Interview with Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall, May 30, 2009

Partial Transcript: I'm Chris Jones and I'm here to do an interview of Tom T. and Miss Dixie Hall.

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall are introduced. Tom Hall discusses his family members' musical abilities. He talks about the story behind his song "Bill Monroe For Breakfast" which he wrote while touring in Australia.

Keywords: Australia; Baptist preachers; Bill Monroe for Breakfast (Song); Brothers; Clawhammer banjo style; Fathers; Little Bitty (Song); Musical styles; Pamela Brown (Song); Playing styles; Popularity; Records; Touring; Tours

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music fans.; Musical ability in children.; Musical ability.; Musical families; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Songs.

Partial Transcript: Getting back to some of the music played around your household when you were a kid, I'm sure the term 'bluegrass' wasn't used at that time.

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall talks about his awareness and interest in bluegrass during his childhood. He talks about playing music with his neighbor and the formation of the band the Kentucky Travelers. He talks about the experience of seeing Earl Scruggs on television.

Keywords: Bass players; Bassists; Bill Monroe (Artist); Brothers; Curly Jarvis; Dixie Hall (Artist); Earl Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Guitars; Hall, Dixie (Artist); Harmony singing; Jarvis, Curly; Kentucky Travelers (Artist); Learning to play; Mandolins; Monroe, Bill (Artist); North; Records; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Singing; Starday Records; Television

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical ability in children.; Musical ability.; Musical families; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: "Follow Me Back to the Fold" reminded me of that, uh, beautiful song that, that the two of you wrote...

Segment Synopsis: Dixie Hall talks about her early years in England and how Bill Clifton sponsored her when she came to America. She talks about how her relationship with Clifton led to her meeting and eventually living with the Carter family. She talks about Johnny Cash's reaction to her songwriting. Tom T. Hall tells a humorous story about Johnny Cash using a word processor.

Keywords: A. P. Carter (Artist); Anita Carter (Artist); Bill Clifton (Artist); Books; Carter Family (Artist); Carter, A. P. (Artist); Carter, Anita (Artist); Carter, Helen (Artist); Carter, Janette (Artist); Carter, Joe (Artist); Carter, Maybelle (Artist); Cash, Johnny (Artist); Cash, June Carter (Artist); Citizenship; Clifton, Bill (Artist); Dixie Hall (Artist); England; Hall, Dixie (Artist); Helen Carter (Artist); Jamaica; Janette Carter (Artist); Joe Carter (Artist); Johnny Cash (Artist); June Carter Cash (Artist); Mark Newton (Artist); Maybelle Carter (Artist); Newton, Mark (Artist); Personality; Songwriting; Sponsors; Starday Records; Tribute albums; Virginia; Word processors; Writing

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Musical ability in children.; Musical ability.; Musical families; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Songs.

Partial Transcript: Miss Dixie, you mentioned writing songs and, and, uh, you were kind of casual about it but you wrote some songs that were cut by some major artists.

Segment Synopsis: Dixie Hall talks about how she began writing poetry as a child which led her to begin writing songs.

Keywords: Australia; David Gordon "Slim Dusty" Kirkpatrick (Artist); Dixie Hall (Artist); England; Hall, Dixie (Artist); Kirkpatrick, David Gordon "Slim Dusty" (Artist); Poetry; Songwriting; Starday Records; Truck driving

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Musical ability in children.; Musical ability.; Musical families; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Songs.

Partial Transcript: Uh, (??) question, uh, how'd the two of you meet?

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall tell the story of how they met at an IBMA awards ceremony, when Tom insulted Dixie.

Keywords: B-sides; BMI Awards; Carter, Maybelle (Artist); Dates; Drunk; Fishing; Hits; I Got Lost (Song); Jimmy Newman (Artist); Maybelle Carter (Artist); Meeting; Newman, Jimmy (Artist); Potatoes; Truck Drivin’ Son-of-a-Gun (Song)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well, Tom T., when did you, when did you start writing songs?

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall talks about his misconception in his childhood about how songs were written. He talks about secretly writing a song, "Haven't I Been Good To You," but claiming that he had heard it on the radio.

Keywords: Arguments; Disagreements; Fights; Haven't I Been Good to You (Song); Misconceptions; Neighbors; Songwriting

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Musical ability in children.; Musical ability.; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Songs.

Partial Transcript: Then I went to Germany in the army.

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall talks about writing songs while he was in the army stationed in Germany, mainly about the soldiers' experiences. He talks about how he began to work for a publishing company in Nashville once he returned to America.

Keywords: 3,000 Gallons of Beer (Song); 36 Months of Loneliness (Song); Army; Gasthaus Rock (Song); Germany; Nashville (Tenn.); Publishers; Roanoke College; Short-Timer's Blues (Song); Songwriters; Songwriting

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music--Performance.; Musical ability.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; United States. Army--Military life

Partial Transcript: Well, Jerry Kennedy asked me to make a record.

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall talks about the "weird" subjects of his songs, which he was encouraged to record himself because they were too personal for others to record. He talks about the real life inspiration for several of his songs, including "The Year Clayton Delaney Died" and "A Week in a Country Jail." He talks briefly about being a DJ on a radio station after the Kentucky Travelers broke up. He and Dixie discuss the inspiration behind "Local Flowers."

Keywords: A Week in a Country Jail (Song); Bluegrass bands; Bosses; Characters; Co-writing; DJs; Deejays; Disc jockeys; Dixie Hall (Artist); Girlfriends; Hall, Dixie (Artist); Hear the Wind Blow (Song); I Love (Song); Jerry Kennedy; Judges; Kennedy, Jerry; Kentucky Travelers (Artist); Korean War; Local Flowers (Song); News; Personal; Radio stations; Songwriting; Sponsors; The Year Clayton Delaney Died (Song); Weird; Wife

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Speaking of dog names, uh, for Jimmy Martin, a highest compliment or, or the sign that you're a close friend of, of Jimmy Martin's was that he would name a hunting dog after you...

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall talk about their relationship with Jimmy Martin and describe his personality.

Keywords: Dogs; Goats; Guitar Picking President (Song); Honors; Jimmy Martin (Artist); Martin, Jimmy (Artist); Personality; Publishers; Truth

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Uh, you mentioned that, that your first, uh, co-write was a Flatt and Scruggs song of "I Heard the Wind Blow" before.

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall talk about Tom recording with Earl Scruggs. Tom T. Hall talks about the inspiration behind the song "It Was Only the Wind." They talk about Louise Scruggs' personality. Tom talks about meeting Lester Flatt.

Keywords: Albums; Attitudes; Beer; Bonnie and Clyde (Motion picture); Bonnie and Clyde (Soundtrack); Career highlights; Carter, Maybelle (Artist); DJ conventions; Drinking; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Flatt, Lester (Artist); It Was Only the Wind (Song); Lester Flatt (Artist); Louise Scruggs (Artist); Maybelle Carter (Artist); Nametags; Personality; Promotion; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Scruggs, Louise (Artist); Songwriting

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Before I forget about it, 'cause I, I could easily do it, back in the Kentucky Travelers days you were talking about being the bass player...

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall tell a story about how Dixie reacquired the bass Tom once played with the Kentucky Travelers.

Keywords: Army; Bass; Bass players; Bassists; Bullet holes; Concerts; Don Rigsby (Artist); Gigs; Kentucky Travelers (Artist); Recording studios; Rigsby, Don (Artist); Route 23 Museum; Shooting; Shows; Square dances

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Kind of throwing a quick non-musical question for you, Miss Dixie.

Segment Synopsis: Dixie Hall talks about her childhood career riding horses as a trick rider. She tells a humorous story about an incident that occurred at a show. She talks about meeting Tex Ritter and how this led to her career as a songwriter.

Keywords: Buck Ryan; Capitol Records; Dixie Hall (Artist); Don Pierce; England; Halftime shows; Hall, Dixie (Artist); Horseback riding; Horses; Ireland; Pants; Pierce, Don; Ritter, Woodward Maurice "Tex" (Artist); Ryan, Buck; Scotland; Shows; Starday Records; Stetson hats; Touring; Trick riding; Tricks; Trousers; Victory V; Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (Artist)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Uh, I was just thinking that, you know, you mentioned that Tom T. is amazing the way he keeps on coming on with the stories...

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall talk about Tom's ability as a storyteller and his personality. They discuss their preference for bluegrass music over the current trends in country music.

Keywords: "The Storyteller"; Be yourself; Bluegrass bands; Dixieland; Feeling; Natural; Personality; Ritter, Woodward Maurice "Tex" (Artist); Sales; Selling; Storytellers; Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music fans.; Music--Performance.; Musical ability in children.; Musical ability.; Musical families; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Now to me your, your country records always had a natural sound and an acoustic sound.

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall talks about his preference for acoustic music, and how although bluegrass was not commercially popular, he and Jerry Kennedy made a bluegrass album and released it on country radio. He talks about the recording of this album and the popularity of his truck driving songs. He talks about how he came to record a children's album.

Keywords: Acoustic; Albums; Attitudes; Banjos; Bill Monroe (Artist); Characters; Children; Country radio; Dobros; Fox On The Run (Song); Harper Valley PTA (Song); I Washed My Face In The Morning Dew (Song); Jerry Kennedy; Jimmy Martin (Artist); Kennedy, Jerry; Kids; Martin, Jimmy (Artist); Mercury Records; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Musical instruments; Musical styles; Natural; Nephews; Producers; Radio; Sneaky Snake (Song); Songwriting; Sound; Truck drivers

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: We talked some about your, your birthplace and where you grew up, but, uh, I guess we should get more, more specific.

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall describes his birthplace, the town of Olive Hill, Kentucky. He talks about his fascination with the characters of the town, his story writing as a child, and his father's attitude about his music career.

Keywords: Birthplace; Characters; Department stores; Eastern Kentucky; Fathers; Homecoming (Song); Jobs; Novels; Olive Hill (Ky.); Population; Small towns; Stories; Storytelling; Television; Ugly; Weird; Writing

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Musical ability in children.; Musical ability.; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Songs.

Partial Transcript: Miss Dixie, we've mentioned that you're from, uh, Warwickshire.

Segment Synopsis: Dixie Hall talks about her birthplace in England. Tom T. Hall tells a story about playing guitar and writing a song with Paul McCartney, "New Moon Over Jamaica."

Keywords: Birmingham (England); Guitar players; Guitars; Left-handed; McCartney, Paul (Artist); New Moon Over Jamaica (Song); Paul McCartney (Artist); Songwriting; Warwickshire (England)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Songs.

Partial Transcript: We were talking about the radio station where you were still in your teens...

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall talks more about his work as a DJ. He talks more about his time in the army being stationed in Germany. He tells the story about the inspiration for his song, "Salute to a Switchblade" which was based on his friend in the army.

Keywords: Boxing champions; DJs; Deejays; Disc jockeys; Fights; Germany; Italy; Quartermaster school; Radio stations; Salute to a Switchblade (Song); Soldiers; Stories; Switchblade knife; Trench coats; WMOR (Radio station); Yates

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Songs.; United States. Army--Military life

Partial Transcript: Uh, get into a little bit into the, the present day or the, or the near past and, and some of what, what you're both involved in...

Segment Synopsis: Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall discuss their preference for bluegrass music over the current trends in country music. They talk about the creation of their publishing company, Good Home Grown Music, which led to their recording studio and their record label. Dixie talks about producing the "Daughters of Bluegrass" album and talks about women in the bluegrass industry.

Keywords: Artists; Bill Monroe (Artist); Concerts; Daughters of Bluegrass (Album); Decisions; Female artists; Female musicians; Generations; Gigs; Good Home Grown Music Publishing; International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA); Loud; Money; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Moore, Nancy (Artist); Musical styles; Nancy Moore (Artist); Producers; Producing; Record labels; Recording studios; Shows; Songwriting; Sound; Standards (Classics); Style; Women artists

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Lyric writing (Popular music); Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music--Writing and publishing.; Records.; Songs.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Women bluegrass musicians.

Partial Transcript: So one very serious question.

Segment Synopsis: Dixie Hall talks about some of the practical jokes she has pulled and she and the interviewer discuss why practical jokes can be dangerous. Tom T. Hall talks about a joke he once played. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Alecia Nugent (Artist); April Fool's Day; Backdrops; DJs; Deejays; Disc jockeys; Don Rigsby (Artist); Insomnia; Irwin, Ken (Artist); Ken Irwin (Artist); Let Me Fly Low (Song); Naked; Nugent, Alecia (Artist); Practical jokers; Practical jokes; Pranks; Reactions; Rigsby, Don (Artist); Tires; Touring

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Songs.