Blues Been Good
to Me Declares
James Armstrong on New Catfood Records CD,
Coming October
20
EL
PASO, TX – Catfood Records announces an October 20 release date for Blues
Been Good to Me, the new CD from James Armstrong, which he produced
with Blues Music Award-winner Johnny Rawls. This is his third album for
Catfood, following Blues at the Border (2011) and
Guitar Angels (2014).
Recorded
primarily at Sawhorse Studios in St. Louis, as well as at associate producer
Jim Gaines’ Bessie Blue Studio in Tennessee, Blues Been Good to Me showcases
the vocals and guitar of James Armstrong, backed by a hand-picked group of
musicians who have played with him on numerous live shows, which made for a
very comfortable fit. The band includes Matt Murdick - keyboards, vocals (who has worked
with Buddy Guy, John Primer, Little Melton, and Johnny Johnson); Johnny McGhee
- rhythm guitar (one of the founding members of LTD and has worked/recorded
with Marvin Gaye, Natalie Cole and, George Duke); Andrew Blaze Thomas – drums
(who has worked with Billy Branch, Bernard Allison, Anna Popovic and Ronnie
Baker Brooks); and Darryl Wright – bass (who has worked with Mavis Staples).
“Whenever
I'm working on a new CD, I always like to be extremely prepared,” says James
Armstrong about the recording process. “On this project, it didn't turn out
that way, which seems like a blessing in hindsight. I was extremely busy when I
was writing songs and arranging music for this project. Four months prior to
going into record, I played over 70 shows. I had a European Tour in March and
did 19 shows in 25 days in different cities, came home for two weeks and worked
in the States and then flew to Spain for two weeks playing 12 shows
back-to-back in different cities in 14 days.
“When
we got into the studio in St. Louis, everyone knew how stressed I was because I
didn't feel prepared. Prior to the session, I had sent demos for everyone to
hear. Two
songs I had to finish writing at the session, ‘Second Time
Around’ and ‘Old Man in the Morning,’ but I told myself that I was just going
to see what happens. I had asked Johnny Rawls to produce the CD with me, who is
a master and a veteran at recording.
“Working
with the legendary Jim Gaines as associate producer was a special treat. I
recorded all of my guitar and vocals at his studio in Tennessee. Jim really
helped me get over some of my fears and limitations from my injury in 1995
which resulted in permanent nerve damage to my left hand. I was able to do
things on the guitar I have not been able to do since my injury.”
The 10 tracks on the new disc include a
number of originals, as well as exciting covers of songs from Robert Palmer
(“Addicted to Love”), and Marvin Gaye (“How Sweet It Is to Be Loved
by You”).
Armstrong explains the genesis of the
two cover songs: “Growing up in California as a teenager I
wanted to be Jimi Hendrix. I listened and played a lot of rock 'n' roll. Darryl
Wright (bass player on the CD) came to me with this song idea to put in to my
live show. After doing it for a while, I realized I wanted to record it. I
always enjoy changing certain song formats like rock, country, etc. into my
style of the blues.
“I've always
loved Marvin Gaye's and James Taylor's versions of ‘How Sweet It Is,’ so I
decided to speed it up with a swing-shuffle feel. With my country music
background, I wanted to add a little country guitar lick in there. Also, I've
never heard the song done before with slide guitar.”
Armstrong also reprises a new version of
“Sleeping with a Stranger, a song he originally recorded as the title track of
his first album for HighTone Records. “I wrote and
recorded ‘Sleeping with a Stranger’ for HighTone Records in 1995, and it was
the first song I ever had any major success with. I stopped playing it in my
live shows for the last ten years but I'm always getting requests to do it. I
decided to re-record it. In the early ‘90s I was in a relationship that I was
not happy with. One morning, I woke up and there was a poem that she wrote
called ‘Sleeping with a Stranger’ on her pillow. I changed a few words, added
music and the next thing I knew I had a song.”
James
Armstrong will continue touring throughout the summer and fall in support of
the new album, and summarizes his feelings about it thusly: “I'm extremely
happy with the results of the recording. Blues Been Good
to Me is the most exciting recording I've
done in years.”
