Chris
Ethridge died Monday at the age of 65 in his hometown Meridan, Mississippi. For
those unfamiliar with Ethridge, he was the co-founder of one of the most
definitive country-rock genre blend bands of his time—the Flying Burrito
Brothers. Their debut album,
The Gilded Place of Sin from 1969, is now
considered a classic and has been renowned by everyone from Elvis Costello to
Jeff Tweedy. Ethridge’s resume also includes work with Wilie Nelson, Randy
Newman, Ry Cooder and even appears on Graham Nash’s debut album
Songs for
Beginners.
I
highly recommend The Gilded Place of Sin album if you are interested in the
beginnings of the rock/country movement. In an age where the Alabama Shakes are
the next big thing and the music community uniformly celebrates the anniversary
of Yankee Foxtrot Hotel, this album has aged as an example when mixing genres
was still unexpected, introducing audiences to styles they might not otherwise
hear. So in honor of Chris Ethridge and Uncovered Cover Wednesday, here’s
a tragic rendition of Aretha Franklin’s "Do Right Woman."
