It’s been a good day, Lord, it’s been a good day
The children are healthy and they’re able to play
There’s food on the table and the cattle have hay
It’s been a good day, Lord, it’s been a good day
– It’s Been A Good Day (Johnny Mullins) –
The Layton Hollow Gals were formed shortly after the release of The Johnny Mullins Collection, Volume One, in 2017. I included Betsey Mae (upright bass/harmony vocals) and Emily Higgins (guitar/mandolin/harmony vocals) as studio musicians on that first album. We melded together well in the studio and during the two Layton Hollow Band CD Release Shows supporting that debut recording. Shortly after the CD Release Shows, I had a gig booked with Bo Brown at Creekside Pub and when Bo came down with some nasty crud and knew he wouldn’t be able to play with me, I reached out to Betsey and Emily and, bless their hearts, they agreed to rehearse enough Johnny-songs to fill the evening. That night was one of those life-changing pivots. We had a great time and received encouraging feedback that led us to form our own band and ended up with a long-lasting friendship/sisterhood. We performed as a trio for a couple of years, then when Emily moved out to the boonies and was also involved in three other music projects, Betsey and I continued as a duo and had planned on making a Volume Two album in 2020.
2020….ah, yes….not a good year for music endeavors. Fast forward to the beginning of 2024 when Betsey and I were visiting Emily for a weekend in the country and Em mentioned that she would be up for a trio project on a limited basis. Well, I jumped on that like a yoga goat and before we knew it, we were rehearsing tracks and going into Barak Hill’s Mid-Americana Sound Studio to make a record of 14 more of Dad’s songs, many of which are from the dusty ol’ shoebox collection of cassette tapes he left me. The long-awaited Volume Two was in the works, wahooooo!
He’s pulling me home, like the moon pulls the ocean
Like a flower in the wild woods will reach for the sun
Whatever’s the weakest will yield to the stronger
There’s no turning back now, he’s pulling me home
– Pulling Me Home (Johnny Mullins) –
I really enjoyed the collaborative effort with all the studio musicians who played on Volume One. That project made each song stand out with different styles and I’m proud of the result. With the Layton Hollow Gals album, I wanted it to have honest simplicity and let the songs speak for themselves. So with three instruments and three-part harmonies, we put our stamp on a new batch of Johnny-songs and we hope you enjoy listening. (By the way, my cousin Kimmy painted the album artwork, and her personal touch makes me smile every time I see it.)
Dad wrote numerous songs from a female perspective and it has been fun performing the “hits” such as Blue Kentucky Girl, Success and Would You Be Satisfied, but diving deep into the shoebox collection for songs not only expressing the longings of a woman’s heart, but giving out some pretty sassy attitude was a challenge I gladly took on when picking tracks to record on The Layton Hollow Gals, Johnny Mullins Collection, Volume Two.
I’ll pay for your coffee, let it be my treat
While I ring up the money, you could be in the street
While you reach in your pocket, you could be half-way home
I’ll pay for your coffee, just leave me alone
– I’ll Pay For Your Coffee (Johnny Mullins) –
Betsey and Emily are both stunning musicians and songwriters on their own, and their support and passion for my musical legacy mission means the world to me! When the Layton Hollow Gals get together, we share “Johnny songs” with harmony, passion and a good dose of fun, weaving in stories of Johnny’s life in the Ozarks and song origins. If you would like to hire the Layton Hollow Gals, there’s a button for that on this website:)
He’ll fall on my shoulder, and I’ll hold him tight
Loosen his collar, make everything right
I’ll pull us together and remind him we’re strong
And before the night’s ended, I’ll have him all mended
When the cold morning comes
– When The Cold Morning Comes (Johnny Mullins) –
