SWAMP DOGG Count The Days (Feat. Jenny Lewis)

Swamp Dogg Count The Days (Feat. Jenny Lewis) is available on Oh Boy Records, Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St

by Walter Price

The absolute electric charge one gets when ‘discovering’ a legend of the music world that has been right under your nose your entire life. I recently found myself in this glorious position when I heard an unbelievably meticulous cover of the 1960s classic “Count the Days” by Swamp Dogg (feat. Jenny Lewis).

Unbeknownst to me, Swamp Dogg’s (Jerry Williams Jr.) legacy has crossed my path over the decades. For example, writing and producing with some of my all-time heroes like Johnny Paycheck, Gary U.S. Bonds, and Patti LaBelle, to name a few. Saying that SD’s history is a fascinating deep dive would be an understatement. Find some time…

“Count the Days” is one of those classic songs that you involuntarily crank up anytime it comes on the radio. So, to hear Swamp Dogg’s bluegrass interpretation and Jenny Lewis’ voice taking center stage on this seminal R&B classic was a real surprise for the soul. This song also introduced me to a new-to-me genre of music, blackgrass. And, now—I’m in love.

There’s also a behind-the-scenes music video featuring Swamp Dogg traveling to the Sound Emporium Studios (Nashville). The hallowed location where we meet Lewis and a slew of crème de la crème studio musicians laying down this charming redux. For a music nerd such as me, this is a cool watch.

And you can do just that, watch the “Count the Days” music video at the GTC.

SWAMP DOGG Count The Days (Feat. Jenny Lewis

Artist photo via Facebook // Quotes and artwork via Bandcamp

website // facebook

“Not a lot of people talk about the true origins of bluegrass music, but it came from Black people. The banjo, the washtub, all that stuff started with African Americans. We were playing it before it even had a name.” – Swamp Dogg