Today’s post was written by Paul.
Today I’m sharing another super fun train song with the immensely talented Doyle and Caleb Dykes, “Folsom Prison Blues.”
This is a song that I’ve avoided doing for six years in the train song series, and I’m so glad that I saved it until now. It’s pretty tough to do justice to a classic that’s internationally known and loved, but with Doyle and Caleb making the music, it gets a lot easier! Their instrumental breaks on this song are unbelievable!
We only did two takes of this song, the first one being just a rough, practice take, in which we stopped several times; yet, their playing is so expressive, imaginative, and perfectly executed. They have top level playing on command. They are elite musicians who can perform at the drop of a hat!
During their guitar breaks, I had to focus on not being overawed so I could keep my vocal in time, on pitch, and with the correct lyrics. I reminded myself that I could pay more attention to the picking later when I watched the video. 🙂
Not only was the music super fun, but the conversations with Doyle were so interesting and engaging! He really had me going with his gag about the song that “got Johnny out of prison!” I am not acting in the video. I was fully expecting to hear a real prison song when Doyle started “sawing” on his E string. 🙂
Mr. Tim Dolbear once again did an outstanding job refining and boosting the audio for the interview and song. The original sounded like audio captured with a Camcorder from 10 feet away in a large room, because that’s kind of what it was! Once Tim finished processing and enhancing the audio, it sounded like all three of us were wearing lapel mics!
I didn’t send all of the outtakes to Tim for processing, so if you notice the audio drop in some of those parts, that’s why.
After this one, just one train song remains to close out the series. However, Tipper was able to capture Doyle playing a couple of his original songs as we were winding down and putting away equipment. Those were special moments, and we’ll be sure to share them too! Sometime down the road, I think it would be great for her to do a full interview with Doyle for Celebrating Appalachia, if his schedule allows.
Thanks for watching, and we hope you enjoyed watching this video as much as we enjoyed making it!
Be sure to head on over to Doyle’s channel to subscribe. If you subscribe to his channel, you’ll be helping bring his music to more and more listeners by feeding the YouTube algorithm. 🙂
You can purchase Doyle’s book, Lights of Marfa, at doyledykes.com. It’s truly a fascinating and inspiring read. If you buy it new, it also contains a companion DVD where you can hear Doyle perform some absolutely beautiful music, with help from his family and other legendary musicians.
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is a one of our cds Songs of Christmas which has 15 traditional Christmas songs on it. Leave a comment on this post to be entered. Giveaway ends November 22, 2024. You can pick up a copy of the cd here.
Paul
Original singles released on Spotify.
I am sure enjoying these picking and singing sessions and would love to be a fly on the wall. Keep the music flowing!
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Oh I would love to win this CD! I love Christmas music! Thank you for the opportunity!
Beautiful music!! Great playing and singing!! true joy to listen to. Thanks!!!
I really enjoyed today’s music and I believe they enjoyed making it. Amazing.
I love Christmas Music! Hope I win!
Joanna
I saw and heard Doyle once..super. I think he did the pickin’ for the Chet tribute on the Opry way back.
I’ve lived near a train track for a good portion of my life. Visitors would ask if hearing the train going by would bother us but we all got adjusted to it so much that we would not even pay any attention to it. Sometimes it seemed like we didn’t even hear it.
this takes me back to childhood when mom and dad would have friends over and they’d all sit around and play music…beautiful memories….
Becky, my father in law had a small country music band. Every Saturday night the band members would take turns at going to each other’s home and sit around and play. Their wife’s would go in another room and talk. Sometimes friends would come to listen to them. None of them would be drinking any alcohol drinks.
Great guitar playing! Loved it!
Thank you Paul for another great video! Mr. Doyle is amazing! I’m really enjoying all of you together! God bless you and yours❤❤ps I would live a copy of your Christmas CD
Now that was just plain fun – not to mention fantastic!
Guitar picking can’t be beat especially when the pickers are that talented. I always enjoy the music you folks play.
Still clapping!!! Fantastic! Johnny is loving it I’m sure!
Paul looked happier than a pig in mud pickin with those guys. Makes me miss the nights when my brother Shane and cousin Quentin would have jam sessions with Zane Fairchild. We would sit around till the wee hours of the mornings listening to them. I’ve never been a huge Johnny Cash fan but I really like this version. “That’s a mighty fine a pickin and a sangin”….good job boys
I love Christmas music.
Really enjoyed this post – love the train series
Loved it! This is definitely one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs.
Loved it!!!
Good stuff, gentlemen! I’ve enjoyed train songs since I was still wet behind the ears. My dad and his brother sang Jimmie Rodgers songs all the time–and I know I’m telling my age. Then, of course, came Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline train songs in modern times. I don’t think this was a song, but somewhere I picked up a funny line that is at least train-related: “Head for the roundhouse, Nellie; the brakeman can’t corner you there!” Take it and run with it, Paul.
Johnny Cash has always been a favorite, and train whistles have always seemed to call my name even though I have never rode one! Thanks for sharing this one Paul.
Happy Sunday! Y’all got us tapping our toes this morning. Great picking and singing! Fun stories to go along with it too. Thank you all for sharing it with us.
Have a blessed day to all!
the train songs are all songs I can recall my dad singing—you know what it is like to love hearing your dad sing, mine has been gone seventeen years unfortunately I have no recordings of him (when he was a teenager he, one of his sisters and his dad sang gospel songs (hymns) every Sunday morning on the local radio station…..I would give anything if there were recordings of that but of course there is not.
Them boys was having fun! Kinda gives me an insight as to why ‘jam sessions’ are a thing. Marvelous, even more so that it is all a complete mystery to me. Whatever talent I have, it is definitely not music. I am glad for each of them. Fun to watch & hear.
I’m in awe of such talent. I don’t have a speck of musical talent; for one thing, my fingers are too slow to make fast runs. Coupla times in my youth i briefly took piano lessons but it just never did work out. Nobody in my family was ever musically talented, but i sure do enjoy what others do.
We would love a CD !
Enjoyed the song and the picking this morning. For a change, I was not awake at 4 o’clock this morning. Paul, I mean this in a teasing way, you worry too much about being perfect with your music and singing. Your talk about keys and pitches mean nothing to me and I expect a lot of others, you may as well be talking Greek. All I know about music is it either sounds good or it don’t. You, Pap and the Girls always sound good.
I reread yesterday’s comments late last night, someone mention they wonder how they lived to be 70 years old doing all the things that are now suppose to kill us if we listen to today’s experts. Mercurochrome, methylate, and iodine can no longer be sold because they contain TRACE amounts of mercury, how much would it take for these and the other things to be harmful. The experts don’t tell you this. For some of us older members back in our youthful days, if you had went to a doctor, the doctor would of taken care of a cut or nail in the foot, with today’s family doctors you will either bleed to death, or the cut will heal on its own before you can see all of the specialist you will be referred too. By the way, I too am 70 years old and have been a country boy and man all of my life and have the scars to prove it, I could not list everything in my life that I have done that is now suppose to be harmful. I don’t pay much attention to today’s experts, I know doing this will one day kill me.
I have enjoyed your train series. My parents had an LP of Johnny Cash when I was growing up, and I listened to it—including this song—all the time. You guys did a great job singing and playing. Looking forward to next week. Have a blessed Sunday everyone.
I think Johnny Cash would be pleased with this cover of his song. What a treat this train series has been.
Once again amazing!
Fantastic!!! My goodness those Dykes men are truly amazing guitar pickers and Paul can sing and pick the guitar. I sure did enjoy it. God bless you all!
Thank you for the music and the story! All three of you are incredibly talented to my mind. Johnny Cash was my introduction to really good music, and I’ve always liked Folsom Prison Blues. Hearing it again from you three was a treat. An interview with Doyle would be so interesting for sure!
❤️ Meg
That was very enjoyable. Thanks for all the effort that went into making this! ❣️
Enjoying the train series picking and grining sessions with gifted and talented musicians.
Everyone have a great Sunday!
I really enjoyed that!!! A toe-tapping start to Sunday.
Thank you for the stories, the strumming and the singing.
Wow…thanks for sharing this gem. We have listened to the Dykes for years. They can’t be beat. Woke up to 47 degrees this morning and with that chill, looking forward to the low 80s today only to be chilled tomorrow morning. Prayers for Granny, so grateful for her ene4rgy and well being, and for God’s blessings for all you guys.