Highway of Life (Vettset, 2006)

At a time when most folks his age would be happy to collect Social Security, Claude Diamond is intent on a second career as a country musician. The Georgian has an easy going vocal style, and you get the sense this is music from the heart. When Diamond sings "Someone I need is you," he breathes a sense of reality into the lyrics.

Diamond mainly sticks to an easy going, mid-tempo delivery (the title track) on the 11 songs. Diamond picks up on the pace on "Dance With the Hurricane" He also changes direction by going for a catchy Zydeco beat ("Out on the Salt") and closes with a nice change of pace, "Bluesy Blues." Age maybe working against Diamond vocally, who recalls Kris Kristofferson. Diamond is sometimes slightly pitchy and a bit limited when he reaches for notes, instead of staying within his range. Doing so would have made this album even better.

Definitely a home grown project from an artist who is doing music on his terms without any real aspirations of going big time ("Nashville Train" underscores that), but chasing one's muse sometimes pays off. Here it does. (Vettset Music, Box 877, Braselton, GA 30517)