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Place to Hide 3:470:00/3:47
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Home Again 4:300:00/4:30
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Trouble 4:480:00/4:48
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Haunted 3:450:00/3:45
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It's Getting Late 6:260:00/6:26
Welcome
When releasing a new album to the public it is customary to pair it with what's called a "press release" in order to prepare your intended audience for what to expect, hype up your new project and give an obligatory explanation of why it is something so new and important that they not only want, but need to engage in it, lest they miss out on something much bigger and more sacred than themselves, the artist or the contents of the project itself.
So, i guess that's what this is...
'Be Mindful of Bears' is my 4th full album released under the band "Chucky Waggs & the Company of Raggs". Some of these songs are ones we've been playing live for a while. Some are new ones I've been working on for this release. Some are ones no one's ever heard live and quite possibly never will. Some were recorded as fully fleshed out instrumental arrangements with lyrics that were painstakingly agonized over, re-written, scribbled out, rearranged and the chopped down to one or two lines only to be used for a different song altogether, where they were better suited. Some of these songs are essentially demo versions of stuff I wasn't sure what else to do with, but once recorded, felt as if they were as completed as they'd ever be.
Unlike the previous two CW&CO albums "Low-Road Ramble" and "Junkyard Charlie", which were written, arranged and recorded with complete consideration, restraint and intention prior to the recording process, to achieve a very specific tonal/lyrical idea from beginning to end, this collection has been written and recorded sporadically over the last few yrs. There was little to no concrete idea of how i would arrange each, little consideration of what tone would need to be struck from one song to the next or what would come of the lot once, or if, I could ever manage to reach the end.
The result is a hodgepodge of different styles, sounds, lyrical and arrangement quality, composition, tone, sonic qualityyy....blah, blah, blah! Point is: I'm not sure if this is a good album, an alright album with some good songs, a mostly bad album with a few strokes of good luck, or a pretty damn alright album, save the occasional feeling of randomness. It's not really for me to say anyway.
These songs have served me well throughout the process of commiting sporadic thought, word salad, stream of conciousness, and existential crisis turned cleaver idiom and narrative to paper; from paper to melody, melody to arrangement, arrangement to finished album. The end result of all that is an album I'm calling 'Be Mindful of Bears'. After a bit of good advice i once saw posted on a hand made sign while in the Smokey Mountains years ago. I have followed that advice ever since and have yet to me mauled by bears or have a picnic basket stolen(knock on wood), so I saw it as only fitting to pass that bit of good advice on to the public at large...or atleast the portion of the public who listens to off beat modern folk music variants.
The idea of throwing together a bunch of songs that werent intentionally meant to live alongside each other, or of which the feeling of one might counteract the intent of another is enough to keep a neurotic type, like myself up at night. However, the idea of sitting on them any longer, growing more unsure and recording even more than the 17 songs I already have piled up is enough to eventually convince myself to set these aside and start all over. Being as frugal as I am with time, money and energy, this is not an option for me...but like I said, this isn't about me.
It's about those of you who've been generous enough to enable and even validate this endeavor over the years, whether through attendance at live performances, attaboys, streams, downloads, purchasing of cd's, merch, stomping/singing along or a simple sentiment that you've enjoyed one of the songs. It's with that idea that I will keep putting out, not just what I think someone might want or need to hear, or what makes me feel important as a person who gets attention by writing and playing songs, but whatever it is I have to offer up, to whomever might wish to listen.
If you're still reading this unfocused rambling mess of a "press release", that means you might be the type whose interested in a 17 song long folk/country/blues/ragtime/jugband/stringband album of stories and ideas which may or may not entertain, stimulate or distract you for a time being. Whether or not that's the case, I appreciate your time. -CW
New Tracks
A rambling story about climbing out of holes.
Previous events
Chucky Waggs and the Company of Raggs are making our way back to Tulsa town to sing, dance, stomp and holler with yuns! Come on out to Blackbird on Pearl and kick it with us on June 7th!
Wilder's 2019 summer event series with Opal Agafia and the Sweet Nothings, Red Oak Ruse and Chucky Waggs & the Company of Raggs
Cleaning up trash, sustainability workshops, good food and good music! Family friendly and the beautiful backdrop of the Farm!
Wecoming back to good ol Westport Saloon to stomp and holler!
We're coming back down to North Little Rock to the Four Quarter bar to drink drinks, play songs, stomp feet and eat homemade pork rinds. Can't beat that! Come on over and join us!
First time at the Coneburg. Gonna play some original stompy jugband songs for ya. Hope to see you there!
We're making our way back to good ol Wichita to play some music and drink some beer at Central Standard Brewery for the first time! Come on out if you like beer and Music!
We're making our way back down to good ol Maxines in Hot Springs to stomp, drink, clap hands, entertain and distract from whatever it is you were worried about before you came out.
We're excited to be doing the Parkstomp festival this year in beautiful Medicine Park, OK! This is a FREE festival with FREE MUSIC and FREE CAMPING!!!
We're coming over to the Smoke and Barrel in Fayetteville for the first time! Come on out if you like music, whiskey and feet stompin'!
We're making our way to Harry's in good 'ol Fort Smith Arkansas to play songs, stomp feet, drink drinks and do everything in our power to feel good! We would be much obliged if you would come out, bring your friends, and join us!
We're comin back to Conway Feb 8th. Mark your calendar and come feel good with us!
We'll be makin our way back to Tulsa this January to play songs, drink and combat seasonal affective disorder with a lot of stomping and hollerin'. Come on out and join us!
Albums
Junkyard Charlie
Chucky Waggs
All songs written and arranged by Charles Adam Wagner. Mixed, mastered, and engineered by Caleb Lindsey at studio in Eureka Springs, Ar. Album cover art by Charles Adam Wagner and Nathan Graham.
Musicians: Charles Adam Wagner: Acoustic guitar, resophonic guitar/dobro, 5 string banjo, tenor banjo, harmonica, musical saw, drums/percussion, lead and
All songs written and arranged by Charles Adam Wagner. Mixed, mastered, and engineered by Caleb Lindsey at studio in Eureka Springs, Ar. Album cover art by Charles Adam Wagner and Nathan Graham.
Musicians: Charles Adam Wagner: Acoustic guitar, resophonic guitar/dobro, 5 string banjo, tenor banjo, harmonica, musical saw, drums/percussion, lead and backup vocals. Michael Schembre: Fiddle Jeff Gray: Trumpet
Special thanks to Caleb Lindsey, all my friends, family, contemporaries,venues, promotors, fans, and well wishers. Extra special thanks to "The Company of Raggs': Ron Landis, Slim Nelson, Chuck Onofrio, Michael Schembre, Kyle Young, Patti Steel, Jeff Gray, Jenny Johnson, Janis Esch, Tobias Merriman, Alex Pape, and Nathan Graham.
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Dreamin' Out Loud 3:310:00/3:31
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Lemonade 4:020:00/4:02
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Nowhere Else To Go 3:470:00/3:47
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Makin' That Face 4:400:00/4:40
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Hey, Autumn 4:340:00/4:34
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0:00/4:12
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There Comes A Train 3:500:00/3:50
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Tomb Stone 5:050:00/5:05
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Trailer Fire 3:370:00/3:37
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Make Amends 7:050:00/7:05
Low Road Ramble
Chucky Waggs
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Go Again 4:490:00/4:49
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Night On the Town 2:560:00/2:56
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Sticks and Stones 4:170:00/4:17
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Sidewalk 3:480:00/3:48
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House of Cards 3:510:00/3:51
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Die Another Day 4:360:00/4:36
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Can't Get Enough 2:210:00/2:21
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Demons 4:120:00/4:12
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Dirty Old Man 3:170:00/3:17
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Low Road Ramble 3:280:00/3:28