Album Notes

The Peter Thorpe Memorial Fund presents the music of Nashville Fats. "God's Country" is the first of Fats'albums to be re-released by PTMF. This thirteen-song Country CD compiles the Country songs from his currently unavailable CDs, "Concepts and Fragments" and "Wasteland."

Fats was mostly known as a Bluesman, but he also appreciated Country Music and wrote and recorded a number of Country songs in Nashville.

"Yardsale Guitar" is a whimsical story song. Yardsaling
was one of Fats' favorite pastimes, and he always hoped to discover a good old guitar. He spent many Sunday afternoons on the road at yardsales. Never finding the guitar he yearned for, he instead wrote this fun song.

Fats wrote several songs with his good friend Steve Rupe.
"Armed and Dangerous" is one of those songs. Originally, Fats penned a song about being armed with a gun, but Steve
diplomatically suggested the "arming" be changed to "the Word of God"!!

Fats liked Steve's idea that being "armed with the Word of God" is dangerous to the devil. They rewrote this song together, and it soon became one of Fats' most popular tunes. "Armed and Dangerous" will also be on "Grace" Steve's soon to be released third CD. Watch for it on cdbaby.com

"There's a blues band down in Old Town, trying to conjure up some kind of crowd, but you couldn't hear one single note they were playing, 'cause the silence was so loud." These lyrics from "His Shadow Never Turns" CD are some of Fats' most personal. He never forgot what it felt like to play in an empty bar to "the tables and chairs."

If you are a fan of Country harmonica, be sure to listen to Nashville Fats' beautiful, haunting version of the traditional instrumental "Shenandoah."

Fats spent many hot summer Nashville nights on the front porch with his pickin' buddy and neighbor Daniel Putnam Green, writing songs, playing chess and studying the Bible.
"Taking A Shine To Jesus" was their favorite "porch" song.

"He's Knockin' On Your Door" is a good old-fashioned dance song. Ever waltz to a gospel song? Try it, it's fun!

Performing on the Christian coffeehouse circuit gave Fats
a lot of joy and "Gospel Boogie" was his acknowledgement
of that slice of his life.

Fats would often warm up his fingers before a show by playing "Lieberstraum" by Franz Liszt. He enjoyed playing the song so much he eventually recorded it.

The "She was a tall and proud old woman" verse of "Pray for America" was originally written for his young daughter Ruby when she was learning about the Statue of Liberty in elementary school. Years later, while visiting friends and family in Oregon, the other verses were added. A friend was about to lose his farm, his brother-in-law was having a hard time with his lumber business, and an always hard-working but recently unemployed cousin couldn't find a job. "Pray for America" was his way of showing the admiration and compassion he felt for them and their situation.

The Country Blues tune, "Call on Jesus," is a tribute to
old-timey country blues gospel songs.

"Balaam's Donkey" is perhaps Fats' most important Country song. The line, "If the good Lord can use ol' Balaam's
donkey, he can sure use an ass like me" was Fats' motto, and most often delivered message. God can (and will) use anyone!

"Greensleeves" was included on this CD because it was the
oldest song Fats knew, and he believed that for a song to remain popular through many centuries, it must be a pretty good song. Who was he to argue with history?

Fats was often asked why he combined Babe Ruth, Marie Antoinette, Billy the Kid, and Cesar Chavez all into "That's How It Is." A humid June day in Austin, Texas, spent in an air conditioned hotel room watching The History Channel, provided the setting and inspiration for this eclectic song.

The Peter Thorpe Memorial Fund (PTMF) is making "God's Country" available to the public to keep the music and extraordinary legacy of "Nashville Fats" (Peter Thorpe) alive.


Just released on cdbaby.com "BLUE TRAIN"
Go to cdbaby.com/ptmf
Twelve songs by twelve exceptional artists.
http://www.ptmf.org/bluetrain May '04

Now available at cdbaby.com "NOTHING BUT THE BLUES"
11. A compilation of 11 of Fats blues tunes. Ocotber '05