Alabama Jubilee, You Took All the Ramblin’ Outta Me, & The Uptown Poker Club – Jerry Reed

Atlanta born and Georgia raised, Jerry Reed, often overlooked and criminally underappreciated by the masses; I don’t know if Jerry would have it any other way if he were still around today. I think his so-called “novelty” songs (Amos Moses, Koko Jo, Uptown Poker Club) (just because it’s in quotes doesn’t mean it’s negative, Amos Moses is unironically one of my favorite songs of all time) and acting talents overshadowed some really amazing picking skills, but I don’t think that bothered him.

I’ve spent the last 20 minutes or so looking for a quote about him; I think it was either Johnny Cash, Waylon, or a well-known guitar player of the era (it may have even been Chet Atkins, which would make a lot of sense), but if I’m wrong, it was still someone you’d consider music royalty. Paraphrased, “Jerry Reed lets you take the spotlight, ’cause if he wanted to, he’d play your ass right off the stage. Anyone.” Listen to something like Alabama Jubilee, and you’ll understand what they meant. I saw a comment describe that listening to the guitar on that song is like watching a great chase scene in a movie, and I have to agree.

Alabama Jubilee – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xE3qoqsgqE

Live – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozWypBp2li4

Even the King was quite the fan, with Elvis recording a cover of “Guitar Man” and tracking Jerry down to play the guitar parts.

“I was out on the Cumberland River fishing, and I got a call from Felton Jarvis (Presley’s producer at RCA) He said, ‘Elvis is down here. We’ve been trying to cut “Guitar Man” all day long. He wants it to sound like it sounded on your album.’ I finally told him, ‘Well, if you want it to sound like that, you’re going have to get me in there to play guitar, because these guys are straight pickers. I pick with my fingers and tune that guitar up all weird kind of ways.” I hit that intro, and [Elvis’s] face lit up and here we went. Then after he got through that, he cut “U.S. Male” at the same session. I was toppin’ cotton, son.”

The Uptown Poker Club – Originally, this post was only going to be about two songs, but since I mentioned how Jerry’s “novelty” songs tend to overshadow some of his work these days, I thought I’d throw this one in as an example of the humor he’s known for. I much prefer the studio version here, but that’s the only live rendition I could find.

Link to song – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKMHQIeUTxE

Link to Live (I need the shirt) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjSeWovAHJ8

You Took All The Ramblin’ Outta Me” is my favorite Jerry song, no real reason why, other than it’s just a ton of fun to sing along with. It’s just a really sweet but not boring love song. Funny enough, this song was in the soundtrack for the video game “Grand Theft Auto V.” I have a ton of memories of driving down through Liberty Hill with the windows down in my old truck from high school, just blasting this one through the already blown-out speakers.

Song – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGqF6mN2WEY

Live (Low quality, blame the French)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyT2ieWGsy0