Expanded Liner Notes
CLICK HERE to view the complete liner notes for Revival, including thank you's from Meagan and Jason, additional photos, and lyrics to every song. (12MB PDF file – may download slowly)
Songs on the Album
Hammer and Nail
M & J: This song is the newest one that we decided to include on the album. Suzy Bogguss and Gary Scruggs wrote it while thinking about some of the old Carter family songs. Suzy sent it to us to try out for ourselves, and we both latched on to it as soon as we heard it.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Charlie Chadwick, Kenny Malone, Drew Covington
I Can Hear Kentucky Calling Me
MEAGAN: This song is a special one for me. Uncle Chester recorded it around the time I was born, and I have loved it since I first heard it - long before I started playing guitar. It was written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who have written many, many hits. We had fun on this one! Charlie McCoy added his wonderful talent to it, and I believe he was on Uncle Chester's original recording.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Charlie Chadwick, Kenny Malone, Drew Covington, Charlie McCoy
Fields of Gold
MEAGAN: In recent years, several people have mentioned Eva Cassidy to me and I looked into some of her music. I was blown away by how beautifully she sang and played the guitar. She had also re-arranged several songs that are very familiar. This was one of them.
JASON: It was fun to work up a piano arrangement for this one, since we had never heard a version that featured piano prominently. Adding cello to the mix was the icing on the cake - and Julie did a fantastic job of capturing the emotion of the song in every note.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Julie Adams
Ancient Words
M & J: A more recently written hymn, we love Ancient Words for its simple melody and powerful message. We both believe the Bible to be "the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience" (Baptist Confession of Faith 1689), and this song serves as a beautiful reminder of this truth.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Kenny Malone
The End of the World
M & J: Originally recorded by Skeeter Davis. Produced by Chet Atkins. Piano played by Floyd Cramer. What more is there to say? It is a classic.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Charlie Chadwick, Kenny Malone
Dream
M & J: This is an old Johnny Mercer song. Uncle Chester recorded it with George Benson, and we believe that Grandad played on it as well. What an amazing experience it was to have Boots Randolph come to the studio and lend us his awesome talent on this recording! It's a unique challenge to record everyone in the same room at the same time, but doing so gave us a sense of what the early years of recording were like for Uncle Chester and Grandad. This song really captures the magic of recording in RCA Studio B.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Charlie Chadwick, Kenny Malone, Boots Randolph
Sweet Dreams
JASON: What a beautiful, yet very simple song this is! It was written by Don Gibson and has been recorded by many artists. Grandad played piano on the original recording with Patsy Cline, and Chet recorded it at least twice (once with Mark Knopfler and Grandad).
MEAGAN: I was fortunate enough to play Uncle Chester's Paul McGill resonator on this, lent to me by my sweet cousin Jonathan.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Charlie Chadwick, Kenny Malone
Wildflowers
MEAGAN: This is a Dolly Parton song. She recorded it on Trio with Linda Rondstadt and Emmylou Harris. At the end, I added a short portion of the song "Wildwood Flower." It was the first song I learned on the guitar and one that Uncle Chester helped me out with when I was first starting.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Charlie Chadwick, Kenny Malone
Be Thou My Vision
M & J: Wow, what a great song. This timeless hymn communicates that there is much more to our faith than just being saved. As we progress through life, we strive to look more to the Lord of our heart, and less to this world, for truth, affirmation and vision. "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." - Colossians 2:6-7
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Kenny Malone
Sails
MEAGAN: This song was written by the Halls, including John Hall from the group Orleans. It has wonderful imagery, like Fields of Gold, and has a very soothing melody. Uncle Chester recorded this and it has always been one of my favorites.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Julie Adams
How Deep the Father's Love
JASON: I first heard this song at a youth camp years ago and was struck by its powerful message and haunting melody. Ever since, it has been a favorite of mine to sing and listen to as a humbling reminder of the power of God's love.
MEAGAN: This song speaks of the wisdom, power, holiness, justice and mercy of our God. It reminds me that we are recipients of a grace which cannot be bought by works. May we live our lives in a way which shows gratitude to the Almighty God for granting us this mercy.
Musicians: Meagan, Jason, Kenny Malone
About Meagan & Jason
Jason has played piano since he was old enough to reach the keys. Meagan tinkered with several instruments off and on as a child, but only started singing and playing guitar in the fall of 1999. Though Meagan and Jason each grew up with a love for music, their paths have only recently crossed...
In the fall of 2003, Meagan’s mother discovered that a friend was planning a party at which Floyd Cramer’s grandson, Jason, would be playing piano. Taking note of the unique connection between the two families, Meagan’s mother intended to talk to her daughter about getting in touch with Jason. After Jason heard about the chance meeting, he sent Meagan a note with a CD of a church Christmas concert featuring him at the piano.
Upon receiving the CD, Meagan was very reluctant to contact Jason. "Honestly, I was intimidated by his playing and decided he had been playing far longer and was much further advanced," Meagan admits. After much prodding by her mother, she eventually called him and invited him to hear her perform at a local show, and later asked him to play with her at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society convention in the summer of 2004.
So, they worked up some songs and performed at the convention. Later that year, Jason played for Meagan's wedding; then they collaborated again for CAAS 2005 and 2006. "Our styles of playing meshed really well from the beginning," Jason says. "It has always been a very natural connection. Plus, our parents have told us it's like they're stepping into a time machine when they hear us play."
The more Meagan and Jason played together, the more they entertained the idea of recording an album together. With the support and encouragement of their families, in late 2006, Meagan and Jason felt that the time had arrived, and they started working on the Revival project, which was released in the summer of 2007.
In the years since Revival, Meagan and Jason have continued recording and performing together, sharing the music of their famous forerunners with audiences across the country.
About Chet & Floyd
Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer’s musical relationship spanned nearly half a century. Their careers were intertwined from the time Floyd began coming to Nashville for session work in the early 1950s, and by the mid-'50s, both had established themselves as key players in the Music City recording industry. In 1957, Chet was placed in charge of RCA’s Nashville division. One year later, Chet signed Floyd as an instrumental artist on RCA.
In early 1960, with Chet as producer, Floyd played piano on the Hank Locklin hit, “Please Help Me I’m Falling” with a unique slip-note style played by writer Don Robertson on his demo. At Chet's urging, later that year, Floyd wrote what would become his most famous song, “Last Date,” featuring that slip-note style. Chet produced "Last Date" as well as many of Floyd's albums through the years. They played on countless recording sessions for other artists in country, pop and rock music, and Chet used Floyd on many of his own recordings. They also headlined concert tours together with Boots Randolph in the '60s and '70s as part of the Masters Festival of Music.
As time went on, both Chet and Floyd would go on to become legends of their instruments and styles. Their industry honors and accolades are too numerous to mention, and even now, since they passed away - Floyd in 1997, Chet in 2001 - their music continues to impact fans and listeners all over the world.
Here are some of their notable collaborations:
“Make the World Go Away" – Eddy Arnold, 1965
“Already recorded by several other artists, "Make The World Go Away" was just another song until recorded by Arnold. Under the direction of producer Chet Atkins, and showcased by Bill Walker's arrangement and the talents of the Anita Kerr Singers and pianist Floyd Cramer, Arnold's rendition of "Make the World Go Away" became an international hit.” – Wikipedia
“Please Help Me, I'm Falling" – Hank Locklin, 1960
Produced by Chet, was the first slip-note recording by Floyd.
“Last Date" – Floyd Cramer, 1960
Written by Floyd, produced by Chet.
The Masters Festival of Music Tours – featuring Chet, Floyd, and Boots Randolph
Neck And Neck album – Chet with Mark Knopfler, 1990, featuring Floyd on piano
Read My Licks album – Chet, 1994, featuring Floyd on piano
“At one point, I was over at his house- he had a beautiful studio in his house. And, um, he calls some musicians up. Floyd Cramer, man, stylist like nobody other, one-of-a-kind guy, like Chet, you know. And we had a guitar-picking good time between the three of us. It was just incredible.” – George Benson (from Chet Atkins: A Life in Music)
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