Album Notes

Texas music brings to mind a vision of hard-living cowboys and lively honkytonks paired with a quiet air of strength and unpretentiousness. No one represents this vision better musically than multi-talented singer/songwriter, Brian Houser.

Brian is the real thing, a working man who experiences the songs that he writes and sings them with the passion of one who has actually lived the lyrics. His music captures the high-energy style of real-life working men and women counterbalanced with the more sensitive, highly emotional family bonds that strike a chord with a wide audience. After releasing two CDs, Never Look Back and Son of a Common Man, that both received critical acclaim, Brian House is releasing his most diverse CD to date, Simple Lives.

Simple Lives is a compilation of eleven original songs that have been inspired by people that Brian has known personally or has come to know through chance encounters. From his Texas hill country grandparents, Tex and Dymple, to one of Texas' earliest heroines, Sally Bowman, the subjects of these songs bring to life the simple determination and spirit that is reflective of the unique Texas spirit. Simple Lives features a diverse mix of musical styles, from the bluegrass inspired Born and Bound, to the Bob Wills style swing tune I'll Take Texas. Being a Texas country CD, it also features songs about honkytonks and bar life including One More One Last Beer and Jody Why, In addition to the original compositions, a Texas version of the original Thin Lizzy tune, Cowboy Song, with a country-rock arrangement by Brian Houser and Lloyd Maines is also included.

While it is evident that some of the great Texas country legends like Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson have had a strong influence on Brian's signature outlaw style, the songs also demonstrate his unique ability to stay true to his Texas country roots while exploring the other avenues of rock, bluegrass and swing.

Simple Lives is the second Brian Houser CD to be produced by the Grammy award winning producer, Lloyd Maines and the second CD to be released on the independent Yippee Records label located in Denton, Texas. It also features Terri Hendrix on harmony vocals, Dennis Ludiker and Noah Jeffries from the South Austin Jug Band, Paul Pearcy, Glenn Fukunaga and Riley Osbourn.

For more information on Brian Houser and scheduled performances, visit www.brianhouser.com.