Today's Army Presents The Gene Price Country Express: April, 1974, Program 4

And, finally, we have part 4 of our 4 part series of the Gene Price Country Express.

You wanna know what's on this one? Okay!



And that's the end. You may not remember how bad that Tom T. Hall song is, but it's really bad. Also, Freddy Weller covers a Cowsills song on this one.

So, I don't want this to become the blog of dumb government-sponsored radio programs, but there' plenty more where this came from. Maybe you should leave me a comment and tell me if you want more of this crap. Anyway, click here to "enjoy" the 4th part of our series. It skips a couple of times. You'll live.

Today's Army Presents The Gene Price Country Express: April, 1974, Program 3

And here's program 3 of 4 of the Gene Price Country Express for April, 1974. I've basically run out of things to say about this program, but it's still a good thing for you to waste 25 minutes on. The Jerry Lee Lewis song has a skip in it, and Gene leads off the whole show doing a really terrible duck voice. Want to see the track listing? Okay!


Here it is...Enjoy!

Today's Army Presents The Gene Price Country Express: April, 1974, Program 2

Obviously, this is just my opinion, but there's a drop in quality from the 1st week of April, 1974 to the second on the Gene Price Country Express. Sure, you're got two sure-fire hits with Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, but overall It's not as good as last week.

Also, you get some pretty ridiculous "boys-will-be-boys" material from Mr. Price who refers to Dolly Parton as "two of his favorite singers". Get it? It is because she has very large breasts and there are two of them! He's talkin' 'bout tits, boys! Let's all join the Army! This is hilarious on a level that was maybe unintended, though, because by turning this particular phrase, Gene has sort of insinuated that Dolly Parton's boobs are "singers", my mental image of which is both fascinating and disgusting. Oh, and wait'll you hear the hi-jinx that go down when Gene asks his "sidekick" (who is, you know, Gene Price doin the "grizzled old man" voice) for a "winch". Oh, how you will laugh.

BONUS: there's a terrible, cloying, syrupy, boring, stupid Bobby Bare song that's not mentioned in the program listing. Speaking of the program listing, here:


There's some odd sound stuff going on here if you listen closely, because I literally had to put one of my son's blocks on the tone arm to keep this record from skipping, which I'm sure is bad for both the needle and the record, but it's not really noticeable unless you're listening really closely. If you're looking for audiophile quality in your government-sponsored Country music programs from 35 years ago, you should probably just read a book or something. The rest of you, click here to download week 2 (of April, 1974) of the Gene Price Country Express!

Today's Army Presents The Gene Price Country Express: April, 1974, Program 1

When I first worked in radio (at WKIG in Glennville, GA), we ran a few syndicated shows that were shipped on vinyl. We'd play them and then either give them away to any DJ that wanted to take them or, if nobody wanted them, we'd throw them in the trash. All the ones we had were the Rick Dees top 40 and a syndicated Southern Gospel program. I never took any of the records, but I really wish I had.

I was very happy when a friend presented me with the 2 record set of Gene Price's Country Express from April, 1974 (the same month I was busy being born). I have long maintained that the U.S. Armed forces are sitting on a GOLD MINE. I would gladly pay actual money for access to the archives, whether through a digital subscription or buying actual CDs of the Air Force's "Country Music Time" program specifically, but also things like this. Oddly enough, this record was once held in the collection of the Talladega, Alabama public library.

Anyway... This is the first of a 4 part series of all the weekly programs from April 1974 of the Gene Price Country Express. I'm not trying to be clever and "recreate the experience" or anything, I'm just too lazy to record all 80 minutes tonight.

What's on this episode, you ask? Take a look at this!


That Charlie Rich song skips once, by the way, but I was, again, too lazy to go back and fix it. You'll live. Also, check out that not-country-in-any-way-AT-ALL guitar solo in the Webb Pierce song.

Click here to learn about the benefits of joining today's (more accurately 1974's) Army right out of high school!