The 500 - #305 - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: # 305

Album Title: Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Artist: Lucinda Williams

Genre: Alternative Country, Americana

Recorded: Two studios - Nashville and Los Angeles

Released: June, 1998

My age at release: 32

How familiar was I with it before this week: Quite

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, 98 (Up 207 spots)

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Drunken Angel

I suspect most cities have a dive joint -- that small, unglamorous bar with dim lighting, dated decor and cheap drinks. It is typically frequented by an eclectic group of regulars who come from all walks of life and, if they are lucky, it features live music seven nights a week.

In London, Ontario, for over 150 years, that bar was The Brunswick Hotel, affectionately called "The Wick". Built in 1855, it sat on a downtown corner until it was, under dubious circumstances, demolished in 2008 -- just as efforts to make it a protected heritage building were underway.

Crystal Lake Ice Truck outside The Brunswick Hotel (1912)

One Sunday night in 1998, after a lucrative serving shift at nearby Garlic's Restaurant, my coworker and now dear friend, Rob Nicholson, turned to me and said; "We should go to The Wick, have a beer and catch The Garrett".

"The Garrett" referred to the Sunday night house band, Sweet Leaf Garrett -- a clever name that referenced both a Black Sabbath song about marijuana, Sweet Leaf, and a 70s pop-star, and teen idol, Leif Garrett.

Leif Garrett on the cover of a 70s teeny-bopper magazine

Sweet Leaf Garrett were not just cleverly named, they were also incredibly talented and Rob and I stayed until last call, and a Sunday night tradition began. SLG played an entertaining mix of familiar songs from multiple genres -- rock, heavy metal, punk, blues and country. The members are, Jeff Bialkowski (guitar & vocals). Steve Crew (drums). Shaun Sanders (guitar & vocals) and Jeff "Stan" Fountain (bass)

Sweet Leaf Garrett at The Brunswick Hotel (2003)

The setlist varied from week-to-week, but there were some standards that they played consistently. Among them was a handful of songs by Lucinda Williams. In fact, it was lead singer Sanders' rendition of Drunken Angel that led me to ask him who wrote the original. A few days later I owned Car Wheels On A Gravel Road. Thanks, Shaun!

Lucinda Williams

Singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Lucinda Gayle Williams was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in 1953. She achieved critical acclaim in 1988 when she released her self-titled, third record. However, it was Gravel Road that gave her mainstream commercial success. It won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album and was her first record to be certified gold.

Williams accepting her Grammy in 1999

I was thrilled to discover that a Deluxe Version was released in 2006. It includes 13 live tracks from a show Williams performed at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia on July 11, 1998 -- which was also my 33rd birthday.

Williams performing at Penn's Landing (1998)

Sweet Leaf Garrett continued to perform at other local watering holes after a wrecking ball turned The Wick into a parking lot. However, the magic of those Sunday night performances in the early 2000s were never re-captured for me and for many of my friends.

Check out Shaun Sanders' solo, acoustic version of William's Drunken Angel here, from his Instagram page. He is still performing live music as the front-man with the Led Zeppelin tribute band, Zed, around Ontario and beyond.