DON JOY & MELANIE LYNN
Memories
Guitar
Man – Catch and Release – Song I Wrote For You – The Jukebox Song – We
Have To Put Love First – Miss Holding You Each Night – Nobody Likes My
Kind Of Music – Red Roses and You
I
got to hear a majority of this CD last fall before it was completed,
and was impressed when I heard the demo. Even more so now. Don Joy is
the mover and shaker behind his own music, his traditional/classic
country voice represents hundreds of thousands of country music fans
that ‘like’ his kind of music. They just can’t get it in Nashville
anymore, however this release is without a doubt one of the best ‘new’
ways of displaying that very image of music Don Joy reflects. He’s also
a very good songwriter. The very first song, “Guitar Man” is an
absolute gem. This is the ‘story’ way of telling an experience or a
historical event with rural music. This particular song, in my
estimation, is the best song on the CD. I’m very impressed with the way
it was recorded, the way the music was arranged, and the way Don Joy
sings it. Don used Tim Crouch on fiddle, mandolin and acoustic rhythm
guitar, one of our very best traditional country players from the
Midwest. Leon Linsey is on piano; Jim Buttrey on guitar, mandolin,
bass, drums, and engineering the entire session. His brother Rob Buttrey
on acoustic guitar and electric guitar. The mix is extremely well
done, I would say as close as Nashville does, but without all the
electronic rightness. I need to pick up on another song I really liked,
“Nobody Likes My Kind Of Music” was written by a good friend, now
deceased, Ron Dupuy. Ron was not only a ‘giver’ he proved his
generosity over and over many many times. He’s a true country music
writer in the truest sense. Don and Melanie together also wrote a number
of these award winning songs. If Nashville could just wake up from
their very long and disastrous nightmare of doing what they call
‘country’ music when it isn’t even close, they would immediately
recognize the ‘beauty’ the ‘creative’ and the ‘determination’ to keep
‘real’ country music alive is as strong today as it was when Nashville
started ‘changing’ it into a kind of slop-pop sound that has absolutely
nothing to do with ‘real’ country….people, music, and otherwise. The
harmony singing of Don and Melanie is very strong, but no matter how you
listen to it, it’s Don’s strong traditional and classic country voice
that excels in every song.
RECORD
REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, Pres., National Traditional Country Music
Assn., www.music-savers.com for Country Music News International
One Response
Appreciate your great views on the music of Memories. Bob, its a happy positive write and I hope they sell well their albums! Regards