The Smiley Smile Message Board

I am shocked! The Swamp Fox has died as his Facebook account let know about a minute ago....



We are with broken hearts to announce that Tony Joe White has passed away at the age of 75. A true legend that will always be remembered as a real artist.


He had just released his new album:

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,26045.0.html

'Polk Salad Annie' songwriter Tony Joe White dead at 75

https://eu.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/10/25/tony-joe-white-dead-obituary-rainy-night-georgia/1764875002/


(https://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/2018/08/28/TennGroup/Nashville/636710449866353988-September-Calendar-94.JPG?width=1080&quality=50)
Last month


Tony Joe White - BBC In Concert {23 Nov 1970}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9p-XlvKXec

Another one bites the dust. Sad news indeed.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/tony-joe-white-dead-obituary-747393/

As a tribute to Tony Joe this videoclip of him playing "You're gonna look good in blues" solo for a filmed show in the Netherlands was posted on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-o2YCzA3PM

http://www.2metersessies.nl/2018/10/uit-het-archief-tony-joe-white-bij-2-meter-sessies/



This song was also used in the 80s in a TV commercial for Levis' 501:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TiJg0F65wc

Also just uploaded by the BBC, this chilling performance of "Rainy night in Georgia" on Later with Jools Holland:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZUVeuwuurU


And "Polk salad Annie" from his performance on "Austin City Limits", available on DVD and CD as well (great stuff btw, although too short), uploaded by ACL-TV:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQCPxckT6iM

Here are a couple more videos that were uploaded by official channels after his death (if you haven't already, check out the version of "Rainy night in Georgia" with Jools Holland, see above):


TONY JOE WHITE (1943-2018) POLK SALAD ANNIE 1992

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRmpfaVw30c



TONY JOE WHITE (1943-2018) POLK SALAD ANNIE  - this seems to be from a festival in '69
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sg03Ae10u4



Tony Joe White - Groupie Girl SUB  - probably from Playboy After Dark (?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwDwqXC0tVk




Those who joined us at HSB15 were treated to a wonderful set by Tony Joe White, including this performance of "Rainy Night In Georgia." We're sorry to hear of his passing earlier this week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXHPjEgYX6E







Also this article:


Tony Joe White obituary

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/28/tony-joe-white-obituary

Another one:


Tony Joe White Passes Away at 75


....
“My dad [Waylon] would have Tony Joe play on his records any chance he got,” wrote Shooter Jennings on Twitter. “He would frequently cut songs Tony Joe wrote and most of the time would sit and listen to Tony Joe’s new music. He had a profound musical influence on my dad. And they were truly friends …”

“One of the true swampy Southern soulmen of all time,” tweeted Kenny Chesney. “Thanks for “Steamy Windows” and then some. Heckuva writer, funky as the longest day of the year …”


https://americansongwriter.com/2018/10/tony-joe-white-passes-away-75/

I stumbled uplon this review, which shares interesting information about TJW's albums no. 4-6. So, if you're just getting into his music, this could be a hint of what to expect from those particular albums. The main topic is this double-CD that collects "Tony Joe White" from 1971, "The Train I'M On" from 1972 and "Homemade Ice Cream" from 1973:

ALBUM: Tony Joe White, ‘The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings’

(https://www.rebeatmag.com/wp-content/uploads/848064003298.jpg)


Unfortunately it is out-of-print at this time, I believe.

Here is the article, including youtube-links,
https://www.rebeatmag.com/album-tony-joe-white-the-complete-warner-bros-recordings/

I just found this online. It's Tony Joe's appearance at last year's Americana Fest. It's not filmed professionally but probably someone working for the officials.



There are literally hundreds of music acts to go see at AmericanaFest 2017, but there are only a couple of legends. Tony Joe White is one of them. This set was part of YepRoc Records' Twentieth Anniversary Showcase party. Be sure to check out the guest appearance by Shelby Lynne at 26:40 into it.

https://americanamusicshow.com/tony-joe-white-at-americanafest-2017/



Setlist:

Way Down South
Undercover Agent For The Blues
Do You Have a Garter Belt
The Flood
Can't Go Back Home
Rain Crow
Polk Salad Annie

Nashville remembers Tony Joe White with songs, laughter, stories

Family and friends gathered at Marathon Music Works on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the late swamp rock great Tony Joe White, singer and songwriter of enduring classics like "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie."


https://eu.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/10/31/nashville-remembers-tony-joe-white/1830337002/

Someone uploaded this performance of "Tunica motel" from french TV to youtube yesterday:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEYWOtM24cg


Probably from the early 90s when he had his comeback album "Closer to the truth" out after writing a couple of songs for Tina Turner ("Steamy windows", "Undercover agent for the blues", "Foreign affair" and "You know who (is doing you know what)").
France, btw, is the place where Tony Joe had his first hit. "Soul Francisco" got real popular even before "Polk salad Annie" became a success in the U.S.

Here are two more performances from a TV show with just Tony Joe and his guitar and harmonica


Tony Joe White - On the Return to Muscle Shoals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzbo0jne9Dw


Tony Joe White - Undercover agent for the blues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guGkzBn7o7g

Posted on TJW's Facebook site:

FRIENDS and FANS: In lieu of flowers, The Tony Joe White Songwriter Foundation has been established to help young artists get a chance to make a recording. Tony Joe was always thankful of the opportunity he was given as a young man coming to Nashville with nothing but his guitar, so hopefully his legacy will continue and provide some future star with the opportunity to be heard. The non-profit organization will select one winner annually.

Any donations can can be sent to:

TJW Songwriter Foundation
PO Box 1292
Franklin, TN 37065
USA

A nice short article about Tony Joe's music.

Sound Observations: Tony Joe White was more than ‘Polk Salad Annie’ and ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’

https://www.goupstate.com/entertainment/20181106/sound-observations-tony-joe-white-was-more-than-polk-salad-annie-and-rainy-night-in-georgia

This must be one of Tony Joe's last interviews, promoting his new album "Bad mouthin'". It took place at Americanafest 2018 in Nashville in September, I believe.



DittyTV INSIGHTS presents: Tony Joe White

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3USTRv9seQs

Another breathtaking version of "Rainy night in Georgia", this time with the DLS band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRwaWENdIDM

This newsletter was send from TJW's official website, written by his son.


A letter from Jody White

Fans,

We were all devastated by the loss of Tony Joe in 2018. He lived an amazing life, going from the cotton fields of Louisiana to playing music around the entire world. I feel lucky to have spent so many memorable times with him.

While the Swamp Fox may not be with us on earth, we are very fortunate that he left behind so much incredible music. Much of it you have already heard, but we have many songs that he recorded throughout his life that were never released.  With that being said, 2019 will be an exciting year for TJW fans. We will be re-issuing old albums on vinyl, and will continue to release previously unheard Tony Joe White material.

One last note, I have started a merchandise company that specializes in vintage style Nashville t-shirts. I won't mention this in anymore TJW related emails, but if you want to check it out, please visit: www.throwbackmerchandise.com

and follow Throwback Merchandise on Instagram

On behalf of the entire Tony Joe White family, we appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to celebrate one of the most unique musical talents the world has ever seen.

 

Kind Regards,

Jody White

Partial to Home: On tour with swamp rocker Tony Joe White

At the head of a column two weeks ago about a walk in the rain along Moore's Creek, I quoted the opening lines from "A Rainy Night in Georgia," and attributed the tune to Brook Benton, who in 1970 took it to the top of the Billboard charts.


http://www.cdispatch.com/opinions/article.asp?aid=71100

If you want to do yourself a favor, pick this up at RSD:


Recorded live December 5, 1980 and released on DVD, CD and digital in 2006. New West is proud to present a limited edition white vinyl pressing of Tony Joe White's Austin City Limits performance. Featuring hits like the classic 'Polk Salad Annie' along with 'Mama Don't Let Your Cowboys Grow Up Tp Be Babies'. This title will be pressed on 180g vinyl and will feature an etched 4th side in tribute to Tony Joe White. The white vinyl copies will be limited to 1500 units worldwide



https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/10937

Hear Tony Joe White Revisit ‘Polk Salad Annie’ With Robert Cray

Late swamp-rocker re-recorded his signature song a few months before his death in 2018


https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/tony-joe-white-polk-salad-annie-robert-cray-862293/?fbclid=IwAR3bwz3iEUx9L_or5DZ-8shSziNGtTqkINcL25DHAsguEGsoEvth5AW27j8

Robert Cray Remembers Tony Joe White in New Song ‘To Be With You’


https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/robert-cray-tony-joe-white-to-be-with-you-958927/?fbclid=IwAR0rezWX9dQCfARtfYQrEuzFvk7ZS-0JCZeW1NqmuQYWJkXJkFldaQJD6_A

Whoa!!!


How Dan Auerbach Made An Album With Tony Joe White's Previously Unreleased Demos


https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2021/02/18/968755327/how-dan-auerbach-made-an-album-with-tony-joe-whites-previously-unreleased-demos?fbclid=IwAR3CoFahr-Rav9L2ZgRD1nNcdx8MRwRBzsnulhV0EHozQYszISsnt0Wg6-8



(https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2021/02/17/photo-by-jim-marshall-a04162e6014fb544812016ce5423c74ffeaca464-s1600-c85.jpg)

From Facebook:


Get to know the Swamp Fox: Check out this exclusive trailer detailing the life, legacy and influence of Tony Joe White, leading to the creation of the brand-new album ‘Smoke from the Chimney’, out May 7th via Easy Eye Sound
Featuring behind-the-scenes footage, photos, and interviews with Dan Auerbach
and Jody White!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg2zAy_nPTg

An unforeseen album more than a decade in the making, Smoke From the Chimney offers nine previously unknown home recordings by the legendary songwriter Tony Joe White. Discovered after his death, these unadorned voice/guitar demos have been transformed by producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) and Nashville’s most seasoned studio players, in service to White’s eclectic style.“It’s tough to put Tony Joe into a genre and always has been,” says Jody White, his son and longtime manager. “But, Dan took some of the songs I felt were the most difficult to fit in any genre and built them into amazing, amazing tracks.”
Listening to Smoke From the Chimney as a whole, the result is stunning. Not only are these songs magnificently written, the rich layers of production harken back to the albums he recorded in the late ’60s and early ‘70s in Nashville and Muscle Shoals, just as he was emerging as an internationally recognized songwriter and recording artist.The imagery and character development in narratives like “Over You” and “Billy” are especially staggering when you consider they are purely fiction. Meanwhile, “Scary Stories” and “Bubba Jones” will satisfy fans of the swamp rock side of Tony Joe’s discography, even as the pulsating “Listen to Your Song” stands out as a modern message of empowerment. “These songs feel like a collection to me and they all seem to work together, in a weird way, even though they’re so different,” says Auerbach, who is releasing the album on his Easy Eye Sound label. “There’s some heartbreaking ballads and some really raunchy carnal blues. But it all works together like scenes of a movie.”
Across five decades as a performer and storyteller, Tony Joe White left an indelible mark on American music. His catalog offers indisputable classics such as “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia,” and his songs have been recorded by Ray Charles, Kenny Chesney, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, and Tina Turner.
In the last 10 to 15 years of his life, Tony Joe would preserve new compositions or revisit older tracks in his home studio with only a guitar (usually his Stratocaster) and that inimitable voice. Most of that material would ultimately wind up on his late-career albums. But when an unproven song didn’t make the cut for a release, or if he couldn’t get another artist interested, the song stayed right where it was, as Tony Joe moved on to other things. This dismissal was not a reflection of the song’s quality; in fact, it meant quite the opposite, as he would only consider pitching his best material.After his father’s death in 2018, Jody started transferring those multitrack home recordings to digital files.
Looking back on the moment he unearthed the demo of “Smoke From the Chimney,” he recalls a mix of happiness, gratification, and shock. As he continued to find other songs that didn’t make an album, he moved the material into a separate folder. Within a year, those select recordings would evolve into Smoke From the Chimney.Jody says that even in those basic tracks, that definitive Tony Joe White groove instantly stood out. “He always finds a tempo and a pocket that is exactly right. And it’s a little bit different than anybody else would choose themselves,” he says.
On the songs “Del Rio You’re Making Me Cry” and “Boot Money,” that groove allows the storyline to unfold at precisely the right pace, ensuring that the listener doesn’t miss the West Texas rainbow or the end-of-the-work-week reward. Drawing from the natural landscape, the dramatic visuals of “Someone Is Crying” call to mind the opening moments of an epic film, or perhaps the point of no return. In contrast, the wistful title track simply wouldn’t capture such intimacy at any other tempo.
Ever since meeting Tony Joe backstage at an Australian music festival in 2009, Auerbach sought to make a record with him. For nearly a decade, Jody tried to line up session time for them but Tony Joe demurred. “For one reason or another, my Dad would never just want to go into a studio and write with somebody, or go work with somebody,” Jody says. “He liked to do it at his place, and his way, and it turned out how it turned out, you know what I mean? So, this album really all worked out perfectly. He was making these tracks for Dan all along, but we just didn’t know it.”
Auerbach agrees. “Jody and I had been talking about this record for so long, and it didn’t happen for a reason,” he says. “It’s because it wasn’t supposed to happen. I was in a nervous cast of characters until the last few years, and if you’d given it to me any earlier, it wouldn’t have been right. I felt like all these people on the record were the right people and they laid in there behind Tony Joe. It felt really magical when we were making it happen.”While recovering these recordings, Jody encountered an envelope of vintage photographs of Tony Joe White in his prime, taken during some downtime at his Nashville-area farm. Auerbach opted to hang those pictures in the studio as the session players and special guests like Marcus King built around the guitar-vocal demos. There was no speeding up or slowing down the source material, nor was there any vocal manipulation. When Auerbach realized that Tony Joe didn’t have any treble in his voice, he arranged the songs with a darker approach, one that suits the mood of these nine songs.
Jody believes that his father would love the way Smoke From the Chimney turned out. “I feel like it’s validation that Tony Joe was one of the greatest of all time,” he says. “That he could make something so potent, even so late in life, is something that not many people can do. I think it’s going to make people who loved him already love him even more.”


https://www.tonyjoewhite.com/bio

Hear Tony Joe White’s Epic Bass-Fishing Song ‘Bubba Jones’
Swampy tune appears on the posthumous collection ‘Smoke From the Chimney,’ produced by Dan Auerbach

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/tony-joe-white-new-song-bubba-jones-1143787/?fbclid=IwAR0xC0hjS0x90735_iav50KaKFacxVyLtBFSBUNYL4kkXEIKIHrRAJFnALQ

The title track is now online as well.


Listen Now: A Lost Song from Tony Joe White

A treasure trove of unreleased works from the late Louisiana songwriter will finally see the light of day on the Dan Auerbach–produced Smoke from the Chimney


https://gardenandgun.com/articles/listen-now-a-lost-song-from-tony-joe-white/?fbclid=IwAR0Uo4oaYmFCBJgBU618wedTI_ELBppn8yN0M2uPkSlY058cLF7pVYvwzpE




Tony Joe White - "Smoke from the Chimney" [Official Video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWHuYvwK6Cw



Some of the sounds remind me of Dennis' "Holy Man". And of course a very Harrison-esque guitar solo.

More new songs:

Tony Joe White - "Over You" [Official Audio]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfm5b9nxEDM



Tony Joe White - "Del Rio, You're Making Me Cry" [Official Audio]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3U_EF1hm_I



Tony Joe White - "Billy" [Official Audio]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0fVh_jJ3ko



On ‘Smoke From the Chimney,’ Tony Joe White’s Storytelling Lives On

https://thebluegrasssituation.com/read/on-smoke-from-the-chimney-tony-joe-whites-storytelling-lives-on/?fbclid=IwAR1QIZleWxLW0w4-MjNhR6NCVpd5DDPYlPrZjDDrIKI_COv0MHE3ihHj_-4

Unreleased Tony Joe White Songs Are Brought To Live, After His Death

If you've ever lost someone close to you, had the experience of going through their things and uncovering parts of their life you didn't know about or discovered unfinished projects they were working on, you might find an inkling of your experience in Jody White's.His father — singer-songwriter Tony Joe White — passed away in 2018. After, he found a bunch of Tony Joe's unreleased, unfinished songs.We talked to the younger White and his collaborator Dan Auerbach on how they brought new life to the songs that compose Tony Joe White's post-humous album, Smoke From The Chimney.


https://www.npr.org/2021/05/14/996876936/unreleased-tony-joe-white-songs-are-brought-to-live-after-his-death

Jody White and Dan Auerbach discuss the making of the posthumous Tony Joe White new album
In an exclusive teaser for our cover feature on the late, great TONY JOE WHITE, the Swamp Fox’s son and manager Jody White and producer and Black Keys lynchpin Dan Auerbach talk to MARTIN RUDDOCK about the new album Smoke From The Chimney

https://www.shindig-magazine.com/?p=4782&fbclid=IwAR3osofDhBcWMYYi6QL925uo5KcMsgCnMDd4-6UX12I9I37_XTFAtzFDIDE

Hear Tony Joe White’s Rare Country-Disco Cut ‘Alone at Last’
Previously unreleased track appears on ‘Country Funk Volume III’ alongside songs by J.J. Cale and Conway Twitty


https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/country-funk-tony-joe-white-alone-at-last-1207781/?fbclid=IwAR1vMe5CVJW5FDuDGogqSere6GsUp2Npki40tV1Q8d5UdWGqkcd7iXrmhQ4


The melody sounds very much like the one on his 1980 "Feelin' loose"