Speaking of legends, Rowan was among
many who were influenced by the Stanley brothers, Carter and Ralph, and the influence is front and center on Rowan’s new release, Carter Stanley’s Eyes. The record features two songs each written by Carter and Ralph, along with a really nice take on the traditional song “Hills of Roane County,” which was often performed by the Stanley Brothers in concert. The same goes for “Will You Miss Me?” the Carter family classic. The album is a tribute to all of the
artists that made up Rowan’s early musical influences. Besides the Stanleys, he delivers songs by the Louvin Brothers, Bill Monroe and even Leadbelly, allowing a glimpse into Rowan’s blues influences. Peter pulled together a real group of A-
listers to play alongside him on the album in- cluding Tim O’Brien (Hot Rize); Jack Lawrence (Doc Watson); Don Rigsby; Jamie Oldaker (Eric Clapton); Patrick Sauber; along with Rowan’s bandmates Blaine Sprouse, Chris Henry and Paul Knight. The album features bluegrass tunes,
but it is by no means a bluegrass album. There are many influences at play here, all tied together by an ultra-talented and versa- tile artist, Peter Rowan. This is a special album. A true treasure. Legendary.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Michael Buffalo Smith The Austin Ses- sions (Dreaming Buffalo) As a youngster in
Spartanburg, South Carolina, Michael Buffalo Smith loved
pop culture in general, but really thrived on Southern Rock music, especially the peerless songs of his hometown heroes, The Marshall
Tucker Band. Smith made it his life’s mission to propagate the genre in any way he could. Capricorn Rising: Conversations In South- ern Rock, his fascinating book of interviews, shows just how much respect he’s earned from many of Southern Rock’s iconic players. But besides his avocations as a prolific au- thor, founder and editor of several magazines, and the curator of the Southern Rock Hall Of Fame and Museum; the man’s a damn fine singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Finally back at it following a 13-year
hiatus, The Austin Sessions EP reintroduces an artist in peak form. Plus, its four original songs serve as a very worthy prelude to Makin’ It Back to Macon, Smith’s upcoming full-length album of entirely different tracks, cut recently with renowned producer Paul Hornsby (more on that in a future issue). Smith travelled to Austin at the tail end of 2016 to record these numbers, and worked with a quartet of local champs including pro- ducer and guitarist Billy Eli. The set begins on the great country &
western melody of “Painting Her Toenails,” a light, tender ditty written for the love of his wife as he watched her self-pedicure by the light of the moon. Smith sings in a voice high in emotion, but even in tone. It’s deeply Southern and lonesome, and ideal for the songs at hand. With “Empty Eyes,” the band conjures an image of the sweeping South- western plains, and thoughts of Tucker guitar marvel Toy Caldwell by Jim Hemphill’s tasty leads. Smith conceived “Karl Childers Blues” quite cleverly on the basis of the lead charac- ter in his close friend Billy Bob Thornton’s unforgettable movie, Sling Blade. The song’s soulful, haunting refrains rightly capture the isolation, sadness, and sacrifice of the subject. At the opposite end of the spectrum, in the easy riding “She Likes to Ride a Fatboy,” Smith sings with tongue in cheek of a lady who craves those Harley Davidson’s, and per- haps something a little more risqué on the side. Southern, Texas, country, and serious
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
