Posted by Gary Bryson on December 4, 2021, 8:54 pm
I read it. Its a book about Anita's life with the emphasis on music. It isn't a book about Jim Reeves, Chet Atkins, OWen Bradley or anyone Anita worked with, although many people from her Nashville days are mentioned and certain things about them are written. She has some very nice things to say about Jim, some of which I had read before and some I had not. A lot of the book covers her career and life after she left Nashville for California and later for Europe. I am not familiar with her career from those years except for the tribute album she did on Jim in 1968. I have heard that album and she had some nice things to say about Jim from that time.
Her years in Nashville are what interest me most and I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more about those years in the book. About half the book deals with her history growing up and life until she left Nashville in 1965 to move to California. And about half deals with her life after Nashville.
One thing that was driven home to me is that Anita is as much responsible for "The Nashville Sound" as anyone including Chet Atkins, Owen Bradley or any of the artists, like Jim Reeves. Without Anita, there likely would have been no "Nashville Sound".
Re: Anita Kerr book
Posted by Roy Zinck on December 10, 2021, 1:21 pm, in reply to "Anita Kerr book"
Excellent comments on the book Gary. I completely agree with your comments, and your observation how the book changed somewhat half way thru. I completed reading the book about a week ago.
Her move to LA in 1965, and years later to Switzerland, as you mentioned, did change her way of song arrangements and interests. It became something that I really could not connect with. For anyone into classic and baroque music would probably enjoy the text but for me, just not my cup of tea. The book became a bit tedious half way thru to the end. As you mentioned it was more about the technical part of her talent instead of Anita herself.
However, I must say, that in my opinion, the book is worth the price even if you only enjoy the first half. Her recollections of her time in Nashville are a treasure for sure....
Re: Anita Kerr book
Posted by Gary Bryson on December 10, 2021, 6:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Anita Kerr book"
Thanks Roy. I would love to see Larry write a book about "The Nashville Sound" of which Jim Reeves and Anita Kerr were such a big part. I don't know of a good book that has been written about that. I'd like to read more about the personalities involved, including the members of the Anita Kerr Singers, The musicians that played on the recordings of Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Patsy Cline, and other artists from that era. (Cecil Brower, Bob Moore, Ray Edenton, Velma Smith, Floyd Cramer, Pig Robbins, Buddy Harman, Harold Bradley, etc.) I'd like to know what those people were like and their thoughts about working together. Maybe mini bios of each of them. I would buy such a book. There has been a lot written about the history of country music, from the Carter Family on, but the period from 1957 to 1965 is an era I would love to know more about in detail. Its my favorite period of country music. Don't know if Larry would undertake the task, but I think he would be the guy to do it.
I believe the Anita Kerr Singers should be in the Hall of Fame. They sung on so many great records and Anita did so much work as an arranger, singer, and musician that I believe they deserve to be in the HOF. They are my favorite "back up group" of all time. I thought they were perfect for Jim Reeves voice.
Re: Anita Kerr book
Posted by Mike Slater on December 11, 2021, 11:34 am, in reply to "Re: Anita Kerr book"
Gary,the Nashville sound is a great idea for a book, and yes, I know Larry would do a great job if he decided to do a book like this. I hope to get the Anita Kerr book for Christmas (it's on my wish list) and after I read it, I will let you know what I think of it. I agree with you that the Anita Kerr Singers are one of the best backing groups ever. For me, they are about tied with the Jordanaires, who I have also admired as long as I can remember. The Jordansires were for Elvis what the Anita Kerrs were for Jim Reeves. In case you never knew, the Anita Kerr Singers sang backup for Elvis on just one song. In 1965, an Elvis album was released called "Elvis For Everyone!". It included some songs recorded by Elvis some years earlier that had never been released before. One of them was an unreleased Sun recording called "Tomorrow Night". The original recording only had a bass and guitar as backup, but for this album, Chet Atkins overdubbed his guitar, along with Charley McCoy on harmonica and the Anita Kerr Singers as backup vocals on the song. The original Sun recording was never really finished, so Chet did these overdubs for record release. It really improved the song a lot...
Re: Anita Kerr book
Posted by Gary Bryson on December 11, 2021, 12:18 pm, in reply to "Re: Anita Kerr book"
I look forward to reading your opinions about the Anita Kerr book.
A "Nashville Sound" book is a bit late in coming because most of the people involved are now passed from this life to the next. But Larry has a lot of information he gathered in writing his book on Jim Reeves, so he seems the logical choice to do such a book. Merry Christmas.
Re: Anita Kerr book
Posted by Larry Jordan on December 30, 2021, 4:52 pm, in reply to "Re: Anita Kerr book"
Gary, if I had several lifetimes to live I'd definitely do a book on Anita Kerr.
It never occurred to me but you're right -- they SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame. Why aren't they? They were key to the Nashville Sound, much more so than the Jordanaires, frankly. Jim I feel was the progenitor of the sound and others followed his lead. Rock had caused country sales to collapse and Jim -- with Bea Terry's encouragement -- decided to straddle both worlds: pop and country. His voice was perfect for it, and Anita's quartet was also ideal. They complimented each other's sound. Of course there were other good singers who embraced the Nashville Sound but the Kerrs were central to it.
Jim gave up the western clothes and got rid of the twang and made country music acceptable to a wider audience.
Re: Anita Kerr book
Posted by Gary Bryson on December 31, 2021, 8:14 am, in reply to "Re: Anita Kerr book"
Larry, since Anita left Nashville in 1965, I have wondered if Jim's death played any part in her decision. In the book by Barry Pugh about Anita, she said she thought Jim sounded more pop than country to her, which I thought interesting. I really wish you had time to write a book about Anita and her quartet. I'd love to read it. And yes, they should be in the Hall of Fame.
on December 4, 2021, 8:54 pm