Those of you who find yourselves in or around St. Louis, Missouri on the second Friday of any given month may want to check out local band Colonel Ford at The Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. For most of us, the thought of hearing great hillbilly music in a microbrewery would be enough motivation in and of itself, but if it isn’t, the line-up should get you up off of your couches and out to a show. The band is made up of a host of local legends, including front men Gary Hunt (Guitar/Vocals) and Dade Farrar (Upright Base/Vocals), both formerly of the country swing/honky-tonk act The Rockhouse Ramblers. Former Rambler and current Bottle Rockets guitarist John Horton is also a core member of what seems to be shaping up as a rotating/all-star jam format. Oh, and Dade’s little brother Jay (whom you may know from his work with Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, and …because he’s Jay Farrar) has been playing pedal steel guitar, leaving the vocals and witty stage banter to his more loquacious sibling. Former Uncle Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn is also listed among the “Col. Reserves”. The Riverfront Times described their sound as “classic country, bluegrass and western swing” and provided a recent set list it described as “Buck Owens heavy” which included the following:
Moanin’ the Blues
I Can’t Help it if I’m Still in Love with You
Love’s Gonna Live Here
Heartaches by the Numbers
Sitting on Top of the World
Driving Nails in My Coffin
(Please Don’t Play) A-11
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Loud, Loud Music
Act Naturally
Streets of Bakersfield
There are a few video clips available out there, most of questionable quality- but heres a link to a live performance of the oft-covered Harlan Howard gem Heartaches by the Number, with fairly decent sound quality. While the lineup may not be guaranteed from show to show, good music and good times would seem to be a given.
