Will Taylor started singing country music
at age 9, while Lonnie Dean was a little slower to start at 13
years. Will's credentials has seen him play the Louisiana
Hayride with such artists as Hank Thompson, Kitty Wells, Hank
Locklin, Jim Ed Brown and Claude Gray and played shows
throughout the United States as the drummer for Hank Thompson,
Johnny Rodriguez, Wanda Jackson, Sammi Smith, Noel Haggard and
Jean Sheppard. For Lonnie's part, he has opened shows or
performed with: Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ronnie Milsap,
Faron Young, Kitty Wells, Boxcar Willie, Mel Street, Conway
Twitty, Gary Stewart, Asleep At The Wheel, Hank Thompson,
George Jones, and many others.
The release of Texas
Honky Tonk Shuffles offers 12 swinging Texas two-step
shuffles plus the bonus of a further six tracks that fall more
towards traditional country music. The two guys take the lead
vocals on nine tracks each while provide harmony when the
other takes the lead. If you like those honky tonk weepers
that Nashville have now turned their back on, you'll find
several here for you to buy a new box of Kleenex for. Just a
few of the tearjerkers we can hear include "I
Want To Hear It From You" (F. Carter), "I've
Just Destroyed The World" (Willie Nelson/Ray
Price) and "Losing You Got The Best
Of Me" (Kenny Price).
Will Taylor has contributed one of his
own songs, filled with weeping steel in the true heartbreaking
style "One Wish To Burn".
A few of the more up-beat honky-tonkers on offer are a great
version "Under Your Spell Again"
a top-five hit in 1959 for Buck Owens and also "Bubbles
In My Bear" co-written by Cindy Walker, Bob Wills
and Tommy Duncan. Incidentally both Buck and Miss Walker
passed away during the week prior to me writing this review.
Other up-beat two-steppers that stand out and sure to have you
on your feet two-steppin' around the living room are "After
Effects Of Loving You" (Hank Mills), "The
Same Old Way" (Fuzzy Owens), and Roger Miller's
"Invitation To The Blues".
Texas Honky Tonk
Shuffles was nominated for a Grammy in three
categories. There are so many great tracks to be found on Texas
Honky Tonk Shuffles that I could write pages applauding
the many great songs to be found here, but unfortunately we
don't have the space. This CD is a true treasure trove of
stone-cold authentic Texas Honky Tonk
Shuffles and traditional country music, don't miss
it!!!
April 2006
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