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Thinking For Now Something More Worlds Apart

Mark David and the Nightly Lights with Don Helms 11-15-07 Waterloo Studios Kent, Ohio One of the final studio sessions that LEGENDARY steel guitar player Don Helms ever did. Don was 80 years when he did this session (9 months before his death) at Waterloo Recording Studios. Don is famous for having recorded on over 100 Hank Williams Sr. tracks between 1949 and 1952 including 10 of his 11 number one hits. He also toured the US many times over as a member of Williams live group The Drifting Cowboys. After Williams' death in 1953 , Helms went on to play on many classic country hits, including Patsy Cline's “Walking After Midnight,” Stonewall Jackson’s “Waterloo,” the Louvin Brothers’ “Cash on the Barrelhead,” Bobby Helms "Jingle Bell Rock", Lefty Frizzell’s “Long Black Veil” and several early signature Loretta Lynn albums including "Coal Miners Daughter" and "Blue Kentucky Girl" In the late 1950s Don played on several early Johnny Cash recordings on Columbia Records, "The Fabulous Johnny Cash", "Now, There Was a Song!" and "Hymns by Johnny Cash". During the mid-1960s Helms played in the Wilburn Brothers backup band, The Nashville Tennesseans. He later played behind Hank Williams' daughter Jett Williams. Don Helms played for Hank Williams Jr. in addition to his Dad, and wrote "The Ballad of Hank Williams" which he performed with Hank Jr. on "The Pressure Is On" LP Released in 1981. In the tune Don jokingly refers to being fired by both elder Hanks. He also performed with Jett Williams, Hank Sr.'s daughter. Helms died on August 11, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee from complications of heart surgery and diabetes. He was the last surviving member of Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys group. These three tracks are one of his last sessions recorded on November 15, 2007 with Mark David and the Nightly Lights at Waterloo recording studios in Kent, Ohio. He used the very same double-neck 1948 Gibson Console Grande steel guitar that he used on EVERY Hank Recording and on Patsy Clines "Walking After Midnight". Produced by Todd Tobias whose production credits include several Guided By Voices and Rob Pollard albums. In January of 2009 these tracks were re-mastered by LEGENDARY Beach Boys and Frank Zappa chief recording engineer Stephen W. Desper whose engineering credits include 20/20, Surfs Up, Sunflower, Holland and many other with The Beach Boys as well as Apostrophe and Overnight Sensation with Franks Zappa amongst many other works. enjoy these tracks...DVD of the sessions is coming soon! www.myspace.com/donhelmsshag www.myspace.com/thenightlylights www.myspace.com/therealmarkdavid

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