FAMILY OF MUSIC MAKERS –Just Some Songs We Used To Know
Truck Drivin’ Man – Heartaches By The Number
– Sing Me Back Home – Another Bridge To Burn By – O Danny Boy –
Drinking Champagne – 40 Shades Of Green – Easy Lovin’ – Farewell Party –
Almost Persuaded – Tips Of My Fingers – Touch My Heart – Ragtime Annie
– Sing Me Back Home – Another Bridge To Burn By – O Danny Boy –
Drinking Champagne – 40 Shades Of Green – Easy Lovin’ – Farewell Party –
Almost Persuaded – Tips Of My Fingers – Touch My Heart – Ragtime Annie
For most ‘real’ country musicians and performers, the
snowy winter-time in the upper Midwest of America is usually a time to
get songs ready for recording, and weather permitting, get in the studio
and get them recorded. I’m always anxious to see what the winter crop
produces when I get back to Iowa, from where a tremendous amount of
great country music emanates. However to get to the nitty-gritty of
classic country, it’s got to be Nebraska.
snowy winter-time in the upper Midwest of America is usually a time to
get songs ready for recording, and weather permitting, get in the studio
and get them recorded. I’m always anxious to see what the winter crop
produces when I get back to Iowa, from where a tremendous amount of
great country music emanates. However to get to the nitty-gritty of
classic country, it’s got to be Nebraska.
Mike Goodrich makes his home in Greeley, Nebraska, way
out in the Sandhills, where real cowboys live. You can see from this
song list that some of the best classic country tunes ever written are
represented here. It’s this kind of country music that is so rapidly
disappearing from radio these days. Contemporary country (many would
not even add the word ‘country’ to that) has completely abandoned this
genre identification in today’s music. Here, however, you can hear it
loud, and clear, and meaningful, and true. Mike has been singing ‘real’
country music for nearly 50 years, and that is what I call devotion and
loyalty to a musical genre. If you were to talk to any of Mike’s many
fans, they will all tell you the same thing, “Mike sings country.”
out in the Sandhills, where real cowboys live. You can see from this
song list that some of the best classic country tunes ever written are
represented here. It’s this kind of country music that is so rapidly
disappearing from radio these days. Contemporary country (many would
not even add the word ‘country’ to that) has completely abandoned this
genre identification in today’s music. Here, however, you can hear it
loud, and clear, and meaningful, and true. Mike has been singing ‘real’
country music for nearly 50 years, and that is what I call devotion and
loyalty to a musical genre. If you were to talk to any of Mike’s many
fans, they will all tell you the same thing, “Mike sings country.”
This gathering of super-country musicians took place
at Dan Kane’s Power Base Studio, and it marvels me that they sound like
they’ve been playing together for years and years. Well, yes they have,
a total of 351 combined good years. Some of these musicians cut their
teeth on this very real classic country genre, and it amazes me that the
studio can put them together (with very little overdubbing) and produce
such a remarkable session. Mike Goodrich leads them through it all
like they just learned the song yesterday, but they’ve been playing it
off and on together for all of those combined 351 years. This is
country music at it’s very best. They can’t even do this in Nashville
anymore.
at Dan Kane’s Power Base Studio, and it marvels me that they sound like
they’ve been playing together for years and years. Well, yes they have,
a total of 351 combined good years. Some of these musicians cut their
teeth on this very real classic country genre, and it amazes me that the
studio can put them together (with very little overdubbing) and produce
such a remarkable session. Mike Goodrich leads them through it all
like they just learned the song yesterday, but they’ve been playing it
off and on together for all of those combined 351 years. This is
country music at it’s very best. They can’t even do this in Nashville
anymore.
Steel guitar is exceptional on this session (this kind
of steel is so lacking in today’s pop-country). It’s Blaine Garrelts
whose been playing over 61 years. Yes, amazing huh? He also added some
lead guitar. Mike O’Neel is on lead and 2nd fiddle as well as some
lead vocals. Mike is in America’s Old Time Country Music Fiddler’s Hall
of Fame. Together with Jay Kelly (also in the Hall of Fame) from
Atkinson, Nebraska, these two fiddle giants add 109 years to the
compiled 351 years. Add another 35 years with Mike Kuszak on drums and
50 years from Linn Baxter on keyboards. And don’t forget Sandy Miller
who added another 48 on bass guitar. Are you beginning to understand
how great this CD sounds?
of steel is so lacking in today’s pop-country). It’s Blaine Garrelts
whose been playing over 61 years. Yes, amazing huh? He also added some
lead guitar. Mike O’Neel is on lead and 2nd fiddle as well as some
lead vocals. Mike is in America’s Old Time Country Music Fiddler’s Hall
of Fame. Together with Jay Kelly (also in the Hall of Fame) from
Atkinson, Nebraska, these two fiddle giants add 109 years to the
compiled 351 years. Add another 35 years with Mike Kuszak on drums and
50 years from Linn Baxter on keyboards. And don’t forget Sandy Miller
who added another 48 on bass guitar. Are you beginning to understand
how great this CD sounds?
I so resent the pop-country music today, so much so
that I have turned my radio off, except for KWMT in Fort Dodge,
Iowa, when Dale Eichor is doing the DJ chores. Country music today has
so little to offer under the name of ‘country’ it is disturbing that
they insist on calling it country when it is so far removed from the
genre. This CD will stay in my library. When I get dog tired of
listening to the pretenders, I’ll just slip this one out and put the
‘real deal’ on and have a good old time.
that I have turned my radio off, except for KWMT in Fort Dodge,
Iowa, when Dale Eichor is doing the DJ chores. Country music today has
so little to offer under the name of ‘country’ it is disturbing that
they insist on calling it country when it is so far removed from the
genre. This CD will stay in my library. When I get dog tired of
listening to the pretenders, I’ll just slip this one out and put the
‘real deal’ on and have a good old time.
Bob Everhart, Reviewer