Small World Department.

A 1980's era photo of me and actor Sanada Hiroyuki. He's currently starring in Shogun. Back then he was playing Huck Finn in Big River.

Big River, Johnny Cash, 1962

“Big River Beach, Coast Hwy & Bridge” © Bruce Spencer 2022

The Boys

Well, I pulled into Natchez, next day down the river

But there wasn’t much there to make the rounders stay very long

When I left, it was raining, so nobody saw me cry

Big River, why she doin’ me this way?

tom really went 😦😬🤨🤔

Rene Auberjonois in Big River, the Huck Finn musical from 1985 that didn’t totally suck (and got THREE supporting actor noms)

source: New York Public Library digital collections

(and just to grab him from the Tonys audience)

Song Review(s): Grateful Dead - “Me and My Uncle” -> “Big River” (Live, July 10, 1990)

There was never a bassist as busy as Phil Lesh.

Bob Weir may have been singing, and Jerry Garcia and Brent Mydland may have been the soloists, but the man on the Grateful Dead’s low end seemingly played more notes than all his bandmates combined on the July 10, 1990, combo of “Me and My Uncle” -> “Big River” in North Carolina. Fingers dancing on the fretboard, Lesh bobs and weaves between his colleagues’ playing, creating the rhythm-lead hybrid that brought so much life to the Dead’s music.

Just released as the latest “All the Years Live” entry, it’s hot both musically and environmentally, as the front line are all wearing shorts and playing with fire - in a good way.

There’s nothing usual about the John Phillips-Johnny Cash pairing. But it’s how they play it that makes it special, particularly when Mydland tosses a bit of MIDI fiddle into the middle of the “Big River” and Weir muffs the lyrics.

Must’ve thought he was singing “Truckin’.”

Grade card: Grateful Dead - “Me and My Uncle” -> “Big River” (Live - 7/10/90) - A-/A

Read Sound Bites’ previous “All the Years Live” coverage here.

10/5/23

Johnny Cash with a seminal song and timeless performance in a little studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

Bob Dylan & The Band “Big River” (Take 2)—The Bootleg Series, Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete, November 4, 2014.

Ep98 There's Something About Meat Loaf w/ W. Earl Brown! (Hollywood!)

Hot patootie bless-my-soul, you're in for a surpriiise, Sidney! Because this week, we're joined by the iconic W. Earl Brown (*SCREAM!* *Faints*) just in time for the 25th Anniversary of There's Something About Mary! In this incredible episode, AW and Earl sail up the Big River for some Meat Loaf, before whipping out the franks and beans to hear gobsmacking anecdotes from AW's favourite movie 'Scream', working with Wes Craven, country music, 'Something About Mary' controversies, Earl's band 'Sacred Cowboys', which of Earl's movies ruined a rock star's marriage, and so much more in this Kentucky-fied episode!

Follow Earl on IG: https://www.instagram.com/wearlbrown

“January 24 Wave #8-8884″ © Bruce Spencer 2023

Heartland - 15x02 - Runaway

2:24 AM EDT April 21, 2024:

Johnny Cash - "Big River" From the album   Hello Operator! The Songs Jack White Taught Us (March 15, 2022)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

Giveaway with the May 2022 Mojo