Having a ‘Mississippi Squirrel Revival’ with side-splitting songwriter Buddy Kalb

In his most comprehensive interview to date, songwriter Buddy Kalb reflects upon his lucrative 45-year relationship with country-novelty artist Ray Stevens, renowned for “Gitarzan,” “Everything Is Beautiful,” “The Streak,” “Misty,” “Shriner’s Convention,” and a slew of other hits. In the accompanying photo, “Humpty Raymone” sits on a wall and just may experience a sudden fall. Presenting the ingenuous cover of Stevens’ “Crackin’ Up!” album, unleashed by MCA Records on June 1, 1987. Charting at No. 25 C&W, the 10-song LP contains five Kalb-penned tunes as well as the televangelist-indicting “Would Jesus Wear a Rolex,” incidentally co-written by guitar axeman Chet Atkins. Image courtesy of Lisa Guglielmo / Ray Stevens Music / Chromatics

“I don’t even know if I’d be in the record business if it wasn’t for my friendship with Ray.” Supreme songwriter Buddy Kalb is unquestionably fellow Georgia-born Ray Stevens’ right hand music man. Referred to by Stevens as a “song doctor,” Kalb has authored somewhere in the neighborhood of 142 humor-laden, red state affirming, and stone cold country tunes for his Grammy-winning “Everything Is Beautiful” buddy since 1975, often under his given name, C.W. Kalb, Jr.

Kalb’s first Top 20 Country song came five years later when Stevens waxed the up-tempo, Urban Cowboy-embracing “Night Games.” Compared to that radio pop fluff, “Mississippi Squirrel Revival” deserves its status as Kalb’s best-known song, which became another Top 20 hit for Stevens in 1984. The enduring comedy tale about a pot-stirring kid catching a squirrel and unleashing it during a typically unadventurous Sunday morning worship service at the First Self-Righteous Church in Pascagoula, Mississippi, still engenders guffaws among audiences of all ages.

In a thorough, exclusive chat with Kalb, he comes across as a good-natured, insightful, and down-to-earth gentleman who you wouldn’t mind shooting the breeze with on a sweltering summer afternoon. The good time revival kicks off right now.