It is with some level of embarrassment that I admit that it took Bobby Charles' passing earlier this month to spur me to investigate his 1972 self-titled debut album. Sad circumstances aside, boy am I glad I did.

I'll leave it to those better qualified than this johnny-come-lately to offer anything resembling a eulogy. But here's the bare essentials: Louisiana teenager pens hits for such notables as Bill Haley & The Comets & Fats Domino, eventually finds his way to Woodstock, New York and records his first full-length album for Dylan impresario Albert Grossman's Bearsville label with none other than Rick Danko at the control knobs and featuring performances throughout from the rest of The Band, as well as fellow Louisianan legend Dr. John. Charles connection to the The Band ran deep and he even performed at their finale, The Last Waltz, though that footage failed to make Martin Scorsese's final cut.

Suffice to say the 1972 album is highly recommended to anyone who has even a few Band records on the shelf. It's practically a lost Band record, in fact. It also brings to mind Sail Away/Good Old Boys-era Randy Newman.

Of course, none of this is meant to undermine Bobby Charles unique and singular talent. This stuff stands on its own no matter what names appear on the cover. Another fun fact: Charles did not play any musical instrument, and composed his songs solely in his head!

Take a listen to the laid back swamp shuffle of "Small Town Talk" and the beautiful, now appropriately sanguine "I Must Be In A Good Place Now". (You may be familiar with "Good Place", as it featured recently on Vetiver's recent cover album Thing Of The Past.)