Bo-keys’ take on country successful

The Bo-keys “Heartaches by the Number” (Omnivore Records) ★★★

Classic soul taking on classic country is not a new notion. Ray Charles famously went there with his “Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music” album. Al Green improved on the notion, I’d contend, a decade later with the Hank Williams (“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”) and Willie Nelson (“Funny How Time Slips Away”) covers on his career album, “Call Me.”

But it’s still a marriage that’s been underexplored, and dedicating an album to the concept was a very good idea for Memphis classic-soul band The Bo-keys, lending some novelty and renewed purpose to their typically excellent execution.

The title/lead track is Ray Price’s classic shuffle, here with Hi Records veteran Don Bryant on lead vocals. Elsewhere, Percy Wiggins handles leads, shining on Bob Dylan’s “Nashville Skyline” ballad “I Threw It All Away.”

In terms of classic material, I’m not sure another dip into the familiar “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was advisable (hard to follow Hank and Al), but the band digs into lesser-known material from the likes of Johnny Paycheck (“She’s All I Got”), Charlie Rich (“Set Me Free,” with John Paul Keith joining on acoustic guitar) and, a highlight, Merle Haggard’s “The Longer You Wait,” with Eric Lewis adding some pedal steel to blend with Joe Restivo’s honky-tonk riffs.

“Learned My Lesson in Love,” with its thick groove and Memphis-style interplay of horns, organ and backup vocals, is a straight soul reminder to start “side two,” but “Heartaches By the Number” ends on an upswing, with the horn-driven TexMex country of Freddy Fender’s “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” really showing off the whole band, including Wiggins, and a Teenie Hodges-style, Restivoled reworking of the Floyd Cramer instrumental “Last Date” a closing charmer that might also be the album’s high point.

Chris Herrington

Short in the Sleeve “A Message Lost Down the Wire” (self-released) ★★★

Memphis-based indieroots-pop band Short in the Sleeve has released its first full-length album, a follow-up to the 2014 EP “A Broken Heart and Some Chords,” which my colleague Bob Mehr called “a strong brace of material.” The new release shows a more expansive sound, taking in both ’90s-style pop-rock as well as folk/americana influences.

Short in the Sleeve is led by vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Jason Middlekauff, who shares harmony vocals with Candace Plaisance and complementary guitar parts with multi-instrumentalist Chris Mirante. Kyle Reed (bass) and Kevin Jenkins (drums) round out the five-piece band.

“A Message,” recorded at High/low Recording with Pete Matthews and Toby Vest and mixed by Yo Gotti studio hand Leo Goff, features wellcrafted songs with some pleasingly symmetrical lyrics (“Some are gonna hurt you/some are gonna break your heart/but the clouds that’ll gather won’t block out the sun” on “No Reason to Run”) and folky signifiers (Neil Youngtype harmonica on “Emily”). Opener “Till You Came Along” is a driving pub-rocker with co-ed vocals that recall Lake Street Dive.

My favorite number is “One and the Same,” featuring Middlekauff and Mirante on tightly arranged acoustic guitars. It’s a story of regret over lost love: “I’ve seen you around with him/does he sing you my songs?/the ones that melted your heart/before I went and did you wrong.”

Stripped-down lineups of Short in the Sleeve will perform live Saturday at Memphis Made Brewing Co. and May 31 at the Memphis Botanic Garden’s Vine to Wine event.

Mark Richens Hadley’s Pub: Nuttin’ Fancy, 9 p.m. Friday; Swingin’ Leroy, 9 p.m. Saturday; Almost Famous, 5:30 p.m. Sunday; Wolf River Rednecks, 8 p.m. Wednesday; Mixtape, 8 p.m. Thursday. 2779 Whitten Road. 901-266-5006. hadleyspub.com Blues City Café: Blind Mississippi Morris at 5 p.m. and Brad Birkedahl Band at 9:30 p.m. Friday; Earl “The Pearl” Banks at 12:30 p.m., Blind Mississippi Morris at 5 p.m. and Brad Birkedahl Band at 9:30 p.m. Saturday; The Memphis 3 at 5 p.m. and Freeworld at 9:30 p.m. Sundays; The Memphis 3, 7 p.m. Mondays; Earl “The Pearl” Banks, 7 p.m. Tuesdays; Brad Birkedahl, 8 p.m. Wednesdays; Brad Birkedahl Band, 9 p.m. Thursdays. 138 Beale. 901-526-3637. Kings Palace Café: David Bowen, 6:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays-saturdays, 5:309:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesday, Wednesdays-thursdays. 162 Beale. 901-521-1851. Kings Palace Café’s Patio: Sonny Mack and the Mack 2 Band, 2-6 p.m. and Sensation Band, 6:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays; Cowboy Neil, 2-6 p.m. and Fuzzy & The Kings of Memphis, 6:30-10:30 p.m. Saturdays; Cowboy Neil, 2-6 p.m. and Sean “Bad” Apple, 6:30-10:30 p.m. Sundays; Sonny Mack & The Mack 2 Band, 2-6 p.m. and Cowboy Neil, 6:30-10:30 p.m. Mondays; Sonny Mack & The Mack 2 Band, 2-6 p.m. and Sensation Band, 6:30-10:30 p.m. Tuesdays; Sonny Mack & The Mack 2 Band, 2-6 p.m. and Sean “Bad” Apple, 6:3010:30 p.m. Wednesdays; Sonny Mack & The Mack 2 Band, 2-6 p.m. and Cowboy Neil, 6:3010:30 p.m. Thursdays. 162 Beale. 901-521-1851. Kings Palace Café’s Tap Room: Sean “Bad” Apple, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday; Metropolitan Avenue, 8 p.m.-midnight Saturday; Don Valentine, 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays and Thursdays; Vince Johnson & The Plantation All Stars, 8 p.m.midnight Wednesdays. 168 Beale. 901-576-2220. MLGW Administration Building on Beale: Plus1 Jam: MLGW Celebrates Memphis Music: Tropix at 6 p.m. and Muddy River Blues Band at 8 p.m. Friday; Southern Jubilee at 2 p.m., Angie Brasfield at 4 p.m., Y Phac Choir at 6 p.m. and Fear the Rooster at 8 p.m. Saturday. New Daisy Theatre: Marcus King Band with special guest Moreland & Arbuckle, 9 p.m. Friday (no cover), doors open 8 p.m.; Breathe Carolina, 10 p.m. Saturday ($10-$20), 18-older; Memphis May Fire and We Came As Romans at 7 p.m. Tuesday ($22-$25), all ages; Marty Stuart at 8 p.m. Thursday ($30 in advance, $35 day of show). 330 Beale. 901525-8981. 901-525-8979. Rum Boogie Café: Pam & Terry, 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Joanne Shaw Taylor, 9 p.m.midnight Friday; Pam & Terry, 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Vince Johnson & The Boogie Blues Band, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday; Memphis Blues Society Jam with Al Corte, 7-11 p.m. Sunday; Eric Hughes Band, 8 p.m.-midnight MondayTuesday; Little Boys Blue, 8 p.m.-midnight Wednesday; Vince Johnson & The Boogie Blues Band, 8 p.m.-midnight Thursday. 182 Beale. 901-5280150. Rum Boogie Café’s Blues Hall: Plantation All Stars, 3-7 p.m., and Brian Hawkins Blues Party, 8 p.m.-midnight Friday; Memphis Mambo Combo, 3-7 p.m., and Little Boys Blue, 8 p.m.-midnight Saturday; Low Society Blues Review, 8 p.m.-midnight Sundays; Brian Hawkins Blues Party, 8 p.m.midnight Monday; Mcdaniel Band, 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Memphis Bluesmasters, 8 p.m.-midnight Thursdays. 182 Beale. 901-528-0150. Smokey Robinson: 8 p.m. Saturday at Gold Strike Casino, 1010 Casino Center Drive, Tunica Resorts, Miss. Tickets: $79.95, $89.95, $109.95. Call 888-566-7469 or 662-357-1111 day of show. Ticketmaster locations. Abundant Grace Ministries: Gospel Singing Revival, 7 p.m. Friday with the “Almost Famous” Crains and Call to Worship. 9239 E. Holmes Road. 901-299-8831. Collierville Arts Council: Presents “Symphony in the Rose Garden” featuring the Germantown Symphony Orchestra. 5 p.m. Sunday ($30) at 156 W. Poplar (private home), Collierville. Tickets: $30. Concert followed by dinner in the garden ($60). Tickets available at The Silver Caboose, Banyan Tree Realtors. harrelltheatre.org/ symphonyinthegarden Huey’s: Six String Lovers, 8-11:30 p.m. Sunday. 2130 W. Poplar. 901-854-4455. Huey’s: 2 Mule Plow, 4-7 p.m. and Larry Raspberry and the Highsteppers, 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Sunday. 1771 Germantown Parkway. 901754-3885. TJ Mulligan’s: Brian Johnson Band, 8 p.m.-midnight Thursday. 8071 Trinity Road. 901-756-4480. The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts: Memphis Symphony Orchestra — “Mahler’s First” with Mei-ann Chen, conductor. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets: $15-$79 plus tax and fees. 255 N. Main St. 901-537-2500. The Center for Southern Folklore: J Train Blues Band, 8 p.m. Saturday; The 52nd Street Jazz Combo, 6:30-7:30 p.m., and Overton High School Blue Jazz 22 Student Ensemble at 8-10 p.m. Thursday. 119-123 S. Mainm St. 901-525-3655. Huey’s: The Heart Memphis Band, 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Sunday. 77 S. Second St. 901527-2700. Orpheum: Damien Escobar, 7 p.m. Wednesday at 203 S. Main St. Tickets: $49.50$59.50. 901-525-3000. The Peabody: “Rooftop Party” with Twin Soul, 6-10 p.m. Thursday ($10). 149 Union Ave. 901-529-4000. Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School: Leo Kottke, acoustic guitar virtuoso, 8 p.m. Friday ($35) at 60 Perkins Ext. Call 901-537-1483. Huey’s: Jojo Jefferies and Ronnie Caldwell, 8:30 p.m.- 12:30 a.m. Sunday. 4872 Poplar Ave. 901-682-7729. Jim’s Place Restaurant & Bar: Hudson & Saleeby, 8:3011:30 p.m. Wednesdays. 518 Perkins Ext. 901-766-2030. Mortimer’s: Van Duren solo, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at 590 N. Perkins Road. All ages. No cover. 901-761-9321. TJ Mulligan’s: Slap Junior Band, 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Saturday. 1817 Kirby Parkway. 901-755-2481. Mullins United Methodist Church: “Restored Mullins Steinway Model O Piano Dedication Concert,” 4-5 p.m. Saturday in the Sanctuary at 4 N. Mendenhall Road. Reception, 5–5:30 p.m. Performances by people who’ve had ties to music at Mullins. 901-685-8253. Neil’s Music Room: At 5727 Quince Road. 901-682-2300. Fridays: Country music featuring Eddie Smith, Buddy Church, Tommy Burroughs, Terry Bailey. 8 p.m. No cover. Saturday: Germantown School of Rock, 2-4 p.m.; Plaques & Tangles, 8 p.m. Sunday: Flashback Oldies Band, 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays: Gene Nunez, Debbie Jamison and Michael Rainey, 6-10 p.m. No cover. Wednesdays: Elmo & The Shades “Big Soul Dance Party” at 8 p.m. No cover. Thursdays: Jack Rowell’s Celebrity Jam at 8 p.m. No cover charge. Germantown Performing Arts Center: Memphis Symphony Orchestra — “Mahler’s First” with Mei-ann Chen, conductor; Memphis Symphony Chorus, Dr. Lawrence Edwards, director. 2:30 p.m. Sunday at 1801 Exeter Road. 901-537-2500. Huey’s: The Dantones, 8:3011:30 p.m. Sunday; “Patio Party” with Deering & Down Trio, 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. 7677 Farmington Blvd. 901318-3030. The Blue Monkey: Southern Avenue, Friday; Kirk Smithhart, Saturday. 2012 Madison Ave. 901-272-2583. The Cove: Reach, 10 p.m. Friday; Poodle Brandy with Faith Evans Ruch, 10 p.m. Saturday; comedy open mic