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CD Cover Lonnie Dean & Will Taylor

Texas Honky Tonk Shuffles

Silvercreek SRCD-102

 

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