Johnny Darrell (1940-1997) was a likable second-stringer who preferred the folkie side of '60s country and spent much of his career as a square-peg country star, a modestly successful chart artist known in part for his early recordings of songs that later became big hits for other singers. Johnny Darrell grew up in Georgia and headed for Nashville in his early twenties, landing his first recording contract with help from Bobby Bare, who was in a similar slot, as a brash young singer typecast as a folk-country artist. Among Darrell's many late 'Sixties recordings was his version of the Mel Tillis weeper, "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town," which was one of the first versions of this song to be released commercially. Darrell eventually became identified with the budding "outlaw" country scene of the 1970s, though by that time his career was in decline, in part due to health complications due to chronic diabetes. Here's a quick look at his work...
Johnny Darrell "As Long As The Winds Blow" (United Artists, 1966) (LP)
Johnny Darrell "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" (United Artists, 1967) (LP)
Johnny Darrell "The Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp" (United Artists, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Montgomery)
This disc is divided between lofty proto-countrypolitan, uptempo "hip" stuff and heartwrenching, understated weepers ala George Jones... The album is light on the poppish stuff, with lots of ballads, and that's where the deep-voiced Darrell hits hardest. He nails a bunch of them, particularly Harlan Howard's "The Chokin' Kind," J. D. Loudermilk's "Break My Mind" and Billy Mize's "Hangin' On." The only real dud on here is Roger Miller's clunky, over-written "Absence," but with additional material on here from Leon Ashley, Dallas Frazier, Autry Inman, Red Lane and Mel Tillis, this is really a late-'60s hard-country lovefest. Downtempo, but right up my alley.
Johnny Darrell "With Pen In Hand" (United Artists, 1968) (LP)
Johnny Darrell "Why You Been Gone So Long" (United Artists, 1969) (LP)
Johnny Darrell "California Stop-Over" (United Artists, 1970) (LP)
Johnny Darrell "Water Glass Of Whiskey" (Capricorn Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Montgomery)
Darrell's major-label swan song was an excellent set, with tastefully orchestrated country ballads and some soul-crushing weepers such as "Pieces Of My Life," whose lyrics give the album its title... Darrell was really in command of his vocal style and of the material. He gets strong sympathetic backing by a studio crew that was not made up of Nashville "usual suspects," despite the sessions being helmed by Billy Sherrill and Bob Montgomery (with Don Tweedy providing arrangements...) The overall sound is a sweet mix of Music City countrypolitan and Muscle Shoals' smooth bluesiness... The repertoire includes a couple of toss-offs -- lively versions of bluegrass oldies, "Orange Blossom Special" and "Uncle Pen" -- as well as a version of "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan." All in all, an album well worth checking out!
Johnny Darrell "The Country Sound Of Johnny Darrell" (Liberty/Sunset Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Kelso Herston & Bob Montgomery)
A nice sampler drawn from Darrell's early albums on United Artists, when he was cast as a country-folk stylist in the Bobby Bare/Johnny Cash mode. The album opens with a moderately uptempo version of "These Boots Are Made For Walking" (an odd choice for a man to cover) but that groovy, in-crowd pop cover is an anomaly -- the rest of the record is softer, folkier material, with three Curly Putman tunes, including "Green, Green Grass Of Home" of course, and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" and the topical "The One On The Right Is On The Left," which had been a hit for Johnny Cash in '66. Darrell's vocals are effective though understated, and the arrangements are pleasantly subdued, which is nice considering how outlandishly popped-out Nashville production had gotten in this era. Laid-back, but worth checking out.
Johnny Darrell "The Best Of Johnny Darrell" (United Artists, 1970) (LP)
Johnny Darrell "His Very Best" (K-Tel Records, 1980)
Johnny Darrell "Singin' It Lonesome -- The Very Best Of Johnny Darrell: 1965-1970" (Raven Records, 2000)
Johnny Darrell "The Complete Gusto/Starday/King Recordings" (King Records, 2002)
Re-recorded versions of Darrell's 1960's hits, probably made in the late '70s for the folks at Gusto...
