jrplefty Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 There has been a lot of talk about TVZ and Steve Earle here the past couple of weeks, both are really great songwriters, and at times both are also good storytellers. Right now, I would have to say my favorite storyteller is Robert Earl Keen. He is a good songwriter, but manages to tell a great story in the process. I'm curious who some of your favorite storytellers are in the acoustic singer/songwriter world. I'm looking to broaden my horizons and get some more influences coming my way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 John Prine. Take a listen to his lyrics in Sam Stone. I put that song on par with Me and Bobby Mcgee and Cat's In the Cradle...the lyrics I find are that enveloping. I thought of John Prine myself =D great songs !!! JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Greg Brown is a great story teller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 +1 on John Prine........Johnny Cash,Dylan, Tom Waits, Guy Clarke, Springsteen, Donovan, Tom T Hall, Gordon Lightfoot.......well known I know but all have many good "story" songs in their kitbags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdd707 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Certainly John Prine ... Grandpa Was a Carpenter, Bottomless Lake, Blue Umbrella .... Lyle Lovette ... Listen to his latest ... mostly covers but a great story that starts "I met a hooker in the grocery store" Randy Newman ...... "President said to the little fat man, ain't it a shame what the river did to this poor cracker's land?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'm with you on Robert Earl Keen. I really like a lot of the music that he puts out. Plus I love the traditional band behind him. Those boys can absolutely wail when the time comes to let it rip. A lot of his lyrics really hit home with me since I moved all over the place as a younger man. The lyrics that he puts out can only come from the heart and years of examining everything going on around a unique artist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G McBride Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Ray Wylie Hubbard - Wasp's Nest Ray made me a believer that you can write a song about anything if you want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Amen on Greg Brown. Lots of great ones like Townes, Cash, Prine, Dyan. I like Brown as much as any. Don 't care for some of his jazz/blues sounds on some of his albums, but that's just my own personal tastes. What I really find compelling are many of his lyrics. You can just about taste the food.......All of these guys make me want to write. Canned Goods Let those December winds bellow 'n' blow I'm as warm as a July tomato. [chorus:] Peaches on the shelf Potatoes in the bin Supper's ready, everybody come on in Taste a little of the summer, Taste a little of the summer, You can taste a little of the summer my grandma's put it all in jars. Well, there's a root cellar, fruit cellar down below Watch you head now, and down you go And there's [repeat chorus] Maybe you're weary an' you don't give a damn I bet you never tasted her blackberry jam. [repeat chorus] Ah, she's got magic in her - you know what I mean She puts the sun and rain in with her green beans. [repeat chorus] What with the snow and the economy and ev'ry'thing, I think I'll jus' stay down here and eat until spring. [repeat chorus] When I go to see my grandma I gain a lot of weight With her dear hands she gives me plate after plate. She cans the pickles, sweet & dill She cans the songs of the whippoorwill And the morning dew and the evening moon 'N' I really got to go see her pretty soon 'Cause these canned goods I buy at the store Ain't got the summer in them anymore. You bet, grandma, as sure as you're born I'll take some more potatoes and a thunderstorm. Peaches on the shelf Potatoes in the bin Supper's ready, everybody come on in, now Taste a little of the summer, Taste a little of the summer, Taste a little of the summer, My grandma put it all in jars. Let those December winds bellow and blow, I'm as warm as a July tomato. [repeat chhorus) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And talk about small town America fading-away. A sweet and simple tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilac Lion Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Harry Chapin was the first one to come to mind. He made me want to play guitar and tell stories. Taxi, Sequel and Better Place to Be eats my lunch every time I hear them. Steve Goodman was also great. Both died too soon. I also think Bruce Springsteen does a really good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 hurricane , maybe best story song ever simple twist if fate lily rosemary and the jack of hearts bob dylans 115th dream , funniest one ever tangled up in blue ...... the list is endless john prine mentioned a few times , his 'lake marie' is amazing song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spot Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 JOHN PRINE = MASTER STORYTELLER!!!! Have a listen to the brilliant "Jesus, The missing Years" Intro below.... the song is a gem!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9BRia7J9P4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 What about Jeffrey Foucault? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHbGHEyccno&feature=related (he also made a great John Prine tribute record a couple of years ago: "Shoot The Moon") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aitch Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 What about Jeffrey Foucault? His name was the first to come to my mind when I saw this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul E Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 There is alot of new guys out there like, Scott Miller, Jack Ingram, Rod Picott, and old favorite Jay Farrar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul E Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Also forgot Malcolm Holcombe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 +1 on John Prine........Johnny Cash,Dylan, Tom Waits, Guy Clarke, Springsteen, Donovan, Tom T Hall, Gordon Lightfoot.......well known I know but all have many good "story" songs in their kitbags. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrplefty Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 Thanks for chiming in everyone. There are a lot of names on here I've listened to casually that I'm going to be giving a more serious listen to, and I was excited to be exposed to Jeffrey Foucault. I had never heard of him before. On another note, I was watching the MusicFog Marathon on livestream last night and was reminded of how well Cody Canada can tell a story at times, and it seems as if a guy named Jason Eady is coming into his own as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spot Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 What about Jeffrey Foucault? Thanks for the tip Gio! I'm lovin' Horse Latitudes....You can really hear the tone of his J-45 coming through on the recording!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Thanks for the tip Gio! I'm lovin' Horse Latitudes....You can really hear the tone of his J-45 coming through on the recording!!! Hey, I'm glad you enjoy this great artist. I love "Horse Latitudes" too and the song "Goners Most" is one of the best he's ever recorded. I would like to add The Milk Carton Kids (i.e. Kenneth Pattengale + Joey Ryan) to the list. I honestly don't know if they really can be defined storytellers in a John Prine or Townes Van Zandt way. They might be more similar to Paul Simon's style. However I really appreciate both their music and their lyrics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbPYg04J2Dk And let's not forget Suzanne Vega (I'd like to define her a "urban storyteller"...please forgive me...): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKTzUBvPV3w&feature=fvst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Thought of another...David Olney....Check out Jerusalem Tomorrow...Emmylou Harris covered it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishguitar Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Great thread you guys. I've been stuck on playing 'Cats in the Cradle' forever, and listening to John Prines' 'Hello in THere", Croces' 'New York's not my Home', etc. There's something about how simple they sound while making you aware of your heart beating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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