THE KENTUCKY KERNEL, Fiuby. April

1,

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t

Billy Edd Wheeler Displays More Talent
Than His Latest Album Might Present

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"

"Memories Of America," Billy
Edd Wheeler's newest album on
the Kapp label presents the West
Virginia-borartist at his best.
The poignant power of Wheeler's songs "Anne," "Winter
Sky," and "Sister Sara" show
off his best side. Raised in a
tradition of country music,
Wheeler continues to defend the
style against all comers. The
fact that this is no longer necessary mars his performance in
some ways.
The
more obselectviously country-derive- d
ions of the album are not his
best work. "Hot Dog Heart"
is a good example of wasted
n

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'
'Ralph

loping detached and nonchalant

faster-pace-

galumphing ralph

.

slobbering mouth

d,

jamesbondean cool

and revving porsches
is a

a

maverick

beer-drinkin-

g

county-wester-

However, as promoters insist
upon building Wheeler's name
uiwn this top forty success, the
danger is obvious. As one symptom of this bliglit, consider the
fact that virtually all the selections on the new Wheeler album
appeared on an earlier Kapp release of Wheeler's work.
This is not only cheating the
public, it is cheating Billy Edd
Wheeler. The man has great talent, but. talent that the commercial moneymakers may easily
sidetrack and waste. Perhaps not,
though, with such a determined
artist. Perhaps Billy Edd will
finally get back to the writing-dramusic, whatever which
he knows so well how to do.

n

ma,

The Lively Arts

to squealy girls

there i say

moting a recent hit 43 rpm single,
"Ode To The Little Brown Shack
Out Back." In fact, his new
album headlines "Ode" in red
letters larger than either the album title or Ids own name. The
back cover of the jacket repeats
the large "Ode" title but nowhere even mentions the name of
the album itself.
This is too bad. "Ode," for
all its commercial success in the
and top forty markets, is not good. Freshman poets
have repeatedly studied the "upon my golden throne" position
with very nearly the skill Wheeler
shows here. It is, one most suppose, humorous, in a broad way.
It is also making money.

talent, as is "Blistered." Not
that Wheeler is not able to make
minor successes of even such inconsequential material. But after
"Sister Sara's" ability to present a human situation in depth
to the listener, these limerick-type- s
are a great letdown.
"After Taxes" may purport
to be protest, but it too falls
flatly into the country-humo- r
style that even its open satire
cannot completely salvage.
Billy Edd Wheeler once tried
his hand at playwriting, had six
produced by Berca College while
he was taking his degree there.
He also attended the Yale School
of Drama.
Lately he has been concentrating upon music and tours pro

SCOTT NUNLEY
Kernel Arts Editor

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...

2.

... by scott nunley

Science fiction, besides making an heroic attempt now to be
recognized as a legitimate film genre, may have just been given
a needed dose of
The cross is one of times and styles. Lancer Science Fiction
has begun at last to put Dr. Edward E. Smith's many novels
in to paperbound editions. Until this began, Doc Smith had been
out of print, out of circulation, and virtually out of mind for the
present generation of upcoming writers.
In the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, E.E. Smith published ten novels
primarily through Fantasy Press. Unfortunately, Fantasy Press
became defunct and Smith's scries went off the market. While
science fiction today seems determined to write itself out of action,
strength, and scope by belatedly adhering to rigid realistic dogma,
Doc Smith will be a stimulating surprise to most.
In his first series, of three books, E. E. Smith was definitely
tied to the past century of science fiction melodrama. Yet, even
so, this "Skylark" series had excitement, prophesy, and plenty of
action. Doc Smith here is credited with presenting the first use
of atomic power to drive spacecraft ten years before Hiroshima.
However, it was in his longer "Lensman" series that E. E.
Smith achieved his full power and at least this one reader's vote
for Dean of Science Fiction Writers.
Six complete novels, the Lensman books accepted a total picture
of the history of Man, beginning with Atlantis' and carrying him
into a galactic civilization. Yet it was doind more, by postulating
a fantastic origin for the human race, and a marvelous view of its
final purpose.
With Doc Smith again on the open market, appearing in all
bookstores, perhaps some of the color and strength may find its
way back into science fiction, along with a
maturity
that the psychology of E. E. Smith's writing tried to begin.
cross-pollinatio- n.

four-fiste- d

block-bustin- g

dog
with class
one that would come galloping
over the snow

with not only brandy

,

but a pack of cards
as well
and.

i

nothing-les-

say,' a dog that deserves
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than soriid sort' of
unsaintly bernardian
mae west

if

,

Billy Edd Wheeler

Folksong writer as well as singer, West Virginia-bor- n
Billy Edd
Wheeler's newest album, "Memories Of America,"
many
of his earlier hits. These include original songs made famous by other
groups, such as "The Reverend Mr. Black."

much-neede- d

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