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Reviews

Welcome to a Review Page!
We solicit your considered reviews of both recorded and live music. If you'd like to have your new CD reviewed or contribute a review, please send your CD or ideas or submissions to Roots66 or
Bill Yates
Webmaster, Roots66.com
1911 Arlene Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93036-2704
 or Erika Harding
Roots Productions
60 South Anacapa Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Please note that we review music in the categories listed in the links above. CDs submitted for review are not returnable and no guarantee is made that a CD will be reviewed.

CD Review
[T. J. Casey - Blue Montana Skies CD] T. J. Casey

Blue Montana Skies

Fraternity Records 62094-85
Produced by Shad O'Shea, Jim Swartwout, & T. J. Cantin

T. J. Casey - vocals, acoustic guitar
Brian Baverman - drums
Jeff McLemore - bass
Brian Lovely - rhythm & lead guitars
Kenny Holycross - steel guitar, Dobro
Jim Swartwout - keyboards
Paul Patterson - fiddle
Ricky Lee Marksberry - harmonica
Jim Swartwout, Elaine Diehl, Nancy Seibert, & T. J. Cantin - backing vocals
1) (My Only) Turtle Dove (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
2) Golden Memories (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
3) Call of the Wind (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
4) Blue Montana Skies (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
5) Cowboy's Lullaby (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
6) Trickling Water (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
7) Sleeping Out Under the Stars (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
8) In America (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
9) Cowboy's Paradise (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
10) He's Ridden (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
11) It's Sure Lonely on This Old Highway (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)
12) I'm Not Convinced (T. J. Cantin, TIJS Eagle Publishing, BMI)

Review by Bill Yates, Roots66.com

T. J. Casey is the real thing - a genuine American cowboy. And a singing cowboy to boot (that boot has spurs, of course). He has been a cowboy poet, singer, songwriter, guitar player, and working cowboy for over twenty-five years now. He's appeared on the famed "Louisiana Hayride" and venues across the country. When he's not writin', ropin', or singin', he's delivering calves and foals as a Certified Veterinarian Technician. But we're here to talk about his latest CD, "Blue Montana Skies", which contains an even dozen of his compositions.

Casey kicks things off with a nice Western swing tune, "(My Only) Turtle Dove". "Golden Memories" speaks of the lasting memories of shared true love. The sounds of the wind complement "Call of the Wind", a song of the wandering cowboy. The title song, "Blue Montana Skies", is a tribute to T. J.'s home state, "Big Sky Country". "Cowboy's Lullaby" is a song of night under the open skies. "Trickling Water" is one his better-known songs.

The tempo really picks up with "Sleeping Out Under the Stars", that's where he'd rather be than in some honky-tonk. Some nice steel guitar work here. "In America" is a musing on America and Americans. Another of Casey's more well-known songs is "Cowboy's Paradise", a waltz-time song of the hereafter, "He's Ridden" is a driving portrait of a worn-out cowboy. "It's Sure Lonely on This Old Highway" is a plea to the singer's lost love. Casey winds up with "I'm Not Convinced" where he has doubts of his love's faithfulness.

This is a very nice album, especially for the western music enthisiast. And even if you're not a cowboy music fan, you'll find that it is a quality, pleasant break in your usual listening haunts. The sound and words are authentic cowboy music to your ears. Casey has a fine voice, well-suited to these songs. The accompanying musicians turn in great performances and the CD is well-produced and engineered. Go for it.

Copyright 2003 William Theron Yates

1/16/2003

This review is copyrighted but may be quoted in whole or part provided credit is given such as "--Bill Yates, Roots66.com". If you post the review on a web site, please link to http://www.roots66.com if you can.


Last updated 2/22/03.
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