Big O and Dukes present A Night For Americans II: Sunny Ledfurd + Whitey Morgan and the 78's

 It's been a while since I've been able to sneak out and see a show, but I found one worth the effort. Last week, Big O and Dukes presented "A Night For Americans II: Sunny Ledfurd + Whitey Morgan and the 78's @ Jammin Java. And like A Night For Americans I with The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band + Whitey Morgan - this was an awesome night of music. With recent talk that steel guitar, and for that matter, anti-pop country music, are on the endangered species list, Whitey Morgan and the 78's are an example of a band doing it right. Although this band has a truckload of originals, this was a night of covers - because that was just what Morgan wanted to do. There was Waylon's Waltz Me to Heaven with the relate-able: It's been a long time. Since I've had a good time. And I think it's high time I did. They played Haggard's Working Man's Blues, Johhny Paycheck, 80's Bruce Springsteen, and even Thin Lizzy's Cowboy Song.And the finale, Dale Watson's South of Waco. What a playlist.

Ledfurd and his band arrived a little late from some transportation issues, but eventually the horns and percussion and guitars where set for their blend of funk, New Orleans Jazz, rock, and songs about " drinking, girls, and drinking." And unlike Morgan, Ledford stuck to mostly originals  like
I Don't Remember Last Night,  Pontoon Boat, Adderral, Myrtle Beach, and many more. Ledford and his band have it - the stage presence, the persona, the brass and percussion, and entertaining songs. This is one live act that Big O and Dukes rightly chose. Cheers.