Jimmie Dale Gilmore with Natalie Merchant on Tonight Show with Jay Leno - September 6, 1993

[@easyguitarlessonsgrandpaal9126]

I hate to admit it, but I never heard of Jimmie Dale Gilmore or Natalie Merchant...but I was on the short side of a 20 year military career and back then I wasn't really playing much guitar nor listening to "NEW" music. Someone from asked me if I knew how to play this wonderful tune. I will make a tutorial on how to play DALLAS and post it in the future. GREAT SONG and what a Voice Jimmie has. Powerful, Rockabilly/bluesy ...the great Hank WIlliams senior would be proud.

[@jimturpin6503]

I am a fan of Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

[@kentexican5844]

I could not tell you who Jimmie Dale Gilmore was before tonight, though I am certain I have heard him in a bar here and there down in Texas ... but holy smokes, what a voice and with Natalie Merchant ... this is a gem of video and recording!

[@occasionsphoto]

I have seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night, but it's been about 45 yrs.

[@tomfield4062]

JDG is a national treasure and NM is a babe with a damn good voice. Love this video, maybe because I'm a fifth generation Dallasite.

[@edwardcaulfield67]

30 years later still loving it

[@edwardmcmanus7496]

I became a Jimmie Dale Gilmore fan back in the mid 90s. He was performing in Sedona Arizona at Verde Valley School as the opening act for the benefit of the school put on by Jackson Browne. I knew 30 seconds into his first song that he was special. He has been since one of my all time favourites. And Sante Fe Thief is my favourite by him.

[@klausrain111]

I LOVE Jimmie Dale, I played this beautiful CD about a thousand times in a three month period back in '94 or whenever it was. I even saw him live and got to tell how much his music meant to me.

[@trinidadapodaca7027]

ya nat and he should put out a l p

[@dannygraham7885]

Our cousin, jimmie dale gilmore and Natalie Merchant on the tonight show!

[@dannygraham7885]

Some radio stations refused to play this song! Especially Dallas!!!

[@jonstern7511]

Why?

[@snappy-strat-snacks1551]

I love Natalie Merchant. She can sing anything and make it great.

[@debbiebrown8297]

Awesome, Jimmy and Natalie...great harmony.

[@jackdestories6819]

a couple of very special performers, even better together.

[@RebelScum312]

thank you so much, this is incredible, they sound amazing together & greg leisz on lap steel & mandolin is dazzling as always with whoever he plays with! gd, natalie should have made a country album or twenty, collabs with guys like this in the studio on record would have been so good. not too late either, she is in top form on keep your courage & sounds strong & confident, her vocals & lyrics are a cherished gift that make life worth living!

[@ersatzo]

The second song is Santa Fe Thief, which was written by Al Strehli, whose songs Gilmore has been singing since he first recorded with the Flatlanders in 1972. I once heard Gilmore introduce this song by saying, "I always say I don't know what Al meant when he wrote this song, but I know what I mean when I sing it. And now it's up to you to figure out what you mean when you hear it."

[@gregorysullivan7175]

Ain't it the truth. Cheers.

[@CK-831]

Al Strehlei, related to 3:28 Angela Strehlei?? Memories of KPIG ❤❤❤

[@laurakelch]

Thanks for the song title. I love it! Now I'm looking up Al Strehli!

[@ersatzo]

@@laurakelch As @CK-831 guessed in an earlier comment, he's Angela's brother. The only thing I've found online about him was in the transcription of an interview with Gilmore, and Gilmore didn't say much about him there. Strehli also wrote "So I'll Run," which, like "Santa Fe Thief," is on Gilmore's "Spinning Around the Sun" album; "Keeper of the Mountain," which is on the Flatlanders' "More a Legend than a Band" album; and "Whistle Blues," which is on the Flatlanders' "Wheels of Fortune" album. If you find anything beyond all that, please let me know.

[@debbieandfredarnold3265]

Is there anything Natalie Merchant can't sing? I am gradually working my way through her back catalogue after discovering Motherland, but I've not discovered any country twang before now - just exquisite

[@joshuasiegal]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX_CppukdtZ6ntU

[@mariesmith1527]

Love this man

[@natfan]

Wow love this. I’ve never seen this.

[@JHarder1000]

Thank you! I have not seen this in nearly thirty years.

[@sklantharregulus2100]

That's a class act

[@marshallleicht7564]

The hot piano player on first number is a young Chris Gage ..damn good !

[@kenlgaines]

He was also the electric lead in the second song.

[@JohnKunkleAuctioneer]

Hey ... She's gotta a future in music I'm thinkin!

[@trinidadapodaca7027]

these guys been jamming together for a lot time. even when nat was with maniacs

[@beechcoma]

Natalie Merchant is always awesome. Smokey is definitely over the line here. 😂 ❤

[@songwritertravislee524]

❤ second song

[@marymoncada8889]

never heard of this guy but Natalie merchant yes.

[@marcrudick5044]

Many Thanks. Cotten---just subscribed :)

[@Staylogical]

He's got a kind of vaudeville voice.It's interesting seeing Natalie before The Maniacs or Tiger Lily and Jennifer with that great band.Nice post.

[@jeffweiler9382]

Greg Leisz on that Weissenborn thingie?

[@mariesmith1527]

Handsome Handsome Man

[@lurx2024]

That looks like G. E. Smith (from Hall & Oates) on slide guitar.

[@jeffreyday2414]

Greg Leisz

[@lurx2024]

@@jeffreyday2414 I stand corrected, thank you.

[@Clyde6frame]

GE Smith was married to Gilda Radner, Saturday Night Live musical Director Bob Dylan band leader, Hall & Oates bandleader Seen him live with Hot Tuna. Smith can stand next to any guitarist.

[@lurx2024]

@@Clyde6frame Actually it was through a Wikipedia page on Gilda Radner that I first discovered G.E. Smith, which surprised me, since I recognized him from a Hall & Oates video (I hadn't realized that he had been associated with SNL). Thanks a lot for the info.

[@Clyde6frame]

@@lurx2024 This is what happens when you have decades behind you

[@paulkerrigan4051]

Over the line, Smokey!

[@Justme0215]

What year is this? Angelic!

[@blacksunfish]

This woman is the spice which makes everything better.

[@truegangsteroflove]

I think that's Rodney Crowell on the flat top guitar.

[@CowboyStag]

The star here is the pianist

[@blueticecho5690]

Over the line !!!

[@rothbj1]

JDG played Smokey, the bowler John Goodman pulled a gun on in a 'Big Lebowski' rules dispute. "Smokey, this is not 'Nam, this is bowling. There are rules!!!!..."

[@CK-831]

Sweet! Her voice is almost a perfect match for his. A close second to Iris Dement.

[@rmd1064]

Great...and Natalie...those legs. 😍

[@robertkelly9772]

Calm down Romeo.

[@davidbyerly9846]

Anyone notice who the bass player is?

[@americana1544]

Keith Carper (bass), also is Chris Leuzinger (guitar) and Drums: Wes Starr. Chris Gage (piano/electric guitar). Greg Leisz (slide guitar/mandolin).

[@johnpal5112]

MARK IT ZERO!!!!

[@MikeOldManHeanue]

Mark it an 8 Dude

[@theextreme7134]

Mark a zero Smokey.

[@madamemeng884]

Ah Natalie.....

[@rryanreid]

OVER THE LINE! Mark it zero dude.

[@evanhughes1510]

What?

[@reddyfreddie180]

I mean just look at the tube on this dude. He keeps Natalie merchant there in case he starts to be arroused he just looks at her to counter his chub

[@evanhughes1510]

The tube? What r u talking about?

[@The3DC]

Is fragile

[@Acoustic-Rabbit-Hole]

I don't think Jimmy Dale Gilmore was necessarly prolific, but this performance did surprise me. Natalie Merchant is beautiful. Too bad her childish ego ruined her music after she left the 10,000 Maniacs. The oldies are always the goodies, I guess.

[@geneevans2600]

JDG has put out some great music over the years with & without the Flatlanders.

[@frooke2]

pretty good until that women started singing. She clearly don't have her mind in the story of the song.

[@klausrain111]

Nah, she's just a little bit shy from singing live on TV.

[@sharpenflat6002]

That's as bad as it gets.

[@kevinlakeman5043]

I'm just her for the wonderful Natalie Merchant. Gilmore has an odd, off-putting voice. It's that strange, exaggerrated way he enunciates.

[@Jaysthename]

I had a roommate years ago who HATED Natalie Merchant's voice precisely because of her lack of enunciation and "off-putting voice", so I had a good laugh at your comment.

[@Jim1971a]

I don’t know how I came across this video but the woman is clearly a superior vocalist compared the the man.

[@TheKavvz]

Ya think? :)

[@josephkenny77]

Listen to a little more of Jimmie Dale Gilmore, his sound is an acquired taste

[@jonkiparsky7369]

It's funny, they've both been put down by people who listen more to what they're not hearing than to what they're hearing. I'll listen to anything either of them does.

[@colinmurphy3478]

Jimmy Dale Gilmore has one of the BEST tenor twangs in country.

[@edwardcaulfield67]

every one is entitled to their opinion as it should be, but this time I think you are wrong, cheers.