The Chuck Wagon Gang

The Chuck Wagon Gang

I Have a Prayer
(Remembering Anna)
Song Garden Music
As a child, I would visit my Mamaw and Papaw Madden in Olive Hill, Ky. Everyday at noon my papaw would fold his Grit newspaper, place it on the table next to his chair, walk over to the radio in the kitchen and tune in WMOR. For the next 15 minutes my papaw sang bass with the “World Famous Chuck Wagon Gang.”

That said, I dare you to dust off any of your old Chuck Wagon Gang records and compare it to their CD, “I Have a Prayer.” Missing are the crackles and pops, but that’s the only difference. It’s remarkable how much Shaye Truax (alto), Julie Hudson (soprano), Stan Hill (tenor) and Dave Emery (bass vocal and guitar), sound like the classic line-up of Dad Carter, his two eldest daughters (Rose and Anna) and his oldest son, Jim.

Producer Bobby All captured the true essence of the Chuck Wagon Gang with simple production (guitar, bass and brushed snare) and four vocals prominently featured in the mix with heavy emphasis on the soprano lead.
Of course it wouldn’t be a Chuck Wagon Gang recording without some great four-part harmony tunes (mostly) from the classic Stamps-Baxter and Tennessee Music and Printing, song catalogues. My favorites include “I’ll Live Forever,” “I’m Rejoicing,” “Higher on the Mountain” and “Swing Wide the Gates.”