Introducing Double Down, the new album released today!
Thank you for being part of this music and art. All art needs an audience!
It's been a journey. In my thinking, parts of this began hearing Bible stories. Mixed with family stories that made me think of generations that went into allowing this creative voice to be heard. Thinking that way, I can not help but feel grateful.
The compulsion to make a tenacious album that reminded the heart of music that it pumped the life-blood of real people, real stories, and all the industry glitz and glam came at the expense of real storytelling. This album is, unapologetically, Folk, Americana, Blues & Soul. On purpose. It is supposed to reach into all those places to resonate on behalf of an history that keeps repeating lessons, examples, and cautionary tales that actually MEAN something. MUSIC can reflect life, add emotion, and voila, remind us something meaningful. We NEED to re-focus on the ancient human ritual, inherent in music, that helps us CONNECT and pay attention to LEARNING how to re-connect!
The HOW of it's creation, that was quite a process for me too. I felt responsible to AMPLIFY so many voices. Each song came from digging deep enough, as an artist, to give each statement real PERSPECTIVE.
The guitar played a big part in creating the mood, scene, and setting, like a mysterious, stringed, duet partner. We channeled, imagined, empathized, and outraged with, and against, reality.
At a certain point, the craft of working with the instruments, feeling where the music wanted to go, thinking about each songs intent, made me dig deeper to find lyrics that connected and imparted the mood. All that soul-searching gave this art a voice of force because each part of each song came from someplace real.
Just to be sure, I brought in expert musicians, like Greg Baker (Drums,and former drummer for The Village People) and Wayne Ridenhour Jr., (Lead guitar) on Devil's Star. Educator and storyteller Jerry Lagadec crafted lyrics to The Ballad of Slow Hand Willie Jeffries. The powerful voice and guitar of David Jackson also gave that song great focus. Together they wrote that song, that appeared on David Jackson's 2020 album “The Muse and the Raconteur.” I added background vocals then, all the while knowing this song MUST go on my Double Down album too. It's that important it be heard. We remastered it and voila (again!).
Each artist-collaborative added an artifact to the Double Down whole. As a result the truth can be both felt and heard, as intended in each song. That, honestly, all any artist can hope for. The satisfying encapsulation of a vision.
So here you have the power to listen.
There is so much music in the world. I am sharing the teeth and tenacity of mine to the grassroots of you, who expressed signed up to hear more.
Your purchase of the Double Down album, from my website, will also afford you a physical CD when they arrive in mid-April. Please respond with your mailing address to receive one.
With great thanks & love, this album exists in dedication to Lee O'Connor, Mom to both me and my sister Tracey. Today, in a more perfect world, she would have been 80.
Sincerely, Colette O'Connor