February 19, 2010

Ray Stevens guests on Pop Goes the Country...

On Friday February 19, 2010 I caught an episode of Pop! Goes the Country. RFD-TV airs the show on Friday, early Saturday morning, and on Monday. This week an episode starring Ray Stevens aired. The show will repeat two more times. A little history about the television program...it premiered in 1974 as a syndicated program. It aired on the weekends...typically in an afternoon time-slot. The show lasted nearly a decade...ceasing production in 1982. The host of the show for the bulk of it's run was Ralph Emery, 1974-1980. The national television audiences of the '70s who watched country music programming were introduced to Ralph Emery on that show...even though Emery had long been a country music disc jockey and host of a local Nashville television program for years prior to Pop! Goes the Country debuting.

Now...on to the episode...

Ray opened up the show singing a soulful rendition of "Honky Tonk Waltz", his Top-30 country hit from 1976. When he opened the show with that song I figured the episode was from 1976...but it wasn't. Ray played the guitar AND piano during the song. While at the piano he had a guitar strapped to him and he'd play the guitar a little bit and then play the piano, back and fourth, throughout the song. As mentioned, he didn't sing it exactly the way it was recorded.

During the song Ray got up from the piano during the instrumental solo. For those who are familiar with the recording you'll know what part of the song I'm referring to. Anyway, during the instrumental break, Ray left the piano and began "waltzing" with Donna Fargo and then, for laughs, he tried waltzing with the show's host, Ralph Emery. After the song, the interview segment came next. Ray and Ralph sitting side by side chit chatting...it wasn't an in-depth interview like Ralph was known to do on radio and on Nashville Now in the 1980's and 1990's. Instead, Ralph brought up "In the Mood" by The Henhouse Five Plus Too. When Ralph brought that song up I knew the episode had to have been from early 1977. Ralph then told Ray that he had a gift for him in honor of the success "In the Mood" had achieved. What was the gift?? Well, Ralph pulled out a gigantic chicken mask. Ray put the mask on and then began to cackle "Thus Cacked Henrietta"...showing that the chicken clucking performance that appeared on his 1985 album had been in the planning stages way back in 1977.

Ray told everyone that he had plans of doing a lot more chicken clucking songs...including one to the tune of The Lone Ranger, "The William Tell Overture"...but then he also said that he may not do anymore...to date, "Thus Cacked Henrietta", from 1985, was the last recording Ray did under the guise of chickens.

Elsewhere on the show, Donna Fargo sang "Mockingbird Hill". Ralph made a small slip-up prior to introducing the song, though. Ralph innocently remarked to Ray that he should think about recording that song for himself...even though Ray had already recorded the song on his 1975 album, Misty. Of course, such a statement by Ralph would only be caught by those who are serious Ray Stevens fans.

It was Ray's turn to sing again...his second song of the episode was "Get Crazy With Me". By now it was clear that the episode was indeed taped in 1977. Randy Barlow sang a song...after Donna Fargo sang her second song, "Don't Be Angry", Ralph asked Ray to close the show and as the credits rolled Ray sang "Feel the Music" while wearing a top hat with the letters CAT written across the front.

This particular episode with Ray Stevens will repeat tomorrow at 2:30am Eastern time on Saturday the 20th. Two and a half hours after midnight tonight to be more specific in case those of you who have RFD-TV in your channel line-up decide you want to set your VCR or DVR for the re-airing.

Now, for those who come across this blog at some point later on Saturday or Sunday, don't fear. The Ray Stevens episode will repeat for a third time on Monday the 22nd at 11:30am Eastern time. If anyone out there who reads this blog has that channel you won't be disappointed in seeing vintage Ray Stevens from 1977 entertaining the audience in the studio and the viewers at home.

So, there is plenty of opportunity to tape or catch the show in case you missed the 4:30pm airing earlier today. RFD-TV is available on cable and satellite. For those who have digital cable you may want to click the program guide button on your remote controls and check a lot of the channels in the higher number bracket. Here where I'm at RFD-TV is in the 220 range on my channel list. I have digital cable...which is almost like satellite television but without all the extra's...but I think a lot of people have RFD-TV but don't realize it yet.

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