miller / “Lonely Street” / Close to Home / Yodel-Ay-Hee
Asleep at the Wheel / “House of Blue Lights” / Swing Time Sony
Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle /
              Smithsonian Folkways