Sunday, August 14, 2011

Edge Of Love

(Burnette/Royer) I met Billy Burnette through Jimmy Griffin when I first moved to Nashville. Those audiophiles among you will know all about the Burnette family. Dorsey Burnette, who had a hit in 1960 with Tall Oak Tree was Billy’s dad. He continued to have success on the pop and country charts for many years. Dorsey’s brother, Johnny, had a number of hits on his own including You’re Sixteen, Dreamin’ and many others. The brothers also wrote hits for Ricky Nelson, including It’s Late. Both brothers are considered quintessential rockabilly pioneers and both are in the rockabilly hall of fame.

This is a Memphis story. Young Jimmy Griffin grew up near the Burnettes and used to hang around, trying to soak up as much influence as he could. He looked up to Johnny and Dorsey just as Billy, ten years younger than James, admired him. Of course Jimmy went on to find success in Bread and Billy, among his many credits, joined Fleetwood Mac, replacing Lindsay Buckingham when he left.

Billy and I knew each other for several years before we finally sat down to write. Edge of Love came quickly. I was highly cognizant of Billy’s legendary rockabilly status and was trying to write something that had rockabilly roots but a bit of post-Beatle mentality. With Billy playing these rippin’ guitar riffs it wasn’t hard. Billy does all the guitars and the vocals and I’m pretty sure that’s Dave Roe on Bass and Lynn Williams on drums. We didn’t get too far on the demo because Billy immediately re-cut it for an album he was working on at the time. But since rockabilly is such a bare-bones medium, I think the economical demo stands up pretty well.

Edge Of Love

3 comments:

  1. Love Billy's work. Saw him in the 'Mac when they toured the UK back in ... whenever. Phenomenal talent ...

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  2. Billy Burnette never fails to deliver. He and Bekka Bramlett and our other favorites (Margo Guryan, Philip Glass, Billy Thorpe, Roy Orbison, our special non-hit Bread compilation, etc.) have provided the soundtrack for thousands of happy miles on the road. (Just about to hit 350,000 in this car). Billy and Bekka rarely sounded better together that on F.Mac's "Time" album, and ol' Mick really perked up for that project. Stevie Nicks' unreleased track with Billy ("Are You Mine") is one of the most tear-jerkingly sweet songs I've ever heard, and I now see it's on YouTube. The released version of "Edge Of Love" has a kinda "Twin Peaks" feel in part, doncha think?

    Billy's whole recording career (which includes some great "country grunge") belongs on a multi-CD set such as what Bear Family put out on his uncle Johnny. Speaking of that set, Johnny's recordings with the Rock & Roll Trio don't sound nearly as happy as the 3 CDs devoted to his original demos - some of which border on folk music. Ever hear "Candle Of Love" or "Jeannie"? I wonder what early song Johnny wrote that he asked Jimmy Griffin to write the bridge for. But I digress severely. Hope to hear more from Billy in the future.

    Thank you, Robb!

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  3. Ahh John and Malcolm the American and English prime Bread biographers. Thanks so much for your comments and suggestions (it was, after all John who nudged Edge of Love out of me this early). Malcolm, your encouragement is a large reason for these pages existing at all. I hope I can continue to issue stuff that is interesting to you. By the way, John, I just re-read your Bread Pages and never cease to be amazed how you seem to know more about me than I remember myself. I'd read them and go 'oh yeah, that did happen'. I do however have a couple of factual focusing comments, so let's talk soon.

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