New York based duo The Tall Pines have given us their “Top Ten Country-Soul Songs for your Summer Picnic.” It’s a brilliant mix with tunes by Dusty Springfield, Townes Van Zandt, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and more. Seriously worth checking out and bringing along to your next outdoor event. The duo should know a little something about country soul music, as Connie Lynn got her start performing for the cowboys at the Calgary Stampede Rodeo and Christmas Davis was raised attending a Pentacostal Church on the insistence of his momma who was addicted to just two things: Jesus and the tambourine. You can hear all of these deep rooted influences on their latest record, Campfire Songs, which was released in June via MMAM. A video of the duo performing Bobbie Gentry’ “Fancy” and their mixtape is after the jump.

Top Ten Best Country-Soul Songs For Your Summer Picnic:

By Connie Lynn Petruk and Christmas Davis

1. “Willie & Laura Mae Jones” – Dusty Springfield

Tony Joe White wrote this song which was left off of the original “Dusty In Memphis” record. It perfectly captures the lazy summer feeling that you want for your picnic. People stopping by on their way back from town, playin’ guitars and the bitter sweet reminder that some of the best days in our lives can only be relived in our memories. At the country soul picnic, Dusty brings the corn bread and honey.

2. “Sowed Love and Reaped The Heartache” – Sandra Rhodes

With a sad story and a great hook, this song is a Sunday school lesson turned on it’s head. Something about its dusty tone reminds Christmas of the picnics that he had at his Great Grandmother Francis Davis’ Bible camp in Chipley Florida, not that this song was ever played at one of them. It just gives that feeling. Sandra Rhodes was a back up singer for Al Green and we’ve only been able to find two solo songs by her, both of which are great. Sandra showed up early, and she brought the potato salad.

3. “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” – Jim Ford

This is the part of the picnic when the keg shows up on the back of your rowdy cousin’s pick up truck, and he happens to have this song blaring on the stereo. Clearly he’s going to make someone love him “‘til the cows come home,” but not until you tap that thing, fill up a mess of red plastic cups, and pass the fried chicken.

4. “Black Widow Blues” – Townes Van Zant

Townes Van Zant is one of our favorite song writers, and we all know that he is “country,” but “country soul?” Listen to this funky offering and bite your tongue. Who knew? Townes didn’t bring anything to the picnic. He just got wasted, wrote half a song, and tried to talk Sandra Rhodes into going snipe hunting with him behind the barn. She wasn’t havin’ it.

5. “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” – Elvis Presley

Elvis singing a Joe South song with James Burton on Guitar? Who cares what the subject is. This should be on every top ten list. Elvis couldn’t make it to our picnic personally, but he sent over a big ham and a box of deep fried mess. No one could tell what it was, but it tasted delicious. Christmas wanted to put Joe South’s “Hush” on this list, but with only ten songs, it got left out, along with The Staple Singers “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.” There, we’ve cheated fate and its sinister ten song limit once again.

6. “The Weight” – Aretha Franklin

One of the greatest songs, one of the greatest singers. When you and your friends are all sitting around on the red and white checkered gingham blanket and this comes on the boom box, I guarantee that at least one person will say “Whoa, I didn’t know that Aretha did this.” It will make them enjoy the picnic twice as much to know that such a thing exists. Aretha brings the sides, collard greens, Beans, and a whole tub of pudding. She’s too good to be stingy.

7. “To Be Alone With You” – Bob Dylan

“Hey Bob Dylan isn’t Country Soul!” Don’t give me that, listen to the bass on this Nashville Skyline song. It’ll make you want to move. Christmas said, “This is another song that reminds me of having picnics as a kid. My Dad’s friend and his family would join our family for summer picnics. My Dad’s friend had a daughter who I was interested in being alone with, but she was a bit older than me, so it wasn’t going to happen. Years later, my Dad went by this friend’s house and found him alone in the garage with the car running. It seems that he got there just in time. Some of us want to be alone with teenage girls, some of us want to be alone with our Lincoln Continental.” Sad but true.

8. “Polk Salad Annie” – Tony Joe White

People ask us what “Country Soul” is pretty often, the definition can be broad, but Tony Joe White is damn close to the eye of the hurricane. Christmas and I went to see Tony Joe last year. What a song writer. If his songs won’t take your down to the sweaty side of the south, then you’ll never get there. Tony Joe showed up to the picnic with a truck full of watermelons, the ones that didn’t get stolen by Annie’s Brothers.

9. “Mississippi Delta” – Bobbie Gentry

Bobbie Gentry has been a big influence on The Tall Pines. This song stone-cold rocks, and will definitely liven up the picnic. We like to perform some of her music in our live set when the mood strikes us. I wish that she was still performing live, ‘cause we would sure love to play with her. Bobbie brings the fried chicken, and a pot of gumbo.

10. “I Like The Sunrise” – Ray Charles

It’s been a mellow afternoon with lots of great food, some singing, some drinking and maybe a few dirty jokes. The sun is setting and the fire flies are coming out, but nobody wants to go home. Ray Charles is singing this one to let all of us picnickers down easy. We may not keep it going until the sun comes up, but who knows. Ray didn’t bring anything to our picnic; he just smiled down at us and put in a good word to make sure that we didn’t have any rain. Thanks Ray.

Bobbie Gentry- Fancy