TRADITIONAL - new solo cd 2010- 1st notes

Began work on the new TRADITIONAL cd on June 21, 2010 with Michael Rasbury engineering and co-producing. This is a project i have been wanting to do for some time; recording traditional folk, blues and gospel songs; songs i have known or performed most of my life.

i wanted this project to be done as organically as possible- recorded here in my birthplace/home/ the source of my musical roots- using acoustic/traditional instruments- and keeping the music as pure, real and honest as possible... albeit not completely done in traditional styles/arrangements

foto [c]2010 Michael Rasbury

We began recording Hammond B3 & vocals on June 21[West Monroe, Louisiana] - we used hand claps, conga, tambourine & cardboard boxes for percussion. i played the bass lines, using the B3 foot pedals, with my hands to get some bass grooves! I sang the lead vocal- then went back and did the backing vocals several times to make a 'choir'. Both Michael and i did B3 tracks on "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" and both added piano on "Amazing Grace"

We recorded solo piano & vocal tracks [recorded 'live'] at the Rayville Arts Center* [Rayville, Louisiana] on June 24 & 26. Many thanks to Wayne Hopper [director*] for all his help and support.
On "Hard Times Come Again No More" [by Stephen Foster- circa 1855] Michael played piano [some amazing piano at that!] and i sang; we both did separate piano takes for "Stackolee"

foto [c]2010 Michael Rasbury

We'll be doing more recordings in the next few days- i have a few more songs i want to add- plus we'll be working on the tracks we already have. My life long dear friend George Bryan [Nebraska Hall of Fame] will be adding some acoustic/electric and slide guitar tracks on some of the tracks

We hope to get the majority of everything in place before Michael leaves for NYC and i leave for Europe. Hopefully everything will be mixed & mastered and the cd will be finished/released by the end of the summer. It's been a great experience- thank you Michael for all your hard work/amazing talent- and thank you Wayne for everything!

Michael Rasbury & Wayne Hopper

FOTO [C]2010 DOUG DUFFEY

More updates to come

[c]2010 DOUG DUFFEY