"Ten Winters & Ten Springs" is Tucson's Due West Trio's third CD and features a generous helping of 15 songs that bring the old west alive! The Trio's first CD (1999's "Old Cowboy Songs") is an impressive first effort, and serves to spread the music of The Due West Trio to Western Music fans. 2001's "Legends, Love Songs, & Lies" is a grand sequel with expanded instrumentation and production values that, in my opinion, results in one of the best albums of Western music ever along with its attractive artwork and song lyrics! Yes, I said EVER, and I mean it! Since I was sure that there could never be another album that equals "Legends, Love Songs & Lies", I wasn't sure what to expect when The Due West Trio's 2007 effort arrived in my mail box...but here is yet another collection of stunningly performed songs that took me to Western Music Heaven! The Trio's harmonies seem to get better and better, along with their mastery of many instruments. They sing convincingly of their love for the old west and its music while displaying natural, smooth, and impressive vocal and instrumental abilities. Rena Randall, without a doubt, IS the queen of Western Music; her vocals are smooth, warm, clear, natural, crisp, and, when appropriate, powerful. The songs vary in tempo and mood and provide a wonderfully entertaining listening experience! As in previous efforts there's a nice balance between the old (remember the forlorn Indian maiden "Red Wing", & the traditional western folk classic "Doney Gal", that I closely associate with The King of The Cowboys, Roy Rogers? and how about Gogi Grant's legendary massive 1950's hit, "The Wayward Wind" with its Due West Trio treatment that makes it fresh and all their own. There's a lot of compelling musical story telling here, too: "Old Adobe House", & "Pony Express". Impressive song writing originality is showcased by all three group members: Dave Gibson contributes "Drifting Back to Beaver" & "Dead Horses" while the group's second Dave (Bertoglio) contributes "What Happened at Red Rock" & "Houston's Desert Rose" and the prolific Rena Randall's contributions include "Make Me A Cowboy", "Old Cowboys", and the CD's opening tune, the uptempo and exciting "Let My Pony Run". The Due West Trio have mastered Western singing with their unique harmonies and vocal performances, mastery of an amazing number of instruments, and the ability to make each song unique and original without messing them up! Due West often comments in their concerts that their mission is to keep Western Music alive...well they certainly accomplish that, while also making it vital, relevent, melodic, timely, informative and entertaining. I do have one small problem with this set of songs: when I get to gems like "Let My Pony Ride," "Doney Gal," "Molly Bloom" and "Pony Express" I find it difficult not to hit the repeat button on my CD player! Finally, I have to single out The Trio's interpretation of Michael Martin Murphey's stunning "Lonesome Dove"...it just can't get any better than this...anywhere by anyone!
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