LUKE GUY REED: No Hat

Luke Guy Reed

No Hat

© 2003 Solent Records (634479531224)

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Traditional Country Music taking in a range of styles from up tempo to gentle love songs to Bluegrass

tracks

1 I Ain't Got No Hat
2 Realize Her Dreams
3 If It FeelsGood
4 Smokey Mountain Rain
5 As Good For me As You
6 Barroom Star
7 One More bar
8 Waiting For Dawn
9 Wild Card
10 Whiskey To Wine
11 Banjo Picker
12 Everybody's Different

notes

Luke's musical influences are diverse, and though his roots are firmly in Country music, he is happy to reach beyond the confines of one agenda. His approach of "let the god given creativity flow", creates a unique sound that cannot be labelled into one category, if that sound is Country then that's what it is. If the listener thinks it is something else then that's OK too, say's Luke. Whether writing his own material or doing covers Luke tries to express each song with passion and conviction, he rarely sings songs that don't appeal to him.

The No Hat album is Luke's latest work containing twelve tracks, ten self penned, including Whisky to Wine, the title track of his previous album. This song gained Luke the title "most promising Singer / Songwriter" in 2000 with the N.A.C.M.A. international and also achieved a #5 placing in the E.M.S. Country Chart. Already No Hat is being highly recommended by DJs, promoters and critics both here in the UK and abroad. The album, produced by Dave Hayward is labelled as "Country" but will appeal to a much wider audience. The songs are about life and love and written and sung from the heart, in Luke's own unique style. This album is Luke's first nationally distributed CD released on Solent Records.

NO HAT was nominated for the Best 2003 UK Country Album by UK Country Radio DJ's and ONE MORE BAR was also voted best new song and best track!! This is definitely an album you should have in your collection.

reviews

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  • Heartfelt, warm, classic "American" country from across the seas
    author: Mitchelle Tanner

    When you first listen to Luke's music, you have to remind yourself that he wasn't born & raised in Texas or Nashville, or even America! But the country bug surely bit him and it shows in the warm, heartfelt, old-timey-feeling, classic country crooners and uptempo toe tappers on this CD. His love and passion for the genre shines throughout ~

  • Luke's songs are a must for any music lover in my opinion.
    author: Shirley

    I first heard  Luke when I was going  through a bad time in my personal life. One Sunday after noon I heard him on the John Hannam show, he was singing "As Good For Me As You"  The moment I heard this song my  depression was lifted. I felt I needed to stop what I was doing and just listen to Luke's music. Since that day his sound, which is constantly on my CD player, has inspired me into a new frame of mind and has given me a new perspective in my life, a good example of how music can give you a feel good factor. Music helps me through my day and Luke's songs are a must for any music lover in my opinion. Recognition must surely come his way. I wish you every success with this great collection of songs. Shirley

  • "Luke" Guy Reed is one of the more compelling artists in British country music.
    author: Sue Keogh BBC Country Website

    Isle of Wight based "Luke" Guy Reed is one of the more compelling artists in British country music. One of the reasons for this is that he's not making the common mistake of pretending to be a stone country boy from Tennessee. He may have grown up listening to Hank, Merle and Waylon and travelled extensively throughout the USA, but as he says in the opening track, I Ain't Got No Hat, he's "Not going to fake it, it's all been done before". So whilst No Hat has a very 1970s country feel, with all its steel guitar licks and Reed's Waylon-influenced baritone, there are plenty of individual touches, like the heart-lifting gospel of If It Feels Good. Other highlights include the cheery Whisky To Wine and Wild Card, which sprints along delivering neat word play at every turn; "just like a good book you can't put her down…" Reed has a great set of backing musicians behind him, with honourable mentions going to producer Dave Hayward (steel), Bob Winquist (fiddle) and Graham Walker, whose top notch playing is put in the spotlight on Banjo Picker. Here, as in so many places on the album, emphasis is also placed on the backing vocals in an interesting and intelligent way. Such is the professional sound of No Hat that it has already received accolades in British country music circles.

  • This is a well written album and Reed has a good feel... his 10 self credited so
    author: Craig Baguley, Country Music People Magazine

    UK singer/songwriter Luke Guy Reed hails for the Isle of Wight but it's obvious from this release that he wishes he'd been raised in Texas - particularly with Waylon Jennings as a next door neighbour. And it's that fixation with Waylon that works to the detriment of No Hat, there's that same earthy vibrato, same low register vocals, same distinctive phrasing that made Jennings so unique. In Reed's case it makes him as original as a contender on Stars In Their Eyes. Which is a shame as Reed has a good feel and his 10 self credited songs show him to be an engaging songwriter, albeit in a very 1970's Waylonesque way. Indeed the ballads Realise Her Dreams and As Good Fo Me As You sound as if they were actually written for the great man two decades ago. Ignoring the Hoss factor - nigh impossible - this is a well written album and Reed gets sensible support from the musicians who include producer Dave Hayward on steel, Bob Winquist on fiddle and Graham Walker on guiter and banjo, although the production could have done with a little more beef. I particularly liked the uptempo, Statler Brothers styled, Banjo Picker, but Reed's cover of Ronnie Milsap's Smokey Mountain Rain was a risk too far. It'll be interesting to see if Luke Guy Reed can emerge as his own man at some future date. In the meantine I'll stick with my Waylon Jennings CDs

  • No Hat stands out as a solidly written and well performed collection of songs
    author: Jeremy Issac, Maverick magazine

    This is an uncompromisingly traditional set, there's no doubt about that, and the range of styles brought into play on the 12 tracks here, 10 of which are Reed originals, and the level of musicianship, are impressive indeed. The thing that establishes itself immediately as the strongest element here is the deep, authoritative voice, which Isle of Wight or no, sounds as though it comes straight from the heart of Texas. From the glittering steel licks on the opening of Barroom Star with it's imagery of rural toil and boozy repose, through the genial, jazzy, tub-thumping of fiddle laced I Ain't Got No Hat, to the breathless bluegrass workout of the aptly named Banjo Picker, Reed takes us on a whistle stop tour of country styles... Traditional Country isn't usually my bag but No Hat stands out as a solidly written and well performed collection of songs, delivered by an artist who posesses honest, authentic, vocals, by turns deep and forceful but also capable of sweet sensitivity. So Yes it is time a Brit made it to the UK Country Albums Chart and 'Luke' just may be the artist to do it.

  • This is a very strong CD that deserves every success
    author: Brian Ahern, Cross Country magazine

    I first came across the name Luke The Drifter a couple or so years ago when he began to get bookings on the South of Watford Country Music festival circuit. I first heard him on the Country Music Hotdisc last year with his tribute to Waylon Jennings, Wild Ones. I saw Luke live at this years Southern Country Radio Awards. He had a full band and certainly impressed. Luke's success saw him dropping the Drifter tag in favour of his own name Luke Guy Reed and getting a deal with Solent Records distributed by Nova/Pinnacle and set for general relase on 16th June 2003. Featuring 10 self penned tracks and a couple of quality covers, the aim is to get British Country Music fans behind this album with the hope of getting it in the British Country Album Charts. I will unreservedly endorse that because this is a first class album that will stand proud with anything on offer these days and that includes the greater majority of the American offerings. Luke has a deep baritone voice that is not unlike Ol' Waylon without the spit in your eye attitude that Waylon developed over many years. That's not to say that Luke is watered down in any way. In fact he has plenty to offer both vocally and with his interesting songwriting skills. The two covers Barroom Star and Smokey Mountain Rain get good readings from Luke but it's his own, across the board songs that stand out on No Hat. Show stoppers are I Ain't Got No Hat, One More Bar, Wild Card, As Good For Me As You, Waiting For Dawn, and Everybody's Different. I even enjoyed the humour of Banjo Picker with its Bluegrass meets Opry feel with a slice of Bob Wills added for fun. This is a very strong CD that deserves every success, which can be achieved with your support for home grown British Country Music and its very collectable talent.

  • A real five star album from an artist who is a real star!
    author: Pete Smith, Country Music Round Up

    On listening to the album No Hat (Solent Records) I am absolutely knocked out by the guy. What a voice Luke has! So warm, so expressive and so country. I found an enticing hint of Ed Bruce in Luke's delivery particularly in the ballads Realize Her Dreams, Waiting For Dawn and Everybody's Different. The up-tempo numbers are destined to become favourites with dancers and listeners alike, just check out I Ain't Got No Hat, One More Bar, Wild Card and Banjo Picker. A real five star album from an artist who is a real star!

  • A very good album which will be popular with the fans
    author: Sue McCarthy Southern Country magazine

    Having so much enjoyed Luke Guy Reed's previous album, I was really looking forward to this new one, and it was worth the wait. Most of these tracks are written or co-written by Luke, with Graham Walker, and two other writers also being credited. Of these my picks are If It Feels Good, One More Bar (which in my mind I could hear the late, great Waylon Jennings singing) and the waltz, Waiting For Dawn. My other favourite track is Smokey Mountain Rain written by Kyle Fleming and Dennis Morgan, which has been beautifully interpreted by Luke. The backings are lovely, and responsible for these are Dave Hayward, steel guitar, programming, Keith Shillcock, bass, Wilbur Cartwright, drums, percussion, Graham Walker, lead and rhythm guitar, Bob Winquist, fiddle, Jon Millar, piano, keyboards, J.C. Grimshaw, mandolin-mouth harp, Luke himself rhythm guitar and harmony vocals, whilst back up vocals are provided by Liza Marshall, Gilla Antara and John Millar. A very good UK album, produced by Dave Hayward, which I enjoyed and will be popular with the fans

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