I'm Back! I took the Streets of Bakersfield down the highways of western Canada
Posted by drblt at 6/20/2008 11:12 PM 
Categories: Buck Owens Studios Farewell Session,Dr. BLT,Streets of Bakersfield,Homer Joy
Categories: Buck Owens Studios Farewell Session,Dr. BLT,Streets of Bakersfield,Homer Joy
Using my brand new CD, The Buck Owens Studios Farewell Session as an educational tool and a conversation piece, I recently embarked upon a mission to survey Western Canadians on their knowledge of the Bakersfield Sound, and it's relevance in the history of country music.
I took my wife and nearly 3 year-old daughter with me. We visited Banff, Alberta. We visited Calgary. We went through Swift Current, Saskatchewan and many small towns on our way to the city I grew up in, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I spoke with relatives, and close family members. I talked to lots of strangers. I spoke to folks in radio and in the record business.
I talked to ordinary prairie people, and musicians and bands with dreams. I found out that they either had a pretty sizable fund of knowledge about the Bakersfield Sound, and it's relevance to the history of country music, and of popular music in general, or they had a keen interest in it-------in some cases, a burning hunger to learn more.
I took the Streets of Bakersfield to the highways of western Canada, and found that they connect in a real way.
I'm back from my mission. I've learned a lot from common prairie and rocky mountain people. I'm looking forward to sharing what I've learned in the days, weeks and months to come, right here at the Bakersfield Sound Underground blog site.
I invite you to come along for the ride. In the words of the Canadian classic rock band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, we'll Let it Roll (Down the highway). Roll! Roll! Roll!
Streets of Bakersfield to Highways of Western Canada
So happy your vacation was a success. It sounds like a real adventure that touched on the past and the present, the country and the city, and...what's always the most fun, you were able to meet new friends and reminisce with old ones.
Going 'home' is such an opportunity to bring the old and the new together. I find that it's a way to gain perspective... to sit in the past for awhile and then get up and move forward.
Welcome back...looking forward to hearing more.
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You are absolutely correct in your impression of my experience. It was truly refreshing and enjoyable. I appreciate your gracious, welcoming words.
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