To borrow a phrase from the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan, “If The House is a Rockin’ Don’t Bother Knockin’ Just Come On In.” This past Saturday Night, these words couldn’t be any truer.
This story began after I received a Facebook event invite for “RUFFHOUSEWARMING with Ben Jarrell”. The name alone got my interest peaked enough to look closer. It turns out the invite was from a fellow music lover and music family member Brandi Burgess. Brandi along with Randy Ruff were throwing a House Party.
I don’t think that anyone in attendance would argue that these gracious hosts know a thing or two about throwing a party. Every item needed for a great evening was included. All food and drinks were provided along with a great country band, The Ben Jarrell Band.
Ben brought with him a stripped-down three-piece band. Do we still call it a power trio in country music? Ben told me prior to the performance, “Well, the one tonight is going to be a little bit different than what we usually do because usually when we do house shows, I’ll do the acoustic thin, or maybe acoustic and pedal steel, and I love doing it, but I did it so much during COVID that Randy and I know each other pretty well and I asked him if I could just bring the Honky Tonk Trio in tonight so it’s gonna be a little bit greasier.”
The stage is set for what could and will be a big time for all. How do you lose in a party situation like this? Our hosts had laid out enough food to feed a small army. There were enough drinks on hand to stagger that said small army, and yes, before you ask, I did sample the evenings buffet offerings. I will tell you, if the band is as good as the food, this will be a night everyone in attendance will remember. I would assume that the neighbors not in attendance will remember it too.
I sat down with Ben prior to the show to speak briefly about the set list and his influences. I asked Ben what we could expect out of the band’s set list for the night. Ben told me, “Maybe one or two, probably two songs from the first record, two songs from my last record, my second record, but that record has been out for over a year, so we’re going to also play some new songs that we’re working on for a new record right now. Maybe you know, I think we got a Buck Owens song and Merle Haggard song on there and Bob Seger song on there.”
When we spoke about other influences, it was like a who’s who in music. “You know, short answer on the songwriting, you know, Willie Nelson, Guy Clark. Definitely two of my favorites, but overall, you know definitely Waylon Jennings and Merle. I like Johnny Lee, Vern Gosdin, early Randy Travis, Keith Whitley, but I also like, you know, Marshall Tucker band. Early Charlie Daniels Band is some of the coolest stuff. I mean and then, uh, I like Dwight Yoakam.” Jarrell reveals.
From the first notes of the first song, “Trucker and the UFO” I knew this was going to be one of those down and dirty Honky Tonk Nights. “Trucker…” can be found on Ben’s recent release Up And Headed West. Two more originals “Crooked Moon” and “Oklahoma Saturday Night Follow”. The three beginning songs cement the fact that these songs should be played loud with a side of a cold drink.
“End of the Road Woman” follows and has a special place in the set list for Ben. He told me, “We’re also going to do one that a buddy of mine named Ben Donovan wrote called “End of the Road Woman” and he had already recorded it and put it out in 2015. But I just loved the song so dang much I think we’re going to record our own version of it.” When an artist is impressed with a song, you know they will put everything they have into playing it live.
“Ain’t Livin’ Long Like This” is the Waylon Jennings cover he mentioned to me before the show. Who doesn’t love that song? Songs like that remind me of my childhood riding in the car with my father while he listened to AM radio country. “I think he’s just been a big influence for a lot of people in the independent country scene. I mean that guy was pretty magical.” Jarrell told me about his being influenced by Waylon.
Two more originals continue the set list, “Double Nickel” and “Red Dress”. Then, we get to hear his rendition of Merle Haggard’s “Honky Tonk Nighttime Man”. The originals “Gearjammer” and “Walls of Time” precede another old school country cover of Buck Owens “Washed My Hands in Muddy Water”.
As the set list gets shorter, we get another original “Brave Enough” followed by the Bob Seger cover “Against the Wind”. Nobody present wants this night of pure roadhouse honky tonk to end! One more original “Tucumcari Tonight” before we move into what would be the encore.
To close out the set, Ben told me about a special song he wrote. “Me and one of my other songwriting partners wrote a really good kind of ballad called “Southern Groves“ and I think we’re going to end the show with that tonight. Now, it’s probably going to be one of the more important ones.”
This house was definitely rockin’! Our hosts dished out a virtual buffet of delicious food and drink while the band served up a vast helping of old school, roadhouse, juke box influenced tunes. These songs should be played loud and often whether in person or on the jukebox at your local saloon.
