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...aka Nik (or Nick) Venet |
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Now Is The Time For Hearts and Flowers.
This LP's fuzzy fabric cover brings back many fond memories of a time
when record
companies would spend some time and money on the outer appearance of
an album package. The
FolkWorld logo (also visible on the first two Stone Poneys' LPs) hints
at Venet's idea of starting a
subsidiary at Capitol specializing in "working with the concept of
creating albums by folk-based
groups, which are an extension of their artistry, but may not necessarily
be tied to an initial single."
His label was never fully realized, but his work in recording music
of this genre is now regarded as
legendary. Because The Stone Poneys and Hearts And Flowers were both
produced by Nick Venet,
and for the same label, and at the same time, there was some overlap
of musicians in the recording studio.
Listen to Linda Ronstadt sing with Hearts And Flowers
Often Linda was barely audible in the background mix, but on this song
from the first
Hearts And Flowers album, her unmistakable vocal painting is prominently
displayed.
This may be one of the earliest examples of Linda as a guest vocalist.
CLICK
HERE
to listen to "Road To Nowhere"
(4.2 megs...mp3 file...3minutes 29seconds)
This Carole King song is said to be about the break-up of her marriage
to
Gerry Goffin. She released it on a 45 in 1966. It was later covered
by
the Scruggs Brothers on their 1970 LP, All The Way Home,
but this is by far my favorite version of the song.
Click
here to listen to Linda as she speaks of singing with
Hearts And Flowers in the studio. (270 k .mp3 file....38 seconds)
More of this 1976 BBC interview can be downloaded from this
page.
Also of note....The only single released from this first LP was "Please",
a cover of a song
written and recorded by another L.A. band popular at this time, Kaleidoscope.
One of the
founding members of Kaleidoscope was Linda's cousin, David Lindley.
By the time the first album was finished, it was decided that the group
should be beefed-up
by the addition of two additional members. So the original Larry Murray,
Dave Dawson
and Rick Cunha were joined by Terry Paul and Dan Woody for live performances.
But
by the time recording had begun on the second album, Cunha, Paul, and
Woody had left.
So enter Bernie Leadon. Bernie had previously been in a band with Larry
Murray,
The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. They had even released an album back
in 1962.
July 1968 saw the release of the second Hearts And Flowers album,
Of Horses, Kids, and Forgotten Women.
In 2003 The Complete Hearts And Flowers CD was released.
The two disc collection
not only contains both albums released by the group, but also offers
13 unreleased tracks
......two of which are Fred Neil songs (also produced by Venet) and
both of these songs
feature Linda's fellow Stone Poney, Kenny Edwards, playing his sitar....Way
groovy!
Click
here to read Richie Unterberger's complete liner notes
This
site has audio samples of all 35 songs, and more CD info.
Click
here to read Richie Unterberger's piece on Nik Venet.
Click
here to go to the NPR page where you can listen to an
interview with Nick Venet, recorded less than two years before
his death. He discusses his work with his long time friend, Bobby Darin.