Dan May's debut CD, Once Was Red, hits the ground running and never looks back. From the bluegrass romp of "Lights Out in Tupelo" and the swampy drawl of "It Ain't You, to the hopeful urban longing of "Give It Up," May takes the listener on a ride that is chock-full of catchy melodies and lyrical storytelling, delivered in a vocal style that is as unique as it is memorable.
Singer-songwriter Dan May's career path has taken more twists and turns than a corkscrew in a hurricane. He's worked as a grave-digger, television cameraman, short-order cook, nuclear missile security guard, sold clothing in a big and tall men's store, driven an ice cream truck, delivered furniture, wrote feature stories for a daily newspaper, unloaded trucks at an amusement park, and labored in a greenhouse. All before the age of 25.
Then, while studying music composition in college, he inadvertently stumbled into an opera career that would see him singing with opera companies across the U.S. and Canada, and leaving a promising future as a singer-songwriter behind.
Cut to 15 years later, and a vocal-chord surgery that left him no longer able to meet the demands of opera. Talk about a blessing in disguise. He is now back where he belongs, writing and performing his own songs, delivered in a voice that is as unique as it is interesting.
Dan's debut CD, Once Was Red, (April 2005) features infectious pop melodies and clever lyrics that are sometimes tongue-in-cheek, sometimes filled with longing and loss, but always intelligent. All thirteen tracks are highlighted by beautiful layered harmonies, with melodies and lyrics that maintain their integrity from beginning to end. And one thing is for sure. It ain't opera.
Produced by Anthony Newett.
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