JACK LANGLEY
Reflections
The Mighty Muddy Mo – The Last Recall – One Day At A Time – Wildwood Flower – Old Rugged Cross – Your Memory Strikes Again
I believe everyone in the upper Midwest knows by now that
Jack Langley is one of our very best singer songwriters in ‘real’
country music. I’m so glad that Jack Langley lives in Iowa, it means
country music will still survive, at least in our rural state, so long
as he is with us. That’s a real comfort, and so is this CD. Not
exactly sure when this was recorded, but Jack is doing this one with his
son Mike who was 9 months old when the photo on the cover was taken in
1964, listening to a young Jack Langley picking and singing to the
little lad. Three of these songs are Jack Langley originals, and even
when doubled with other great songwriters like Kristofferson and the
Carter Family, the originals of Langley are just as good, and in my
opinion better than the super-star ones. He never ceases to amaze me
with his wonderful ability to write a ‘story’ in his songs, so rare in
today’s pop-rap-country music. He’s also a fearsome vocalist. Langley
has that perfect-pitch that allows him to put ‘feeling’ in places where
others fear to tread. I found the harmony between father and son really
interesting and really good on the old song “Wildwood Flower.” Mike is
singing the high tenor above his dad’s lead-line, and the ‘match’ is
pretty astounding to me. The last song on,” the album is “Your Memory
Strikes Again,” and hits me with reality. No matter where I go, Jack
Langley will always have a spot in my heart for good country music. I
hope he teams up again with a flute player who would really sound good
on this last song, so very good.
Jack Langley is one of our very best singer songwriters in ‘real’
country music. I’m so glad that Jack Langley lives in Iowa, it means
country music will still survive, at least in our rural state, so long
as he is with us. That’s a real comfort, and so is this CD. Not
exactly sure when this was recorded, but Jack is doing this one with his
son Mike who was 9 months old when the photo on the cover was taken in
1964, listening to a young Jack Langley picking and singing to the
little lad. Three of these songs are Jack Langley originals, and even
when doubled with other great songwriters like Kristofferson and the
Carter Family, the originals of Langley are just as good, and in my
opinion better than the super-star ones. He never ceases to amaze me
with his wonderful ability to write a ‘story’ in his songs, so rare in
today’s pop-rap-country music. He’s also a fearsome vocalist. Langley
has that perfect-pitch that allows him to put ‘feeling’ in places where
others fear to tread. I found the harmony between father and son really
interesting and really good on the old song “Wildwood Flower.” Mike is
singing the high tenor above his dad’s lead-line, and the ‘match’ is
pretty astounding to me. The last song on,” the album is “Your Memory
Strikes Again,” and hits me with reality. No matter where I go, Jack
Langley will always have a spot in my heart for good country music. I
hope he teams up again with a flute player who would really sound good
on this last song, so very good.
Review by Bob Everhart, www.ntcma.net for Country Music News International