This album could have been titled With A Little Help from My Friends, except that Joe Cocker already used that one, and no one wants to be compared to Joe Cocker! But the sentiment certainly applies. Just about every friend I've ever had plays on it. Some are good friends you all know, like Chris "Sugarballs" Sprague, Carl Sonny Leyland, and "Crazy" Joe Tritschler. The Lucky Stars dropped by my house, raiding the icebox, and I had them record "Misshapen Hillbilly Gal" with me in between sandwiches. Jimmy Sutton played bass on a song, and Pete Curry of Los Straitjackets played drums. Good ol' Mitch Polzak even brought over his banjo. Some of the best country musicians in the world (by way of Austin) appear on a honky-tonk track, and later on, Mary Huff of Southern Culture on the Skids added her ethereal high voice to the same track! Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. King of the Whole Wide World (introduction) 2. Deep River 3. I Can't Wait To See You (Go) 4. Misshapen Hillbilly Gal 5. Put Me Down 6. Boone County Blues 7. Make Way for a Better Man 8. Itchin' for My Baby 9. Do You Think of Me 10. Fool's Gold 11. Trumpet 12. Early for the Bell 13. Bomb Shelter (for My Heart) 14. Double-Clutchin' 15. King of the Whole Wide World (reprise) 16. Beans on Toast (vinyl-only bonus track) Every day when I'm home, I drive past this apartment building called "The Melody." One day, it hit me -- whatever happened to the melody? Whatever happened to songs that stay in your head for weeks? This album is a concept album... carefully engineered to bring you songs with melodies and hooks that you won't soon forget. You won't find a radical departure on this album -- no special guests, no gimmicks. What you will find is more of the same wide range of roots music that you've come to know and love from Deke Dickerson. If you're a vinyl maniac, act fast, since the LP version is a limited edition of three hundred copies printed in Finland, and once they're gone, they're gone! The vinyl edition contains ALL the songs from the CD PLUS one bonus cut, a great instrumental called "Nokie's Lullaby." Deke Dickerson: vocals, guitars, 6-string bass, piano, doo-wop vocal group Christopher Sprague: drums, vocals Jimmy Sutton: acoustic and electric bass Carl Sonny Leyland: piano Dave "D.B." Berzansky: pedal steel guitar Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. Broken Heart 2. Good Time Gal 3. Right or Wrong 4. Looks Like I'm in Trouble Again 5. As Long as I Live 6. Safely In Love 7. Love Is Like a Song 8. Someone Used to Love Me 9. Mister Cheater 10. Waitin' on My Baby 11. Give Me All Your Love 12. Tell Me How 13. Double Naught Spy 14. Lookin' for Money 15. I Never Cared for You The songs ("My Baby Don't Love Me Anymore," "Cut Loose," "Eefin' Rock," and "Hey Worm") were recorded on Deke's last tour of Australia at the legendary Preston Studios in Melbourne, a vintage-style studio that has been recording Australian bands since the 1980s! Produced by legendary Australian producer Graeme Thomas and backed by his Australian touring band, these are some of the rockin'est tracks that Deke's ever committed to wax! Here it is, believe it or don't, a "Deke Dickerson's Greatest Hits" package! I never thought I would see the day, but this is it and I'm very proud to present to you the best tracks from my years with HighTone Records. Of course, everybody has their own ideas about what songs should have been on this set, but these are my picks -- "the director's cut" if you will. There is a wide selection of tunes from all three of my HighTone albums, along with a bonus cut of "Muleskinner Blues" to sweeten the pot. There are crowd favorites like "Mexicali Rose" and "Red Headed Woman," along with songs I've never performed live but that I'm very proud of, such as "Where to Aim." I've been on the road full time since the first HighTone album came out, so it all seems like a blur rolling by me at 80 miles per hour on the highway, but looking back on this music, I'm very proud of what I did, with much appreciation to all the different Ecco-Fonics, Mark Neill's producing skills, and of course the great guest artists like Claude Trenier (R.I.P.), the Calvanes, and others. I think this is the best of the best, and I hope you enjoy it too! See you on the road! Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. Mexicali Rose 2. Hot Rod Queen 3. What's That Cookin' 4. Can't See the Forest for the Trees 5. Feelin' Low 6. Poon-Tang 7. Sparkin' 8. Snatch It and Grab It 9. Rockin' Gypsy 10. Red Headed Woman 11. My Name Is Deke 12. Nightmare of a Woman 13. I Gave My Heart Before 14. Hod Rodder's Lament 15. Beat Out My Love 16. Hello Blues 17. Will You Be Mine 18. Where to Aim 19. Headin' On Down the Road 20. Where Am I Goin'? 21. Muleskinner Blues (previously unissued in the U.S.) Deke's very own rarities compilation! 24 tracks, including outtakes, unreleased songs, demos, live recordings, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, country, surf... Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. Burbank Hillbillies Theme (by Jerry Scoggins; outtake) 2. World's Greatest Sinner (demo; previously unreleased) 3. Ain't Got a Pot (alt. take; previously unreleased) 4. Your Love's Like a Faucet (from the LA County Line comp.) 5. Sparkin' (orig. version; from the Solid Sender vinyl EP) 6. Double Zombie (from the Solid Sender vinyl EP) 7. Run Boy Run (from the Tribute to Link Wray comp.) 8. Wishing Star (demo; previously unreleased) 9. Mean Little Mama (previously unreleased) 10. Bottoms Up (from EF-1013 fanclub vinyl single) 11. It Teardrops Were Pennies (previously unreleased) 12. Switchblade Stomp (w/ Sean Mencher; from the Goofin' Around comp.) 13. I Love Rock 'n' Bowl (unreleased acetate) 14. Trick Fueler (from the Sleazy Surf vol. 2 comp.) 15. Foolish Thoughts (recorded live; previously unreleased) 16. Find My Baby for Me (recorded live; previously unreleased) 17. One Way Ticket (recorded live; previously unreleased) 18. El Cumbanchero (recorded live; previously unreleased) 19. In the Ghetto (In Tacoma) (recorded live; previously unreleased) 20. Blistered (recorded live; previously unreleased) 21. All Dressed Up (recorded live; previously unreleased) 22. Wiggle Wobble (recorded live; previously unreleased) 23. She's So Fine (recorded live; previously unreleased) 24. Muleskinner Blues (recorded live; previously unreleased) Presented in three sections: "rock 'n' roll," "rockabilly," and "hillbilly." The first section is a rocking rhythm and blues revue featuring the fabulous Carl Sonny Leyland, former Ecco-Fonic sax man Ron Dziubla, Los Straitjackets bass man Pete Curry, and legendary New Orleans session drummer Earl Palmer. Section two highlights include the original song "Wear Out the Soles of My Shoes," a cover of Johnny Horton's obscure-but-rockin' "Take the Long Way Home Tonight," and a haunting Link-Wray-meets-Roy-Orbison ballad, "Bitter Tears." Part three features the fiery guitar-and-steel-guitar duo Dave Biller and Jeremy Wakefield, upright bassist Billy Horton, and drummer Bobby Trimble playing country, western swing, and hillbilly boogie numbers. The bonus track is a rollicking cover of Bob Wills' "Fat Boy Rag" with Biller and Wakefield taking the leads, and Deke accompanying them on the monstrous 5-foot tall BASS saxophone! Deke Dickerson: vocals, guitars, piano, baritone sax, bass sax Carl Sonny Leyland: piano Ron Dziubla: tenor and baritone sax Dave Leroy Biller: electric guitar Jeremy Wakefield: Bigsby steel guitar Jeff Graves: acoustic bass Billy Horton: acoustic bass Craig Packham: drums Bobby Trimble: drums and special guest... Earl Palmer: drums! Click on track titles for MP3 samples: Rock 'n' Roll: 1. I Might Not Come Home At All 2. Top of the Line 3. Ain't Got a Reason 4. I Get So Lonely 5. Sittin' and Thinkin' Rockabilly: 6. Wear Out the Soles of My Shoes 7. Take the Long Way Home 8. It Would Be a Doggone Lie 9. Let's Go Wild Tonight 10. Bitter Tears Hillbilly: 11. You've Been Honky Tonkin' 12. Too Hot to Handle 13. Knoxville Boogie 14. Gambler's Guitar 15. Pinball Boogie 16. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 17. I'm Gonna Live Some Before I Die This formerly out-of-print album is once again available as an MP3 download! A compilation of 31 tracks from Deke's Ecco-Fonic record label. 14 tracks are by Deke; also featured are the Smith's Ranch Boys, Horton Brothers, Ramblin' James, Jimmy Bryant, Sammy Masters, Lester Peabody, Sean Mencher, the Krazy Kats, Maynard Horlick, the Country Cabin Boys, Biller & Wakefield, and Brian Nevill!!! None of these tracks have been on CD before, and 10 of them are previously unreleased in any form! Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. Deke Dickerson: This is Ecco-Fonic! 2. Deke Dickerson: It Came to Me in a Dream (vocal) 3. Deke Dickerson: T.J. Tuck and Roll 4. Deke Dickerson: Look at that Moon (vocal) 5. Country Cabin Boys: Wounded Knee Polka 6. Ramblin' James: Which Way the Wind Blows (vocal) 7. Lester Peabody: Big River Rag 8. Krazy Kats: Beat Out my Love (vocal) 9. Deke Dickerson: Swingin' in Outer Space 10. Deke Dickerson: Beatin' on the Bars (vocal) 11. Deke Dickerson: Diggin' It 12. Deke Dickerson: Solid Sender (vocal) 13. Jimmy Bryant: Ha-So 14. Krazy Kats: Wiggly Little Mama (vocal) 15. Sean Mencher: Jumpin' Track 16. Maynard Horlick: Go Go Rip Van Winkle (vocal) 17. Brian Nevill & the Quiet Three: Del Scorcho 18. Horton Brothers: Jack in the Boogie Box (vocal) 19. Horton Brothers: Roll Hot Rod Roll (vocal) 20. Deke Dickerson: Asphalt Aisle 21. Deke Dickerson: Midnight Swell 22. Deke Dickerson: Deep Dark Jungle (vocal) 23. Deke Dickerson: Mothers Worry 24. Ramblin' James: Friday Night (vocal) 25. Biller & Wakefield: Burbank Bounce 26. Biller & Wakefield: Knuckleheaded Polka 27. Sammy Masters: Twin Pipes & Pin Stripes (vocal) 28. Smith's Ranch Boys: Corn Whiskey (vocal) 29. Smith's Ranch Boys: Ain't Givin' Up (vocal) 30. Deke Dickerson: Tulsa Baby (vocal) 31. Deke Dickerson: Samoa Deke Dickerson: Lead vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar Brent Harding: Acoustic bass, vocals Bobby Horton: Electric and acoustic guitars, vocals, steel guitar Craig Packham: Drums, percussion, status cymbals The Fabulous Calvanes: Doo-wop vocals Carl Sonny Leyland: Piano Jeremy Wakefield: Bisgby steel guitar D.J. Bonebrake: Vibes Mark Neill: Danelectro tic-tac bass Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. Will You Be Mine 2. Beat Out My Love 3. Have Blues Will Travel 4. Hot Rodder's Lament 5. Heartbreaker of the Town 6. Give Me a Brunette 7. Hello Blues 8. Where To Aim 9. C-A Boogie 10. Don't Push Me Too Far 11. Wang Dang Dula 12. I'm Lonesome 13. Headin' On Down the Road 14. Speedin' On Keystone 15. Where Am I Goin'? Deke Dickerson: Lead guitar & vocals, baritone sax Brent Harding: Acoustic bass, backing vocals Johnny Noble: 2nd lead guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals Craig Packham: Drums, Tympani Billy Zoom: Lead guitar on "Nightmare of a Woman" Hadda Brooks: Vocal Duet on "You're my Cadillac" Billy Barty: Intro and outro Joey D'Ambrosio: Tenor saxophone Carl Sonny Leyland: Piano, backing vocals Jeremy Wakefield: Bigsby steel guitar Mark Neill: Danaelectro 6-string bass, backing vocals Brantley Kearns: Violins Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. Let the Good Times Roll 2. The Hatchet Man 3. I'm a Wreck 4. Rockin' Gypsy     (instrumental duet - Deke and Johnny) 5. Nightmare of a Woman     (with Billy Zoom) 6. Broken Down and Broken Hearted 7. I Gave My Heart Before 8. My Name is Deke 9. You're My Cadillac     (with Hadda Brooks) 10. Mean Son of a Gun 11. So Long I'm Gone 12. Tropical Island Boogie Serenade 13. I Think You Gotta Pay for That     (with Carl Sonny Leyland) 14. Red Headed Woman 15. Closing Theme from Jerry Scoggins     (voice of the Beverly Hillbillies TV Show) 16. Radio Spots for Disc Jockeys Deke Dickerson: Lead guitar & vocals, tic-tac bass Brent Harding: Acoustic bass, backing vocals Johnny Noble: 2nd lead guitar, acoustic guitar, maracas Brian Nevill: Drums, cymbals Larry Collins: 2nd lead guitar on "Jumpin' Bean" Claude Trenier: Spoken intro to "Poon-Tang" Joey D'Ambrosio: Tenor saxophone Carl Sonny Leyland: Piano Jeremy Wakefield: Bigsby steel guitar Click on track titles for MP3 samples: 1. Mexicali Rose 2. Can't See the Forest for the Trees 3. Hot Rod Queen 4. Snatch It and Grab It 5. Lady Killin' Papa 6. Feelin' Low 7. What's That Cookin' 8. Jumpin' Bean     (instrumental duet w/ Larry Collins) 9. The End of the Line 10. Sparkin' 11. Introduction by Claude Trenier 12. Poon-Tang 13. Guitar in Orbit no. 37 (instrumental) 14. I Gotta Date to Cut a Cake 15. Peroxide Blonde 16. Long Time in the Ground