Roots66: Music: Reviews: Cowboy Jack Clement - Guess Things Happen That Way

Dualtone Records 80302-01187-2
Produced by Jack Clement

Jack Clement - vocals, guitar, dobro, ukelele
Al Angelo - steel guitar
Metraca Berg - harmony vocals
Billy Burnette - guitar, harmony vocals
Shawn Camp - guitar, harmony vocals
Johnny Cash - vocals ("Guess Things Happen That Way", "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen")
Marshall Chapman - harmony vocals
Alison Clement - harmony vocals
Roger Cook - ukelele
David R. Ferguson - rhythm guitar
Jack Grochmal - rhythm guitar, harmony vocals
Mark Howard - 5-string banjo, mandolin, harmony vocals
The Jordanaires - vocals
Jolene Kay - harmony vocals
Kenny Malone - drums, percussion (except on "No Expectations")
Catherine Styron Marks - keyboard
Ronnie McCoury - guitar, mandolin, mandola, gut-string guitar
Pat McLaughlin - harmony vocals
Joey Miskulkin - accordion, plectrum banjo
Tim O'Brien - mandolin, fiddle
Blue Jay Patten - saxophone
Dave Roe - bass (except on "No Expectations" & "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen")
Hank Singer - fiddle
Bobby Wood - piano, keyboard (except on "No Expectations")
Brooks Watson - keyboard, harmony vocals

	CD Review
	Buy this CD from the label Cowboy Jack Clement Guess Things Happen That Way Dualtone Records 80302-01187-2 Produced by Jack Clement Jack Clement - vocals, guitar, dobro, ukelele Al Angelo - steel guitar Metraca Berg - harmony vocals Billy Burnette - guitar, harmony vocals Shawn Camp - guitar, harmony vocals Johnny Cash - vocals ("Guess Things Happen That Way", "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen") Marshall Chapman - harmony vocals Alison Clement - harmony vocals Roger Cook - ukelele David R. Ferguson - rhythm guitar Jack Grochmal - rhythm guitar, harmony vocals Mark Howard - 5-string banjo, mandolin, harmony vocals The Jordanaires - vocals Jolene Kay - harmony vocals Kenny Malone - drums, percussion (except on "No Expectations") Catherine Styron Marks - keyboard Ronnie McCoury - guitar, mandolin, mandola, gut-string guitar Pat McLaughlin - harmony vocals Joey Miskulkin - accordion, plectrum banjo Tim O'Brien - mandolin, fiddle Blue Jay Patten - saxophone Dave Roe - bass (except on "No Expectations" & "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen") Hank Singer - fiddle Bobby Wood - piano, keyboard (except on "No Expectations") Brooks Watson - keyboard, harmony vocals
	Review by Bill Yates, Roots66.com Born in Memphis in 1931, Cowboy Jack Clement doesn't ride a horse. He's not really a cowboy. But he is really a legend in the music business. In case you haven't heard of Clement, here's a (very) brief list of his accomplishments: he was Sam Phillips right-hand man at Sun Records, discovered and first recorded Jerry Lee Lewis, wrote two of Johnny Cash's greatest hits (and others, too), got Charley Pride signed with RCA and produced twenty of his albums, discovered Townes Van Zandt, launched Don Williams' career, and was sought out by U2 to record three tracks for one of their albums. I could go on. And on. Surprisingly (or perhaps not, considering everything he has been doing), this is only his second album. His first, All I Want to Do in Life, was released in 1978. Guess Things Happen That Way is a collection of songs Clement has written or been associated with. Clement starts off by turning to The Rolling Stones for Jagger and Richards' "No Expectations." He never heard the Stones version until recently. Johnny Cash (who joins Clements here with some vocal help) had a big hit with Clement's "Guess Things Happen That Way." This track was recorded only a few months before Johnny's death. Note the subtle lyric touches from verse to verse. The waltz-time "There Ain't a Tune" is a gentle praise song for his love. Clement gets to sing his gently humorous "It'll Be Me" the way he wants since he couldn't get Jerry Lee Lewis to do his way. Clement joined with Don Robertson to pen the alphabetically inclined "S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y." Allen Reynolds' "Dreaming My Dreams With You" was the title track of Waylon Jennings defining "Outlaw Movement" album in 1975. Georgia's then-Governor Zell Miller teamed with Clement to write "Every Place I've Ever Been," a nice wandering song. "Trapped In An Old Country Song" is another Clement-Robertson composition noting that those songs reflect life. 1957's "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen" was another big hit for Johnny Cash and Johnny again joins Clement on the vocals. Clement highly recommends "Drinking Carrot Juice" as the ultimate health food in a fun ditty. Blue Jay Patten's wailing, jazzy sax accents the Clement-Mike Elliott song, "Leavin' Is The Lovin' Thing To Do." In an inversion of the usual cliche, the lead character in Shawn Camp and Mark D. Sanders' "Off To Join The World" takes a different way to escape a broken heart. It's a pity Cowboy Jack Clement doesn't record more often. We appreciate—greatly!—his other efforts, but listening to Guess Things Happen That Way brings a smile to your face and an appreciation for his prodigious songwriting, arranging, and producing talents. Clement may be 73 now, but you couldn't tell it from listening to his voice. The musicians are the best around and, as you would expect, the entire recording is very well done. Take a little time to spend with this remarkable musician. You'll enjoy every minute. My Favorite Songs: "Guess Things Happen That Way," "Dreaming My Dreams With You," "Every Place I've Ever Been" Rating: 4-1/2 notes Copyright 2005 William Theron Yates 2/15/05 1) No Expectations (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Abkco Music, Inc., BMI) 2) Guess Things Happen That Way (Jack Clement, Universal Songs of Polygram, Inc., BMI) 3) There Ain't a Tune (Peck Chandler, Cowboy Arms Music, Inc., ASCAP) 4) It'll Be Me (Jack Clement, Universal Songs of Polygram, Inc., BMI) 5) S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y (Jack Clement, Don Robertson, Clement Family Songs, BMI/Don Robertson Music, BMI) 6) Dreaming My Dreams With You (Allen Reynolds, Universal Songs of Polygram, Inc., BMI) 7) Every Place I've Ever Been (Jack Clement, Zell Miller, Clement Family Songs, BMI, Cowboy Arms Music, Inc., ASCAP) 8) Trapped In An Old Country Song (Jack Clement, Don Robertson (Donald Irwin Robertson), Clement Family Songs, BMI/Don Robertson Corp., ASCAP) 9) Ballad Of A Teenage Queen (Jack Clement, Universal Songs of Polygram, Inc., BMI) 10) Drinking Carrot Juice (Jack Clement, Clement Family Songs, BMI) 11) Leavin' Is The Lovin' Thing To Do (Jack Clement, Mike Elliott, Clement Family Songs, BMI) 12) Off To Join The World (Shawn Camp, Mark D. Sanders, Universal MCA Music Publishing, A Division of Universal Studios, Inc./Soda Creek Songs, ASCAP/Songs of Universal Inc./Shawn Camp Music, BMI) This review is copyrighted but may be quoted in whole or part provided credit is given such as "--Bill Yates, Roots66.com". If you post the review on a web site, please link to http://www.roots66.com if you can.

CD Review