This blog is about Shawn Pittman, the first time I saw Shawn was in 2012 at The Blues City Deli in St. Louis, MO. I have never heard of or seen Shawn before. Shawn put on an amazing show, he had the place rockin’. I enjoyed seeing Shawn perform so much I came back to see him two more times. The one thing I really noticed about Shawn was his tremendous guitar playing and style. I wouldn’t say it’s straight Blues, but it definitely has the Blues sound and feel to it with a little bit Rock and Swing to it. I would say that Shawn’s guitar playing ranks right up there with some of the Greats like Buddy Guy, Albert King and B.B. King.
I got four of Shawn’s albums, not sure I can pick a favorite. I think that Shawn’s vocals have gotten strong thru out his career a little more rawness to his sound. Here is s little bit of history on Shawn Pittman, that I got off of his web page. Although he’s often closely associated with the Lone Star State since originally taking up residence in Dallas, Texas in the early ‘90s, vocalist/guitarist Shawn Pittman is actually an Oklahoma native. Pittman was born in the small town of Talihina at the Choctaw Nation Indian Hospital and raised in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. At eight years old he began taking piano lessons under the encouragement of his mother, but later began sneaking into his older brother’s room to play on his drum kit. By the age of fourteen he had switched to guitar and was soon introduced to the mysterious sounds of Lightnin’ Hopkins and Muddy Waters by Bracken Hale, a good friend and member of his middle school football team. Their friendship would prove significant as Hale would later collaborate with Pittman on writing material for several of his albums. A friend he met while playing basketball at the local ‘Y’; Ben Bigby, introduced teenage Pittman to his father Bernard in Little Axe, Oklahoma. Pittman recalls: “Bernard showed me Jimmy Reed, Elmore James, and Albert King. He also told me I need to learn to sing. I took his advice.” Dallas At Seventeen, he moved to Dallas, Texas where he attended the Booker T. Washington High School of the Performing Arts. He later dropped out but picked up his music education courtesy of his uncle who would take him over to the Schooner’s jam in Dallas. As he became immersed in that scene, the aspiring guitarist crossed paths with a number of local luminaries who became teachers and mentors. Amongst those characters were Brian ‘Hashbrown’ Calway, Sam Myers, Mike Morgan, Jim Suhler, and Tutu Jones, Paul Size (of the Red Devils), the Moeller Bros., the Bramhall Bros., Pat Boyak, and Holland K. Smith alongside many others. His first album, Blues From Dallas, was recorded in 1996, and later picked up and retooled for his national debut in ’97 as Burnin’ Up on the Cannonball Records label. His second album, Something’s Gotta Give, was produced by Jim Gaines and followed in ’98. Pittman toured with for Susan Tedeschi briefly in ’99, just long enough to make a television appearance with her on the Conan O’Brian Show. Austin The following year he relocated to Austin and recorded his third album Full Circle, backed by Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythm section Double Trouble. He had a band with former Fabulous Thunderbirds bassist Preston Hubbard called Killer Instinct. “Preston was like a brother to me; I learned a lot from him.” Pittman received tutelage from Clifford Antone as well. “I was able to learn from even more guitarists in my Austin Days, players like Derek O’Brien, Mike Keller, Dave Biller, and Red Volkart. Even a young Gary Clark Jr. would from time to time show up with his parents.” Pittman also got to play with musicians like Hubert Sumlin, James Cotton, and Pinetop Perkins. In 2004, a more experimental and adventurous album titled Stay was released. After a much-needed break from the music business, as well as some serious soul-searching from 2005-2008, Pittman returned to performing and planned to record one album per year. By mid-2010 he already had five independently released recordings under his belt. This flurry of activity eventually led to a new record contract with Delta Groove, and plans were immediately set in motion to record another album. Edge Of The World marked Shawn Pittman’s tenth release and contains an inspired program of original material by an accomplished singer, songwriter and guitarist, recalling all the vintage tones and ambiance of the great blues recordings of the 1950’s and ’60’s. Pittman plays virtually every instrument on the CD, handling vocals and guitar, to bass, drums and piano, on top of doubling as the album’s producer and engineer. Special guest Jonathan Doyle (Mighty Blue Kings, Jimmy Sutton’s Four Charms, White Ghost Shivers) represents the album’s only other personnel by contributing tenor & baritone saxophone on four songs. When asked to comment about the inspiration behind his latest and most ambitious project Pittman simply states, “I’m just playing the music I want to hear.” Tulsa After seven years in Dallas (1993-1999) and fourteen years in Austin (2000-2013), Pittman moved to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma where he now resides closer to family and took time off to finish a degree in Information Technology. During which time he also released his 11th album Backslidin Again (2015). In January 2018 Pittman recorded his 12th album Everybody Wants to Know with longtime friend and drummer Jay Moeller, which was released on the European label Crosscut Records in the fall of 2018. This Spring, Pittman returns with Make It Right, in partnership with Netherlands-based Continental Record Services (CRS). As he looks past and forward, the guitarist and vocalist shares, “I have had many obstacles on my road just like anybody that has embarked on this lifestyle, some self-inflicted, but through my failures I have learned invaluable lessons about life and people, and my strengths as well as my weaknesses. As an artist I feel like I am just beginning. The one constant I have had is the desire to be great at what I do. The late Clifford Antone told me “It’s all about making friends.” I combine that piece of advice with something B.B. King told me when I asked him his secret for longevity: “Treat people how you want to be treated and remember everybody has a boss. Here are some questions that I was able to ask Shawn. I feel that Shawn Pittman is one of the finest musicians out there today. I think he is always trying to stay true to the style of music he plays. So, if you ever get a chance to go see Shawn perform, I highly recommend that you do. 1.How long have you been playing music? I started playing piano at 8 years old and guitar and drums when I was 14. I was in my first paying/gigging band when I was 17. I am 46 now…so about 30 years. 2.How many bands have you been in? Probably 15-20 before I finally started doing my own thing, and even then, I have had several rhythm sections all over the United States and Europe. 3.Where were you born? Talihina, Oklahoma in 1974. Was at a Choctaw Indian Hospital. 4.Are you self-taught? Mostly, but I have had many mentors and learned by watching them and bugged them to show me stuff through the years. I have always learned by watching and then asking who they listened to etc. Then I would go find those players and listen to them. 5.Who are your biggest influences? Lightnin’ Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Magic Sam, Freddie King, Albert Collins, BB King, Frankie Lee Sims, Vaughan Bros, James Brown, Buddy Guy, Bobby Bland, Anson Funderburgh, Mike Morgan, Brian Calway, Bernard Bigby, Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk, Mance Lipscomb, Bukkha White…. 6.What style of music do you consider yours? Classic Blues and Roots Rock n Roll, with some soul and R&B 7.What was your first gig? How old were you? I was 14 on drums at a church talent show. 8.What advice do you have for someone starting out in the music business? 1. Be good at your craft and NEVER give excuses. 2. Remember it’s a business and it’s about making friends. 3. Stay as far away from ANYTHING that detracts from rule 1 and 2. (namely alcohol, drugs, and anybody that doesn’t bring out your best character and integrity) 9.Do you write your own songs? Yes, and I also have writing partners as well as I am always learning songs from the greats. 10.What would people be surprised to hear that you have in your personal song collection? The ‘Rocky’ Soundtrack as well as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. https://shawnpittman.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaxmeOjkPiQltfTQdM7d5mQ This blog is an album review by Kayla Von der Heide “Wandering Heart”. This album came out about a month ago. First let me tell a little about Kayla, she lives in California, besides being an amazing singer and songwriter Kayla is also an outstanding Photographer. I found out about Kayla via the internet at the beginning of this year. The first time I heard her sing I just could believe what I was hearing. She has such a unique & beautiful voice. Kayla’s voice is one of those voices that you just can place it anywhere. Her voice has such a sweet tone to it and a strong vibrato that just makes you want to hear more. Kayla’s style of writing is truly a songwriter’s dream, where you take a concept and turn it into an amazing story that holds the listeners attention. Kayla’s songs also provoke feelings in you that you didn’t know you had. Which can be a beautiful thing.
If you know me and hear Kayla sing you would think to yourself, this isn’t what Mike listens to. You be right, But I do love a singer that has a beautiful and unique voice. This is Kayla Von der Heide. So, let’s get to the review of Wandering Heart. Here is a song list: 1.Hand To Hold 03:04 2.Weeping Willow 04:19 3.I'll Always Keep A Candle Burning 04:16 4.Wandering Heart 04:00 5.Why Do These Roads Always Lead Me To You 04:34 6.The Road 03:25 7.The Siren Song 02:38 8.Love in The End 04:06 All the songs are very well written and recorded. Like I said before it is hard to put this album into any kind genre. I would have to say my favorite song is “I’ll Always Keep A Candle Burning” it has a very haunting melody to it. You can just close your eyes and imagine what the person is feeling. My second favorite song is “Why Do These Roads Always Lead Me To You” this song is just one of those sad songs that tugs at your heart. It makes you think of someone you know. And in your mind the roads always lead back to them. Overall, I give this album a 10, It will definitely in my top 3 for the year. I can’t count how many times I have listened to it already. I highly recommend anyone reading this to check out Kayla Von der Heide. Also purchase Kayla’s new album. You can find Kayla’s music here: https://mojaveghost.bandcamp.com/album/wandering-heart |
AuthorHello, My name is Michael. I am into music, have been for over 48yrs. Big fan of all kinds of music, right now it has been the Blues for the last 10yrs. I do not play any instruments, But I very interested in the recording aspect of the industry. Have messed around with it a little and always learning new things about it. I have met many wonderful people because of Music.. Hope you enjoy my Blogs... In the last two years I have been producing House Concerts. I also in the past 2 years got to produce and engineer an album for a very good friend of mine from Sweden "Magpie". Archives
February 2024
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