JasonR
Marty Raybon’s voice puts me into a comfort zone……. you know, like a nice warm snifter of something smooth after supper sittin’ by the fire. Or, slippin’ into your favorite flannel shirt after you’ve come in cold and wet from workin’ outside.
Maybe that comfortable feeling of mine is because that voice has been around so long, and I’ve never heard Marty sound anything but GOOD!
I knew goin’ in that I was going to like this CD, but, I didn’t know I was going to like it this much! WOW! What a recording this one is!
Marty produced this one himself, recording the instrumental tracks at Mojo Recording Studio, in Greenback, TN., with Josh Molen and Lewell Molen doing the engineering, mixing and mastering. For all of his lead vocal recordings, Marty went to Wishbone Studios, in Muscle Shoals, AL. He must have known exactly what he wanted, and where to go to get it, because, from a technical side, everything, instruments and vocals, all sound crystal clear, warm and rich. I love it when the microphone is up close and personal, like it is here, and you can hear the singer breathe. If you have headphones on, it’s almost like the artist is singing just to you…… Marty has that natural ability to convey his emotions in the most genuine way, and when his singing is matched by top quality equipment and technicians really listening for that magic in his voice, THIS recording is the result. I’ve never heard Marty’s voice sound better. Marty Lewis and Mike McGuire were the engineers waving their magic wands over these vocal tracks, and they did a wonderful job! Mike McGuire is Marty’s old friend and was the drummer for “Shenandoah.”
It’s not just Marty’s vocals that shine so well on this CD. It should be noted that Marty’s brother, Tim Raybon, handled all the harmony vocals. Tim and Marty sing together with an affinity for each other that is marvelous to hear. That “brotherly” intuitiveness shows up again! Listen to how they sound on “Only You, Only You,” and you’ll be as impressed as I am. The ending of the song has the voices moving with a powerful, almost gospel, movement that is simply beautiful to hear. For singers to sing like this, it takes years and years of working on breath control, diaphragm strength, vocal technique and ears listening to the nuances of each other….. OR….. just growin‘ up brothers singin‘ together will get the job done! Either way, Tim and Marty’s harmonies are exquisite!
Of the ten songs on this CD, Marty co-wrote five of them….. three of them with John Fountain. The afore mentioned “Only You, Only You,” which I do believe is my favorite song, the very first tune on the CD, “That Janie Baker,” and “A Little More Sawdust On The Floor.” Every one of them is a winner and qualify as single material. Marty and John definitely need to write together more, and as often as possible! “Janie Baker” is solid, wide open, full steam ahead bluegrass guaranteed to catch your interest. “Sawdust,” has a country, bar room feel that will have you lookin’ for a dance partner. The arrangement is pure bluegrass instrumentation, but the feel would fit just about any honky tonk juke box sittin’ right next to the dance floor. All three songs are lyrically picturesque and melodically catchy and memorable. I haven’t been able to stop humming “Only You” for about a week now! “The Big Burnsville Jail,” co-written with Thom Case and Michael Bonagura is as good an outlaw tale as I’ve heard in years. The defendant in question had more hutzpah, self-assured escape plans, AND self-indulgent ways to spend his ill gotten gains than Butch and Sundance ever thought of. Great lyrical story …… and maybe even a video! Lots of imagery to go with a fun song.
Read the rest of this great review at Presciption Bluegrass’s website here: http://prescriptionbluegrassreviews.blogspot.com/2013/04/cd-review-marty-raybon-back-forty.html
Prescription Bluegrass – “Your One Stop Pit Stop For Everything Bluegrass“
(Bluegrass Album & Artist Reviews are brought to you by MusicChartsMagazine.com & PrescriptionBluegrassrReviews.blogspot.com)
A Big Music Charts Magazine Welcome to Big Al Weekley (above) from KRVN in Nebraska.
In celebration of “International Bluegrass Month of May 2013” our 2nd guest is Big Al Weekley and his bluegrass radio show “The Big Al Bluegrass Show”.
Big Al will play some bluegrass tunes and this show is of course special as it has an emphasis on this very special Memorial Day weekend 2013. Enjoy the show and stay tuned for more Bluegrass this May 2013!
Show: “The Big Al Bluegrass Show” – with “Big Al Weekley” – Enjoy!
Segment #1
Segment #2
Segment #3
Segment #4
Henri Dutilleux (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi dytijø]; 22 January 1916 – 22 May 2013) was a French composer active mainly in the second half of the 20th century. His work, which has garnered international acclaim, follows in the tradition of Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, and Albert Roussel, but in an idiosyncratic style.
Dutilleux numbered as Op. 1 his Piano Sonata (1946–1948), written for pianist Geneviève Joy, whom he had married in 1946. He renounced most of the works he composed before it because he did not believe them to be representative of his mature standards, considering many of them to be too derivative to have merit.
Dutilleux died 22 May 2013 in Paris.
Awards and prizes:
Grand Prix de Rome (for his cantata L’Anneau du Roi) – 1938
UNESCO’s International Rostrum of Composers (for Symphony No. 1) – 1955
Grand Prix National de Musique (for his entire oeuvre) – 1967
Praemium Imperiale (Japan – for his entire oeuvre) – 1994
Prix MIDEM Classique de Cannes (for The Shadows of Time) – 1999
Ernst von Siemens Music Prize (for his entire oeuvre) – 2005
Prix MIDEM Classique de Cannes (for his entire oeuvre) – 2007
Cardiff University Honorary Fellowship (for his entire oeuvre) – 2008
Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society – 2008
Kravis Prize – 2011
Grand-Croix de la Légion d’honneur – 2004
Read more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Dutilleux
Today in Rock in Roll
– May 22 –
1935
Mahalia Jackson lands her first recording contract after she’s heard singing at a funeral.
1942
Calvin “Thang” Simon was born.
1945
Joe Liggins hits #1 on the R&B chart and #13 on the pop chart with “The Honeydripper.”
1951
Roy Milton hits #2 on the R&B chart with “Best Wishes”.
1951
The Dominoes hit #6 on the R&B chart with “Do Something For Me” and #1 on the R&B chart and #17 on the pop chart with “Sixty Minute Man”.
1958
As Jerry Lee Lewis begins a British tour, a scandal erupts over his marriage to a barely teenage relative, as well as his two prior divorces. Lewis is booed offstage, the tour is canceled after three shows, and he returns to the U.S. to find himself mired in controversy.
1961
“Mother-in-Law,” written and produced by Allen Toussaint and recorded by Ernie K-Doe, hits #1 on the national chart.
1963
Frank Zappa opens Studio Z in Cucamonga, California.
1965
The Dixie Cups hits #20 with “Iko Iko”.
1965
“Iko Iko” by the Dixie Cups charts at #20.
1966
When a Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge) was a hit.
1971
Ray Charles Orchestra hits #36 with “Booty Butt”
1976
ELO hits #14 in the US with “Strange Magic”.
1982
Adam & the Ants hit #1 with “Goody Two Shoes”.
1982
Japan hits #24 in the UK with “Cantonese Boy”.
1988
One More Try (George Michael) was a hit.
1999
Robbie Williams’ US album debut, ‘The Ego Has Landed’, a compilation of his two UK albums, reaches #85 on the US charts.
1999
Fatboy Slim hits #36 in the US with “Praise You”.
Ray Manzarek – The Doors
Raymond Daniel Manczarek, Jr., known as Ray Manzarek (February 12, 1939 – May 20, 2013), was an American musician, singer, producer, film director and author, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of “The Doors” from 1965 to 1973. He was a co-founding member of Nite City from 1977 to 1978, and of Manzarek–Krieger from 2001 to his death.
From 1962 to 1965, he studied in the Department of Cinematography at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he met film student Jim Morrison. At UCLA, he also met Dorothy Fujikawa, whom he married. They have a son, Pablo. Forty days after finishing film school, thinking they had gone their separate ways, Manzarek and Morrison met by chance on Venice Beach in California. Morrison said he had written some songs, and Manzarek expressed an interest in hearing them, whereupon Morrison sang a rough version of “Moonlight Drive”. Manzarek liked the songs and co-founded the Doors with Morrison at that moment.
Manzarek occasionally sang for the Doors, including the live recording “Close To You” and on the B-side of “Love Her Madly,” “You Need Meat (Don’t Go No Further).” He also sang on the last two Doors albums, recorded after Morrison’s death, Other Voices and Full Circle. Additionally, he provided one of several guitar parts on the song “Been Down So Long.”
Read more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Manzarek
It’s no secret in the country music world, that Jerrod Niemann has found himself a lot of fans. His music can be a bit whimsical or even a bit nutty at times, and some is about as far from traditional country as you can get, but that didn’t stop him from putting a string of hits out on country radio. “Lover Lover,” “What Do You Want,” and “One More Drinking Song,” were all singles from Jerrod’s album, Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury.
The Judge has now given us another CD, full of songs that are sure to please his ever-growing fan base. My personal favorite, “Shinin’ On Me,’ was his first single from the new album. It got into the Top 20, and I was really surprised that it didn’t climb a lot higher. That one is definitely a ‘feel good song.’ Every time I listen to this CD, I find myself going back to that song to listen to it again.
“Whiskey Kinda Way” and “I’ll Have to Kill the Pain” both have a traditional country sound, and give fans an opportunity to listen to the slower side of Jerrod. I could see either one of those songs released to country radio, and am really wondering why that hasn’t happened by now.
The second song from this album that Jerrod released to radio, was “Only God Could Love You More.” Jerrod co-wrote that one with Lee Brice and Jon Stone. It’s another slow one that gives Jerrod a great chance to show off his vocals.
“Honky Tonk Fever” puts me more in mind of what you might hear in a jazz club, or even a 1920s speakeasy. It’s really not country, but it really is good. It’s a fun song. The kind of song that makes you smile, but you really aren’t sure why. Jerrod wrote this one without any help from any of the great writers who co-wrote many of the other songs on this album.
Jerrod wrote or co-wrote every song on this album. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Jerrod’s name in the ‘written by’ line on upcoming albums by some of country music’s best known entertainers. In addition to writing the music on this album, Jerrod also co-produced the CD.
Here is the track list, with authors: Free the Music, Jerrod Niemann; Whiskey Kind of Way, Jerrod Niemann, Randy Boudreaux; Get On Up, Jerrod Niemann, J.R. McCoy, Jesse Clingan; I’ll Have to Kill the Pain, Jerrod Niemann, J.R. McCoy, Arlos Smith; Only God Can Love You More, Jerrod Niemann, Jon Stone, Lee Brice; Shinin’ on Me, Jerrod Niemann, Rob Hatch, Lee Brice, Lance Miller; Honky Tonk Fever, Jerrod Niemann; Guessing Games, Jerrod Niemann, J.R. McCoy; It Won’t Matter Anymore, Jerrod Niemann, Rob Hatch, Lance Miller; I’m All About You (featuring Colbie Caillat), Jerrod Niemann, Richie Brown; Real Women Drink Beer, Jerrod Niemann, Houston Phillips; and Fraction of a Man, Jerrod Niemann.
“This album is my interpretation of how I feel about country right now,” Jerrod said. “It’s a project honoring many different layers and colors that have appeared in the country genre since recorded music began.” Jerrod also explained that the pedal steel guitar wasn’t always in the country music picture, even though it has since come to define the genre.
When Jerrod was first starting, he did one tour of U.S. radio stations that brought him to Bristol’s Steel Creek Park, where he put on a free show of a crowd of fans that showed up to enjoy his music, and meet the artist. As so many artists do when they first get a song out on country radio, Jerrod was eager to spend a little time with his fans, signing autographs, posing for pictures, sharing his music, and pretty much giving everyone a chance to get to know who he is and what he does.
To keep up with what’s going on in Jerrod’s world, including upcoming shows, new videos, and new music, visit his web site www.JerrodNiemannOfficial.com, and follow him on Twitter @jrodfromoz (that’s Jerrod from Oz, he’s from Kansas). This will tell you just a bit about Jerrod’s sense of humor, too. In addition to following him on twitter, you can follow his bus. And the bus will answer your tweets, too. Just go to Twitter, and follow JerrodsBus.
Be sure to check our web site, too, www.countryschatter.com, and follow us on Twitter @countryschatter.
(Music Charts Magazine Country Album Reviews are brought to you by CountrysChatter.com and MusicChartsMagazine.com)
Feller and Hill and The Bluegrass Buckaroos
Released: February, 2013
Label: Blue Circle Records
Review by: W.J. Hallock
My buddy, Brian McNeal, and I, have been friends since the mid 70’s. Besides being friends, we have one other thing in common….. a love affair with that 60’s Bakersfield country music sound. Brian played all those Buck and Merle songs when he was a disc jockey for KNIX in Phoenix, which was owned by Buck Owens. My band “Cactus County,” and I were playing country music (yeah, LOTS of Buck and Merle!), for dance hall crowds in every honky-tonk and road house in the southwest, with Phoenix being home base.
That sound of Buck and Don Rich singing together, Bonnie Owens (Buck’s ex-wife) vocalizing on all of Merle Haggard’s hit records, and that famous chicken-pickin’ Telecaster guitar playing of Don, James Burton and Roy Nichols will forever be a special part of country music history that we’ll always love. So, now, when anything reminds us of that era, we’re all in and checkin’ it out!
A few months back, Brian sent me some songs to listen to by “Feller and Hill and the Bluegrass Buckaroos.” We both couldn’t believe how much Tom Feller and Chris Hill sounded like Buck and Don singing together! We were pretty excited to see just how this musical adventure was going to turn out, as the CD wasn’t finished and ready for release.
The completed project came last week, and it was all we had hoped it would be. To quote Brian, “Feller and Hill do the third best version of TOGETHER AGAIN ever recorded!”and I whole-heartedly agree. The original version by Buck Owens will always be #1.…. Emmylou Harris OWNS the #2 spot….. and, time will only tell for sure, but, in my humble opinion (AND Brian’s) Feller and Hill have made their version so personalized and passionate as to forever nail down that #3 slot. When you think of all the many artists who have recorded TOGETHER AGAIN, that’s a BIG deal! To re-do a song that defined a specific sound and musical era, and do it in such a way that it makes the song relevant to another generation of listeners, that is the epitome of successful communication skills.
Just so there’s no confusion, this CD is straight ahead bluegrass. Tom and Chris have spent years as sidemen for some of the best bluegrass bands around, and their credentials are exceptional. On this release, Tom plays acoustic and Pedal Steel guitars, mandolin and upright bass. Chris plays all the banjo tracks, and plays any style called for. Earl Scruggs would be proud of Chris’ proficiency in his style, especially with his use of Earl’s patented “Scruggs tuners.” Don Reno and Ralph Stanley’s styles are also in Chris’ arsenal. But what sets this CD apart from those of so many other bluegrass bands, is the way these two talented gentlemen sing together. The two of them have that cohesive magic that not every duo have, and they have taken all their vocal and studio/technical strengths and added layers of vocals to the entire CD to make it a total pleasure to hear.
The very first song on this musical trip kicks off with a bang. The old Delmore Brother’s standard, “Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar,” leaps out of the speakers, complete with two part harmony, a Lester Flatt “G-run” guitar lick and Chris’ 5-string banjo just a cookin’! This song will make you smile, because it’s alive, traditional and as authentic as it gets. Especially notable on this tune is the lead guitar solo of Brian Blaylock. It just plain sizzles!
Read the rest here: http://prescriptionbluegrassreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/prescription-bluegrass-cd-reviewfeller.html#more
( Music Charts Magazine Bluegrass Album Reviews are all done by Prescription Bluegrass – “Your Bluegrass Home” )
Dave Adkins & Republik Steele Release New CD
Rural Rhythm Records announces an exciting new album release available today, THAT’S JUST THE WAY I ROLL, by Dave Adkins & Republik Steele.
“Snazzy stuff for real people that still want some music they can feel and believe in. Well done,” said Midwest Record in a new review for the album.
Dave Adkins not only impresses listeners with his powerful lead vocals, but he contributed three original songs on the album including “Heartstrings”, “Get ‘Em Up”and the impressive “Rio.”
Fans Voted–Legacy Releases Digital Flatt and Scruggs with Doc Watson
Posted: 16 May 2013 11:38 AM PDT
Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, announces the first four catalog titles to be released digitally in response to the enthusiasm of music fans voting online at Legacy’s website
The four LP titles now available for purchase as digital downloads mark the first of a monthly series of albums to be released digitally according to crowd sourced fan feedback.
One of the reasons I enjoy what I do, is that I have the opportunity to hear new albums, before they are released to the public. Today, I listened to a great one. Craig Campbell’s sophomore album will hit stores on May 7. This is a CD that all country music fans are going to enjoy. And for those who have not heard a lot of Craig’s music, it is the perfect introduction.“When She Grows Up” begins with daughter Preslee giving us a small sampling of her vocal talents, with “Jesus Loves Me,” then Dad takes over with a really inspiring song, all about our kids – what they are to us, and what we are to them. “What she sees in me, that’s what I want to be – when she grows up.” It’s one of those songs you won’t really want to sing along with, and your probably won’t want to dance to it, but you sure are going to want to listen to it. It is one of my favorite songs on the album.
If you have a front porch, you’ll be able to relate to “That’s Why God Made a Front Porch.” It’s one of the slow ones on the album. This one reminds me a lot of Craig Morgan’s “Almost Home.” One phrase seems to run right into the next, but you need ever one of those phrases to tell the story. While the song sounds a lot like “Almost Home,” it is a completely different story. This is a good song to put on when you want to sit back in a comfortable chair, and relax.
There are a lot of people out there who can relate to “When Ends Don’t Meet.” It pretty much tells us all what we already know about the economy, bills overdue, a leaky roof, and having someone to lean on in times of trouble.
Most of the songs on this album are slow to mid-tempo. Everyone of them is perfect for Craig, and while I have my favorite – I think he could just about release any of them to radio as his follow-up single to “Outta My Head”.
Here is your track listing, with authors: Truck-N-Roll, Craig Campbell, Brett Beavers, Chris Lindsey; Keep Them Kisses Comin’ Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip; When She Grows UP, Craig Campbell, Alex Dooley, Arlos Smith; Tomorrow is Gone, Tommy Conners, Kevin Denney, Phillip White; Never Regret, Craig Campbell, Jason Matthews, Jim McCormick; My Baby’s Daddy, Brandon Kinney, Cole Swindell; Topless, Craig Campbell, Mindy Ellis, Blair Daly; When Ends Don’t Meet, Jonathan Singleton, Tony Lane, Dan Isbell; Outta My Head, Brandon Kinney Michael Carter, Cole Swindell; That’s Why God Made a Front Porch, Craig Campbell, Lee Thomas Miller; You Can Come Over, Brandy Clark Jessie Jo Dillon, Mark Narmore; Lotta Good That Does Me Now, Craig Campbell, Michael White and Justin Wilson.
The CD was produced by Keith Stegall and Matt Rovey, and recorded at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville.