Posted by Pete Smith on April 12, 2008, 12:27 am
86.159.201.162
"The Advertiser" (UK) - 11 April 2008
Curtis Potter’s name may not be the biggest name in country music on this side of the Atlantic, but those who have been fortunate enough to pick up his albums, will agree he is definitely one of the best. Curtis was born in Cross Plains, Texas, but was raised in Abilene and for a time worked on KRBC-TV and the Bill Fox Show in the mid-'50s before becoming, for a dozen years from 1959, bandleader for Hank Thompson. For many years Potter has been a close friend of Willie Nelson and recently, after a change of record labels, recorded his tribute to his compadre, “Curtis Potter Sings Willie Nelson” (Hillside). This really is a magnificent piece of country work with Curtis reviving and breathing new life into “Hello Walls”, “Crazy”, “Healing Hands Of Time” and “Night Life”. Willie drops by to duet on “You Left A Long, Long Time Ago” and that wonderful, but under-valued, performer of the 60s/70s Darrell McCall adds harmony to “I’ve Just Destroyed The World”. Magnificent vocals and the backings equally match and so they should having been provided by musicians who defined the true country sound some four decades ago; Buddy Emmons and Weldon Myrick (steel), Buddy Spicher (fiddle), Hargus Robbins (piano), Steve Chapman, Ray Edenton and Billy Sanford (guitars), Bob Moore (bass) and Buddy Harmon (drums). Completing the programme are “Half A Man”, “It Should Be Easier Now”, “Touch Me” and “Undo The Right”. www.hillsiderecords.net
Another performer not too well known in the UK is Canadian Mary Rowan. I know this will change when her new album, “No Other Way” (Miss Dixie), gains the airplay and subsequent sales it richly deserves. The lovely Ms. Rowan lends her beautiful voice to fifteen great songs culled from the catalogues of Jack Clement (“Just Someone I Used To Know”), Bill Anderson (“Slippin’ Away”, “Once A Day”), Merle Haggard (“Somewhere Between”, “If I Left It Up To You”) and Harlan Howard (“I Wish That I Could Fall In Love Today” and, with Hank Cochran “I Fall To Pieces”). As with the Potter recordings, Mary’s musicians really know their country stuff and I would feel somewhat uncomfortable if I did not mention the sterling work of Bob Lucier (steel), Tyler Beckett (twin fiddles), Mel Acoin (piano, guitars, producer), Steve Piticco (guitars) and Todd Nolan (drums, bass). This really is one of those recordings you just want to play again and again enjoying “Satin Sheets”, “Under Your Spell Again”, “Pride”, “Touch My Heart”, “There Goes My Everything”, “Take Me To Your World”, “I’ll Be There” and “No Other Way” (written by Mary’s late husband Bobby). E-mail: camppromos@msn.com
Happy birthday on Monday to Loretta Lynn and on Tuesday to Roy Clark.
Remember there are stars in the southern sky.
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