DARRELL McCall
Country From The Heart
Cold Long Neck Beer – Invitation To The
Blues – Florence Jean – Jug – For A Minute There – Hurry Up – The
Marionette – Get er’ Back On The Road – Take Me As I Am – She’ll Unwine
Me – Stone Heart – The Best Of Our Good Times – Just Ask Me
Blues – Florence Jean – Jug – For A Minute There – Hurry Up – The
Marionette – Get er’ Back On The Road – Take Me As I Am – She’ll Unwine
Me – Stone Heart – The Best Of Our Good Times – Just Ask Me
Wow, what a treat to hear ‘real’ country music from the
country & honky-tonk Texas-dance influenced heart of Texas. You
might remember Darrel McCall. He had a hit with “A Stranger Was Here”
on Phillips Records a few years ago. Here he is back again on Heart of
Texas Records, sounding better than ever. There are a couple of really
well done songs on this project, including six terrific originals from
Darrell himself. His daughter Guyanne also contributed an original
“Cold Long Neck Beer,” which I found fascinating. She also adds some
delightful harmony (and lead vocals) to the bonus track “Just Ask Me.”
That particular song also has some really neat honky-tonk piano in it.
Sounds as close to the old upright as you can get. The whole project is
simply full of delightful and incredibly entertaining songs that many
of us who really like ‘true’ country music, especially with the Texas
influence, enjoy. I also got a kick out of “Jug” which is a song about
one of Darrell’s old friends. Nice up-tempo piece. Bobby Flores plays
fiddle throughout, with an especially tasty intro on “Get er’ Back On
The Road.” I got to meet Mr. Flores last year at the Wahoo, Nebraska,
festival, and he was in remarkably good spirits and ability there. He
also adds some viola to Darrell’s great CD, but it’s his fiddle that
really stands out. Add T. Bonta on piano; Jake Hooker on bass; Don
Brewer on bass guitar; Dave Biller on guitar; Randy Reinhard & Jim
Loessberg on steel; Jim Loessberg on drums; and Darrell’s son Cody
McCall on additional harmony, and it’s starting to sound like
productions of the past when Darrell McCall recorded for such recording
giants as Atlantic, Columbia, and RCA Victor. He had a nice hit with
the Columbia release “Pins & Needles In My Heart,” and “Long Line of
Empties” he recorded for RCA did well too. Extremely nice experience
to hear this step back in time to hear the ‘real deal.’ It is so unlike
so-called country music today, and here it is, in person, in the great
country voice of Darrell McCall. This CD will go to the Rural Roots
Music Commission for possible “CD of the Year” consideration, and if I
had my way, Darrell McCall would be in America’s Old Time Country Music
Hall of Fame with ceremonies in LeMars Iowa this year, Aug 25-31. We’ll
see if Heart of Texas Records responds to that suggestion. Heart of
Texas Records, 1701 S. Bridge, Brady, TX 76825 – tracy@hillbillyhits.com
country & honky-tonk Texas-dance influenced heart of Texas. You
might remember Darrel McCall. He had a hit with “A Stranger Was Here”
on Phillips Records a few years ago. Here he is back again on Heart of
Texas Records, sounding better than ever. There are a couple of really
well done songs on this project, including six terrific originals from
Darrell himself. His daughter Guyanne also contributed an original
“Cold Long Neck Beer,” which I found fascinating. She also adds some
delightful harmony (and lead vocals) to the bonus track “Just Ask Me.”
That particular song also has some really neat honky-tonk piano in it.
Sounds as close to the old upright as you can get. The whole project is
simply full of delightful and incredibly entertaining songs that many
of us who really like ‘true’ country music, especially with the Texas
influence, enjoy. I also got a kick out of “Jug” which is a song about
one of Darrell’s old friends. Nice up-tempo piece. Bobby Flores plays
fiddle throughout, with an especially tasty intro on “Get er’ Back On
The Road.” I got to meet Mr. Flores last year at the Wahoo, Nebraska,
festival, and he was in remarkably good spirits and ability there. He
also adds some viola to Darrell’s great CD, but it’s his fiddle that
really stands out. Add T. Bonta on piano; Jake Hooker on bass; Don
Brewer on bass guitar; Dave Biller on guitar; Randy Reinhard & Jim
Loessberg on steel; Jim Loessberg on drums; and Darrell’s son Cody
McCall on additional harmony, and it’s starting to sound like
productions of the past when Darrell McCall recorded for such recording
giants as Atlantic, Columbia, and RCA Victor. He had a nice hit with
the Columbia release “Pins & Needles In My Heart,” and “Long Line of
Empties” he recorded for RCA did well too. Extremely nice experience
to hear this step back in time to hear the ‘real deal.’ It is so unlike
so-called country music today, and here it is, in person, in the great
country voice of Darrell McCall. This CD will go to the Rural Roots
Music Commission for possible “CD of the Year” consideration, and if I
had my way, Darrell McCall would be in America’s Old Time Country Music
Hall of Fame with ceremonies in LeMars Iowa this year, Aug 25-31. We’ll
see if Heart of Texas Records responds to that suggestion. Heart of
Texas Records, 1701 S. Bridge, Brady, TX 76825 – tracy@hillbillyhits.com
Review by Bob Everhart, Pres., NTCMA www.ntcma.net
for Country Music News International