Buddy Whittington - Buddy Whittington (2008)

1. Young & Dumb	3:48
2. Pay the Band	4:33
3. Minor Blues	4:48
4. Stevie Rave on	3:43
5. Second Banana	3:19
6. Greenwood	4:09
7. Can't Be Good for Me	3:02                  play
8. Romance Classified	3:44
9. Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell	8:45
10. Every Goodbye Ain't Gone	2:59          play

Bass – Wayne Six
Drums, Percussion, Producer – Mike Gage
Guitar – Michael "Mouse" Mayes
Organ [Hammond B3] – Rex Mauney (tracks: 3, 9)
Piano, Organ – Michael Hamilton (tracks: 10)
Tenor Saxophone – Patrick Gage
Trombone – Dave Richards (tracks: 7)
Trumpet – Chris Borin
Vocals, Guitar, Producer – Buddy Whittington 

After have spent several years touring and recording with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, it looks like Buddy Whittington is starting his solo career. Well, nothing strange as many of his colleagues of the past did exactly the same reaching a worldwide notoriety. Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mike Taylor, Coco Montoya and Walter Trout, were Bluesbreakers band members. The album is very good and confirms Buddy ability as guitar player, however and most notably it shows that Buddy is also an excellent singer.

If some one asked me for one CD that embodies the sound of Texas Blues today, I would not hesitate to hand them Buddy Whittington, the long awaited solo release from the Texas guitarist. Rollicking AND melodic, with thoughtful and thought provoking lyrics delivered by strong, honest vocals. I’m serious – if you love Texas Blues, hell, if you just love Texas, this is one CD you have to own.

There are ten cuts here – nine of Buddy’s own songs and a well-chosen cover of Billy Gibbons’ “Sure Got Cold After The Rain Fell”. Whittington chose an outstanding group of musicians to join him in the studio. Together they form a tight, clean canvas for Buddy to paint his heartfelt vocals and giant Lone Star State guitar talent all over. The CD kicks off with the rocking “Young and Dumb,” an honest tale of the perils and delights of growing up and playing the blues in Fort Worth. “Pay the Band” could be the anthem of every poor working stiff among us, breaking our backs daily just to make the futile attempt to get even financially.

“Stevie Rave On” pays homage to the man and the legend, and is the most straightforward, honest and celebratory tribute to Stevie I’ve heard since Jimmie’s own “Six Strings Down”. Lyrically, my favorite cut is the chilling “Minor Blues”. Early blues were often political in content. Now artists tend to back away from being too political for fear of offending the spending public. Buddy has no such qualm here, addressing global warming, drug abuse, gangs, unwatched and unloved kids growing up in the streets, overcrowded jails – realities of the world that should give everyone the blues.

Whittington is one of the most down to earth, friendly men you could ever want to meet. A regular guy. Simply a man whose decision to play the blues has taken him around the world and whose talents landed him the much-coveted guitarist spot with John Mayall. Buddy good naturedly pokes a little fun at his position in the hilarious “Second Banana” – ‘May not be the fairest in the land, but if you need the get done, baby, I’m your man’. Everything from serving as referee between wife and girlfriend and tracking lost luggage to fixing amps, setting up gear and backing up the front man. All the while admitting ‘There ain’t much of a market for good old boys like me, cause when the lights comes on, we’re not the one’s you paid to see’. These are the only lyrics of Buddy’s I disagree with. There’s LOTS of a market for good old boys like Buddy. The world would be a much better place with more of them. And, the blues are better for his excellent contribution to them on Buddy Whittington. ---Blue Lisa, Southwest Blues CD Review

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