Month: December 2010

  • Stone River Boys

    Stone River Boys

    Stone River BoysThe Stone River Boys feature Dave Gonzalez (formerly of the Hacienda Brothers and Paladins) and Mike Barfield (ex-Hollisters), and given the band’s pedigree, it’s no wonder this is surprising stuff; equal parts Buck Owens and James Brown, one could call it country-soul.

    There’s plenty of honky-tonk to go around. Cuts like “Bluebonnet Blue” and “Think I’m Gonna Make It” are straight-ahead country with twangin’ guitars from Gonzalez and fabulous pedal steel from Dave Biller. But you also get a cover of the Tyrone Davis soul classic “Can I Change My Mind” as well as soul originals like “Love’s Gonna Make It,” and the funky-as-you-wanna-be “Boomerang.” Amazingly, no matter what style or mix of styles the band does, it’s wonderful. Barfield’s vocals set a perfect tone, whether serving up Chicago soul or Bakersfield country. Gonzalez’s guitars are all over the place. Whether the song calls for silky soul rhythms or twangy baritone sounds, he gets the job done. Special notice should be given to Biller, who makes his parts fit even when a tune sounds like it should have sliding double-stops a la Philly soul.

    Love on the Dial is one of those truly unique records that delivers a true, full music-listening experience – great songs, great playing, and a fantastic mix of American “pop” music.

    This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • Jimmie Vaughan

    Jimmie Vaughan

    Jimmie and brother Stevie Ray thankfully recorded a duo album before tragedy struck in the form of a helicopter accident that took SRV’s life in 1990. It was four years before the elder Vaughan emerged with a solo CD. The bold Strange Pleasure mixed blues with smooth soul, gospel, old-time rock and roll, and even flamenco. But his subsequent efforts, Out There and Do You Get The Blues?, were less successful, as he searched to find his voice, both vocally and compositionally.

    Whereas most all-cover albums are a means to buy time while trying to come up with new material, in Vaughan’s case it’s really a return to his original vision of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the blues band he led for 15 years. A decade before

    they crossed over to rock audiences with Kim Wilson’s “Tuff Enuff,” they shook up the blues world by mining the less traveled corners of the blues repertoire – and, of course, just kicking ass.

    On his first album in nine years, Vaughan covers some tried-and-true warhorses – from Little Richard, Willie Nelson, Roscoe Gordon, and even Don & Dewey’s “Leaving It Up To You,” which was a hit by Freddy Fender and even Donny and Marie Osmond – as well as lesserknown tunes by Johnny Ace and Jimmy Reed. The latter, “Come Love,” introduces a long-hidden Vaughan talent in some great, first-position harmonica blowing. And Vaughan even revisits Lonnie “Guitar Junior” Brooks’ “Roll, Roll, Roll” – rivaling the TBirds’ Butt Rockin’ rendition.

    Throughout, Vaughan puts his stamp on the proceedings with his swamp-pop sting. As ever, he is a study in economy, saying more with less, though he ventures into the T-Bone Walker end of jazz with “Blues For Sale,” from Billy Eckstine’s catalog. His horn-driven original instrumental “Comin’ & Goin’” leans more towards Mickey Baker.

    In addition to three duets with longtime associate Lou Ann Barton, he gives Miss Lou Ann the floor for solo readings of Little Richard’s “Send Me Some Lovin’” and LaVern Baker’s “Wheel Of Fortune,” and does likewise with organist Bill Willis, whose smooth reading injects new life into Willie Nelson’s “Funny How Time Slips Away.”

     But when Vaughan is center-stage, his singing sounds more relaxed than ever. This may be familiar territory, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

    This article originally appeared in VG’s Sept. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

  • Astronauts’ Guitarist Bob Demmon Passes

    Bob Demmon, guitarist in the Colorado-based surf band The Astronauts, died December 18. He was 71. In addition to being a successful surf band from a landlocked state, the Astronauts were known for their matching outfits and matching Fender guitars. In 1963, they had a hit with the instrumental "Baja." Demmon switched to bass in latter incarnations of the band, and was a longtime music teacher at Coronado (CA) High School before he retired. Demmon was interviewed in the May ’97 issue of <em>Vintage Guitar</em>.

  • Philanthropists Adopt Music-Education Programs

    More than 100 supporters of music education gathered at the Hummingbird Nest Ranch this month for a private fundraiser, where they adopted 12 music programs from across the United States. The programs ranged from school music classrooms to music therapy programs. "Adopt a Music Program. Save a Life," raised almost $30,000 to be distributed in the form of musical instruments to the following programs:

    · The Recreation Therapy Department’s music therapy program at TriHealth SeniorLink in Cincinnati
    · The Guitar Heroes Enrichment Cluster at Arlington Elementary and Middle School in Baltimore
    · The music program for the residents of Holy Family Social Services in Pittsburgh
    · The music program for students with special needs in Newfield Central Schools in Newfield, N.Y.
    · The music class of Detroit Premier Academy in Detroit
    · The Musical Strings Alternative at YMCA of the Suncoast in Clearwater, Fla.
    · The guitar program at Western Valley Middle School in Phoenix
    · The beginning guitar class at Pomona High School in Pomona, Calif.
    · The music class at St. Rose Elementary School in St. Rose, La.
    · Voices Together, a music therapy program in Chapel Hill, N.C., for individuals with developmental disabilities
    · The music program at Creative Planet, which houses more than 90 children from the Los Angeles metropolitan area
    · Tacolcy, an Artspring music program created to reach at-risk youth in South Florida

    The selected programs were chosen based on their applications. To be eligible, programs needed to demonstrate they not only taught music to those who would otherwise not have the opportunity, but also they were committed to the ongoing success of their program.

    "There are so many people out there who don’t have the opportunity to learn how to make music. What a gift it is that we can help 12 amazing programs grow so they can reach more people," said Executive Director Moriah Harris-Rodger. "If we can save one life, it’s all worth it."

    Donors included guitarist John 5, as well as the Give Music Life Club from Tesoro High School in Las Flores, Calif. The club’s founders, Connor Cushman and Evan Goldman, both presented their $5,000 check to adopt Voices Together at the event. The high school club raised the donation at a fundraiser of their own.

    "This event was hugely successful due to the collective board efforts, but mainly because of the generosity and passion of our friends and donors. Because of them, we will have the opportunity to enrich hundreds of lives with music," said Board Member Laurel Kaufman.

    To learn more, visit fendermusicfoundation.org/

  • Engl Launches Smolski, GigMaster Amps

    The Engl Victor Smolski Limited Edition amplifier produces 100 watts output using 6L6 tubes and has controls for Volume and Gain on each of its four channels, as well as Middle-voiced switching, effects loop, noise gate and Engl’s Electronic Power Tube Monitoring system (P.T.M.). Engl’s GigMaster E 315 Head and E 310 combo have two channels and produce 15 watts output using EL84 tubes. They have a Mid Boost, effects loop, built-in power soak, and a Line Out with speaker simulation.

    For more, visit engl-amps.com.

  • Traveler EG-2 Escape

    The Traveler Escape EG-2 is a 25 ½"-scale electric guitar with a maple neck and maple fretboard. At 29 ½" long, the EG-2 stows easily in airline overhead compartments and weighs less than five pounds. Its two single-coil pickups feed into a built-in Pocket RockIt headphone amplifier. Controls include Tone and Volume knobs and a 3-way pickup selector. Learn more at travelerguitar.com.

  • Slash to Join Ozzy On Tour

    Slalsh will join Ozzy Osbourne for a five-week U.S. arena tour beginning January 16 in Omaha and wrapping February 22 in Jacksonville. For the trek with his bandmates Myles Kennedy (lead vocals), Bobby Schneck (rhythm guitar), Todd Kerns (bass) and Brent Fitz (drums), Slash will pull songs from his first-ever true solo album (Dik Hayd Records via EMI Label Services), a certain selection of Guns N’ Roses tunes, a little Velvet Revolver, and even some Snakepit gems.

    In April, the guitarist and songwriter released the acclaimed <em>Slash</em> which debuted on the Billboard Top 200 chart at #3 (#1 on the Rock chart, #1 on the Independent chart, and #1 on the Hard Music chart). Digitally, the album also became the #1 overall digital album and hit #1 on iTunes in 13 countries. Internationally, the disc achieved Top 5 chart positions on over a dozen major territories, hitting #1 in both Japan and New Zealand. The 14-song disc features collaborations with vocalists from Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Ian Astbury, Lemmy Kilmister, Chris Cornell, Rocco DeLuca, Dave Grohl, Myles Kennedy, Kid Rock, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Duff McKagan, M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, and Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother.

    The current single and video for the song "Beautiful Dangerous" features Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas.

    Learn more at slashonline.com.

  • Sheptone Releases Tele Pickups

    Sheptone’s latest pickups are based on designs from the Fender Telecaster. The bridge pickup is wound using #42 enamel wire with a standard resistance set of 7.6K, and the neck to 7.3K with #43 enamel wire. Alnico V magnets are standard, with Alnico II magnets available as an option. Both are wound to eliminate large differences in output volume between them. The neck pickup is reverse-wound and reverse-polarized, to eliminate noise, then potted upside-down to eliminate squeal. To further reduce feedback, the bridge pickup is potted in wax, as well.

    For more, go to sheptone.com.

  • Cusack Effects Announces Tap-A-Delay

    The Tap-A-Delay mixes analog signal with the delayed signal, using controls including Level, Mix, Feedback, and Delay. Delay time can be set to up to 750mS. Its housing has the company’s Tap-A-Delay, with its modified Brake Mode when holding the Tap Speed switch. When using this function, the Delay Time can stay where it left off, snap back to where it was, or slowly slide back to where it was.

    Additional Features include eight-position Modulation that selects themes, an internal Brightness pot that adjusts the tone of the repeats, and the Cusack Tap Tempo Port, an RCA jack that allows multiple pedals to share the signal.

    Check it out at cusackeffects.com.

  • Gibson Releases Clapton "Beano Burst"

    The Gibson Custom Shop Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul has been created with the close cooperation of Clapton, and closely referencing photographs. The result represents what Clapton personally feels his 1960 Les Paul should be. Every component in the build-including grain pattern and finish color, neck profile and feel, pickups, and more-has been approved by Clapton through several iterations from Gibson Custom so the guitar comes as close as possible to recreating the ’60 Burst as it exists today in the mind of this legendary artist.

    The guitar will be produced in restricted numbers: 55 will be hand-aged by finishing expert Tom Murphy, and signed by Clapton (Clapton is keeping the first five). A further 95 guitars will be Murphy-aged, and 350 guitars will be finished with Gibson’s Vintage Original Spec (VOS) treatment. All 500 have a subtly figured maple top with Antiquity Burst finish, period-correct hardware (including Clapton’s own upgrade to Grover tuners), and two of Gibson’s finest reproduction PAF-style humbucking pickups.

    It also has a one-piece mahogany back with carved maple top, thinner neck profile, rosewood fingerboard with pearloid inlays, custom-made Custom Bucker pickup. Learn more at gibson.com.