Luke Olson - Uvalde

Uvalde is a mixture of country styles thrown into the mix with striking writing mostly from Olson, but a few songs by friends thrown in as well. "If You're Ever In Oklahoma" is a JJ Cale tune, "North" was penned by Jerry Joseph, and "Gulf Coast Romance" is a tune by Lyle and Wilson Marshall, and Mellick Sykes. The strength is in the total package here, but Luke Olson is as good a songwriter as there is in country music today. Incorporating all the necessary elements into the final product.

There are some sure fire winners on this disc with Olson's rendition of Jerry Joseph's "North", "On The Road", "Just Holding You", "Old Mines Road", and "Uvalde". Perhaps the most plain fun you will have here is "Gulf Coast Romance"  with it's complex yet simple story telling, and the great adaptation with vocal help from Ray Wylie Hubbard and Pat Green (Who himself has one of the biggest CDs in Country Music with "Wave On Wave") . "Gulf Coast Romance" is plain and simply a hilarious romp through a positive thinker's eyes. What a riot.

Luke Olson' back up band as of the recording of this CD include Lloyd Maines various stringed instruments and bg vocals. Pat Welberg- Bass, Ron Knuth's smoking fiddle, and Paul Pearcy on drums and percussion. Other help comes in the form of Rich Brotherton's mandolin work on Gulf Coast Romance" and "If you're Ever in Oklahoma" as well as acoustic guitar on "1985". Amy Lum Francis adds the smooth harmony vocals. Terri Hendrix adds haunting vocals on "All These Years". A great CD that caught me hook, line and sinker.