The Uncomplicated Henson Cargill

Henson Cargill - Going Backwards
Henson Cargill - Hemphill Kentucky Consolidated Coalmine
Henson Cargill - Reprints (Plastic People)

Henson Cargill hails from Oklahoma City where, after following in his father's footsteps and studying law, he worked as a deputy sheriff before heading to Nashville to become a country music star. Cargill sings in a timbre similar to Elvis without the southern drawl but his repertoire tackles social issues that The Colonel would've found a tad sticky for his boy. His big hit, 'Skip A Rope', went to the top of the country charts for five weeks in 1968 and in it Cargill sings of the bad examples parents set their children with regards to racism and paying taxes.

Recently a pal of mine set up a reissue label, Omni, and one of its first releases is a 27 track Henson Cargill compilation made up of tunes from the four albums -- and various singles -- Cargill recorded for Monument. All of today's mp3s are from that remastered compilation. 'Reprints (Plastic People)' and 'Going Backwards' originally appeared on Cargill's last Monument LP, 'The Uncomplicated', released in 1970. 'Hemphill Kentucky Consolidated Coalmine' was originally the b-side to a single released in 1969.

Musically there are instruments on all three recordings that would exclude them from any strict definition of country. The production is spot on with very full, and even funky, instrumentation and a tinge of the psychedelic late Sixties feel that was prevalent in the pop sound of the time. 'Going Backwards', like Gil Scott-Heron's 'Whitey On The Moon', questions what constitutes progress. 'Hemphill Kentucky Consolidated Coalmine' has a message that echoes recent tragic events reminding us of the lethal dangers involved in coal mining. 'Reprints (Plastic People)' describes a world of mindless conformity and enlists some fatback drumming to help drive the message home.

These days Cargill plays the occasional casino show. As to whether he's still raging against the machine...I'd love to know.

The Omni Recording Corporation