Description
The self-titled and sole album by the American bluegrass project Ever Call Ready was released on Maranatha! Music in 1985, with distribution by A&M Records. The album was recorded by Joe Bellamy at Peace in the Valley Recording in Arleta and by Daryl Zachman at Sangre Studios in Sacramento, California; with band member Al Perkins producing. Considered kind of the follow-up to the Down Home Praise album released on Maranatha! Music in 1983, featuring the same musicians, among others.
This is one of the more obscure recordings in the vast discography of Chris Hillman. The group the mandolinist nominally leads, with fellow Flying Burrito Brothers alumni Bernie Leadon (on acoustic guitar) and Al Perkins (on Dobro), plus fiddler David Mansfield and bassist Jerry Scheff, focuses on inspirational and gospel tunes from several eras, all in a quasi-bluegrass setting. The tight four-part vocal harmonies, with either Hillman’s tenor or Leadon’s high tenor leading the way (Perkins is the lead singer for Don Reno’s «I’m Using the Bible for My Road Map») are complemented by the band’s understated playing. Hillman proves himself to be a more effective lead vocalist than Leadon, shining especially in Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs’ «God Loves His Children» and Bill Gaither’s «It’s Beginning to Rain». The date wraps with a lively bluegrass instrumental of Leon McHuliffe’s «Panhandle Rag», finally giving the musicians a chance to stretch out as instrumentalists. It is likely that many fans of Chris Hillman never saw this A&M LP during the brief time it was available during the 1980s, since it wasn’t filed in stores with his other recordings under rock or country. Yet his love for this genre, already hinted at in several of his more mainstream albums, is sincere throughout this hard-to-find record. [Ken Dryden, AMG]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/ever-call-ready/1705076507)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “River Of Jordan” – 2:17
A2. “I’ll Be No Stranger There” – 2:12
A3. “Don’t Let Them Take The Bible Out Of Our School Rooms” – 3:30
A4. “God Loves His Children” – 3:00
A5. “It’s Beginning To Rain” – 4:07
Side Two
B1. “Livin’ In The Name Of Love” – 2:17
B2. “Boat Of Love” – 2:44
B3. “Men Are So Busy” – 4:12
B4. “I’m Using My Bible For A Road Map” – 2:37
B5. “Panhandle Rag” – 2:40
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Maranatha! Music. Digitally remastered and re-issued on CD by Sierra Records in 2006, featuring four bonus tracks: “Church In The Wildwood”, “Rule Over My Soul”, “Where Could I Go”, and “On The Sea Of Life” (originally featured on the Down Home Praise album released by Maranatha! Music in 1983).
Truetone Lounge, October 2015. Al Perkins sits down with Truetone’s Zac Childs (also the “Ask Zac” columnist for Vintage Guitar Magazine) for a casual and informative chat with Al about his life, career, and tools of his craft.
CREDITS. Produced by Al Perkins. Engineered by Daryl Zachman and Joe Bellamy. recorded by Joe Bellamy and Daryl Zachman. Recorded at Peace in the Valley Recording, Arleta, CA, and at Sangre Studios, Sacramento, CA. Remixed by Joe Bellamy and Al Perkins. Photography by Kent Lacin. Art Direction by Alex MacDougall. Design by Cluny Rakestraw. Illustrations by Dave Swaney. Executive Coordinator: Jan Eric Volz. Executive Producer: Mary Neely.
Musicians: Chris Hillman (Lead Vocals, Tenor Vocals, Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar), Al Perkins (Lead Vocals, Baritone Vocals, Tenor Vocals, Resonator Guitar, Acoustic Guitar), Bernie Leadon (Lead Vocals, Baritone Vocals, Tenor Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Lead Guitar, Banjo), David Mansfield (Fiddle, Mandolin, Electric Guitar), Jerry Scheff (Bass Vocals, Bass). Guests: Steven Hill (Vocals), Tommy Funderburk (Tenor Vocals), Dan McCorison (Bass (Vocals), Ray Park (Fiddle).
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