Wash Away My Blues

Rusty McIntosh

Wash Away My Blues
Performed By Rusty McIntosh
Album UPC 658258120010
CD Baby Track ID 717976
Label Thunderbolt Records
Released 1999-01-01
BPM 106
Rated 0
ISRC ushm20411284
Year 1999
Spotify Plays 14
Writers
Writer Newman A. McIntosh
Pub Co Newman A. McIntosh
Composer Newman A. McIntosh
ClearanceFacebook Sync License,Traditional Sync,YouTube Sync ServiceEasy Clear
Rights Controlled Master
Rights Easy Clear: Master
Original/Cover/Public Domain original
Country United States - North Carolina

Description

A classic country sound with just a touch of Western Swing and Rock-N-Roll

Notes

Download my music from Lindows, AudioLunchbox, BuyMusic, Napster, MusicMatch, Apple iTunes and DiscLogic.

WPLN-FM Nashville, Dave Higgs, Nashville, TN
"Fine solid country, cowboy, western music. My favorites are 'Jennie Came Walkin' In' and 'Caterpillar Cowboy'"

My Biography

I was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, the youngest of four children born to Annie Jean and Alan "Pappy" McIntosh. Pappy had been an infantryman in WWII and developed a lung disease that required him to head west to a drier climate. He and Mom met and fell in love in her hometown of El Paso, Texas. Three kids and about fifty moves later they returned to West Virginia and set up housekeeping on my Uncle Jude's farm. That is where I came along.

A couple of years later, Pappy grubbed up the money to buy 104 acres of mountain top that he named Punkin' Knob. With a lot of work and worry, the place became our home. Being mountain top farmers, we had a bulldozer for a farm tractor.

Growing up on Punkin' Knob, it seems we were always around music. Pappy bought Mom an old up-right piano of dubious origin and tuning, and she taught my sisters to play. Evenings were spent with the whole family gathered around that old piano singing hymns and old cowboy songs. I have a very vivid memory of Saturday nights spent watching The Grand Ole Opry and telling mom and dad, "When I grow up that's what I'm going to be."

One of Pappy's old coon-huntin' buddies had a pretty fair bluegrass band, a fellow by the name of Jim Newberry. Some of the older, greyer heads will re-member him from his appearances on "The Grand Ole Opry" playing his fiddle. Well, Mom always set a pretty fine table for Sunday supper and the old house had a big front porch, so summertime Sundays often turned into impromptu concerts that most of the neighborhood would show up for.

Work became scarce around Wood County, so Pappy sold the farm and bought a trailer. My two older sisters left home for college so Pappy, Mom, my brother Jim and I hit the road to high adventure following the highway construction life.

One place we stayed for a while was up next to a waste pit in West Union, WV. Pappy used to park his D-9 dozer in the front yard and eat lunch at home. Jim and I spent every spare minute we could on and around the big Cats. Everyone on the job treated us like we were their own, so it was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we couldn't get away with anything!

We moved on from there to other jobs in other towns. I got used to moving after a while and learned pretty fast that in a new school, the best thing to do was to pick out the meanest kid the first day and pick a fight. After all, why waste time? I got into high school and took a shine to football, and played for three years. I ended up with a blown out knee, so I got into chorus, and found out the girls liked a singer better than an athlete.

I had been dabbling with different bands on and off for years and even did a brief stint as a drummer for an oldies band. One of our trips to Texas brought up the opportunity to go on the road with a swing band doing shows with Willie Nelson, but Mom and Dad's better judgement prevailed there.

I joined the Air Force after graduation from high school and had a chance to sing with the Keesler Male Chorus, a group of elite Air Force musical personnel. I picked up some good voice training there, but when my training was over, I moved on to other things.

After I got out of service, I bounced around for several years, went two years to Marshall University, had jobs as a TV director, radio announcer, delivery truck driver, cab driver and many other occupations. I moved to North Carolina to work with my brother on Highway I-40 construction in Durham. Jim and I made a pretty good team on the job and off, just like Pappy and he had in previous years. We would work all week and haul on home every Friday. We had plenty of road time and during one trip, Jim said something about all of the truck driving songs there were but no bulldozer songs. I then promised I would write one. Thus was born "Caterpillar Cowboy".

About this time, I met Jennie Reeves, and we married. She made the mistake of feeding me! We now have one child, Curtis Houston McIntosh, alias "Scooter". He loves to take his MeMa's cane and use it for a microphone to sing concerts for all of us. Like father, like son.

I met J. D. Higgins at a talent search he was sponsoring one spring in Sparta, NC. He offered me the chance to demo some of my music and booked me as an opening act for some Grand Ole Opry folks. I have been proud to make the acquaintance and work with the late Jim Eanes, Dell Reeves, Jack Green, Jim & Jessie and the Virginia Boys, Stonewall Jackson, Mel McDaniels, Whisperin' Bill Anderson, George Hamilton IV and the Osborn Brothers. I have about 25 songs that are complete, a CD titled "Tales Of The Caterpillar Cowboy, and about 60 more in progress, so the music, like the road, goes on

I consider myself mainly a songwriter. One of my songs, "Jennie Came Walkin' In," was picked up by a Nashville publishing house but I have become known as The Caterpillar Cowboy because of the song I wrote with that title. I am both a musician and heavy-equipment operator. I have both diesel and half notes in my blood.

Writing songs is not something I can just sit down with a pencil and do. They come in bits and pieces, fits and starts. I keep a recorder and a pen and paper with me, for whenever the inspiration might come. I throw all the tidbits into my briefcase and put them all together later. I never throw anything away. "Caterpillar Cowboy" was the combination of several of those tidbits.

I write both words and music. When I get one the other just comes. I am able to actually hear seven-part harmony in my head. I'm told that is rare. Three cords and my guitar is all I need.

In March of 1999, I submitted my material to Thunderbolt records as a song- writer. I never dreamed they would want me as an artist as well. They called, I agreed, and was signed on as an artist and songwriter.

My CD is getting airplay, mostly on the Internet and some select radio stations. Station www.WDVRFM.org uses a song off the CD, "One More Kiss," as the theme song for one of their radio programs.

I am a traditional country music writer, performer and lover. My heroes have been Toy Caldwell of the Marshall Tucker Band, the great Bob Wills, Hank and Grand Ole Opry people.

Entertaining is what I love best and I find great satisfaction and joy in it. It is great to play to a crowd but getting to perform is a gift from God. I am a Golden Music Award multiple nominee, as well as having been a featured artist on Radio Lia's "15 Seconds of Fame." I also have an on-line fan club....if you would like more information, please e-mail me using the link provided by cdbaby.

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