Wendell Ferguson
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Wendell Ferguson

| INDIE | AFM

| INDIE | AFM
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The best kept secret in music

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"CD review Happy Songs Sell Records, Sad Songs Sell Beer"

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

CD Review - WENDELL FERGUSON - Happy Songs Sell Records, Sad Songs Sell Beer
WENDELL FERGUSON
Happy Songs Sell Records, Sad Songs Sell Beer
(Indie) – WHF-0203
Produced by: Wendell Ferguson

(16 Selections / Playing Time 57:44)
Hey Broken Nose / Happy Songs Sell Records, Sad Songs Sell Beer / She’s Got Herself A Redneck Now / I’ll Get Over Bluegrass (When There’s Bluegrass Over Me) / The Hangin’ Tree / Talk Hockey / Firmly On The Fence / The Thirst / 10 Foot Tall & 40 Foot Wide / Marriage Ain’t A Word, It’s A Sentence / Fools Speed Ahead / Time Flies / No, No, No Note / Round & Round / Those Were The Nights / Wildwood Flower

…into every country music fan’s life, a little fun must come !!
Leave it to Wendell Ferguson to look after that special need; and he provides a full-hour of jocular levity with this amazing collection of tongue-in-cheek. The Toronto-based Ferguson has long established himself as one of Canadian country music’s most versatile performers, much-awarded for his guitar and production skills, and while he’ll never challenge the “George’s” of country music with his vocal work, he is quite capable of delivering his own material with the special flare that it calls for.
There’s no end to the chuckles here, mostly because Wendell Ferguson is able to creatively twist a familiar country song or phrase, or situation into his own domain, inject his own play-on-words; and make it all sound fresh and funny. You get a taste of what this is all about in a brief intro skit where a rowdy shouts a request out to the singer “…hey, broken nose, play Wildwood Flower”. The singer says, “…my nose ain’t broken”. Then you here a fist planted on the singer’s beak…and then you hear some Wildwood Flower guitar pickin’ !!
Wendell Ferguson writes his songs with a warped pen…and there’s no end to the man’s wit. The liner notes in the album contain a brief description of each song, and they are as hilarious as the songs themselves. Example: for the song Firmly On The Fence, a song about procrastination; he says: “I couldn’t decide whether or not to put this one the record…”
The album’s title track tune, Happy Songs Sell Records, Sad Songs Sell Beer speaks of the dilemma facing country music recording artists today; She’s Got Herself A Redneck Now gives a whole new meaning to the term “redneck”; while Marriage Ain’t A Word, It’s A Sentence is best described by Wendell Ferguson himself when he says: “…we got married in the bathtub – it was a double ring ceremony”.
Every song is a hoot here, but there are some that really stand out. Talk Hockey is all about being Canadian; and this one deserves to get some radio airplay (not a priority in Wendell Ferguson’s world); while The Thirst and I’ll Get Over Bluegrass (When There’s Bluegrass Over Me) owe allegiance to the past hits by George Jones – The Thirst for the obvious Possum connection, and Bluegrass, for it’s likeness to the Jones classic, When The Grass Grows Over Me.
There’s plenty more in between here (just check the songlist), but the album closes with a jazz-flavored instrumental version of The Carter Family nugget Wildwood Flower; and it is probably included as an apology of sorts to the song I Liked Johnny Better (When He Left June At Home) which appeared on Wendell Ferguson’s 1998 debut collection of mayhem, I Pick Therefore I Jam.

Happy Songs Sell Records, Sad Songs Sell Beer was produced by Wendell Ferguson (who else), and recorded at various studios in S/W Ontario. His own guitar virtuosity is supported by ace-session players like John Dymond (bass), Doug Johnson (steel), Burke Carroll (dobro), Don Reed (fiddle), Steve O’Connor (keyboards) and b/g vocals by John and Michele Law, etc…and in true fashion, Wendell Ferguson pays tribute to them with his liner-note quip: “…there are many dips on the road to success; I’m so glad I got to play with them”.


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Review by Stewart Fenwick (...to Country Music and More)

WENDELL FERGUSON
I Pick Therefore I Jam—Wen Hel Freezes Music

I’ve attended several Country Music Awards weekends in Canada, and I have come to the conclusion that Wendell Ferguson is the type of guy that keeps the country scene alive. I think everyone involved in the country music scene in Canada is a personal friend of Wendell, and indeed has he has played in their band. He pops up everywhere, pickin’ his guitar for everyone.
I was particularly pleased to hear this album because it brought him to the fore, and, what a good album it is. All the songs were written (or co-written) by Ferguson—he produced it, and played a fair share of the licks.
As you’ll see from the track listing, there are some very clever song titles, and his comments on the sleeve notes are just as catchy.
Of the music, “This Unemployment Just Ain’t Working” , is particularly bouncy, “Boneless Chicken” is a superb little instrumental, “ - Country Music News


"Review I Pick Therefore I Jam"




Thunder Bay's "Chronicle Journal"


The current object of adoration is Katherine Wheatley, who gave a concert this past Friday evening on the Auditorium's "Stage Door" setting, ably accompanied by 6-time Canadian Country Music Association's Guitarist of the Year, Wendell Ferguson. Ferguson is the perfect foil for Wheatley. His comic number "Rocks and Trees", should be the national anthem for Northern Ontario if we ever rise up and separate. Plus anyone who can instantly turn the title of "Fly Me to the Moon" into the anguishing pun of "Fry Me up a Loon" will always hold a fond place in my memory.


- Thumder Bay's "Chronicle Journal"


"The RECORD"


From "The Record" in Guelph.
A review of Katherine Wheatley's show.
...Her set was punctuated by a couple of numbers by her accompanist, guitar ace Wendell Ferguson, a veteran of the Canadian music scene whose credits include performing with Quartette, Gordon Lightfoot and others. Ferguson regaled the Arkell audience with his humorous ditty Rocks & Trees, Trees & Rocks and Fret No More a wonderful instrumental tribute to Chet Atkins (who died last June 30), which he delivered in a liquid-lightning fingerpicking style worthy of the legendary guitarist. It was an added thrill to be able to watch Ferguson play in such an intimate concert setting.
- Guelph


Discography

I PICK THEREFORE I JAM
HAPPY SONGS SELL RECORDS, SAD SONGS SELL BEER
Wendell has also played as a side man on numberous artists CDs...for a list go to www.wendellferguson.com and klik on "Recordings"

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio


"Wendell Ferguson is recognized by his peers as one of the top pickers in the country and known best as having one of the quickest wits in the game. A talented and funny guy to say the least." (Country Music News)

What do you give an overweight, asthmatic 7-year-old boy for Christmas? Model airplane? Etch-A-Sketch? Erector set? Well lucky for us Wendell Fergusons' folks gave him a guitar.
From the first time he heard Chet Atkins' recording of "Mister Sandman" he was hooked, and only one thing ever held his interest...the guitar. He'd already been taking lessons for 3 years when The Beatles came on the scene and he was soon hard at work lifting their licks, along with Ventures, the Stones, Les Paul and of course the aforementioned Mr. Atkins.

Fast forward to today. Wendell has won the Canadian Country Music Association's "Guitar Player of the Year" 6 times. Along with 3 more wins for "Back-up Band of the Year," plus a Ontario Country Performer and Fan Association award for "Career Musician". To quote Ferguson "Not bad for a guy who hasn't worked a day in his life".

Years of touring, radio and television appearances and recording with some of the biggest names in both the country field (George Fox, Duane Steele, Shania Twain, The Wilkinsons, The Dixie Chicks, Chely Wright, Deana Carter, Gary Allen, Patty Loveless, Tracy Byrd...) and the folk arena (Gordon Lightfoot, Sylvia Tyson, James Keelaghan, Katherine Wheatley, The Arrogant Worms, Quartette, Jane Siberry, Vance Gilbert, Brent Titcomb) have given his songwriting a unique perspective.

"The man writes sharp, witty and head-spinningly brilliant tunes. He's a cross between Roger Miller and Ray Flack. He has more in common with Mark Twain than Shania"
(Twangzine)

He started to find his own "writers voice" back in '92 when he founded the contemporary country band "Coda The West", and wrote or co-wrote most of that acts material. Five Top-40 hits resulted in CCMA nominations for "Duo or Group of the Year", along with a Juno award nomination.

"This is not just a novelty album, it's a country album with great musicians, production and songs"
(Country Wave Magazine)

In 1999 Wendell decided to step out on his own to reveal both his notorious sense of humour and his notable guitar work with the release of his CD "I Pick, Therefore I Jam." The album garnered rave reviews and was nominated in the CCMA's "Vocal Collaboration of the Year" category for his duet with Prairie Oyster's Russell deCarle. It was also listed in RPM's Top 100 Albums of 1999 and Country Music News' "Best of the Year".

"This gem is a collectors item, not just because it's obscure, but because it's so darn good. Five Stars!"
(Real Music Magazine)

Ferguson now makes his living splitting his time between performing his own hilarious act and being a sideman/session player for everyone and their aunt. Last year he released his second solo CD called "Happy Songs Sell Records" and will be releasing his Wendell Ferguson Live CD "When the S#!T Hits the Fans" in the spring of '05.
Check out his performance schedule at www.wendellferguson.com to see where you can catch him.