14 Song cd that brings alive the old west, with tales of ghost towns, trains and outlaws. In the songwriting tradition of Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash.

14 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Country Folk, COUNTRY: Western



Details:
CARL WIRKKALA
Ghost Town

In a country scene overflowing with pop crossover drivel and squished-up cowboy hat posers, Carl Wirkkalaâs authentic odes to the common man renew oneâs faith in simple, homespun melodies. His first release, Ghost Town (2004) is an instant classic, evoking country outlaws like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. Throw in the storytelling prowess of Guthrie, Dylan and Springsteen, and you have the recipe for timeless tunes that donât rely on trends, gloss or pointless overproduction. Instead we are treated to honest portraits of the American experience, from a bank robberâs getaway reflections in âBorderlineâ to the gritty realism of âGun Fighterâs Last Ride.â

Carlâs music reflects, among other things, his small town roots, his timber industry background, his love of the old west, his devotion to his family, and his faith in God. There isnât a word or note in any of his songs that rings hollow.

Many of Ghost Townâs characters are searchers, like those in âLooking for a cityâ and âGhost Town,â always looking over the horizon for a better way. Others are deeply rooted to place, work, and faith. For example, âRigging Manâ paints a picture of life as a logger, while âShining Throughâ speaks to the unbending power of Christâs message. Carl even lends his distinctive voice to two classics, âSweet By and Byâ and âKnockinâ on Heavenâs Door.â One of Ghost Townâs most moving cuts is âThe Innkeeper,â where Carl envisions the story of Jesusâ birth through the eyes of the innkeeper who turned Mary and Joseph away.

If you enjoy an authentic Country sound delivered by a bona fide workingman, check out Ghost Town. You wonât be disappointed.

Jim K. Cooper 2006


Contact Carl at www.deafjimrecords.com
or cdwirkkala@msn.com