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There's a new kid in town...well, sort
of. Peter Dawson is still a youngun' at age 21, but he's already
been to Nashville and has come back home to Texas. He has recently
released a new CD called "Do You
Don't Or Do You Do". On May
15th, he had a CD Release Party at Poor David's Pub in Dallas.
Unfortunately, I missed that show, but received his CD in the mail, which
is what I am reviewing here. If his showmanship and stage presence
are anything like his voice and quality of music, then we have another
winner in the Texas music scene.
I don't know much about Peter's background,
except that he is originally from Dallas and went to Nashville to pursue
his music career. I think he also scrubbed bathrooms in Nashville
while getting into the circuit. Peter enrolled in the Music Business
program at Belmont University in Nashville and accepted a position in
publishing with Full Circle Music Group. After a stint in that part
of the music business, Peter realized his heart remained in Texas and
returned to his home state to play music.
His new CD was recorded, mixed and mastered
in Nashville, and I suspect he had some help from some Nashville studio
musicians he knows...and some good ones, too. It's country to the
bone, but it has a full sound with fiddles, piano and steel guitar that
make it a little more polished than a lot of country music we hear in our
genre.
Peter co-wrote a couple of songs on the CD, "Willie Nelson for President" (with Jamey Wood) and "Change The Things I Can" (with Jon Henderson). "Willie Nelson for President" is probably the catchiest tune on the album and entered the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart at # 72 last October and peaked at # 5 on Shane Media's Best in Texas chart in November. It has some great lyrics with a traditional two-steppin' beat. Still, I like the other song better for its lyrics and meaning. It's a more down to earth song about how one man can't change the world, but he can live his life to change the things he can. It's one of the best songs lyrically on the album in my opinion. I'm sure that "Willie Nelson for President" will become more popular as Peter becomes more known around Texas and other parts of the world. It's a Texas song for Texas people, and I even know non-Texans that like it A LOT! It's a song that a lot of people can relate to, I think, whether they're from Texas or not. The band's second single, "Wanda" is a fun, fast swing-type song about...well...chasing a "girl named Wanda that will put your troubled mind at ease; everybody ought to know a girl like Wanda". "Wanda" recently hit # 8 on the Best in Texas chart and is still moving up. It's one of those songs that everyone likes because it's fun and easy to sing along with and just a damn good song with some awesome piano breaks, fiddle and steel "geetar" solos to boot. This song has it all. Most of the songs Peter does on this CD were written by J. Gary Smith, who also produced the CD along with John Smith. They are from, yep, you guessed it - Nashville. One of my personal favorites on this disc besides the two I've already mentioned is a tune called, "I Just Want to Be Me", which was penned by Jason Sellers and Austin Cunningham (Austin also plays the Texas music scene). The words and intent of this song really hit home with me as part of the song goes: "Seems I always blew
it
Walkin' someone else's
line
I was late when they were
early
Straight when they were
curly
Water when they wanted
wine
Is it a sin to not quite fit
in
I just wanna' be me Wild and kind of
crazy
A little bit against the
grain
I wanna' be free
Free to take a
picture
The one that only I can
paint
I refuse to be what someone else thinks I
should be.
I just wanna' be
me."
This is an angst-ridden song as it should be and brings out the angst in this writer. You GO, Peter! He does a good job with the delivery. "Brand
New Me" is a song about a man trying
to convince his woman to come back home and meet the "brand new me".
Yeah, right! Like that's gonna' happen! Oh well, all is fair
in love and war...and Texas music, I guess. Seriously, it really is
a good song with good lyrics and a nice three-step
beat.
"Get Back To My Love", one of J. Gary Smith's song co-written with Neal Ford is a fast country tune warning his lover not to cross the bridge and burn it down, she might want to "get back to his love". It's all about talking her into staying and getting back to his love. It's a fast honky tonk number. Peter croons out a love ballad, actually a "tear in your beer" ditty called "Nothing's The Same" written by Lynn Hutton and Perry Coleman. The chorus chides, "Nothing is different and nothing has changed, but nothing's the same." That pretty much tells the story except it has a beautiful melody with some great instrumental work and, again, Peter does a very good job with the vocals. Peter has a nice voice that fits the country music he sings. "Bad News" is full of great piano riffs and
guitar licks that make this song work well. The lyrics aren't bad
either.
The title cut, "Do You Don't Or Do You Do" is a great song and is already at # 24 on the Texas Music Charts just three weeks after its release. It's a cut to the chase song with a great dancing beat and catchy lyrics. I'm predicting it will be Peter's next successful single. The CD ends with a slow, melancholy tune called, "What A Way To Go", a nice way to end this honky tonkin' album and show Peter's versatility as a singer. So "do I don't or do I do" like this CD? YES! It has some great songs on it and shows a lot of potential. He has the heart, too, by looking at his liner notes. He sincerely thanks most of his family and dedicates this project to his grandfather. This CD is quality work with some solid songs. It seems that Peter has the best of both worlds right now with Nashville and Texas both supporting him and working together to promote him and his music. Now there's an interesting concept! I would like to see Peter work more on his song writing talents, because I think he's got the rest of it down. He shows promise as a songwriter with the two efforts on this CD. He just needs to experience more of life so he'll have something to write about (he's young, you know?). He's also talented and has come a long way in a short time. Welcome home, Peter- it's about time you got here! Stay true!  Written by Lana Hughes,
6/4/01
Visit Peter Dawson
Band's web
site
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