The first time I saw Billy Strings, he was feeling pretty good. He came out wearing the silly glasses and they opened with Beaumont Rag and Fire On My Tongue>How Mountain Girls Can Love. Strong start! A couple songs later, they played a song that I wan unfamiliar with, but really knocked me out - John Deere Tractor. From the guitar intro, to "I'm like a John Deere tractor in a half acre field" to "where the sweet country girls don't complain", it really hit.
John Deere Tractor
According to SecondHandSongs.com, John Deere Tractor was written by Lawrence Hammond, and first released by Jerry Corbitt in 1971. It was later released by Larry Sparks on the album of the same name in 1980.
In 1991, the Judds released a cover of John Deere Tractor that made it to #29 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.Larry Sparks
Larry Sparks was born in 1947 in Lebanon, Ohio. He learned to sing & play guitar. In 1964, he joined the Stanley brothers. He continued with Ralph Stanley after Carter Stanley died in 1966. He went solo in 1969 and continues to record & perform to this day. In addition to his souful singing voice, he is a unique flatpicker. He doesn't take a lot of solos, but they all have a distinctive sound.
Billy Strings has covered several other Larry Sparks songs. As of this writing, BMFSDB lists 67 times Billy has played John Deere Tractor and it has appeared in 6.05% of the setlists they have for Billy.
No comments:
Post a Comment