A blues-influenced tour de force of resonator slide-guitar, Ray weaves the grit of the Mississippi Delta into a tapestry of poetic americana.

10 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Folk Blues, BLUES: Slide Guitar Blues



Details:
Peace Stream Records announces the May 22, 2007 release of LAST GREAT WINTER, Jeff Rayâs third and most compelling album to date. A blues-influenced tour de force of resonator slide-guitar, Ray weaves the grit of the Mississippi Delta into a tapestry of poetic americana.

Since the release of his rockinâ multi-instrumental 2004 sophomore release, JUNE GENERATION, Ray embarked on a life of touring solo from the Midwest to the South where he found the inspiration for LAST GREAT WINTER. Influenced by the Midwest resonator guitar scene, Ray picked up a National steel guitar and eventually landed opening slots for some of his biggest influences, including Chris Smither. Drawing from those performance experiences, Ray left behind the studio band and found his solo groove on LAST GREAT WINTER. On the album, he weaves his stylistic diversity with unmatched simplicity using only a resonator guitar, his voice, and a stomping foot that blends seamlessly into each song. Jeff reveals with great clarity his unique style that he calls Zen Blues - a style marked by alternate guitar tunings and songs that unsuspectingly shift between thumb-thumping slide-guitar ballads to worldly folk-inspired jams.

Ray even throws in a few surprises, including a bluesy rendition of Bob Dylanâs âMaggieâs Farmâ and a catchy version of Woody Guthrieâs timeless anthem âThis Land Is Your Landâ, one of the most surprising versions ever recorded. Originally a protest song, âThis Land Is Your Landâ eventually morphed into a childhood sing-along, stripped bare of itâs most controversial verses. But Ray returns this song to its original purpose and gives it new life by altering the melody, changing the rhythm, accentuating the forgotten verses, and even altering the final lines to give new meaning.

Jeff Ray continues to gain recognition as an emerging influence in the acoustic roots music scene. In 2007 and 2008, he will be touring extensively in support of LAST GREAT WINTER.