E.T. phones home

It was the summer of 1982, and I had returned home to PA from Texas. At dinner I mentioned the recently-released movie E.T., and asked my father if he had seen it yet.

Now, granted, my dad was long on traditional country music and short on movies, but he thought for a few seconds and said, “E.T. to me means Ernest Tubb."

Which leads me to this video, a recommendation from my “friend” Dave Alvin.

The song is good, the singing is fine, E.T.’s garb is splendid.

But the band is on a whole other level. Guitarist Leon Rhodes’ fills and solo are tasty and letter perfect, and Buddy Emmons plays with the coolness and assurance of someone who just might have invented the pedal steel.

As good as the Spielberg classic was, maybe my dad was on to something.