Johnny Bush records new CD, Willie Nelson, Ray Price help
Monday, March 24, 2008 – Texas honky tonker Johnny Bush announced plans to release a new disc, "Young at Heart," on friend Willie Nelson's label in mid-summer.
The disc by Bush, best known for writing "Whiskey River," features Nelson and Ray Price and the most current recordings by the late Calvin Owens.
"Young at Heart" is the follow-up release to his acclaimed "Kashmere Gardens Mud" (2007), which featured historic parallels between Bush's 55-year career and the east end Houston neighborhood.
Owens arranged two tracks for the album, "Whiskey River" and "Free Soul." "Whiskey River" is Calvin's last recorded arrangement. He also provided he trumpet solos on three songs.
Other guests on include arrangers Paul English, Nelson Mills (ex-Archie Bell & the Drells) and musicians Buddy Emmons (inventor of the steel guitar), Leon Rhodes (ex-Ernest Tubb) on guitar and Harry Sheppard, the vibraphonist who played with Billie Holiday.
Songs include Bush, Nelson and Price singing "Young at Heart" and Nelson and Bush duets on "September in the Rain" (Sinatra) and "Walking the Floor Over You" (Tubb). Other tracks include "That's All There is To That" (Nat King Cole), "Whiskey River" (Bush), "Soft Rain" (Price), "Will You Remember Mine (Nelson), "Summer of Roses/December Day" (Nelson), "Free Soul" (Nelson), "Worried Mind" (Ray Charles) and "You Don't Know Me" (Cindy Walker).
The album is being co-produced by Bush, Nelson and Andy Bradley and will be released on Nelson's label, Pedernales Records.
CD reviews for Johnny Bush
Kashmere Gardens Mud: A Tribute to Houston's Country Soul
"Nothing good ever grew in Kashmere Gardens," poignantly pours Johnny Bush about the disheveled Houston neighborhood from his youth. "Only bitter weeds and flowers of despair," he reluctantly affirms in the autobiographical yearning of "Kashmere Gardens Mud." Ably assisted by former Houston Chronicle music writer Rick Mitchell, last year Johnny Bush authored and an autobiography. And they also collected songs typifying the Houston country tradition that gave rise to »»» |
Honkytonic
Johnny Bush is teaching a whole new generation of listeners how to respect honky-tonk songs. Here, he even lets a few play along. Independent Texas singer-songwriters Tommy Alverson, Kevin Fowler, Stephanie Urbina Jones and Matt Martindale of Cooder Graw duet with Bush. As does old friend Willie Nelson on either the umpteenth version of Bush's moneymaker "Whiskey River."
Since getting voice problems under control, Bush has also recorded with Dale Watson and Cornell Hurd on their own CDs, and »»» |
Green Snakes
If a common thread can be found on Johnny Bush's latest, it would be the honky-tonk numbers that bring a crowd out onto a Texas dance floor just about every time. As a result, Bush eschews original material this time out in favor of classic two-steppers like Jerry Irby's "Driving Nails (In My Coffin)," as well as excursions into Tex-Mex ("Dos Tacos"), balladry (George Strait's 1993 hit "When Did You Stop Loving Me"), Texas shuffles (Ray Price's "I Wish That I Could Fall In Love Today") and even a »»» |
Editorial: A fine night for Taylor Swift –
Taylor Swift's showing at the Country Music Association awards Wednesday night was no surprise. In some respects, it was invigorating to see someone who was not male and not around umpteen years like some of her male counterparts take home the biggest prize of the night, entertainer of the year. »»»
Concert Review: Radney Foster sparks a revival –
Radney Foster told fans that he came home from the University of the South one weekend early in his college career and told his parents in the wee hours of the morning that he wanted to quit college and head to Nashville to pursue a music career. His parents agreed...fortunately.
Three decades later, that resulted in Foster playing songs on this... »»»
Concert Review: Neko Case overcomes obstacles –
The opening of Neko Case's show was unusual to say the least. "I'm angry right now," said the red head. "We just had a big fight with the promoter. We're going to sing weird, but we're actually very happy to be here."
Making quite clear that she was not a happy camper, Case still channeled her musical energies... »»»
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