Texas Music Magazine
Photo courtesy Blue Rose Music
At her recent record release show at the Continental Club in Austin, Shannon McNally explained that once she announced her upcoming release of
The Waylon Sessions, she got used to being asked, “Why an album of Waylon covers?” And her honest response? “Because I can.”
That response is pretty damn Waylon of McNally, as is her decision to put together a feminine reading of songs connected with one of country music’s most swaggering and tough outlaws. While musically McNally’s renditions don’t stray too far from the original source material (not a bad thing), hearing these songs sung by a woman makes them feel reimagined. And the songs hold up well, as does McNally’s vocal performance, a testament to her strength as a singer, considering that Jennings had one of the best voices in country music.
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28 May 2021
In the liner notes on Shannon McNally’s new record, the singer confessed that she’s had a long fascination with Waylon Jennings‘ music. She wrote, “Just the name ‘Waylon’ makes me sit up in my chair and look around like I might see an apparition or a buffalo standing in the living room…. I have always loved his defiantly existential but immediately accessible common man’s music and how it boogies.” That’s an odd way to describe the man and his music, but her reverence is clear.
While McNally had performed and recorded a few of Jennings’ songs in the past, she said she felt intimidated by his immense talent, which prevented her from covering his work more often. However, she jumped right in when the opportunity arose for her to make an album of nothing but Jennings’ tunes. Waylon had a long recording career that dated back to the 1950s and extended until the 21st century with 45 studio albums and almost 100 singles, including 16 number one hits. C
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Blues:
Halley DeVestern Band –
Money Ain’t Time (Self-produced): “The club billed the show as “imagine Janis Joplin backed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Mothers of Invention with just a hint of Howitzer. That is The Halley DeVestern Band.” A completely accurate description of DeVestern and her seasoned five-piece band that includes guitarists David M Patterson (Shawn Mullins , Kirsten Thien) and Steve Jabas, (Hot Peas ‘NButter) and the rhythm section of drummer Rich Kulsar (Roger Waters, the Zen Tricksters, Mickey Dolenz) and Tom Heinig (Lamont Cranston Band, Mill City Band) on bass, all of whom have the musical muscle and dexterity to back her up.” (https://www.americanbluesscene.com/halley-devestern-band-to-release-live-album-money-aint-time/) Click here to listen to a short sample of a live song from the group.
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