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Album: Gunsmoke in Music City Connecticut's wonderful western swing and Texas dance hall music band, Gunsmoke has just issued a new CD. It combines 12 studio cuts that they recorded in Nashville plus two cuts and a Stonewall Jackson introduction from their second appearance on Ernest Tubb's "Midnight Jamboree." This new CD was produced by the band's very talented steel guitarist, Jeff DeMaio. One of the two tunes done live is a Medley from the great Ray Price of Crazy Arms and Heartaches by the Number with the fantastic voice of the group bass player, Nick DeMaio, Jr. in the spotlight. The other features his dad, long time Connecticut country music legend and ambassador Nick Sr. doing the vocal on Anytime borrowed from Emmett Miller, Eddy Arnold, Eddie Fisher and Helen O'Connell, among others. The studio recordings include Nick Jr. in the country mood singing Mama Tried and Carolyn from Merle Haggard, a Johnny Cash Medley and Mel Tillis' Ruby Don't Take your Love to Town. The album's super Texas dance hall shuffles are Apartment #9 from Bobby Austin and Tammy Wynette and a Nick Jr. original, Nickel and Dime Man both with Nick Jr. on vocals. Nick Sr. brings back memories of Carl Smith, Jerry Wallace, Patsy Cline and so many others with Eddie Miller's There She Goes. Nick Sr. is also heard doing the Tallmadge Tubb gem that he wrote for his uncle Ernest, Waltz Across Texas. Jeff is in the vocal spotlight with Cindy Walker's Sugar Moon from the great Bob Wills. The drummer Tony Reno takes on the vocal on Dave Kirby's Memories to Burn. The album also includes two awesome instrumentals with some twin guitar wizardry with Jeff playing steel and the group's lead guitarist Scott Tyler on Buckaroo from Buck Owens' Buckaroos and Buddy Charleton and Leon Rhodes' ET Blues from Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours. This CD can be obtained from Gunsmoke, 7 Red Cedar Dr., Darien, CT 06820. The cost is $14, which includes shipping. Mike Gross, WVOF-FM, Fairfield, CT |