Album Notes

"License to Twang" - Jinx Jones: A blazin' instrumental from a master of the six strings. Jinx studied under the legendary Roy Buchanan who could also make one guitar sound like three. www.jinxjones.com

"Big Red Truck" - Jenny Kerr Band: A truck drivin' classic-in-waiting. Get outta its way! Jenny, Philbilly and the boys are popular in Europe where every summer they play festivals for tens of thousands. www.jennykerr.com

"Helicopter" - Richard March: A C/W song that uses the view from a helicopter as metaphor for life's misgivings. Go figure. Imagery is a big part of Richard's songs which tend to paint pictures as their stories unfold. www.richardmarch.com

"Hurricane" - Kitty Rose: A growin' up in Texas song like no other. This was originally an alt-rock song, but when Miss Kitty went country, it came along for the ride. www.kittyrose4country.com

"Dreaming" - Shut-Ins: Hawaiian-influenced hillbilly music ("Hulabilly") meets the '80s band Blondie. Too cool for school. www.theshutins.com

"Gone to Stay" - Loretta Lynch: Originally a Freakwater tune, this band of urban twangers almost goes gospel on this effort to set a record straight. Abandon a stereotype, all ye who enter here. www.lorettalynch.com

"I'll Match You" - Tom Armstrong: Tom's brand of "crunchy" country recalls Bakersfield of the early '60s when players like Buck Owens, Red Simpson and Wynn Stewart, who Merle Haggard listened to, made their music. www.tomarmstrongmusic.com www.tomarmstrongmusic.com

"This Property's Condemned" - Red Meat: With three lead singers and three CDs, one song can't do Red Meat justice. But for a gritty little love-gone-bad song, "Here comes the wrecking ball..." www.redmeat.net

"Evil Six" - The Chop Tops: This is one of the most versatile rockabilly bands anywhere. Their rockabilly is a base for diversions into vintage rock, blues, psychobilly or even spaghetti western tracks like this. www.thechoptops.com

"This Record Sucks" - 77 el Deora: Haven't you always wanted a song about a song that sucks? 77 el Deora features a strong lead singer and a Telecaster, and knows how to use 'em. www.western-independent.com/77eldeora

"Holdin' Back" - The Cowlicks: Rompin', stompin' twang from 2004's California Music Award (country) winners. www.thecowlicks.com

"Behind the Bleachers" - The Mother Truckers: Teal Collins sings the lights out on this I-won't-get-fooled-again song. Are the MTs a twang band that rocks or a rock band that twangs? Actually, they're an into-breaking-new-ground band. www.themothertruckers.com

"My Mama Told Me" - Cari Lee and the Saddle-ites: Momma cautions daughter. Daughter grows up. Teaches her daughter the opposite! CL and the Saddle-ites are equally at home with western swing, honky-tonk, blues or a touch of torch. www.saddle-ites.com

"Comin' on Through" - Johnny Dilks and the Visitacion Valley Boys: Our hero decides to take on the bully who stole his gal only to learn about diminished expectations the very hard way. From Acres of Heartaches on Hightone. www.johnnydilks.com, www.hightone.com

"Baby That's Alright" - Tom Huebner: This veteran of Caribbean music found himself with a bunch of country songs, a twanging band, and on Highway 43 to Hicksville. www.camelrecords.net/thuebner.html

"Pacific Time" - Valerie Jay and the Americanos: Originally a singer-songwriter, Valerie has blended a twangin' sound that's influenced by singers like Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and k.d. lang. www.valerie4music.com

"Forever and a Day" - The Bootcuts: Hear them wind up their power-gal harmony machine on this one. With three lead singers, this band brings a wealth of vocal "looks." www.bootcuts.com

"Grandaddy" - A.J. Roach: This award-winning song is based on the true story of AJ's grandfather's sidelines in counterfeiting five-cent pieces and making moonshine. "If he'd a-ever realized what he had back then..." www.ajroach.net

"Elvis Makes His Move" - Kay Wheeler: Every word of this is true. Kay, who was President of the first Elvis fan club, really did know him this well, and better. Even hard-core Elvis fans don't have this. www.kaywheeler.com

"Old Enough" - Dave Crimmen: Ahhh, the older guy, younger gal theme. This song was inspired by a wisecrack that was made during a visit to Buck Owens'Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. www.davecrimmen.com

"Older than Him" - Kathi Kamen Goldmark & Kathleen Enright Salvia: Ahhh, the older gal, younger guy theme. "Would he really care that I have underwear older than him?" Amy Tan (below) and other fun finds are on Kathi's label, "Don't Quit Your Day Job" Records. www.dqydj.com

"The New Drummer's Wife" - The Real Sippin' Whiskeys: Ahhh, the scoping out a bandmate's wife theme. The RSWs, a low-profile band, only does a few shows per year, but they've been playing for ten years and have a CD, but it's all a secret, so shhhh. realrobbiet@yahoo.com

"Doin' Well" - Audrey Auld: A tasty addition to the C/W tradition of "my way" songs. Audrey tours mainly as a solo twanger/songwriter, but her three CDs have full instrumentation and feature her pals who are fine musicians in their own right. www.recklessrecords.com

"If This Is Country Music (I Want My Old Job Back)" - Rusty Evans: Rusty takes on "new country," a.k.a., pop music with cowboy hats. This live track was sung from the stage of the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville during a Kitty Wells tribute. You tell 'em, Rusty! www.rockabillyhall.com/RustyEvans1.html

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" - Amy Tan: Best-selling author's (Joy Luck Club) whip-crackin' version of the Nancy Sinatra hit penned by Lee Hazelwood. From Stranger than Fiction, a two-CD compilation of music-minded authors. www.dqydj.com/prod15.htm