Hey, This Guy's Good

[moon_custafer]

OK, so you know how Steve Martin is basically a full-time bluegrass musician/composer now?

Pretty Little One feat. Edie Brickell.

I've long wanted some short film or tv-episode adaptations of Manly Wade Wellman, but now I want Martin involved, because the man clearly knows his Appalachian murder ballads.

ETA -- Wikipedia describes the album as a collaboration between Martin and Brickell, so she may be the one who wrote the lyrics.

Comments

[pedanther]

...well, that certainly ended better than the last Appalachian ballad I heard where a young man takes his girl out somewhere remote for one last talk!

Somewhere on the internet, I once came across someone who'd made an album of all the Appalachian ballads they'd been able to trace that are referenced in Manly Wade Wellman's John the Balladeer stories, but I never got around to buying a copy and I don't seem to be able to find it again now.

[moon_custafer]

I like that the girl not only gets the drop on him, she takes over the narrative (in the person of another musician who up until that point has been playing back-up); and while he then continues in first-person for a while after she shoots him, he notes that "she's the one who wrote this song" and she gets the last line, identifying herself by name and declaring "I'm not your 'Pretty One.'"

[sovay]

I've long wanted some short film or tv-episode adaptations of Manly Wade Wellman, but now I want Martin involved, because the man clearly knows his Appalachian murder ballads.

I'll take it.

[moon_custafer]

Like, I love “Dumb Supper,” but if Mr. Jay from the opening scene in the general store is played by any well-known character actor, it’s too easy to guess that he’ll play an important part in the story later—otoh if the regulars in that general store included several recognizable faces (and it’s the set-up scene, important enough to justify casting some biggish names) you can hide your tree in a forest. I guess I’m saying I’d be ok with a cameo by Martin and some of his bluegrass-scene friends before John (?) and Mr. Jay (Brad Dourif? William Sanderson?) decide the rain’s let up enough to try and make their way to the next village.

[sabotabby]

I...did not know that at all.