Soulful acoustic folk with a touch of blues

11 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Folk Blues, BLUES: Acoustic Blues



Details:
Thanks for checking out my CD! The original songs on this CD come from decades of occasional song writing but all from recent recordings. After several years of performing solo, (singing with acoustic guitar and harmonica) I put together the songs for When I Wrote To Before. This is my debut CD project finished in March 2005. With its blues ballads and cross picking folk tunes this CD is a representation of my live performances (I'm usually found on the Skyline Drive in Virginia at Big Meadows Lodge or Skyland Resort).

I started writing songs in the late 70's but put my music on the back burner for years while in the military. It wasn't until 1998 that I started performing. My early writing influences include John Prine, Mike Cross, Steve Forbert, and Neil Young.

When I Wrote to You Before, consists of 8 songs written over the last 3 decades with 3 covers that have always been my favorite to perform.

1.Shenandoah Lady - written in 1987 when I moved to the Shenandoah valley of Virginia. In the valley where my wife grew up I quickly fell in love with the mountain views and found it easy to feel at home here.

2.Paradise - My version of a John Prine classic, performed with a rhythmic pick and hammer cross picking style guitar.

3.Freight Train Song - co-written with J.P. Short of Fairfax Va. This was a combination of lyrics from both of us for the same idea. A hobo blues tune for anyone that has spent time walking the rails singing train songs.

4.Bad Dream - recorded in 2004, this is a live studio recording with Leo J. Bailey on slide dobro. It was kind of a last minute request for Leo to perform on this song but he came through with excellent slide and chimes that anchored the blues feel of this song. Recorded and produced by Blue at Sanity Check Musec Inc.

5.Burglar Man - With pick and hammer cross picking guitar this is my version of this 1920's folk classic.

6.Watchclock Life - At age 17 and after a couple of weeks on my first job I wrote this song dreading long days of work and dreaming of just hitting the road with my guitar. Recorded and produced by Bill Cardwell in Front Royal Va.

7.Wings of an Angel - from a poem by Mary Barnett (2004) written for the love and sorrow for her lost grandmother.

8. Dare to Call That Love - my most recent blues ballad from Feb 2005 this song digs deep, too deep to write about here.

9. Old Cross Road - An old gospel tune usually covered by bluegrass artist. This is my favorite to play my pick and hammer style guitar on. The harmonica blended so well with the guitar style that I had to add this to the project.

10. Need You So - Written in 1999 as an anniversary song for my wife. This song has an upbeat pop rhythm and different sound from the rest of the songs on this CD. Recorded and produced by Bill Cardwell Front Royal Va.

11. Transatlantic Railroad Company - A rockabilly freight train shuffle with a wailing train whistle harp blowing on an imaginary train ride. A ride that my grandfather may have taken during a few hobo years in the late 30's.