CD Review: Danny Darren – Forgotten Memories

DANNY DARREN

Forgotten Memories

You
Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry – It Kind Of Reminds Me Of Me – Letter
Edged In Black – It’s Not For Me To Understand – Yes I Know – Rank
Stranger – My Child I Hear Your Prayer – Farmer’s Blues – Letter From
Vietnam

Shades
of Ernest Tubb, this first song is an absolute winner.  Danny Darren,
brother of Bobby Darren the incredible picker, singer, and record
producer in Wisconsin, is one fantastic classic and traditional country
singer.  I can ‘tell’ Bobby Darren’s pickin’ style now, just by
listening to him.  He is spectacular, doesn’t matter whether he’s in the
studio, or on RFD-TV picking for his fans and friends.  I like his
acoustic guitar picking best, though he plays electric equally as well. 
He’s also a terrific slide player whether it be Dobro or Steel, it’s
Bobby Darren who makes a good singer like his brother sound not only
good, but as it should be.  Danny picked several truly ‘classic’ songs
to include in this album.  Two of my favorites on this super good CD is
“Letter Edged In Black” and “Rank Stranger” both of which has that very
special ‘rural’ touch to make it incredibly well done. The ‘meaning’ of
the songs come through loud and clear.  Like many of the ‘stars’ that
made it big with these songs, Danny has that same aura about him.  I’m
pretty sure it’s Bobby playing fiddle on “Letter Edged In Black” and
wow, it’s just right, just as right as it can be. Old time country music
has always been a ‘story’ in a song, and Danny Darren still proves
beyond a shadow of a doubt that ‘truth’ still prevails in that kind of
presentation, because this whole album is ‘that.’  Shades of Hank Snow,
we sure do get a bit of that on “It’s Not For Me To Understand,” truly a
sad story in song if there ever was one.  Danny is very expressive, and
very honest in his presentation.  That’s what ‘real’ country music is
all about, and certainly not what we get in today’s so-called country. 
WOW, big big difference.  Some terrific female harmony on “Yes I Know,”
and super mandolin picking.  I’m not even going to ‘guess’ who’s playing
it, but I’m pretty sure who it is.  We hear it again on “Rank
Strangers” really well done, and right on the very cutting edge of
authentic old-time ‘real’ bluegrass music.  Super!  Bobby’s acoustic
guitar is right in that same groove. Danny closes his album with “Letter
From Vietnam” a ‘real-deal’ about what it’s really like to be in a
‘war’ to be a sniper and watch for the enemy, and see your best friend
get shot right next to you.  It’s a ‘story’ in this song.  The way
country music ‘used’ to be.  Oh how I wish it would go back to that kind
of musical entertainment.  The ‘truth’ in song and music.  Oh how I
miss it so much.  Oh how I wish the ‘money changers’ would get out of
the temple.

RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, President,, National Traditional Country Music Assn., for Country Music News International  

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