Album Notes

Songwriter and musician Mike Lawson's critically acclaimed 1998 release, Ticket to Fly (Sumertone Records), was produced by Grammy-Nominated producer Fred Bogert and featured guest performances by Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna) on four tracks, plus Merl Saunders, Bob Welch (Fleetwood Mac), Dennis Robins, Joe Louis Walker and others.

"Lawson is a singer-songwriter with more than a passing affinity for the music of the '60s. In his debut album, Ticket To Fly (Sumertone), he reveals his considerable ability as a skilled songwriter with an abundance of excellent country-rockish songs that have a Dead-meets-NRPS flavor. There are also hints of Bob Dylan and the Byrds sprinkled liberally throughout. Lawson also has some heavy friends. Jorma Kaukonen, Merl Saunders, Joe Louis Walker and Bob Welch all contribute their talents to this unpretentious effort. Best cuts are the rolling melodic tones of "Songs Are Fine" and the Dead-influenced "Every Single Minute." The latter features an evocative vocal from Lawson that has a Garcia-like ambiance. The Dylan-ish growl of "Georgiana Starlington" and the moody, jazzy-blues texture of "Now I Got You" show the versatility of Lawson's writing, while a stunning version of "And We Bid You Goodnight" closes the disc on a special note. Mick Skidmore, Relix Magazine