J.Jerry's Daily Music Pick(s)

The Statler Brothers - The Best of the Statler Brothers According to Lueptow

GLENDALE, CA (YIFTM) – A few years back I dove heavily into the Statler Brothers. I’m not sure if it was the song, Flowers on the Wall from the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack, or the mounting $1 Statler Brother records I was quickly accumulating, but one thing is strikingly clear; for me the Statler Brothers provide a blanket of comfort not found anywhere else.

My first Statler Brothers’ album was their Greatest Hits album I’d picked up on vinyl at the east side Half Price Books (before they changed the layout of the store and when the records were in the back right part of the building, past the cardboard cutout of Princess Leia towering over everyone in the store). Wanting to listen to the Greatest Hits album in my car and on my computer, I attempted to download the album. A few key songs weren’t available for download, so for the next few months I compiled my version of their greatest hits titled: The Best of the Statler Brothers According to Lueptow (which is basically their Greatest Hits album with about 4 songs missing and 5 more added). This album stood as an element of safety and a memory trigger for times long since passed.

When I listen to The Best of the Statler Brothers According to Lueptow, I can’t help but think of warm summer nights in grade school riding my bike around town, and passing a pie social that frequented summer nights at the local “village” library. When you’re a kid you don’t have worries. You don’t have insecurities or a second guessing conscious. This album, with all of it’s small town (albeit circa: 1958) persona, more importantly reminds me of my Grandpa Harold, and the times we’d spend on the farm, in his work shop, and taking various trips to “the dump”. If Johnny Cash reminds me of my Grandpa Norm (after he passed away I obtained his Country music record collection), than the Statler Brothers definitely remind me of my Grandpa Harold.

Anyway, my memorable drive through Sap Town is almost over. I’ve got to fill up on regular, get a bottled Coke, a pack of 1990 Donruss baseball from Donna’s Variety and some root beer bottle gummies and head back to the West Coast (while fighting back tears and singing along to the Statler Brothers: “So now you’ve made your bed, and I hope you lie well in it, and I hope you’ll both be happy, you see I still lie well too”).