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Dave Jorgenson "Then and Now"
by Miss Lana
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Americana music is
the eclectic mix of many genres, thus, the tag "Americana" fits the genre
promoted here for the most
part. However, being
a true honky tonk lover, getting Dave Jorgenson's Then and Now
CD in the mail was a very pleasant surprise.
This album is nothing but country...classic honky tonk country with a
modern edge.
Though raised in
Kansas, he made the trek to Austin in lieu of Nashville, because he
felt that the Texas music scene was more in tune to what he is about.
It was a pure stoke of luck for Texans that he made that
decision. When he and
two of his fellow band members (of the band Rio) moved south, they
started a new band called Big Iron that played the central Texas
circuit for several years. Now Dave Jorgenson & Rio continue to
gain popularity and exposure throughout the state of Texas and beyond.
Dave Jorgenson has
released his first solo project, one that cannot be dismissed by
country music fans. If you do, it's your loss. His early
influences included Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and Buck Owens...and
he carries out that tradition of music in his own passionate style, penning
tunes with heart and singing them from his soul.
Then and Now
has the
whole package...quality sound, good solid lyrics that cover the gamut
of loving, cheating, lying, loving and leaving songs delivered with
Dave's wonderfully smooth, rich vocals that rival any country artist
I've heard today.
The music is true country with two-steps, waltzes and three-steps,
along with a ballad or two thrown in for good measure. What else
could a country music fan want from a recording?
Benny McArthur of "The
Ace In The Hole Band" and guitarist for George Strait co-produced this
CD with Dave.
The album was recorded
at Firestation Studios in San Marcos and enlisted talented musicians
like Ronnie Huckaby on piano, Haydn Vitera on fiddle, Rick McRae on
rhythm and Spanish (beautiful) guitar, Benny McArthur on lead guitar &
rhythm guitar (and harmony vocals). Others were Luke Marino on
bass guitar, Kenny Grohman on steel guitar, Rick Connell on drums and
Shane Laurence on guitar. There wasn't a miss on this entire
album, all professionals loving what they do so well.
This album might sound
a little too polished for some, but the music is just too good to pass
up for that reason alone. He may not sound as raw as those he
grew up listening to, but he has the roots and the branches it takes
for a great country artist. He is a well rounded, talented
artist who deserves the recognition for a job well done. For honky tonk lovers, this is as good
as it gets.
So get your boots on
and visit http://www.DaveJorgenson.com, listen to the excerpts from the CD
and check out the purchase options for this CD. If I had to pick
a great album for dancing, this would be one that is put in the
shuffle. Sure made me
want to get out and do some boot scootin'. Excellent debut
album, I highly recommend it.
Happy Trails, Miss Lana
Written by Lana Hughes, January, 2005
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