There are many paths to a successful career in music. Some of us are more than willing to hang in the background supporting other talented artists. Being a working musician is a dream no matter what form it takes. But after years of performing there is often personal music that builds inside us yearning to escape. It has taken a long while but Dudley Harris is now ready to take the forefront with his own album All The Money’s Gone.
Hailing from the Blues hotbed of West Tennessee, Dudley Harris was drawn to the juke joints and roadhouses as a youngster. Here is where he first fell in love with the Blues sound and the raucous nightlife that went along with it. Over the next 45 years, Dudley lived the life of a working musician performing all over the southeast, particularly around his home base of West Tennessee.
Now at 64 years old, the talented Bluesman is ready to release his debut album All The Money’s Gone. The 10 track record is the epitome of ‘better late than never.’ Dudley Harris recorded with Grammy-winning engineer Michael Saint-Leon (Buddy Guy, Rolling Stones) at his own Switchyard Studio in Nashville, TN.
The record opens with the wailing guitar wake up of “Tired Baby”. Quickly, we are introduced to the true Blues vocal style of Dudley Harris. The years of being part of the West Tennessee scene has served him well. “Jack Rabbit” takes this even further with the straight-up Blues beat as a backdrop for Dudley’s classic storytelling. The full instrumentation adds layers to a full sonic palette.
The slightly stripped down “Hard Times” is a raw track featuring harmonica and ambient guitars. This lets the focus move fully to the vocals in the mix welcoming listeners into his world. With that, we get to hear all about his sweet love on “Cinnamon Roll”. We all need a woman like the one Dudley Harris has.
The sound gets a little more unique on “Feel So Bad”. The guitars experiment as the singer flexes his voice up and down the register. There is something here that leaves you patiently waiting on every word. “Get My Gun” turns the energy back up with a toe-tapping beat behind a dark story.
The closer “Sweet Honey Bee” provides the culmination with all the players getting involved to bop along and provide thier own flavor. This is a fun one that lets us leave the party with a smile on our face and a pep in our step. It took a while for Dudley Harris to get his own music to the world but it truly seems like it was worth the wait.
Keep up with more from Dudley on his new WEBSITE or his FACEBOOK.
