The Second Album: This Is The Fun Stuff!!

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So, Chris Alexander(aka Mister Christopher), of "Why The Hell Not Music" comes to me and says, "We’re doing a big release party at the Warehouse on February 9th....wanna put out another CD?" I sorta had a few tracks leftover that didn’t go on the "25 Things" CD and a few other songs that I really wanted to record, so I said, "WHY THE HELL NOT?!!" Next, Derrell Stephens came in with a demo of some songs he was going to pitch up in Nashville. "Whatcha think?" he asked. I’m not much of a judge of country music, but I loved the production. "Ummm, where did you record those songs?" I asked.
Turns out, it’s a great little studio up in Nash, Texas (right outside of Texarkana...check my top friends for their site) called Smart Productions. Derrell (also in my top friends) put me in touch with them and time was booked! Next, I assembled the "A" team: Mark Griffith on lead guitar, Rick Willis on bass guitar, Jim Obrien on drums and Cookie Garner on background vocals and percussion. Our stalwart band headed north where we met Matt Whattley, who engineered, mixed and mastered 5 of the newer tracks on the CD. He seemed to really get what we were going for, and I believe he delivered!! So now the ALBUM IS OUT and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it!! ...This is the fun stuff!!

Giving Thanks and continuing the honeymoon...

The view out of our bedroom at The Blue Moon in Franklin, TN...

25 Things

I'm now featuring four songs on my site, www.myspace.com/dangarner and on www.myspace.com/25things, straight from my new CD, 25 Things. Hope you enjoy them!!

I can't believe the incredible job that "Why The Hell Not? Records", Chris Alexander did with the music I gave him, but finally after about 3 years I'm putting out a new CD called "25 Things" and I'm very happy about it.

There are still so many songs that couldn't be included this go round, but maybe I can get around to those more quickly since Chris made this a very non-traumatic experience.

The art/photography was done by my good friend J.K. Potter and the musicians involved are some of my favorites!!

I'm even set up with an online account that you can order directly from....click here to buy my CD.modern technology never ceases to amaze me.
Don't forget to check out the CD Release party this Saturday, February 24th (see details below) I'm going to kick it off with a short set at 8:pm...Other great music will follow on my heels as I head out to my gig at Lee's with Cookie and The Kingcakes!!

Ten Days Out (of control)

Boss Cotton came by the other day with the new CD/DVD release of hometown boy made good, Kenny
Wayne Shepherd, "Ten Days Out", which is a must see for any true blues fan...visually it's stunning and there is some terrific footage of some of the greats (and late greats...Gatemouth Brown, for instance) as well as other Shreveport homeboys, Buddy Flett, Joe Nadeau (he's a yankee, but he's been here long enough for us to claim him) and Jimmy Wallace. You can even spot Donny Opperman doing sound in the Kansas City church/studio. The actual sound production (done by an ex-Talking Head) was exquisite and the grand finale, featuring Howling Wolf's band AND Muddy Waters' band was the crowning touch. The B.B. King performance footage was also breath----taking. This was a wonderful idea and the folks who put this together are to be commended. I joked about doing my own DVD...Ten Days Out Of It...about all my near brushes with some of the greats. As I watched the film unfold I started thinking back on some of the folks I met, traveling around with Jesse Thomas on the blues circuit. I dug through a little photo album I keep on a shelf and found a few shots, posted here...yep, there was a teenage Kenny Wayne playing with me and Jesse at "Tommy's Place" back when Tommy was still alive...this photo was used on Kenny's first CD, "Leadbetter Heights" (they cut my head out of the shot) and there's Honey Boy Edwards telling the "Robert Johnson in the field, barking on all fours" story, from when we played at the Eureka Springs blues fest...off camera is Po' Henry Dorsey. Henry Gray played right before Jesse and Me on the old Fais-Do-Do Stage at Jazz Fest in New Orleans (before the Racetrack burned down) and right before we went on, Henry pulled out a bottle of whiskey from his inside tux pocket (he doesn't drink anymore) and offered me a swig....I said "Yes, thank you," to Howling Wolf's piano player. Jeff Healey played right before us at the Long Beach Blues festival and afterwards borrowed my guitar while we were jamming with Jack Owens and Bud Spires. I met John Lee Hooker, Pop Staples, Bo Diddley, Junior Parker and Diamond Teeth Mary there as well. She's the one being wheeled away in the Jeff Healey photo. I also tossed in the shot of John Mayall...this was from Eureka Springs. I was just a kid back then (only 40) and Jesse looks like a kid, as well...these were all magic moments. I suspect Kenny Wayne feels the same way. If you get a chance I would highly recommend everyone doing their own Ten Days Out!!

Jesse Thomas Came To Mind...

These images are by Stan Carpenter.
The 1st is from the Keatchie Folk Festival, circa 1992. The 2nd is from New Orleans Jazz Fest, circa 1993.
Charles Chamberlain called from The Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans and wants to include Jesse in an exhibit of Louisiana Blues legends. Sounds fitting to me.

Louisiana Dan: The Highbrow...

...I forgot that I once performed with the symphony. You can check it out by clicking on the image.

Mustang Sally...

...is an all woman band from Nashville that is currently playing at Sam's Town Casino, here in Shreveport, LA through this Sunday. I've got to try to go see them because their lead player is Lynn Campbell, one of the best blues guitarist you'll ever meet, not to mention an incredible vocalist and songwriter. She's gorgeous, too! She hails from New Zealand and spent some time here in Shreveport playing with a number of bands, as well as fronting a few (Lynn Campbell and the Dashboard Saints and Lynn Campbell and Campbell Soup come to mind) and here is a shot of Lynn (in the middle) along with Dr. Cookie and me at The Noble Savage. We worked briefly as a trio and would use Lynn as a gun for hire in a couple of bands that we ran through the casinos, down here. We even did blues festivals and made television appearances together in New Orleans. If she comes touring through your neighborhood, I highly recommend that you check her out!!

A nice bit of PR from a music mentor, Bill Bush...

Thanks Bill....