Once again I've completed a new album. I usually shun this kind of thing, but you folks here wanted to know when I released the last one 3 years ago. It's called "Cowboy Americana" & it's a project that has been on my mind for 20 years. It's a mixture of some of my favorite cowboy tunes & American folk songs.
Here's the release notes:
quote:
I have been playing & singing many of the songs on this album for most of my adult life. I garnered an appreciation of historical songs & the West as a child growing up in Nebraska. Time spent in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, & Colorado cemented the importance of the people of the West & the frontier - cowboys, mountain men, pioneers, scoundrels, gun men, scouts, warriors, & many others. I spent a great deal of time researching songs of the West at many times in my life for many reasons. I've spent so many nights around different campfires with many old friends & many guitars - sharing quiet moments, funny stories, & songs from all over the world. I feel that these songs own me as much as I own them. Some of them have been the soundtrack to my life - weaving in & out over the years at joyous moments & sad ones too.
I began this album really to answer all the requests for a cowboy album that I've had over the past 20 years, but it became much more than that as I spent time getting to know it in the studio. You see, I just couldn't let it be. I had to make it reflect all the richness of life that I feel in the West. So I included a few Americana songs that could have just as well been known & sung by any cowboy on the open range in the 1870's. God knows that our knowledge of history is not anywhere accurate to the real thoughts & occurrences that most of these folks had.
So this album is a mixture of real & mythic cowboy & Americana songs. The cowboy is many things to our culture & collective consciousness - adventurer, dreamer, loner, rugged sage. The West is still such a mythic spiritual frontier full of limitless opportunity - just as it was a physical frontier to our forebears. I offer up this celebration of the Old West to your inner frontiersman. May you dream big dreams full of spirit & fire.
If you'd like to hear some clips it's up on iTunes now or you can listen at CD Baby.
Good job Tom - I started doing “Back In The Saddle Again” a few months ago. It is surprising the response it gets. No cowboys here, just Shrimp herders and Blue Crab wranglers.
Just wonderful! You certainly have a nice rich voice and your phrasing is perfection. Your capture the true meaning of the songs as the writer intended. I remember Mariah many years ago as a young teen. I first heard it done by the Kingston Trio. I loved it the first time I heard it. Music is neither young or old....it just "is".
Tom, really nice tunes on your new CD. Thanks for all the good you bring to this forum and all the smiles you bring to your fans. All the best, Bob Marino
Posts: 22 | Location: New Jersey | Registered: Mon May 21 2007
I can only imagine the happiness and pride you have in putting out "Cowboy Americana". What a wonderful memory to have. Clearly the songs all have special meaning and a certain place in your many years of performing.
A very nice job with your accompanist in the studio. I'll be waiting for it to come back into stock at CD Baby. Best success with it.
I'm already a big member of your fan club and have enjoyed your cds a lot. I've heard the clips to the new project and look forward to getting a copy soon. Great songs sung and played by a great artist and nice guy.
Thanks for sharing your music with us.
My best, Rick
Posts: 306 | Location: South Georgia | Registered: Sat January 31 2004
