Barefoot Jerry

Barefoot Jerry is an American rock band whose style has been described as a fusion of country music and progressive rock,[1] and as a seminal southern rock band.[2] The band was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, most active from 1971 to 1977. It was composed of area studio musicians under the tutelage of Wayne Moss and Mac Gayden. Barefoot Jerry was once a store next to Gayden's home in the Smoky Mountains. Barefoot Jerry was actually an old-style country fiddle player inside the store; Gayden named the group for him.

Barefoot Jerry
OriginNashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres
Years active1971–1977 and occasional reunions to the present
LabelsCapitol Records
Warner Bros. Records
Monument Records
Associated actsArea Code 615, Charlie Daniels, The Band, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash
Websitehttp://www.barefootjerry.com/
Past membersTerry Dearmore, Kenny Buttrey, Jim Colvard, Dave Doran, Si Edwards, Mac Gayden, John Harris, Warren Hartman, Russ Hicks, Kenny Malone, Charlie McCoy, Wayne Moss, Fred Newell, Barry Chance

Both Moss and Gayden had been lead guitarists for Area Code 615 and also for other 615 alumni.

This name is also used to refer to Moss and his sidemen in current reunions and other projects. Moss founded Cinderella Recording Studios and has operated it since 1960.

Moss had previously played in many sessions, including Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, and played the guitar riff on Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman". In addition to Moss and Gayden, band members included Terry Dearmore, Kenny Buttrey, Jim Colvard, Dave Doran, Si Edwards, John Harris, Warren Hartman, Russ Hicks, Kenny Malone, Charlie McCoy, and Fred Newell.

Career

Barefoot Jerry's first lineup consisted of:

  • Wayne Moss, guitar, keyboards, vocals, bass
  • Mac Gayden, lead guitar, vocals, slide guitar
  • Kenneth A. Buttrey, drums
  • John Harris, keyboards

Moss, Buttrey and Gayden originally played together on many of Mike Nesmith's Nashville sessions and had been in Area Code 615. Gayden wrote the number one UK hit single by the Love Affair, "Everlasting Love". He also played the first slide wah wah guitar, on JJ Cale's "Crazy Mama."

This lineup of Barefoot Jerry recorded Southern Delight before Gayden left in 1972 to form his own band, Skyboat; Buttrey joined Neil Young's band. Moss and Harris were soon joined by Russ Hicks (guitar, steel guitar, horn, vocals) and Kenny Malone (drums) on the album Barefoot Jerry, released by Warner Bros. Records in 1972. This lineup later expanded to include Buddy Skipper (keyboards), Fred Newell (banjo, harmonica, vocals), Dave Doran (guitar, bass, vocals), Si Edwards (percussion), and (Area Code's) Bobby Thompson (bass, guitar, vocals) for Barefoot Jerry and the 1974 follow-up Watchin' TV.

The lineup of Moss, Hicks, Doran, Edwards, Skipper and Newell were recorded in a live performance in 1973, released in 2007 as Barefoot Jerry Live. Moss was the last original member of the band. Retaining Hicks and Edwards, they added Terry Dearmore (vocals, guitar, bass), Jim Colvard (guitar, bass) and Warren Hartman (keyboards). In 1975 they recorded You Can't Get Off With Your Shoes On. Colvard took his own life in 1976.

With the departure of Hartman, Barry Chance (guitar) and Steve Davis (keyboards, guitar, vocals) joined the band for Keys to the Country in 1976. Davis and Dearmore departed, and Charlie McCoy (keyboards, harmonica, flutes, Jew's harp) and Mike McBride (bass, guitar, percussion, mandolin) joined for Barefootin' in 1977. The band split up in that year.

Wayne Moss appears as "Barefoot Jerry" along with Charlie Daniels, Guy Clark and David Allan Coe in the 1981 music documentary, Heartworn Highways.

Barefoot Jerry were mentioned in Charlie Daniels's song "The South is Gonna Do It Again."

Discography

Albums
  • 1971: Southern Delight (Capitol Records)
  • 1972: Barefoot Jerry (Warner Bros. Records)
  • 1974: Watchin' TV (Monument Records)
  • 1975: You Can't Get Off with Your Shoes On (Monument Records)
  • 1976: Grocery (double-LP reissue of the first two albums; Monument Records)
  • 1976: Keys to the Country (Monument Records)
  • 1977: Barefootin' (Monument Records)
  • 1997: Southern Delight/Barefoot Jerry (2-on-1 CD reissue on See For Miles)
  • 1997: Watchin' TV/You Can't Get Off with Your Shoes On (2-on-1 CD reissue on See for Miles)
  • 1997: Keys To The Country/Barefootin' (2-on-1 CD reissue on See For Miles)
  • 2006: Keys To The Country/Barefootin' (CD reissue; Hux Records)
  • 2007: Barefoot Jerry Live (recorded at the Exit Inn in 1973 - available only from the official website)

Singles
Year Single Chart Positions Album
US
[3]
1975 "You Can't Get Off with Your Shoes On" 109 You Can't Get Off with Your Shoes On

Guest singles
Year Single Artist Chart Positions Album
US Country CAN Country
1974 "Boogie Woogie" Charlie McCoy 22 24 The Nashville Hit Man
1977 "Summit Ridge Drive" 98 — Play It Again Charlie

References
  1. Carlin, Richard (February 25, 2014). "Country Music: A Biographical Dictionary". Routledge. p. 9 – via Google Books.
  2. Sanders, Daryl (October 2, 2018). "That Thin, Wild Mercury Sound: Dylan, Nashville, and the Making of Blonde on Blonde". Chicago Review Press – via Google Books.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 61. ISBN 0-89820-188-8.
  • The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll. Random House, 1980. "Southern Rock" entry by Joe Nick Patoski. ISBN 0-394-73938-8.
  • Kemp, Mark. Dixie Lullaby: A Story of Music, Race, & New Beginnings in a New South. New York, New York: Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2004, p. 17. ISBN 0-7432-3794-3
  • Charlie Daniels Band, "The South's Gonna Do It Again." In the second verse "And all the good people down in Tennessee are diggin' Barefoot Jerry and CDB."
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