Joey Allcorn, Ray Price, Bobby Bare Tribute Don Helms

Don HelmsThis Sunday (3-8-09) at the Texas Troubadour Theater in Nashville there will be a benefit to the late great Don Helms,the last of the Hank Williams Driftin’ Cowboys who passed away in August, 2008.

Don Helms was the last of the breed to say the least. He was the final link we had to that Golden Age of Hank Williams country music. With his steel guitar, he helped define the Hank Williams sound, making those strings moan out the blues.

Headlining the event will be none other than Ray Price, and the original Outlaw Bobby Bare: two men who hold legendary status in my eyes. Don Helms was a songwriter as well, and actually penned a few hits for Ray Price back in the day. And before there was Willie and Waylon, there was Bobby Bare and Tompall Glaser. They were the first two to shake up Nashville, fighting for creative control of their music and being a general pebble in corporate Nashville’s shoe.

Here’s Bobby Bare singing Tompall’s “Streets of Baltimore:”

Believe it or not, this song was considered controversial when it first came out because of the lyrics. How far we have come.

Don Helms was working all the way up until he died, including performing and recording with country throwback Joey Allcorn. Check it out:

Joey’s last album 50 years Too Late had performances by Hank III, Andy Gibson, Those Poor Bastards, and Donnie Herron. Joey will also be the guest on Outlaw Radio tonight (Tuesday) 9 PM Central !

For more information on the Don Helms tribute you can visit www.donhelmstribute.org.

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