CD Review: Bruce & Betsy Mullen – Something To Sing About

BRUCE & BETSY MULLEN

Something To Sing About

Call On Him -Masters Call – Eyes Of A Child – I’m
Safely In The Arms Of Jesus – Two Doors Down From Jesus – Railroad To
Heaven – Suppertime – Water And The Blood – One Day At A Time – Oh Dear
Brother – Something To Sing About – New Day

What a wonderful treat to get a new CD from Bruce & Betsy
Mullen.  I reviewed their album “Two Doors Down From Jesus” I believe in
2014.  It was awhile back, but I remember it well.  This couple are two
incredibly talented recording artists, musicians, and entertainers. 
Bruce Mullen worked for Buck Owens way back when, and also recorded for
Dot and Capitol Records.  The couple have extremely good studio
production at the High Road Recording Studio using some really good
musicians.  James Murphy who was the recording engineer as well as the
mixer, also played guitar, bass, and keyboard.  Lawrence Schumey  is on
drums, Angie Lisenbee on piano, Luke Engels on banjo, and Phillip Brown
on fiddle.  Phillip did a right nice job on “Eyes Of A Child” with Betsy
Mullen on lead vocals, one of her best songs on this album.  She also
sang lead on “New Day.”  Betsy also sings harmony right next to Bruce. 
Ummmm sounds good.  Right off the bat I like “Masters Call” too, a
terrific Marty Robbins rendition.  Another interesting song on this
album is the first one, “Call On Him” which was co-written by Bonnie
Guitar and Bruce.  Bonnie is a good old friend of mine, and is hoping to
be at our 43rd National Old Time Music Festival in LeMars, Iowa (Aug
27-Sept 2, 2018).  Bonnie lives in Soap Lake, Washington, so I’m
assuming John and Betsy know her well too.  She’s only 95 years old (I’m
not sure), and still singing and playing.  Her big hit was “Dark Moon,”
which took her a long way in the music business.  This wonderful
Christian album by the Mullens should also be a harbinger of wonderful
things to come in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Bruce wrote
seven of the twelve songs on this album.  His songwriting is as good as
his vocalizing, so you already know this has got to be a good album to
listen to.  The Mullens special country/bluegrass ‘touch’ makes this a
nice album to convince some who have never heard good traditional
American music. That sound is especially good on “Railroad To Heaven”
where Luke Engels excels on banjo.  Super good!  Another good
‘traditional country-gospel song done by Bruce is “Suppertime.”  That
magnificent song was written by Ira Stanphill who became a Christian at
the age of 12, and by 17 he was a minister.  This particular song was
recorded by Johnny Cash, Slim Whitman, and Jim Reeves, to name a few. I
believe I like Bruce Mullen’s version of it just as much as anyone
else.  I’ll be forwarding this album to the Rural Roots Music Commission
for their review.  I’m hoping they will like it as much as I do.  It’s a
long way to LeMars from Washington, but maybe this beautiful couple
could team up with Bonnie Guitar…who knows?

www.music-savers.com RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, Pres., National Traditional Country Music Assn. for Country Music News International

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