It’s
a “place called....Bakersfield.
Today,
MCA Nashville rolls out what could very well be the most important
album release of 2013 with the new effort from Vince Gill and Paul
Franklin called Bakersfield.
OK,
Einstein, you might be asking? Why is this album so important? Well,
let me tell you. The music from Nashville is very good these days –
maybe as diverse as ever. I’m not one who considers myself a doom
and gloomer that ‘Country Ain’t Country’ anymore. (Honestly, I
could do a blog about how Country Music has never been “Country
Music,” but I digress!)
But,
there is still something magical about the history of the business
for which I work in. And, to me, nothing stands apart more than the
era of Country Music so richly defined by acts like Buck Owens and
Merle Haggard. It was Country Music...in technicolor. The guitars
were a little twangier, and so were the vocals. The harmony was so
richly (a play on words as a tribute to Don Rich!) defined on those
great Capitol Records that featured the name of Owens. And, let’s
face it, Merle Haggard was....and is the best singer-songwriter that
has ever come down the pike. Just like with a Don Rich telecaster
riff, when you heard the Strangers kick off a Haggard record – you
knew. Whether it was crusiing down the four lane, or Saturday night
in a club, the Bakersfield sound just made you feel good.
That’s
why this album is so important from a musical and historical level.
What we are doing now is great, This and deserves to be celebrated.
But, there’s an old saying that says ‘To know where you’re
going,you’ve gotta know where you’ve been.’ Preach it,
brothers! This music deserves to be heard by the masses, and kudos to
the artists and the label for releasing it. It would have been just
as easy for Vince Gill to have released a contemporary album in hopes
of getting airplay – which would likely sound amazing as it would
have been for MCA to turn this project away at the door. But, label
head Mike Dungan and staff didn’t do that.
Instead,
fans can head to the store – or click online today, and be taken
back in time. And, that’s a good thing, because people need to know
this music – and the artists who made it breathe. Bakersfield.
Vince Gill & Paul Franklin. Add it to your collection today! I
plan on buying a copy – even though I have one. It’s THAT
important.
So,
why are you still reading this? Seriously, it’s that good!
