a m e r i c a n r o o t s m u s i c • t r a d i t i o n a l c o u n t r y • b l u e s • f o l k • a m e r i c a n a m u s i c • a m e r i c a n r o o t s
m u s i c • t r a d i t i o n a l c o u n t r y • b l u e s • f o l k • a m e r i c a n a m u s i c • a m e r i c a n r o o t s m u s i c • t r a d i t i o n
 Photograph by Ruth Bauer |
New Blue Yodel Words and Music by MARK BRINE ©1995 Black Pottery Music / Rig Rock Songs (BMI) MARK BRINE vocals, guitar & THE RAINBOW RANCH BOYS |
Listen to live performance| WSM Grand Ole Opry Nashville, Tennessee The Grand Ole Opry started out as the WSM Barn Dance in the new fifth floor radio station studio of the National Life & Accident Insurance Company in downtown Nashville. As audiences to the live show increased, National Life & Accident Insurance's radio venue became too small to accommodate the hordes of fans. They built a larger studio, but it was still not large enough. The Opry then moved into then-suburban Hillsboro Theatre (now the Belcourt), then to the Dixie Tabernacle in East Nashville and then to the War Memorial Auditorium, a downtown venue adjacent to the State Capitol. A twenty-five cent admission began to be charged, in part an effort to curb the large crowds, but to no avail. In 1943, the Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium. In 1954, now a regular at the Grand Ole Opry, Hank Snow persuaded the directors to allow a new singer by the name of Elvis Presley to appear on stage. He used Elvis as his opening act, before introducing him to Colonel Tom Parker who eventually became Elvis' manager. It was his first (and only) performance there. Although the public reacted politely to his revolutionary brand of rockabilly music, after the show he was told by one of the organizers (Opry manager Jim Denny) that he ought to return to Memphis to resume his truck-driving career, prompting him to swear never to return. Over the years, Brine would often send his recordings to Hank Snow. And knowing that Hank was a big Jimmie Rodger’s fan, needless to say, a copy of his Jimmie Rodger's tribute song 'New Blue Yodel' was sent. The recording was first put out on 'Diesel Only' on 45 and later included on a Rig Rock Juke Box (BMG Music International) compilation and released on CD in 1992. After listening, Hank was so taken back by the recording that he took it to the manager of the Opry to see if he might have Mark appear as his guest on the Grand Ole Opry which he admitted was not something he ordinarily would do. But he had never heard anything that sounded as much like the late Jimmie Rodgers in his life. "Throughout the years, I've heard much said of Hank Snow and his temperment and nature. This was much to the contrary of what I found him to be truly like. Of course, all I can speak of is what I knew of him, the kind of person he really was from my first hand observations. I am truly proud to have known him and blessed by his acquaintance." -- Mark Brine Related Links: |
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"Brine proves that if the world needed another Jimmie Rodgers,
they've found one!" -- Pete Smith, Country Music Round Up "I could listen to him sing all night long … he does a good job that boy does." -- Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree "A fine young man who I think has a great future." -- Hank Snow, Grand Ole Opry "Brine could easily have been added to the cast of 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' without raising an eyebrow. He belongs to that group of artists whose individuality and quirkiness consign them to the periphery of what's commercially viable. But God bless him for not just being another cog in the musical wheel." -- James McSweeney, Flyin Shoes |
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"Brine has made a long career of flying under the
folk/country radar for a long time and has picked up a bunch of awards and recognition just the same. A real Americana act, Brine fuses elements of all the stuff we've been listening to for years that you really can't compare to anything else that’s sure to really draw you under it's spell." -- Chris Spector, Midwest Record Recap "I think Mark Brine must be Americana's
best kept secret. A singer/songwriter for over thirty years, friend of the late and legendary
pioneer fiddlin' Sid Harkreader, Brine writes wonderful story songs about ordinary people and
ordinary places. To tell these stories, Mark has a voice that is as comfortable as a favourite
coat." -- Pete Smith,
Country Music Round Up "His career has pursued the path of a truly independent artist - someone who follows his soul and does things his own way – his ability to write and produce has made his name synonymous with quality." -- Doug Floyd, AltCountryTab.com "I think what makes Mark Brine such a gifted songwriter/storyteller is the fact that he seems to be such an obvious fan of many genres of music. He's someone who is like a sponge when it comes to reintegrating influences into his own work." -- Gail Worley, Ink 19 ©2006 Mark Brine Music. All rights reserved. |
