Filed in Chattanooga Recordings.
Parent Group: Dalton Roberts Collection, Tennessee Recordings
Chattanooga Country was in-part created to assist in financing a political campaign of Dalton’s. Another album he donated all proceeds of sold merchandise during a live gathering towards the Chattanooga Library. He would often swing by offices with his guitar after meetings to play a song or two, the man loved to play and was full of soul out of the office, and in. Dalton was the first county executive, a role now known as the County Mayor, that Chattanooga had to offer. He served 4 terms in this position and was a trailblazer for innovating Chattanooga, from the Riverfront projects to assisting in the Volkswagen plant staking its claim here in Chattanooga. His history is not only impressive but extensive, however today’s article is to cover his 1981 album Chattanooga Country.
Former City Editor for The Chattanooga Times Bill Casteel said it best on the album’s back cover: “They should have sub-titled this album “The Other Side Of Dalton Roberts.” Long regarded by most of his political followers as something less than a serious musician, Dalton proves on this album that there is more musical substance to D.R. than simple novelty songs. Of course there are novelties included, such as “Daisy Mountain Women” and “Noth-ing Going Down on Bakewell Mountain” and they’re all foot-stamping, finger-snapping good. However, it’s the haunting strains of “Cherokee Tears” and the moving musical monument to Dalton’s hometown, “The Lights of Chattanooga,” that erase any doubt about his ability as a serious songwriter. Dalton has pulled off a recording coup in assembling over twenty area musicians, whose collective talents rival anything you’ll find in Nashville, to produce what could become known as “The Chattanooga Sound.” These artists are used extremely well in the two instrumentals, “Lookout Mountain Waltz” and “East Ridge Rag.” Show me someone who can listen to “Rag” without snapping a finger or patting a foot and I’ll show you someone with a severe case of arthritis! Although Dalton wrote the melodies and lyrics to all 10 songs, he has wisely matched song and singer to achieve the ultimate effect. I realize that Dalton’s main objective in producing this album was to help finance a political campaign, but he just might have come up with a runaway best-seller locally in the process. He has my vote. “
Stated by Dalton Roberts on the back of the record: “I love Chattanooga from the top of my head to the end of my toes and have always wanted to write an album of “Chattanooga songs”. Bet (my wife) and I were talking about it on the way to Nashville and came up with the idea of using it to raise funds for my campaign. So my first thanks must go to the hundreds who have ordered one of the signed and numbered copies. Without your help it might not have been possible. Thanks to the pickers. If anyone reading these lines doesn’t have at least one picker who is a close friend, get out and find you one! They’re different (for sure!) but if they like you they’ll wat through Georgia barefooted for you. Thanks to Dad for buying me that Martin when I was 15 years old and he couldn’t afford it… thanks to Uncle Van and Cousin Monk for teaching me to play it… thanks to Mom, Sister June and Dot Adams for siccin’ me when I started to write. Thanks to one of America’s best songwriters, Cecil Null, for taking me under his wing when I was about to quit… thanks to Fiddlin’ Sawmill Tom Smith, Big Chief Whitmire, Redbird Clingan, Billy Joe Moore, and Buck Turner for those early sounds that put it in my blood and made me pop out in chill bumps… thanks to the guy who hollered at me on the street, “I’m learning to pick and if you don’t put the words to them songs on the jacket I’m gonna peel your head,” (hold it! they’re on the sleeve inside) … thanks to Willy for the liner notes… thanks to our great artist, John Wood, for the original painting for the front jacket. Thanks to Bet for making my life a song and for believing . . . thanks to the people for letting me work for them and for believing in me when I was on rock bottom… and thank you, Lord, for the words and tunes and love You gave me to put into these songs about a magnificent piece of Your beautiful earth.”
To end things best is a brief portion of Dalton’s 1992 Aquarium Grand Opening speech: “On behalf of the people of this county, I say to you, let us keep dreaming, let us keep believing in ourselves, let us keep marching forth, and let us hold one another’s hands as we go into the future. Let us not look at today as a stopping point, but a place to pause for a recommitment to even greater visions of our future, and even greater quality of life, and even more beautiful things we can build among ourselves not only in structure but in our spirits and in our love for one another, and our commitment to this great town. I stand here today with a great deal of pride and appreciation… I want to thank the people of this county for giving me me an opportunity to reflect your dreams.” Listen to the album on YouTube here: Chattanooga Country
Listen to the album
Liner Notes
