The perfect album for a beer drinking country music fan.

13 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Country Pop, COUNTRY: Country Rock



Details:
Pop a tall cold one and kick back with some real country sounds. Johnny and the Bootleggers bring it to you hardcore and natural, with a distinctive acoustic sound and a twang straight from the backwoods of West Virginia. Ranging from intensely personal ballads to dark country noir to good-time "beer drinking" anthems, these songs will have you laughing, crying, and thinkin' about home. The songwriting is phenomenal-the lyrics are emotive and honest, and the melodies will seep into your soul like a sweet sip of white lightning.

The Tailgaters album is a result of the collective efforts of a guitar student (John Alkire) and his instructor (Brian Delaney). Upon being given a pawnshop guitar for Christmas from his wife in 1999, John began taking guitar lessons in Ann Arbor, Michigan from Brian Delaney. John had never played a lick, never sang in a band and had never written a melodic phrase. John began writing songs for kicks in 2000.

Brian Delaney, however, has had a long history playing guitar in the greater Detroit music scene. Some of his work includes gigging and recording with Detroit rock luminary Scott Morgan, roadwork with Dark Carnival, which featured Stooges Ron And Scott Ashton, power pop ensembles The Faith
Healers, May Pops and Kiss Me Screaming, folk rockers Five Ton Creek, Dick Siegel, the Embassy Hotel Orchestra, and the Jim Roll Band, and jazz outfits the Royal GardenTrio and Summers, Delaney & Sharp.

In January of 2001, Brian advised John he would no longer be conducting guitar lessons as he planned to pursue Gypsy Jazz Guitar. It was at this point John asked Brian if he could play for him a couple of songs he had written. John proceeded to stumble through the few chords he knew and sing the two songs “Bartender” and “Reaper and the Rabbit”. Brian asked John if had thought about recording the songs. John responded that he wouldn’t know where to start and the only musician he knows is…well…Brian. Brian responded that he could help John produce and record the songs. The two went on to record in Brian’s basement, in Ann Arbor Michigan, the thirteen songs currently available on Johnny and the Bootleggers, Tailgaters album. Additional musicians were later recruited and the album was produced and mixed in Gene Fiero’s Single Sound Recording Studio.

Strangely enough, the combination and chemistry of an established musician and his student were ideal. Their work resulted in the creation of a country album that is not typical of the Nashville sound, but it lends itself to the ear of any average Joe. The collaboration of music and lyrics is interesting. Lyrically, the album was written with a rural, blue collar, redneck theme. The album was intended to be poetic while still lending itself to the country music soul. John’s rural raising in West Virginia where drinking beer, young love, broken hearts, friendship, and a “bit” of bar fighting are reflected in the lyrics.

Instrumentally, the guitar playing is superb and Brian’s talents are showcased and echoed throughout the album. The recording is a mix of styles and guitars Brian has collected over the years, from great old acoustic flat tops to Fender Telecasters to an old Gretsch Banjo Uke". Brian let his musical imagination run wild with the frameworks of John's songs.

Some of Brian's influences include rock guitarsts Brian May, Jimmy Page, Big Al of NRBQ, Cub Koda of Brownsville Station, World-Roots players Ry Cooder and David Lindley, Jazz Guitarists Django Reinhardt, Joe Summers and Eddie
Lang.

John’s influences come from a number of musicians and bands: Rolling Stones, Chet Atkins, Clash, Eagles, Johnny Cash, Mark Knopfler, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr., John Prine, and Marty Stuart.