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Charlie Sizemore - I've Got A Good Memory

(Rutabaga RR-3018) 1991

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Charlie's final album for Rutabaga was only released on cassette, and nowadays is almost impossible to find. It doesn't feature much in the way of bluegrass, being more of a country concept album, but it still has much going for it. The songs follow chronologically the different stages of a relationship from first love, marriage, divorce and it's aftermath. How much of it was autobiographical? I'd guess some, as Charlie writes/co-writes four of the songs and his first wife Robin Tackett sings harmony vocals on some tracks.

The album was mentioned in April 1991 edition of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' which reported:- "Charlie Sizemore is currently in the studios finishing up his fourth recording project for Rutabega (sic) Records. It will include harmony vocals by bluegrass singer turned country music star, Vern Gosdin".^[1] No coincidence that that both Two Lonely Hearts (Out Of Hand) and Rainbows And Roses were featured on Gosdin's 1985 Time Stood Still album, and worth noting that he also wrote the liner notes to Charlie's first Rutabaga album, Gravel Road.

One single was released presumably prior to the album: Rainbows And Roses / I've Got A Good Memory (Rutabaga 1025) c1991.

One track on the album, was a re-recording of Congratulations which was on Charie's eponymous debut. Two others, the classy I'm Really Gone and You'll Never Know Until You Cry were later re-recorded on his first album for Rebel, Back Home in 1993.

Two numbers from the Stanley back-catalogue are featured: I just Got Wise and Wendy Smith's Lonesome.

Don Rigsby, who was with the Charlie Sizemore Band whilst at University before he joined the Bluegrass Cardinals plays/sings on five songs.

Huge thanks to John Morris for sending me the details and MP3's of this one!

^{[1] 'General Store' section of the April 1991 edition of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' (p.16)}