Good News Blues



STCD 005

First released in 2000, this CD features Michael in the same traditional setting as his previous recordings. The album contains 12 tracks that was produced and arranged to fit within his rythmic fingerpicking guitar style. Michael wrote 6 tracks and of special interest are 2 tracks that are poems, one from Otis Williams who the title track is a tribute and the other by the historical black writer and poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar. The remaining tracks are versions of songs by Big Bill Broonzy, Bumble Bee Slim and public domain material such as "Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed".

As to instrumentation, Michael is using an electric guitar (Gibson 335) on 2 tracks, a Gibson 12 string on 2 tracks, a National Triolian on 2 tracks and a Martin D-35 for the remainder. For the first time, Michael is not using a bones player. Instead, he is using a drummer on 4 tracks for the percussive effect of pushing the song along. UK harmonica virtuoso, Ian Briggs is featured on 5 tracks and Michael is solo on 6 tracks.

It gives us a great honor to have the sleeve notes written by Joe Wilson, who is the Executive Director of the National Council For The Traditional Arts in America.

Tracks

  1. Pleading Insanity Download...
  2. The Ole Folks Song
  3. Bricks In My Pillow
  4. Trouble In Mind
  5. Good News Blues
  6. Keep Your Hands Off
  7. The Acorn
  8. God Don't Like It
  9. Vote For The Wino
10. Jump Back, Honey, Jump Back
11. Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed
12. Alberta

Musicians

Michael Roach - Acoustic Guitar & Vocals (all tracks)
Ian Briggs - Harmonica (tracks 1,5,9,10,12)
Helen Roach, Michelle Roach - Vocals (tracks 9,10)
Neil Smith - Keyboards, Strings (track 1)
Gary Hunt - Percussion (tracks 1,2,9,12)

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