Vinyl Roots is a random selection dive into my record collection.
Ry Cooder’s third record, Boomer’s Story is a masterwork by an eclectic musician and intrepid musical global traveler/archeologist. Akin to his previous work Cooder reflects back to blues and country greats including blues legend Sleepy John Estes who adds guitar and vocals on the cut “President Kennedy,” and songwriter Dan Penn, who adds backing vocals, and Jim Dickinson (father of Luther and Cody) plays piano, bass and adds backing vocals as well.
The title track, previously recorded as “The Railroad Boomer” by Bud Billings (aka Frank Luther) and Carson Robison in a performance recorded at the studio at Liederkranz Hall in New York on September 9, 1929. This version allows Cooder mournful bottle-neck guitar and his mottling mandolin to shine.
“Cherry Ball Blues” is a slow-trucking instrumental, originally by Skip James, that lays the groundwork for Cooder’s latter work (especially his excellent ‘Paris, Texas’ soundtrack.)
On “Crow Black Chicken” Cooder gives this cut a funky treatment while providing some tasty bottle-neck guitar to an originally bluegrass novelty cut.
“Rally ‘Round the Flag” has Cooder, and his partner in sardonic rhyme Randy Newman on piano, originally titled “Battle Cry of Freedom” by George Frederick Root and published in 1862 – during the Civil War – pushes the patriotic spirit into a contemplative dirge. The Doc Watson-style guitar performance of the World War II standard “Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer” has a sense of hope and elated idealism.
This is a must-have for any roots music fan.