Tom Russell Band - Poor Man's Dream (1989)

                                                                

                     

 Rose Records was a record store on Wabash Avenue in downtown Chicago. There were several floors of recordings separated by genre. I always headed for one of the upper floors where the folk and country records were located. It was a music lover’s paradise. On one particular day, in the early 90s, I was reading the cover notes of Tom Russell's Poor Man’s Dream. I had not heard of Russell, but something told me to take a chance. It was a wise choice.

Tom Russell has produced several great albums over the course of his career, but I have chosen to write about Poor Man’s Dream since it was my introduction to his music. Released in 1990, it contains several of his best songs. “Blue Wing” co-written with Dave Alvin has become one of his standards. “Gallo Del Cielo,” a song that got the attention of Robert Hunter, Grateful Dead songwriter. The heartbroken inhabitants of “Spanish Burgundy.” This is a songwriter at the top of his game. 

Recorded in Norway where Russell frequently tours it features the guitar work of Andrew Hardin who subsequently toured with Russell for years as a duo. This album also features “Outbound Plane” which Russell wrote with Nanci Griffith and was a hit on country radio as performed by Suzy Bogguss.

Russell has built a successful career and has avoided the Nashville scene, or any other scene. He writes well-crafted intelligent songs detailing the American experience and has steadily forged a path of success by turning out great songs. He is also one of those rare artists who hasn’t made a poor record, and some are landmarks of the Americana music scene. The Man From God Knows Where explores the roots of his Irish and Nordic family history.  

In the pantheon of Americans music, Tom Russell is one pillar of artistic ingenuity. Check him out.

 

 

James McCandless - A Forgotten Chicago Treasure

                                                    

Chicago has had its share of accomplished singer/songwriters, most notably Michael Smith, Steve Goodman, and John Prine. But another artist, just as talented, was the late James McCandless. He passed away in 2013, but his music still deserves a larger audience.

 I first heard McCandless around 1990, at Fitzgerald’s night club just outside of Chicago. It was their Tuesday evening open mic. I sat at the bar as various aspiring musicians wandered in with guitar cases in hand. Others huddled in a corner talking shop or tuning up to prepare for their performance.

The proceedings began as the first gentleman slowly took the stage. He looked disheveled in his baggy pants and loose sweater. Then he played some of the best songs I had ever heard. Others in attendance seemed to know him, and I quickly learned I had been listening to James McCandless, a local songwriter.
He immediately stood out by the quality of his songs and his almost classical finger style guitar. The first chance I got, I drove to the Old Town School of Folk Music on Armitage and bought Out West Somewhere. I went to see him every chance I got, which was usually at Fitzgerald’s. He occasionally opened for a touring artist whose songs would usually pale in comparison.

I discovered his music just as he was about to release Sea of Freedom, another collection of stellar compositions. “Lily Langtry” which I have heard called one of the best songs written about celebrity. His own family history is the subject in “Springfield.” Irish musicians John William, Martin Hayes and Jackie Moran join Julianne Macarus to round out the instrumentation.

The music of James McCandless is intelligent, insightful, and will leave you wanting more. Hopefully, more artists will cover his songs in ther future. His wonderful songs are widely available on streaming services and at jamesmccandless.com