Biography of Houston Valley Music founder Larry Joe Cashen
The Singer, the Songwriter, and the Song
The roads have been long, the mountains high, and there have been a lot of
lonely hungry nights. But sometimes it’s just got to be that way. The longer the
road, the more you see and the more there is to write about. They say the miles
leave memories and can sometimes scar your soul. Maybe so but I think it comes
down to choices. As for me, I don't think I ever had the choice. Because I
really think that I was born to sing and play the guitar. And with a pen in my
hand, it was just there. I know I was born with it because that lost highway
that Hank sang about has always called my name.
I was born in Del Rio, Tennessee. There was supposed to be twins when I was
born. But my brother or sister did not make it at birth. I really do not know
what happened. But sometimes I think I am two people. My Daddy was a farmer, a
timber cutter, and he also did some construction work. His nickname was
“Worker.” He was the greatest man I have ever known. His pure hard working way
of life has helped me write lots of songs about him.
My Mother’s name is Bessie. Her Daddy (my Grandpa) was a preacher. Mother’s side
of the family sang in church. My Grandpa, Reverend Will Ledford, taught the
whole family to sing. I would walk to church every Sunday just to get to sing. I
can still see and feel the goose bumps. Even though the church was right across
the river from where we lived I had to walk up to Wolf Creek then walk down by
the river to church. It was about 3 miles one way. Sometimes we got a ride back
home and sometimes we didn’t. I was young and I was doing what I loved and that
was singing.
I still remember that old broom that I used to strum and sing with as a kid. I
was only 5 years old but the music was just always there. My sisters would dress
me up like Elvis and I would dance, sing and strum that old broom of Mother’s.
The first song I ever sung and got paid (or rewarded) for was at my Uncle James
and Aunt Rachael’s country store in Del Rio, Tennessee.
They would sit me up on the counter and let me sing for all the people. My
reward (or pay) would be candy. Since I didn’t get many of those candy bars, I
tried very hard. I was just a little boy but I could feel it in my bones, I just
couldn’t help it. I still remember the song I would sing, it was entitled
“Almost Persuaded” by David Houston.
I can still remember the first song I tried to write. I was at my Aunt
Charlotte’s home in Del Rio. I think I was 10 years old. She had bought a pretty
nice flattop guitar and she could play pretty good herself. Even when I was only
ten, I already knew lots of songs from the radio. One of my favorite TV shows
back then was Cas Walker’s Farm and Home Hour that came out of Knoxville,
Tennessee.
Even though she was very young at that time, everybody in my family and me
included wanted to see Dolly Parton. I would always sing along with Dolly. There
is a picture of Dolly still hanging on the wall at the old home place where I
grew up in the mountains. Her picture was the only singer songwriter to be
allowed on Mother and Daddy’s wall.
When I picked up my Aunt’s guitar, I didn’t try to strum and sing someone else’s
songs. I made up my own. My first song was about an old hound dog that got lost
after a midnight run on Coon Hill. After that day, putting together words to
forma song with a melody would be part of me for the rest of my life. During the
Beatle era, my first cousin Tommy and I could sing just like the Beatles. Our
harmony was so good, everybody wanted to hear us sing. I remember that our
friends that had cars would ride us around just to hear us sing. That was such a
long time ago but I still remember it so well. This would be the beginning of my
musical journey. From that little mountain farm came a trip that probably
couldn’t fit into 5 movies.
My Grandpa Cashen, on my Daddy’s side, also played the banjo. My Mother has
always been my biggest fan. No matter what, she was always there in my time of
need. I have seven sisters and two brothers. I have been married once. I have a
daughter, Bridgette, and two sons, Scott and Chris. I’ve been single for fifteen
years.
I have played with all kinds of bands, including Poor White, Kelly Mack, Axe,
Gary Lee and the Law, Cold Sweat, Carolina Coasters, Highway, Sunrise, and the
Grass Bugle Band. In 1976, I toured the Midwest with a band called Riot. The
home base for the band was Peoria, Illinois! Also did a lot of two piece gigs
with a lot of fine pickers. I have played just about ever kind of music there is
and that is where I got my original sound!
I have tried to mix them all together and come up with something new. My music
is Bluegrass, Country, Pop, Rock & Roll, Blues, Gospel, and ever possible
crossover. Even Folk and Mountain String music all blended into one. I guess I’m
mostly known for my songwriting. I started trying to write songs when I was
about ten years old.
Through the years it has been pretty hard for me as a singer. I didn’t sound
like anyone else. I didn’t sound like anyone on the radio. No one thought I
could sing. It took a long time to finally record the original sound that I have
today. I was just different and because of that sometimes there was pain. But
never would I change. I will always be myself no matter what price I have to
pay.
When I started, I told myself, don’t try to be someone else. Find your own path
and cut a trail! I knew early on that you have got to have your own style. They
don’t want somebody they already have. All I ever wanted was for people to
except me just the way I am.
I guess I can say that I’ve tried to make myself the whole package. I write the
songs, I sing the songs, play guitar and try to entertain people the best way I
know possible. I found out when you don’t sound like anyone else, it takes a
little longer. The best way I can describe my singing is that it comes from my
heart and soul which has been put there from the struggles of my life. If I
hadn’t seen those dusty roads, my music wouldn’t be the same as it is today. If
I could go back, I wouldn’t change things.
In 1977, my first song was recorded by my friend, the late, great Kenny Parker.
Kenny was also from my hometown of Newport, Tennessee. The name of the song was
“Love I Know” and it did get a lot of airplay on the radio in my home town of
Newport, Tennessee. In late 1977, I also recorded my first single record under
the alias Johnny Tree. The name change was just a show biz thing. The songs “Ole
Magnolia” (on the A side) and “Foxy” (on the B side) did really well. Eddie Ray
Rhines of ACTS Nashville published the two songs through Southern Breeze
Publishing in Nashville, Tennessee.
I was playing with a band called Highway at that time. I was writing songs for
the band and also did some co-writing with the bass player, Lynn Gentry. Our
lead singer, Randy Moore, went onto be lead singer for Toby Jugg. Jeff Station
was on the keyboard and Wesley Webb was on the drums. I was the lead guitar
player. Although the songs were never recorded, they went over good at live
shows. Lynn Gentry and I went on to join Riot in 1976 and we were touring the
Midwest. I left the band in Green Bay, Wisconsin and came home to record my
first single.
I will never forget my first song playing on the local AM radio station. This
was late 1977 and the song ended up being the most played song on his album. It
gave me such a good feeling to be riding around in the car listening to AM 1270
WLIK DJ, Jim “Chopper” Phillips, introduce and play my song on the radio. It was
like energy for my soul. Jim also played the first song I recorded. So special
thanks to Jim for being a friend and spinning the songs.
I was offered a recording contract by Mark Five Studios in Greenville, South
Carolina. But that was a time in my life when I was going through a nervous
breakdown because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from my service in the
Vietnam War. Later in 1982, this would turn into panic attacks. After I had to
turn down the record deal with Mark Five, I headed down to Nashville.
I ended up in Printer’s Alley playing at the Crow’s Nest. After several weeks of
playing the Alley, I became unable to go on stage because of my nervous
disorder. So I had to leave and head back home. But this was the beginning of
all the years to come of going in and out of Nashville trying to get a song
published. I would have a little luck ever once and a while but I found out luck
did not come easy in Nashville!
I was introduced to Jim Prater by Ronnie Cochran and at that time Jim was
handling Mel Street. I was given a chance to write songs for him and I was
writing some really good beer drinking, honky tonk songs. But Mel died while I
was writing for him Mel was known for the song ‘Borrowed Angel’. It seemed a
door would open then it would close. But I kept going back trying to pitch a
song.
In 1988, I recorded my first song at LSI Studios, on 16th Avenue in Nashville.
It was on the Sundial record label. John Barron from the Northwest Nashville
Connection, out of Roseburg, Oregon, was the promoter and he also wrote the
song. The name of the song was “Honky Tonk Rockin’.” It was a hit song on the
West Coast and did really well in Texas.
I recorded my first album in 1992. I wrote all 10 songs on album. l got 4 of the
songs from the album published in Nashville. Of those 4 songs, Frizzell House
Music published one of them. It was called “Let’s Fall in Love.” Allen Frizzell,
of Frizzell House Music, became co-writer when he rewrote the song. Frizzell
House Music also published another song I wrote called “Honey Bees.” Allen
Frizzell also rewrote it and made it a lot better song.
That was back in the mid 90’s. I wrote pretty good melodies then but there was
always a little touch up needed. Frizzell House Music would also publish a song
that I wrote called “Ride the Wind” for the band Tater on their album “Fat
Sack.” The song did so well for Tater that I cut it myself on the “Jesse James”
album. Tater did the song in a more acoustic style with flat tops, but we rocked
it a little.
Then Gayle Frizzell and I wrote “Branded by Fate” which is on the market in
Nashville right now. Gayle is Allen Frizzell’s wife. Allen Frizzell is the
brother of Lefty and David Frizzell. Before long I think you will hear something
that we have written together. Allen and Gayle gave me my first big shot as a
songwriter in 1995. I will always be grateful to them for that.
I would also like to thank Gaston College in North Carolina. Gaston College
helped put me in a different zone as a writer. They really helped me with my
English language skills. So I do all my own writing now. I’m proud to say that I
graduated from Gaston College with the class of 2001.
Tommy Dee at Little Bill Music published three songs from “I’ve Come Back
Around” which was my first album. I ended up on his record label, Killer
Records, when I finally got to do my first album in Nashville. Before I met
Tommy Dee that day in Bell Buckle, I had played all over the place it seemed. I
played all over Eastern Tennessee, including Morristown, Newport, Gatlinburg,
Cosby, Johnson City, Sneedville, Knoxville, and Kingsport. Not to mention
Western North Carolina.
I did some work with the Reed Sisters on 2nd Avenue, down on Lower Broad. I used
to do a lot of two piece shows and many times I would just do a show all by
myself. I’ve done lots of two day outdoor folk music events. 1 really like the
folk sound and I write a lot of folk music. You can hear a lot of it in my
music. I’ve tried to use all types of music and come up with something new.
People have begun to compare me to Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams,
Dolly, and Steve Earl, just to name a few. That sure is good to hear after all
the years struggling just to write a good song. I have been witting for about 35
years now and I guess I have written several thousand songs. I have never thrown
one away. I have kept them all down through the years.
All I know is that I’ve seen a lot of things over the years of my life’s
journey. I have always been on the outside looking in. I have ridden the dusty
back roads and there were many times I’ve had to walk them, too! I’ve lived
behind a Shoney’s Restaurant in Nashville, at a truck stop, in roadside parks,
slept at a bus station, stayed in my car and even slept on the concrete. I have
even stayed at a mission for the homeless in Nashville and done many other
things that I would rather not mention.
There would be many miles and hungry nights. I worked at Lynebaugh’s Restaurant
across from Tooties. I worked at Maude Ettas Waffle House, which is now the
Hermitage Café, across from the old hospital, which has been torn down. I worked
12 hours a day and I would sleep in the back of the building on the concrete.
But I didn’t complain, at least I wasn’t at the bus station or the mission where
I spent a lot of nights trying to sleep in a chair. I was at least making a
little money and I wasn’t going hungry at that time. I was walking the streets
of Nashville just trying to get my foot in the door. But through everything I
have experienced and everywhere I’ve been there has always been a song.
I remember one time when I drove my old beat up Pontiac, with almost no breaks,
10 miles on a flat tire, then a rim, to pitch a song to Bill Phillips. Although
the odds were against me, I got the song pitched to Bill. There would be many
miles up and down the streets. Once I was sitting at the Ryman looking down at
all the blood from my heels that had ran down into my shoes from wearing shoes
that were two sizes to small. I could hardly walk from all the pain. But those
were the only shoes I had to wear. From that would come the song “Old Boots.”
I pulled out my pen and a piece of paper and with a little tear in my eye, began
writing, “… old boots, been with me for miles and miles. They’ve seen broken
dreams and forgotten smiles. Of yesterday, today’s another yesterday, old boots
covered with dust and sand…” Anyway, it goes on to tell about a dream and the
struggles you must see sometimes. I demoed it and another song entitled “Heart
of Stone” at Acuff-Rose Publishing.
The years would go by going up and down the same road. I was still fighting the
demons from Vietnam. I was beginning to wonder if l could go on any longer. I
seemed to have no luck. I did get a gospel song recorded by the Family Heirs
during those cold days. The song was entitled “Peace at the River.” And I did my
first album with 10 original songs I wrote that was doing pretty good. The album
“I’ve Come Back Around” was recorded in the early 90’s. But four years later my
luck would change. Four of the ten songs on the album would be published in
Nashville. I thought that those four were the best on the album. And I began to
smile again.
In 1995, 1 moved to Nashville and lived in my van behind Shoney’s, next to 16th
Avenue. I remember I woke up one very hot morning and a man from Texas was
talking to me through the window of my van. He said, “You’re a singer songwriter
aren’t you?” I said, “Yes, sir. I am.” I didn’t really know what to say, being
approached like that on the streets. He looked at me and reached into his pocket
and pulled out a business card. He said, “You go here.” Then he just walked
away. I looked at the card it read Frizzell House Music.
The next day I headed up to 16th Avenue not knowing to expect. I still remember
walking in the front door of Frizzell House Music. I walked up to this lady. Her
name was Gayle Frizzell. I introduced myself and told her I was sent up here by
some man I didn’t know. He told me to come here. She was ready to send me out
the door but something changed her mind. She said, “Larry, would you come right
back here with me?” We walked into the next room and there stood Allen and David
Frizzell!
Gayle and Allen gave me my first shot as a songwriter in Nashville. Gayle, Allen
and I have written several songs together. Allen has also put me in contact with
other songwriters. Frizzell House Music also published “Ride the Wind” which was
recorded by a group named Tater on Little King Records in 2003. It got good air
play on the radio and brought me through some tough times. Before that I was on
the verge of quitting. I thought my music career was over after eight
operations, a staff infection from removing a cancer from my back and a stay at
the VA hospital in Asheville, North Carolina fighting depression.
The song really made a difference in my life. It gave me the desire to grab the
pen and write again. Thanks to Roger Padgett and Tater, I will always be
grateful.. Thanks Luke, Roger, Kelly, Phil and Matt for letting me “ride the
wind.” I hope you will hear some of the songs we’ve written before long. Thanks
also to Frizzell House Music that kept me writing songs. Now I’m writing with
some for the finest songwriters in the business.
In 1996, I was a Disc Jockey at AM 1270 WLIK in Newport, Tennessee. It was a
country station that played a lot of gospel music at that time. I was really
into Bluegrass. So I was helping to promote some shows around the local area.
Then I got some sponsors and started my own Bluegrass radio show. It was called
the Appalachian Mountain Bluegrass Hoedown. The show got so popular, it seemed
everybody was listening.
Ralph Stanley came and did my show on the radio. We talked on air for about an
hour. I was so excited having him on the show. Ralph Stanley is a legend in
Bluegrass. I got to warm up for his show with my band that same day at the local
fairgrounds. Then Rebel Records out of Virginia, one of the biggest labels in
Bluegrass, sent me to the Ryman, in Nashville, to do album release parties. I
was also fortunate enough to have dinner with Blue Highway and the Osmond
Brothers, just to name a few. The Appalachian Mountain Bluegrass Hoedown radio
show lasted for 7 years.
I’m proud to say that the show helped the Bluegrass genre in some small way to
make the comeback it is enjoying today. I’ve written many Bluegrass songs over
the years. Maybe before long you will get to hear some of my mountain heritage
songs. It’s my roots, it’s real and it’s where I come from. Bluegrass music will
always be my first love. Bluegrass has no age boundaries and to me that’s what
makes it so special. I have played with a lot of Bluegrass bands down through
the years. I really enjoy the acoustic sound. I play lead and rhythm and I have
written lots of Bluegrass songs. My favorite Bluegrasser is Tony Rice.
I played a lot of Louvin Brothers songs on my show. And many people that were
listening to the show were ordering tapes from Charlie. Somehow I would become
friends with Charlie Louvin in 1996. Charlie was getting ready to open the
Louvin Brothers Museum in Bell Buckle, just outside of Nashville. He asked me if
I would like to come down and be part of the ceremony. So I accepted the
invitation and it was a wonderful weekend. I met lots of great people from
there. While I was at the Museum opening in Bell Buckle, I was introduced to
Tommy Dee by Charlie Louvin.
Tommy Dee and I hit it off right away. Soon we started writing songs together.
Then in 200I, Tommy and I wrote a song that went to #1 for 3 weeks straight on
the Independent chart. The song, “Honky Tonks & Swinging Doors” also made it to
#39 on the Cash Box and Billboard charts. Steve Kramer, from Wyoming, recorded
the song. This was my first song to make the charts and make me my first dollar
as a songwriter. The song was under BMI with Little Bill Music as the publisher.
Tommy and I have written several more songs together since then, including
“Baby’s Turning 40,” “This Love,” “Heartache in Flight” and “Pages of Time.”
Steve Ledford, a North Carolina State Champion on the flattop, whom was a friend
of mine through my fiddle player, Willie Ferguson, introduced me to Floyd
Parton. Floyd wrote “Nickels and Dimes” and the Dolly and Ricky van Shelton hit
song “Rockin’ Years.” Floyd also won songwriter of the year for the hit. Thanks
to Lou Eller this would start a long and lasting friendship with the whole
Parton family for me. Floyd, Steve and I have written many songs together. Floyd
has also been a good friend and I thank him so much for his help and guidance.
Through the years, when I need help on something I usually call Floyd and he has
always been there for me.
In 1993, I recorded a gospel album with the Mathis Sisters entitled “Glory
Road.” We wrote the album while we were playing at Stella Parton’s home in
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. There were a lot of good writers on that album,
including Dolly, Floyd Parton, Avie Lee Parton, Dorothy Jo Owens and Geniva
Waddell. I wrote 5 songs for the album, including the title track. I co-wrote a
song for Mother with Floyd Parton. I also arranged a song that Avie Lee Parton
wrote about her 12 children entitled “12 Roses.”
I’ve been around the Parton family for about 14 years. I can say that they are
very dear friends of mine. I love them all. Stella put me in her last video,
entitled “A Woman’s Touch.” Stella is a wonderful person and I thank her for all
her kindness. In 2005, I did my first TV commercial in Gastonia, North Carolina.
The commercial was on Warner Cable for Ragan and Ragan. It came out really good.
The camera seems to be good to me. I really put my heart into it.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of warming up shows for some pretty
famous Country artists. Artists like Conway Twitty, George Morgan, Connie Smith,
and Ralph Stanley, just to name a few. 1 was running around with Jimmy Martin
when he passed away. He and I would go up to Watertown and take coon traps up to
the farm of one of his friends. Jimmy was a great Bluegrass singer.
Jimmy used three songs that I had pitched to him. They were entitled “Tree Dog
Coon Hunter,” “Bluegrass State of Mind” and “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” Jimmy
told me his life story, all the way back from the time he was a boy in
Sneedville, Tennessee. I have started writing a song about him. I know that’s
what he would have wanted me to do.
I have been asked how you write the way you do. I try to explain it this way. I
knew years ago that God gave me a talent. You can only write about where you
have been and what you have seen in your life. You must experience loneliness,
pain, live off bread and water, and ride the dusty, back roads of life.
Sometimes, be willing to give your talent away. You must have patience and be
willing to sacrifice. I had a wonderful upbringing (back in the country, we call
it raisin’) in that little mountain home place back in the Houston Valley holler
and want to tell the whole world about it. Finally, I tell them, you don’t want
to go where I’ve been and live through what I have lived through.
Some people just don’t understand. If I could, I would like to sit down and talk
with ole Hank Williams. They used to call Hank “Luke, the Drifter,” and I just
know he and I would be on the same page.
“Without A Song”
Words & music by Larry Joe Cashen - Copyright protected
Hillbilly wine
A pocket full of rhymes
I’m walking the streets where big stars shine
I’m chasing a dream
And ain’t got a dime
But my ships gonna sail
It’s just a matter of time
I talk to the moon
But the stars just won’t shine
I talk to the moon
But the stars just won’t shine
I never thought time could move so slow
You know it takes a lot of money to make the big wheels roll
Sometimes I drift back to another place and time
Way back down yonder when that girl was mine
I talk to the moon
But the stars just won’t shine
I talk to the moon
But the stars just won’t shine
If I can just hold on another day
Maybe lady luck will drift my way
But tomorrow I may be gone
Without a song, without a song
I’m walking the streets
Nobody knows my name
Down on lower broad
It’s my hall of fame
Sometimes the whisky wants to take control
I write like hell but my words won’t grow
I talk to the moon
But the stars just won’t shine
I talk to the moon
But the stars just won’t shine
Repeat chorus