(copied with permission from Blitz Magazine By Michael McDowell)
Aside from their prolific and consistently impeccable recorded output, two things that Grand Ole Opry members Bill Anderson and Jim Ed Brown have had in common are demanding live performance schedules and ongoing commitments in broadcasting.
For the past several years, Sparkman, Arkansas native Brown has hosted the syndicated, “Country Music Greats Radio Show”, in which he regularly showcases the work of his fellow country music pioneers. However, touring commitments forced Brown to miss two recent tapings of the program. As the host of “Bill Anderson Visits With The Legends” on XM satellite radio, Anderson was a logical choice to fill in for his colleague.
Anderson’s stint as guest host of Brown’s program will air on the fourth and the eleventh of May, albeit with a slight variation in focus. As Brown rarely features his own work in the broadcast, Anderson will utilize the opportunity to treat listeners to, an exclusive tribute to Jim Ed’s solo career, and his career with Helen Cornelius, as well as the Browns.
To be certain, the highlights of Brown’s career could fill far more than two radio broadcasts. In addition to his solo success with such superlative RCA Victor singles as “Pop A Top” and “Broad Minded Man”, Jim Ed Brown recorded one of country music’s absolute masterpieces, “I Take The Chance” as a member of the Browns (with siblings Maxine and Bonnie Brown). Brown sustained the momentum throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s with a series of highly acclaimed duets with Monroe City, Missouri’s Helen Cornelius, including the Dale And Grace-flavored, “I Don’t Want To Have To Marry You” in 1976 and “Don’t Bother To Knock” in 1981.
Meanwhile, in addition to his Opry commitments, Anderson will be touring throughout Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island throughout April and May. Hopefully Anderson will soon begin work on the follow up to his “Whisperin’ Bluegrass” collection, named by Blitz Magazine as the Best CD of 2007.