All the stops are out on this one, 12 tracks of dancin', drivin', backyard barbecuin' music. It's a party from beginning to end.

12 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Roots Rock, ROCK: Americana



Details:
Madison, Wisconsin, May 2, 2006âThe Midwesterners, long-haul roots rockers from Madison, are celebrating the release of their third CD, Ridinâ With Chuck. A performance at The Harmony Bar on May 13th will mark the official release of this 12-song CD, and the satisfying completion of a musical project that almost died. Literally!
Almost one year ago, just after basic tracks had been laid down, but with dubbing and mixing still ahead, songwriter and band leader Richard Wiegel suffered a severe heart attack. Thanks to great medical care, Richard survived. And thanks to the help of family and friends, plus the support of the Madison musical community, he has been able to recover and put the finishing touches to Ridinâ With Chuck.
Call it âAmericanaâ if you need to put a handle on the music, because the songs are certainly steeped in American musical traditions. The Midwesterners have earned a reputation for rollicking, twangy performances, but on this latest album, they pull out all the stops, from the opening manifesto, Keep The Dance Floor Full, to the full-throttle closer, Keep Your Motor Oiled. This is definitely NOT background music.
When Richard sat down to write some new songs, âthe first one that came out was Ridinâ With Chuck. There were these other âRidinâ Withâ¦â tributes to B.B. King and Bob Wills, and I thought it was time for an homage to Chuck Berry. Heâs been a huge influence on me and a lot of other guitar players. Then I realized that I had all these ideas for songs about cars and guitars. I added some newer songs and the pieces started to fall into place.â All songs on the CD are originals, except for a cover of the Chuck Berry classic, You Never Can Tell.
Given the special circumstances, completion of this musical project is especially satisfying for The Midwesterners. âIt feels great to get back to these songs and get them out,â says Wiegel. âYou sort of expect to find some things standing in your way when youâre trying to get a record out, but not a heart attack. Itâs still just a small victory, but now feels a little bigger.â
Rockzilla World has described Wiegel as âone of the best songwriters in this genre.â Vintage Guitar says âfans of roots rock, Americana, country/hillbilly/rockabilly and cool guitar tones will find plenty to enjoy,â on Pretty Little Town, second CD from The Midwesterners.

For more information contact Richard Wiegel at 608-255-0554, by e-mail at richardinmad@mailbag.com or visit www.TheMidwesterners.com.
The Midwesterners are: Richard Wiegel (guitars, vocals), Mark Haines (drums),
Ernie Conner (guitars, vocals) Tom McCarty (upright bass).
Special guest on Ridinâ With Chuck: John Chimes (piano).