Still Your Man has been described as "earthy". Perhaps I could have called it "Sod" but STM seems a better fit since many of the songs are about devotion.  I recorded the album with my band the WPA Ballclub. Bassist Dennis Crouch, who helped me form the group in 1995, assisted with the production as did pianist Jen Gunderman. Fats Kaplin, who is actually perfectly proportioned for his size, played a fiddle that he liked to tune a lot. Marty Lynds and I played the drums though not at the same time. Jim Gray played an electric bass. I often loaned Jim an amp. Sometimes I loaned him a bass as well. Tim O'Brien, who is somewhat famous but is very kind and talented played his trademark instrument, the bouzouki. Kelly Hogan, who is not as famous as Tim and doesn't care to be sang harmony. Kelly is a singer's singer, the kind of singer that makes most singers wonder if they should even call what they do 'singing'. I like Kelly a lot though she spent a great deal of her visit to the studio saying things I couldn't understand. George Bradfute always plays guitar with us on stage and often in the studio but George didn't play on the album. I don't remember why but he has since learned most of the songs and seems to enjoy playing them. Sometimes he even thinks he did play on the record and I let him think that because he's my friend.

The cover of the album features me and my lovely wife dancing. She's wearing a wonderful vintage dress that is orange which is a great color to describe this album. A critic (see Press) noted in his very positive review that he was pleased to see me dancing with a woman who was 'clearly not a supermodel', attributing this choice of partner as a reflection of the 'realness' of the recording within. Perhaps she's not--by today's standards--a supermodel. She is, however, a trophy wife.** In addition to 'earthy' the album has been called folk, pop, country, rock, blues, honky tonk, and even cajun. Though I didn't intend to cause any confusion, many artists cause confusion upon their arrival on the scene so I take this as a positive sign.

**My Auntie has since informed me that a 'trophy wife' has to be a 2nd wife.  Since this wife is the first, we can refer to her from this point on as 'rock star wife'.
 

I'd like to thank everyone from around the world who are enjoying the album. The band likes the album, too, and they tell me when they don't like something I've done. Sometimes they even tell me why though they're always quite nice about it. I'm just pleased it's finished since I did much of the recording and mixing. I had lots of help and advice though. Funny, everyone who gave me advice have now extracated themselves from the music business. I'm not sure what that means.

There are technical details that might be of some interest. During the recording sessions, I borrowed quite a few expensive studio gadgets that had been once used by artists like Lazy Lester, Sophie Tucker and Tiny Tim. I thought these devices would help us to sound 'professional.' However, most of these devices no longer work. They did, at least turn on, and the glow of the many colored lights therein proved very soothing to us during the recording sessions and made us feel that we were indeed, quite professional and were doing an excellent job.  For more information on the sounds, please visit the Pan American Sound page. 

Lastly, I'd like to thank Ramseur Records for printing copies of the album and especially writer and music lover Peter Guralnick who applauded and encouraged these tunes as they were written and has been an inspiration.  The film below was made by Rick Seibold and edited by Jay McDowell and captures the band rehearsing and recording the songs for Still Your Man.