Marty Stuart Covers Johnny Rivers ‘Poor Side Of Town’

Marty Stuart’s latest chapter from the upcoming ‘Songs I Sing In The Dark’ is his cover of the Johnny Rivers classic ‘Poor Side of Town’.

Marty says:

One of the smiles the Songs I Sing in the Dark series has brought is, some of the songs have taken me back in a heartfelt way to my earliest days as a musician, to a time when I was falling head over heels in love with music. Those hot Mississippi summers of the 1960s were defined by the songs on the radio, adding records to my stack, watching my favorite musical television shows, and the pure joy of becoming a guitar player. It felt so noble. The ultimate thrill was getting to actually take my Fender guitar somewhere and playing it for the people. Gospel music, country music, rhythm & blues, soul, and rock & roll seemed to meet me wherever I’d go. After all, we’re talking Mississippi. When you cross the state line the sign reads, “Welcome to Mississippi, the Birthplace of American Music.” It’s a place where every denomination of music is welcomed, and I fell right in line with that way of thinking. In the 1960s, Johnny Rivers was especially popular in the Magnolia State. His songs seemed to just float along on the breeze and make themselves at home wherever they landed. His music paid no attention to categorical boundaries, and bands from almost every genre played his songs. Johnny Rivers was sharp. His red Gibson guitar, stylish clothes, modern hair, California vibe, sneer, and especially his radio songs made him among the coolest of cats in my eyes. I was a guitar goner the first time I heard his recording of “Secret Agent Man.” I still think it’s one of the baddest records of all time. Johnny Rivers has so many great songs to his credit, but his and Lou Adler’s composition of “Poor Side of Town” is the one that has followed me around year after year. I’ve always loved to sing it just so I can play the famous guitar lick that is so much a part of the song.

When Johnny came to guest on my television show, I requested that he do “Poor Side of Town.” He obliged, and it sounded wonderful. That encounter was the one, and only time I have ever been in the same room as Johnny Rivers. He’s a great artist, an essential, timeless cat…and I believe with all my heart that he deserves to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And, “Poor Side of Town” is just one of the many reasons why.

Marty Stuart’s current US tour continues in Lufkin, Texas this Saturday 4 September.

Marty Stuart Tour Dates

Sat 4 September Temple Theater Lufkin, TX
Fri 10 September Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua Bayfield, WI
Sat 11 September Door Community Auditorium Fish Creek, WI
Thu 16 September Edmonds Center For The Arts Edmonds, WA
Fri 17 September Lincoln Theatre Center Mt. Vernon, WA
Sat 18 September Admiral Theatre Bremerton, WA
Sun 19 September Aladdin Theate Portland, OR
Tue 21 September Freight & Salvage Berkeley, CA
Wed 22 September Freight & Salvage Berkeley, CA
Thu 23 September Crest Theatre Sacramento, CA
Fri 24 September Crystal Bay Club Casino Crystal Bay, NV
Sat 25 September Uptown Theatre Napa Napa, CA
Sun 26 September The Chapel San Francisco, CA
Wed 29 September The Fremont Theater San Luis Obispo, CA
Thu 30 September Sunset Center Carmel, CA
Sat 2 October Rialto Theatre Tucson, AZ
Sun 3 October Lensic Performing Arts Center Santa Fe, NM
Mon 4 October Albuquerque Journal Theatre Albuquerque, NM
Fri 15 October Narrows Center For The Arts Fall River, MA
Sat 16 October Stone Mountain Arts Center Brownfield, ME
Sun 17 October Bethel Woods Center For The Arts Bethel, NY
Wed 20 October The Waiting Room Omaha, NE
Thu 21 October The Blue Note Columbia, MO
Fri 22 October Sheldon Concert Hall St Louis, MO
Sat 23 October Englert Theatre Iowa City, IA
Sun 24 October Ordway Concert Hall St. Paul, MN
Thu 28 October Gateway City Arts Holyoke, MA
Fri 29 October Center For The Arts Of Homer Homer, NY
Sat 30 October Penn’s Peak Jim Thorpe, PA
Thu 4 November Kenneth & Ramona Cherry Theater Columbia, TN
Sat 6 November Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center Huntingdon, TN
Thu 11 November Florida Theatre Jacksonville, FL
Thu 18 November Victory Theatre Evansville, IN
Fri 19 November Blue Gate Performing Arts Center Shipshewana, IN
Sat 20 November Stoughton Opera House Stoughton, WI
Fri 17 December Walker Theatre Chattanooga, TN
Sat 18 December Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN
Sat 15 January Gary & Laura Maurer Concert Hall Chicago, IL