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Music of the WestFeb-Mar 2005 VIVA La COWBOYDan Roberts
That song has received quite a bit of attention from country music radio and it kinda sets the mood for Dan's latest release. The trail he rode from ranch to rodeo to shoeing horses for Garth Brooks is well-known. Opening shows for Brooks on his world tour a few years back led to a number of musical opportunities for Dan, and he now lives in the heart of western music in Texas, near Weatherford, where his neighbors include Don Edwards, Red Steagall, Craig Chambers and other giants of the genre. He still rides on some ranches and keeps his team ropin' horses tuned up but music is keeping him busier all the time. The song Late Night Singin' is a personal look at his career and where it could go. "My blue heeler dog and my black lab pup come runnin' round to see me as I pull up. They root around the floorboards and finish up some day-old fries," is an example of Dan's great way with lyrics. Garth Brooks fans are familiar with The Beaches of Cheyenne but might not know that Dan Roberts was one of the writers of that mega-hit. Dan's own version is included here and it's done in his own style. Most of the songs are uptempo, showcasing the great band Dan put together, including Texas singing legends like Tommy Allsup, Rich O'Brien and others including Pete Wade on dobro. Wolves takes a different direction. This reflective look at the challenges facing ranchers of today, written by Stephanie Davis, has been recorded by Garth Brooks, Butch Falk and a few other fine western singers. Dan really reaches the emotion in the song with fine interpretation. Some of the project was recorded in Nashville, some of it in Texas and the process was interrupted for three months while Dan and his wife dealt with some health issues affecting his daughter. A portion of the proceeds from the album will go to the Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth for the establishment of a center of excellence for functional neuroimaging. Order Viva La Cowboy and Dan's other albums from his website at www.danroberts.net or call him at (817) 599-5181. |
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One of the best lines on the whole collection is in the song Swingin' Till We Can't See Strait. It's a classic two-steppin' Texas swing number and Dan says, "Nobody in his right mind line dances in this state!"