VANESSA KENASTON
Country Sunshine
Till All These Dreams Come True – Tears
Will Be The Chaser For Your Wine – Beneath Still Waters – You and Me –
Paul’s Ministry – Just As Long As You Love Me – Country Sunshine –
Nothing But The Wheel – Born To Run – Never Grow Old – Cry Myself To
Sleep – You’re Looking At Country
It never ceases to amaze me how ‘dance’ among country
music enthusiasts has evolved down through the ages. Early rural dance
consisted mostly of a kind of ‘clog’ dance, which eventually evolved
into the man holding the woman in his arms, waltz’s being the most
predominant style. Today dance enthusiasts still ask for, and get, that
style of music. Vanessa Kenaston is a long time proponent of this
style of country music. She’s a real pro when it comes to ‘getting the
message across.’ Her incredibly lovely voice, and her full
understanding of what those dancers (include among this group anyone who
remembers what country music sounded like before the hip-hop-rock take
over sounded like) wanted. This CD is full of those wonderful songs
that made people not only happy on the dance floor, but also made any
fan of ‘true’ country music so happy to listen to, and still do.
Vanessa has a huge following, from the Sandhills of Nebraska to all of
the upper Midwest, including Midwest Country Television Show on RFD-TV.
Super pickers on this project include her brother Roger who adds
acoustic & electric lead guitar and Dobro. Vanessa plays a terrific
acoustic rhythm guitar, and she added the essence of ‘real’ country
music by having Bruce Hoffman (Branson musician) play the fiddle, steel,
and mandolin, making it a definitely ‘real’ session. One of our
favorite musicians Mark Jenkins added some harmony to the vocals, and
Sharon Kenaston (Roger’s wife) is on the upright bass and percussion,
also adding harmony vocals. Another well known western Nebraska picker,
Jerry Porter picks his ‘Chet Style’ on several of the selections.
Vanessa has been a champion in keeping country music country, and her
impeccable spirit and loyalty to the genre is very apparent in this CD.
Country Sunshine is a most accurate title, that is exactly what Vanessa
is, and features the ‘Chet style’ picking of Jerry Porter. Aside from
her terrific music, she is still a rancher, raising cattle on a ranch
that’s been in the family for 135 years. This was produced and mixed by
the Kenastons in their own studio, who have a keen ear for this kind of
music, and it was mastered by Will Shenk of National Media Services,
keeping the mix and the strength up front all the way through
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART –
www.ntcma.net