When asked what exactly got him back into the studio to record his first album in over 20 years, Bobby Bare’s answer is simple. “Bobby Jr.” he laughs with laid-back Nashville drawl. Even though the classic country crooner had to be coaxed out of retirement, his re-emergence with The Moon Was Blue was one of the most celebrated events in country music last year.
After accumulating several decades of hits and transforming country music along with artists like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, Bare left the scene in the ‘80s as Nashville become more and more corporate oriented. “I didn’t want to spend my time making records that weren’t going to go anywhere,” he says. “You put out an album that’s brilliant, and you can’t get it played. All they want are tracks.”
These live Bobby Bare gems aren't "tracks." They're real, reverent, relevant. It's a shame that you have to turn away from the country stations to hear country music, but though it's a quieter heartbeat, it still has one. You hear it in these live songs, and you hear it in the stories. The entire performance, including the interview, should be up on KEXP soon.
Bobby Bare, Sr (with Bobby Bare, Jr.): Live at KEXP, 5-18-2006 (mp3s):
The Streets of Baltimore
Detroit City
Are You Sincere
Everybody's Talkin'
My Heart Cries For You
Buy The Moon Was Blue.
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