Thomas White’s CD Livin’ To Run,
Runnin’ To Live is packed with authentic
dyed-in-the-wool country music. From “I Need
A Honky Tonk” to “Pretty
Senorita,” Thomas paints a picture with each
and every number. The songs and his performance
are strong and the production matches
beautifully. All in all, this album will bring
well-deserved attention to singer/songwriter,
Thomas White.
Ben Stillwater’s album Today Is The Day
advances his calling to put the
“Western” back in “Country &
Western Music.” It’s refreshing to see
an artist perform music from his heart rather
than just recording radio fluff. His vocals
combined with those of Cyndee Jean produces a
sweet western blend. Of particular interest are
the title cut “Today Is The Day” and
“Little Baby Hands.” Ben Stillwater is
truly today’s singing cowboy!
Opry member, Jim Ed Brown’s new CD, In Style
Again, is his first studio album in 30 years.
This project is a musical gem with Jim Ed
delivering each song with his characteristic
smooth vocal style and an underlying depth that
only comes with age and understanding. Of
particular interest is the title cut, “In
Style Again.” It’s unbelievable that
the music industry would allow such talent to go
unrecorded for so long, but with the release of
this album, Jim Ed Brown proves that he is always
in style!
Railroad Rob brings back some familiar tunes on
his CD, Leaving On That Train Southbound. From
“The Auctioneer Song,” “Wabash
Cannon Ball,” Blue Moon Of Kentucky”
and “The Wreck Of Old #9,” there is
plenty to enjoy on this project. Railroad Rob is
obviously having fun with this country/bluegrass
production and it shows in his vocals. The album
culminates with a sobering rendition of the
spiritual “How Great Thou Art.”
Shane Barnhill’s music
shines on his CD, Country Lovin’. With a
couple self-penned tunes including “Take
Away” plus songs like “It Don’t
Hurt To Ask” by masterful songwriter, Dean
Dillon, Shane delivers a solid project from start
to finish. This positively country project could
easily be described as Texas Redneck - which is
something we don’t hear enough of these
days!
Chris Rogers’ 5-song
release entitled Rollin’ Wheel is a sneak
peek into the potential of this rising star. He
has a powerful traditional sound edged with a
slightly contemporary feel. There’s plenty
of emotion in each vocal delivery from “All
Over The Map” to “Rollin’
Wheel,” a song he co-wrote with Jay
Brunswick and Josh Towne. Looking forward to
hearing more from this Georgia native.
Abbey Hirvela’s CD, is
aptly titled, The Start. This debut 7-song EP
features a contemporary country sound, opening
with the uptempo “Reason To Run” and
also includes the Sara Evans’ song
“Needle And Thread,” the only song on
the project that Abbey didn’t have a hand in
writing. Her vocals show emotion beyond her years
and experience. All in all, a strong career
launch.
Singer/songwriter Judy
Rodman joins her husband, drummer/songwriter,
John Rodman on this collection of self-penned
tunes. With credits and accolades already
bestowed on both, it’s no surprise that this
CD has plenty of appealing material. The uptempo
opener, “Somethin’ Like That” is
one of best with the heartfelt “Here We
Are” coming in at a close second. It’s
great to see Judy back in the recording studio!
A steadfast name in
Bluegrass music, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
have released over thirty albums and with
Doyle’s induction into the International
Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, their importance
within the music community is solidified. Yet,
even with all the awards and accolades, Doyle
Lawson & Quicksilver continue to release
fresh and energized Bluegrass music. From the
opening song “Roll Big River” to the
final cut, “Americana,” this album will
satisfy those Bluegrass cravings!
Reading about Scott
Dean’s rock and roll background, brought one
question to mind which is, “how well would
he transition to country music?”
Surprisingly, he does know how to honky-tonk and
overall his music will keep those toes
tappin’. “A Whole Lot Of
Something” is the highlight of his CD, All
Over Again. While this project is quite engaging,
as Scott develops his own country style each
subsequent album should allow his talent to shine
more and more.
Craig Kinsey • American
Roots And Machines
For those that like their
music with some edginess, Craig Kinsey’s
album American Roots and Machines is that album.
Making a statement and utilizing several genres
from blues to rock, his lyrics are personal and
poignant and paint a picture throughout the
entire project. From the first songs
“Dissatisfied” to the last
“Credits,” Craig puts his emotions and
opinions to music. A unique project.
Elisha Grant • Family Ties
Pennsylvania native, Elisha
Grant’s EP, Family Ties contains five
self-penned songs. The first, “Cash,
Haggard, Jennings and Jones,” is a
reflection of his musical roots and from there,
he delivers other notable tunes “Every
Day” and “Like That (Anymore)”.
Elisha’s raw talent shines through even amid
the less than memorable production.
Noted songwriter, Tony Ramey’s 18-song CD,
Soul Survivor, spotlights not only his superior
skills as a songwriter, but also brings to the
forefront his unique vocal stylings with a song
delivery packed with deep emotion and incredible
honesty – all in all an excellent
production. Of particular interest is “The
Bible, The Bottle and The Gun,” a duet with
Willie Nelson - a definite winner.
Dexter Roberts’ EP
entitled Dream About Me, features the
contemporary country sound that took him to a 7th
place finish overall on the 13th season of
American Idol. He ends the four-song EP with
“Heaven Is A Small Town,” a dynamic
ballad that warrants the most attention. Looking
forward to hearing more from this country music
star on the horizon.
Jeff Maddox’s CD, Into
The Great Who Knows, is filled with 10
self-penned songs - from the first cut, “The
Ain’t As Easy Blues” to the final cut,
“Where The Lines Meet,” Jeff delivers
each song with ease. Add in a little fun with
“The Martini Song,” a toe-tappin’
uptempo number that will catch everyone’s
attention and this is an entertaining songwriter
project.
Time Life and Music of Your
Life deepens their catalog of timeless musical
treasures with the release of “Country Music
Of Your Life,” a 10-CD box set which
features 150 country music classics. From start
to finish, this collection shines the spotlight
on some of the brightest stars and musical
recordings in country music history, including
some of my favorites, “Funny Face” by
Donna Fargo, “Help Me Make It Through The
Night” by Sammi Smith, “Kiss An Angel
Good Mornin’” by Charley Pride,
“Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
by Crystal Gayle, “Singing The Blues”
by Marty Robbins, and “The End Of The
World” by Skeeter Davis, just to mention a
few.
But what make
this compilation even more intriguing are the
little historical tidbits written in the booklet
about each song. For instance, did you know that
“Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” was
the first Ben Peters song that Charley Pride ever
cut. With that song/recording, Charley earned a
gold record, Ben won a Grammy and since then,
Charley has cut over 40 Ben Peters’ songs -
four of which have been #1 songs!
We all know Willie
Nelson’s recording of “Always On My
Mind,” but did you know that it has been
recorded over 300 times. The song was brought to
the attention of Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
when they were in the studio working on a duet
project. Merle said no thanks, so Willie ended up
cutting a solo recording of “Always On My
Mind” for which he won 3 Grammys and the
song went triple platinum!
Yet another career changing moment in country
music history was when producer, Billy Sherrill,
finally pulled out the words he had written on a
piece of paper he carried around for a year, and
changed the words from “I’ll stand by
you” to “Stand By Your Man.” He
finished the song with Tammy Wynette during a
20-minute studio break! That song would become
Tammy’s signature song.
There are so many other bits of trivia about
songs cut by Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Kenny
Rogers, Dolly Parton, John Conlee, Buck Owens,
The Browns, Faron Young, Patsy Cline, Eddy Arnold
and the list goes on and on.
This collection honors the true spirit of country
music and while it’s impossible to fit all
the classic gems into one collection, Time Life
and Music of Your Life have done an excellent job
preserving and honoring the music that has
touched so many lives throughout the world. Thank
you, Time Life and Music of Your Life.
Ben Stillwater continues his quest to keep
country & western music alive with the
release of his new CD, Eight Sides Of Country.
When joined by duet partner, Cyndee Jean, on the
familiar “Rockin’ Years” and the
closing tune, “I’d Rather Be Back In
Montana,” there is a blend that is
reminiscent of Roy and Dale. Ben adds a western
flair to other favorites like “Young
Love” and “Look Heart, No Hands.”
As always, Ben Stillwater’s music is honest
country and truly western.
The Cains, a contemporary
trio comprised of siblings, Taylor, Madison and
Logan Cain have released a five-song self-titled
EP. Their modern pop/country mix is well-produced
as well as vocally strong, but the magic is in
their sweet family harmonies. From the opening
tune, “Journey’s End” to the
ending number, “Miss Red White And
Blue,” there is a haunting blend that is
unforgettable. This young group has a sparkling
musical future.
Aaron Burdett’s CD,
Tinderbox, is filled with well-written, organic
Americana songs. Based outside the creative
haven, Asheville, North Carolina, he blends
everything from folk, rock and blues to construct
his authentic style. His songs are delivered with
self-assurance and conviction, particularly on
“Rattling Bones” and
“Tinderbox.” This is Aaron’s 6th
album and a fine addition to an already
impressive catalog.
Do you have a craving for some toe-tappin’,
foot-stompin’ Bluegrass? Then Chris Jones
& The Night Drivers CD, Run Away Tonight will
satisfy yearning. Celebrating their 20th
anniversary, this IBMA award-winning group is not
resting on their laurels, pushing themselves onto
an even higher level. From the opening cut,
“Laurie” to the final song, “My
Portion and My Cup,” the group delivers
another award-winning performance.
The fifth studio album
release by The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band entitled
Lester’s Loafin’ Lounge is simply a mix
of bluegrass and country tradition. The album, in
memory of founding member “Lonesome”
Lester Armistead, is a listening pleasure
particularly on songs like “Bridge Washed
Out,” “Old Slew Foot,” and
“Lonesome, Onry and Mean.” This album
is a must for bluegrass and country
traditionalists.
Tucker’s debut EP,
#Country highlights not only his vocal ability
but his songwriting skills as well - co-writing
six of the seven cuts. The title song,
“#Country” is a fun uptempo party song
but Tucker also delivers on the ballad,
“Burn.” The production is solid and
matches his vocal performance. All in all, this
album solidifies Tucker’s place as a rising
country music singer/songwriter.
Josh Fuller’s CD Keep On Bein’ Me is
country music at its best! Josh has toe’s
tappin’ on songs like “Moonshine”
and “Hitched,” but he also conveys
heartfelt emotion on the ballads like “Just
Here.” Producer, Jason Rooks, did an
excellent job on the production by mixing
Josh’s vocals with the tracks perfectly.
There’s yet another star emerging from
Texas!
Rich Price’s Cowboy
Songs CD is the second in a planned series of
releases on Adonda Records. Known as the Singing
Sierran, Rich Price delivers a Western project
reminiscent of cowboy legends Roy Rogers and Gene
Autry. With songs like “Yellowstone,”
“Sierra Moon” and “In The
West,” Rich paints a vivid picture with his
haunting western style vocals.
Patsy Godley, the lead
vocalist for Patsy & The Country Classics and
the 2014 Ms. Senior America, gives a solid
country performance on the Living The Dream
album. With songs like “Talk Back Trembling
Lips” and “Lovin’ Arms,” she
hits the mark. The band also delivers, vocally as
well as musically, on songs like “I Lie When
I Drink” and “I Would Crawl All The Way
To The River.”
The 2014 IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year, Flatt
Lonesome is slated to release Runaway Train on
October 2nd. Bluegrass fans are sure to add this
to their want list. There are many memorable
performances here including “New Lease on
Life,” “Mixed Up Mess Of A Heart”
and the title cut, “Runaway Train.” A
word to the wise, keep Flatt Lonesome on your
musical radar!
Adam Pope’s album,
Story & Song is like a breath of fresh air.
He is comfortable being himself….his writing
displays his depth on “My Leftovers” as
well as his sense of humor in “Promising
Career.” Adam talks a little about each
song, which adds to the overall musical
experience. Thank you Adam Pope for having the
vision to do a unique album and for sharing these
great stories and songs!
Judy Klass has released a two-disc CD collection
entitled The Brooklyn Cowgirl Rides Again. Judy
wrote or co-wrote all but one of the songs.
Interestingly enough, that one song,
“Mariko,” is her English version of
Japanese artist, Myuki Nakajima;s song.
Judy’s lyrics are engaging and entertaining.
Of particular interest are “Drink It
Over” and the title cut, “The Brooklyn
Cowgirl Rides Again.”
Karen Richards • At Home
With Karen Richards
Karen Richards’
eight-song CD, At Home With Karen Richards,
includes five self-penned tunes as well as the
Patsy Cline classics, “Walking After
Midnight” and “Crazy.” Her songs
focus on the lyrics and her vocals compliment
them nicely. She opens the album with her best
song, “Ladies Man” and closes with her
version of “Crazy.” All in all, a
satisfying project.
Thomas White • Livin’
To Run, Runnin’ To Live
Ben Stillwater • Today Is
The Day
Railroad Rob • Leaving On
That Train Southbound
Elisha Grant • Family Ties
