American music is the most important art form in the history of mankind. Period.

This statement will probably cause me to be labeled as an ignorant, nationalistic red-neck…… and there might be some truth to that.

I can appreciate classical music. I don’t understand it, but I like. Furthermore, I’ve been to Jamaica and got a small taste as to what Bob Marley was talking about and why Reggae has the sound it does. And let’s call it what it is, bands like The Motherfuck’n Saints wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Englishmen like Tony Iomi and Lemmy Kilmister hammering out Black Sabbath and Motorhead albums.

The fact is, our country be it as it may with all our hyper-conservative bullshit, ridiculous blind patriotism, and grandiose religious nonsense, has produced the best musicians and songwriters in the history of the world. Country, blues, American folk, bluegrass, and rock & roll are poetry that came from the soul of a unique breed of people that will never be repeated or duplicated.


Hank Williams Sr. was the greatest songwriter ever.

I was playing a show out in the middle of nowhere with Joe Buck. He told me a theory he had that made sense. I’m paraphrasing here, but what he said made good sense to me: After Hank Williams, country music has only got worse. Once Robert Johnson died blues could only go down hill. The best music ever played was that which we never heard because no one was there to recorded, market it, mass produce it, and package it and sell it to us in bulk.

I’ve heard the cliché often regurgitated amongst the “outlaw country” crowd that all you need when writing songs in the classic country style is “3 chords & the truth”. The truth is you don’t even need that to play country and blues. Who needs chords when you can stomp & shout? And the fact is most of those guys weren’t telling the truth about much of anything. They never got that much pussy, won that many fights, and couldn’t drink that much whiskey.


I know this album is called “Country/Blues”, but none of this album is really country or blues.

In 1981, Metallica made an album called “Kill’em All”, the year I was born. I’ve listened to that album a million times and hope to listen to it a million more. Considering that, it’s not even worth a kid that was brought up on Slayer and Misfits trying to make a “traditional” country or blues album. In fact, as I stated above, I hold the belief that no one in modern times has the ability or the business to attempt such a task.

I admit up front that I don’t have the talent to even try and recreate what these legends created. These songs are only a tribute to classic American music. What you hear is the music of these legends distilled through the heart and soul of someone who was brought up playing punk & metal for years. However, I’ve always felt more of my spirit is more Highway Man then heavy metal.


I am an addict. I am mentally ill. I am a songwriter.

Yes, I know…. Yet another cliché. The drunken, heart-sick rambling musician who can't fit in anywhere else except playing in smoky bars late at night. I know this is well tread territory, but at least in my case it’s true in some case.

The fact is these character flaws do aid in creativity:

Addiction: With addiction come narcissism, selfishness, and being self-absorbed. Us addicts are hypersensitive and believe we are the center of the universe. We all usual think we are more important then we really are… This all is perfect for performing.

Depression and anxiety: This causes one to be self destructive, angry, and self loathing. You’re always lonely, always sad. You feel hopeless, on edge, and in pain. These traits tend to be a good mix for dark, introspective lyrics.

It’s glaringly obvious when people try and fake this in their songwriting. The truth is, those of us who have struggled with these problems are embarrassed of ourselves and we try and hide our true ugliness from world. Eventually, some of us artist types express it in our work. When we do really feel like we’ve done something brilliant and have opened ourselves for the world to see. Unfortunately, it takes the wind out of your sales when our friends and family break it to us that they’ve seen through our bullshit since minute one and we’re just being self ricious (as usual).

I have an old friend who I met while laying sod as a teenager who is a recovering alcoholic and suffers from mental health issues. He put things into perspective like this; you can romanticize it all you want, but at the end of the day you’re just a fukk’n drunk. I know movies like Crazy Heart make it out to be somewhat glamorous, but the bottom line it sucks being sick, tired, and lonely all the time.


Hank Williams III album “Straight to Hell” was the most important album released in decades.

Unfortunately, Hank’s sound and style have been ripped off so many times now I can hardly stand to go out to a show anymore. Here is a news flash to all the wannabe's: It actually means something when the grandson of Hank Williams and son of the owner of CURB Records says “fuck Nashville, Clear Channel, and Music Row”. When a nobody like me or any of the other so called “outlaw country” acts take a “stand” against commercial country IT MEANS NOTHING and NO ONE CARES.

As of recent, a lot of people are on the anti-Hank bandwagon. It’s ironic that these are the same people who are pathetically attempting to play in his style. Again, I hate to break it to you all but wearing a cowboy hat and a Slayer shirt does not make you “Hillbilly”. Dorks.

With that said, the sound of “Straight to Hell” heavily influenced this album. The thick reverb and delay on the vocals, simplistic recording of the instruments and the general no frills attitude of the entire album is directly from listing to that album 1000’s of times. I know it’s become less popular to admit Shelton’s influence, but the fact remains that he broke down barriers and changed country music.


“Country/Blues” is made from %100 Home Grown Nebraska talent.

If I had 100,000 thousand of dollars to dump into this album, I couldn’t have bought what this very talented group of musicians brought to this release.