Texas Music Roundup
Recorded Live at KUT Radio, Austin
Read feature articles on Billy Dee in the Austin Chronicle.
Now Available at Billy's Shows &
Texas Music Roundup
Recorded Live at KUT Radio, Austin
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Now available on CD Baby (click the cover at left)
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Song Samples |
Reviews and Quotes |
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"When the Vow Breaks"Review in the Austin Chronicle: Margaret Moser, Austin Chronicle, July 29, 2005 "Where to start with Dee's music? Easy: that voice. His sturdy stature might give it away, but even if you're prepared, his power still demands your undivided attention...and thankfully so; such a rich, deep, booming baritone is hard to come by. Think of Johnny Cash's register with George Jones' suave singing voice. His soul oozes it and his voice does not betray: this is classic country.... Dee is very likely the greatest electric bass player in country history.... What I'm not surprised about is how much I like the whole album. And I wouldn't be surprised if some big name country artist with a hat he doesn't adequately represent picks up one of Dee's songs and makes a gold record out of it." Read the full review. On this, Billy Dee's second CD release, the classic-country, heartbreak songs arrive relentlessly one after the other. This doesn't mean the album will leave you depressed. On the contrary, the songs achieve that great virtue of all quintessential country songs, a catharsis of the heart. These tunes could be from a long-gone era in their structure and simplicity, but sound fresh and alive. The lyrics contain essential truths presented cleverly and with style. Destined, in my book anyway, to become classics are "Truly," "When the Vow Breaks," "Not Tonight (I've Got a Heartache)," "Heartache Time," and "That Memory of Mine." |
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"Heart Don't Fail Me Now"Not many folks have heard of Billy Dee, and that's a shame. In his 30-plus years as a musician he has rarely stepped to the front of the band, except when he lead the famous Gilly's house band in the 1980s. However, this extraordinary electric bass player has been writing songs, recorded by others, and honing his craft. In his first CD release, Billy Dee unleashes his talent with 12 great, classic honky-tonk songs, and his resonant baritone gives voice to a heart that has suffered bitter disappointment, yet still manages to find a glimmer of optimism. John Conquest of 3rd COAST MUSIC says, "Now living in Austin, Dee is making his move, pulling out a big barroom baritone and 12 solid honkytonk tearjerker and Western originals, backed by Redd Volkaert and Watson (who also co-produced) on guitars, Erik Hokkanen fiddle, Ricky Davis steel and Dave Sanger and Ron Erwin drums. Many sidemend can take a number here and there, but Dee, on whom Gosdin is clearly a major influence, can convincingly carry an entire set." The emergence of a Billy Dee these days is significant. With apologies (lots of 'em) to Ray Wylie Hubbard who said something similar once about Chris Wall, it will take artists like this to deliver us from the ever-encroaching atrocity that our beloved Texas Music is beginning dangerously to resemble. You can keep your beer, beer, Luckenbach. Put me down for this instead. It's different, it's refreshing and it's clearly the product of years spent in the belly of the beast watching as country music changed and grew. But the themes, the storytelling, the ability to pierce the soul, these things are timeless and above the ravages of change. Yeah, Hank did do it this way.
Heart Don't Fail Me Now is a breath of fresh air in a day and time where country music needs someone to throw a wrench in the works and shake things up. Dee's vocals are strong and rich throughout the album and his songwriting skills are right up there with the best of the legends. The musicianship on the effort is tight, and the production is nearly flawless. - Marc Ringwood Read the Interview/Review of "Heart Don't Fail Me Now" on Take Country Back by Laurie Joulie.
Right from the start you know these are the real goods... the perfect honky-tonk, two-steppin', cry-in-your-beer song in "(Baby) What'll I Do." It segues into another perfect example of the genre, yet with a completely different sound. This CD is chock full of songs that sound like classics. Billy Dee is the master at the traditional country song in all its forms and his great, barroom voice is as smooth as the proverbial velvet hammer… |
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