SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
EASY LIVIN’
BLIND PIG RECORDS BPCD 5152
SOUTHERN LIVIN’–LONG WAY HOME–KIND LIES AND WHISKEY–MILE AFTER MILE–CERTIFIED LOVER–FRIED NECK BONES AND HOME FRIES–SHOESTRING BUDGET–DON’T FEEL LIKE GOING THERE TODAY–COME BACK HOME–POWERED FOR THE MOUNTAIN–DON’T BOOGIE WOOGIE–SKY IS WHAT I BREATHE
Southern Hospitality was formed when guitar virtuosos Damon Fowler and JP Soars teamed with boogie piano man Victor Wainwright for an impromptu jam during a festival in Florida in July, 2011. The seeds had been planted, and, when producer Tab Benoit joined the team, the result is this album, “Easy Livin.” as well as the three founders of the group, Chuck Riley from Damon’s band is on bass, and Chris Peet, JP’s drummer, round out the band.
If you remember the Southern rock scene of the Seventies (our coming-of-age era), then you know what these guys are all about. They are everything that was good about the Allman Brothers, Wet Willie, Sea Level, and all the greats from that time. Each of the members bring their own songs into the mix, also. Damon has a lengthy blues background as does JP, who spent some time in a heavy metal band. Victor brings the funk up from New Orleans and Memphis, making this one a fun romp, indeed.
Everyone gets involved in the laid-back vibe of the opening “Southern Livin,” mentioning everything great about “Memphis to Savannah” and everywhere in between! “Long Way Home” snarls with JP’s rock guitar influences, while his “Mile After Mile” evokes the Texas swing of Bob Wills. Victor’s mean left hand powers the tale of today’s crappy economy in “Shoestring Budget,” and drives the beat home over JP’s vocals in the Fifties-styled rocker, “Come Back Home.” Damon walks the reggae walk in “Don’t Feel Like Going There Today,’ and the set closes with the dobro-heavy tale of more good things to love about this part of the country, “Sky Is What I Breathe.”
One of our dearest friends in the blues community here was the late Phil Earhart of the Jefferson Street Bluesmen, who sang proudly that “I grew up in the South, y’all, the Sweet Homeland of the Blues,” and the men that comprise Southern Hospitality bring that same zest for life and bringin’ the music we all love to life in “Easy Livin!” Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.
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