Here's one guaranteed to appeal to all you country music-lovin' Rockford Files fans, and... well, I'm not sure who else. But if ya'll qualify, you're in for a treat.
I don't know the story behind this one, but somehow I reckon it involves a poker game, a bottle of Tennessee mash and/or some secret saucy Polaroids. Sometime around 1980, character actor Margolin managed to parlay his minor celebrity from countless TV shows such as M*A*S*H*, Rhoda and most notably six years as Evelyn 'Angel' Martin on the Rockford Files (hence the title) into a full-blown Texas hoedown featuring Sonny Terry, Jim Messina, and members of the Texas Playboys. The record is an even mix of upbeat Margolin originals and reliable chestnuts like Waltz Across Texas, and goes down as easy as a pitcher of magaritas after a long week of clock-punchin'.
It may not be one of the great lost classics -- Margolin's voice has all the range of the guy down the line at the factory who sings along with the radio -- but he's clearly having the time of his life, and the whole modest enterprise holds a sentimental place in your host Festus' tender little heart. Some people take their moment in the spotlight to pave a highway to oblivion; others, like Margolin, use it to realize their dreams. Here's to you, Angel.
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4 comments:
I suppose that I may be the only one who meets the criteria for this one. I liked the one where Angel got involved with the mob and started calling himself "Angelo".
Many thanks.
If you know anything about Phoenix, AZ, then you know about Jerry Riopelle. He is an institution in the Valley of the Sun! Jerry performs at Celebrity Theater yearly to total sell out crowds. One of Jerry’s main partners writing over the years has been Stewart Margolin . Stew & Jerry have penned Classics like “Redball Texas Flyer”, “Candy Barr”, “Silver Dollar”, “TAKE A CHANCE”, “VALENTINE”, “River On The Run” and “Baby Rose” among many others. Great Actor(Loved him in Kelly’s Heroes ) and an equally excellent song writer. Hunt down some of Jerry’s albums and you will be amazed and your ears will have a truly fine treat!
I remember him being a record collector on the show, probably based on real life...in one episode of the Rockford Files, I remember him trying to save a bunch of records from a place he was being evicted from, and the stuff he named off was pretty prime, like Bukka White, Sonny Terry, etc.
This is a real kitsch classic. Good work.
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