June Moon: In the Misty Moonlight

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Hooray for the Crusade for Children! The second-oldest local telethon in America raised $5.89 million for the children of the region this weekend. It’s been going for 72 years now, doing so much good to provide medical equipment for physically disabled youngsters. In 72 years they’ve raised over $222 million! We have a lot of faults in this city, but we ALSO have the Crusade for Children. Hooray, too, although not on as grand a scale, for the next song with “moon” in the title. In the Misty Moonlight - Jerry Wallace I mentioned this when I used “If You’ll Leave Me Tonight, I’ll Cry” in my 100 favorites list: I never considered Jerry Wallace a country singer. I guess we’re going to argue about that again. This song was written by Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter Cindy Walker, and it was first recorded by her friend, Country Music Hall of Fame member Jim Reeves. But, to quote The Blues Brothers, this ain’t no Hank Williams song. (Listen to yesterday’s song if you doubt me. ) Even Reeves’ version has more of the “Nashville sound” treatment. Dean Martin’s 1967 version definitely isn’t country. (He left out the recitation, too!) Jerry Wallace’s version was the first version that this Jim Reeves-loving hillbilly heard, believe it or not. (Reeves’ version wasn’t released until a year after his death.) While I prefer Reeves’ version, he’ll be along later. This is just a good song, period. In the Misty Moonlight Written by Cindy Walker Recorded by Jerry Wallace Released as a single, 1964 Anyplace, anywhere, I don’t care: