THE PLAYERS
Ron Wilson - Song writer, Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Editing
Jimmy Byrge - Song writer, Guitar, Bass, Group founder
Woody Hayes Jr. - Drums, Vocals, Vocal remixing, Co-writer
Kathy Hayes - Common Ground Bass, Co-writer
Lester Kennedy - Common Ground Lead Guitar, Co-writer
Thurston Hammersley - Common Ground Lead Guitar, Co-writer, Vocals
Roger Wolfrum - Common Ground Guitar, Vocals
John Kniffin - Common Ground Guitar, Vocals
Clifford "Stoney" Stonerock - Common Ground Piano, Vocals
David Byrge - Drummer on "Wil-Byr" recordings,
Don Byrge - Sound man on live and studio recordings
THE HISTORY
AMERICAN WAY (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
The subject of this song is not what you may think. Ask Jimmy or Ron if you want to know what this song is really about. Jimmy plays bass, Dave the drums and Ron sings and plays guitar.
BLACK SNOW (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
Jimmy and Ron used to write "problem songs" like Black Snow. Lester plays lead guitar. Ron plays guitar and sings with Woody the drummer. Jimmy plays rhythm and Kathy plays the bass and drums. Recorded in the studio.
BLUEGRASS BLUES (Wilson) (LYRICS)
Ron recorded this song sometime after leaving Common Ground in 1979. It has a bluegrass feel because he didn't have any drums or bass for it. He loves this song; the lyrics; the vocals; the lead solo. It's just fun!
BY THE BLUES (Wilson, Hammersley) (LYRICS)
After Jimmy and Lester left, Thurston and Roger joined the group. We recorded this song in the studio, Thurston plays lead. Woody, Roger and Thurston dubbed the backup to Ron's lead vocal.
COMMON GROUND (Wilson, Byrge, Kennedy, Hayes) (LYRICS)
This was our theme song. We got a big kick out of watching people try to dance to it. This also was recorded live at Brookwood.
COUNTRYSIDE (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
This is the studio version of the song. Ron plays the first half of the solo then Lester finishes it with his big hairy Telecaster. Jimmy plays rhythm and Kathy bass. Woody plays drums and sings harmony with Ron.
CYCLES (Wilson, Byrge, Kennedy, Hayes) (LYRICS)
Ron played a baby grand on the rhythm track and overdubbed a guitar part later. Woody and Kathy play the drums and bass.
FOLLOWED DIRECTLY (Wilson. Byrge, Kennedy, Hayes) (LYRICS)
The original title, "Followed Directly By The Blues", was later shortened and "By The Blues" became a separate composition. It was recorded by the original five in the first year of Common Ground's rural New Carlisle studio.
FU - KING (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
In the mid-eighties Jimmy Byrge and Ron Wilson, calling themselves Wil-Byr, wrote and recorded songs like FU - KING. We used a Sequential Circuits Drumtraks machine. Ron played lead. Jimmy played rhythm and bass.
I WON'T BE COMING HOME TODAY (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
Another old song, a practice tape from Common Ground's studio. Lead guitar is Thurston Hammersley, rhythm is Roger Wolfrum. Ron is playing piano and singing with Woody. Kathy plays the bass.
IT'S IN MY ROOM (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
This song was recorded by Common Ground live at Brookwood Hall in Northridge on Oct. 6, 1973. The band's first gig featured: Woody Hayes, drums and vocals; wife Kathy Hayes, bass; Lester "Crawdad" Kennedy, lead guitar: Jimmy Byrge, rhythm guitar and Ron sings and plays guitar. Jimmy's brother Don was our sound man.
JESUS JESUS JESUS (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
This bonus cut is also the title song on Ron's 2000 Christian album despite emanating deep in Ron's "heathen" past. Jimmy plays bass, Dave is the drummer and Ron is on guitar and vocals.
(LOST ON) HEMP ISLAND (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
This was one of Wilson & Byrge's oldest compositions. Ron plays lead with Kathy and Woody Hayes on bass and drums. The other guitar is probably Woody's cousin Roger Wolfrum.
LOVE FOR TWO (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
Recorded by Wil-Byr in Jimmy's basement. Ron sings and play lead. Jimmy plays rhythm and bass. His teenage son David plays the drums.
MUST BE CHRISTMAS (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
Jimmy's idea was to write a "modern" Christmas song, and the first ever to feature a curse word (damn). Jimmy plays the bass; Dave Byrge is on drums, Ron is playing the guitar, a keyboard and Ron's vocal is harmonized by a pitch transposer.
MY DAY OFF (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
Jimmy and Ron recorded this using the Drumtraks around 1983-ish. Part of the master tape got erased so Ron re-edited it to start with Jimmy's bass.
MY HEART BELONGS TO NANCY (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
Nancy is Jimmy's wife's name. We recorded this in Ron's music room. (now Ron's granddaughter's toy room). The Drumtraks is being used. Ron is singing and playing keyboard while Jimmy plays guitar and bass.
THAT SUNDAY (Wilson, Byrge) (LYRICS)
This is Wil-Byr's tribute to The Beatles. There are dozens of Beatles references in the music and lyrics. Ron sang, Jimmy played bass, we both played guitar and Dave Byrge played drums for us.
THE ROCKETS (Wilson) (LYRICS)
This was written to complete a medley along with Followed Directly and By The Blues. Woody and Ron sing lead vocal while Roger and Thurston play guitars and sing backup. Ron played rhythm guitar and Kathy plays bass.
(THEY SIMPLY CALL HIM) E (Wilson) (LYRICS)
In 1987 Ron's godson Luke wanted to make a video about Eric Davis of the Reds. This song was the big finale of the project. Ron played all the instruments using the drum machine. The slide and rhythm guitar was recorded all in the same take. That was fun.
X (Wilson) (LYRICS)
This is about the 1974 Xenia tornado, Recorded in the studio by Kathy, Woody, and Ron. Ron believes that's John Kniffin playing rhythm.