CD Review: TERRY ROBBINS – New Memories

TERRY ROBBINS

New Memories
New Memories – Next To You – You’ve Been Gone So Long – You’re
Giving Me Every Reason – Since You’ve Gone – Broken Heart Mender – So
Easy To Love You – I Love Every Day – Sittin’ In A Broken Home – Short
Cuts – You Wanted To Be Free – It Doesn’t Feel Like Home – Where Love
Left Off – I’m Getting Up – Introduction to the Merle Haggard Tribute –
Working Man Blues – Long Black Limousine – Somewhere Between – Ramblin’
Fever

Terry Robbins is a good friend of mine.  He makes
his home in Alabama, and like one of his previous songwriters who also
grew up in Alabama, Hank Williams Sr., Terry is that kind of songwriter,
that kind of idea maker, that kind of country lover, that kind of
recording artist.  He was at our Fremont (Nebraska) Festival in 2016,
and was an instant hit, not only totally with the musicians, but totally
with the audience.  This CD is a remarkable ‘new’ version of classic
and traditional country music.  In “You’ve Been Gone So Long” he goes
right back to a neighbor Mississippian, Jimmie Rodgers to create a
remarkable up-dated version of the Rodger’s blues style.  Oh it is so
good! The fiddle doing the ‘train’ and the steel doing the ‘rain’ is
incredible. A yodel is generously contributed at the end, just to make
it right.  Terry is also a ‘poet’ of the romantic kind, and he’s written
a number of songs on this CD alluding to a strong ‘loving’ relationship
with the woman he loves.  One line says ‘I’m wondering if my heart is
true?”  Of course it is.  Right to the heart, just like it used to be
before ‘country’ music turned into an unrecognizable hip-hop rap genre. 
It’s all  here in 19 terrific songs.  Terry wrote them all except the
last four which are Haggard’s, and a super good rendition it is by
Terry.  Terry Robbins doesn’t ‘need’ to sound like some one else, he
stands alone.  His Haggard is terrific, but so is his George Jones on a
song like “You’re Giving Me Every Reason.”  NOT George Jones, but a very
similar song singing style. He’s even got a little Buck Owens
‘style’ on “Broken Heart Mender.”  Terry doesn’t ‘imitate’ any of these
song-makers, it’s just him, it’s his style, it’s all his.  We even get a
good truck driving song in the C W McCall style with “I’m Getting Up.” 
Terrific piano on his Haggard songs, especially “Working Man Blues.” 
For our tastes in the upper Midwest, Terry Robbins is truly a classic
traditional ‘real’ country writer and singer.  Perhaps he’ll save it for
us, and the many of the new generations that have never heard it.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART – President, National Traditional Country Music Association for Country Music News International

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