BILL SHEFFIELD Got A Gig, Gotta Go
American Roots Records
A new album from the big Atlanta Bluesman is always a pleasure to be
savoured with relish and this one is an absolute cracker. Bill’s superb
fingerpicking and sliding plus his passionate vocals are all over this fine
set of mostly self penned songs. The material is bluesy, rootsy and folky
Americana with a dash of country and a strong spiritual element to some of
the songs. Opener ‘Three Man Band’ is a rocker which goes straight for the
jugular and doesn’t let go until we’ve completed a whirlwind tour of Panama
City, Apalachicola and “A room full of red neck rowdies”. Phew! Incidentally
our own Dave Saunders (ex Producers) plays bass and gets a co-writing
credit on this song. Next up is ‘Kalamazoo’ wherein Bill sits on his back porch picking his trusty 1935 guitar and contemplates life, death, the universe and other trivial matters. ‘The Great Society’ is a tale of how money is supposed to trickle down through society but somehow never reaches those of us at the bottom of the food chain and this track features great harmonica from Jon Liebman. ‘These Four Walls’ tells of a daughter lost to Bill at the age of 4 and the stark setting of Bill’s guitar set against keening fiddle makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The thing with Bill is “it’s all about the songs” and every single word
can be heard throughout this album because the production from Nashville’s Rex Schnelle is always spot on and enhances the songs. A well chosen and exquisite cover of Richard Thompson’s ‘1952 Black Vincent Lightning’ features wonderful fingerpicking and touches of mandolin which adds extra colour to this sad tale and this song forms the centrepiece of the album. Final song on this wonderful CD is the title track ‘Got A Gig, Gotta Go’ in which Bill tells his lady “Just be waiting for me with your feet up in the air. Because I’ll be coming home horny”.
This is already a contender for roots album of the year.
Dave Drury
IT IS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU AS MY NEW MYSPACE FRIEND... I FIND YOUR MYSPACE PAGE, YOUR TALENT AND YOUR ENTHUSIASIUM FOR MUSIC PLEASON’ TO MANY... I WELCOME YOU’RE OTHER MYSPACE FRIENDS TO VISIT MY MYSPACE PAGE THAT I’VE DEDICATED TO MY ADMIRATION OF MANY TALENTED GUITAR PLAYING MUSCIANS OF MANY STYLES... STOP BY CHECK IT OUT AND LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU LIKE… THANKS KEN...
Thank you for being our friend. Mike Dollins & The Cruize Bros "Live" Hot Springs Blues Festival 2009 jamming Sissy Strut.
Guido Ciardetti – Born in Chicago, and was Buddy Miles Bass Player
Brad Messer – Born in Texas, and grew up with SRV
Mike Fraz – Born in New Orleans, playing same venues as Dr. John
Mike Dollins – From California & Arkansas Delta, played in the King Biscuit Blues Band, and with the great blues legends Big Daddy Rucker and Len Rainey on the west coast.
These veteran players love jammin’, and Sissy Strut is becoming a fan favorite on YouTube, AOL, MySpace and FaceBook. United as brothers in the roots of Blues, Jazz, R&B, Soul, Funk, Gospel and American Rock.
Ciao,Bill thanks for your friendship, indeed for me a great joy;-) you are really good, you make some stupendous music, and you have a marvelous voice. I have a great admiration for you, compliments really.. and you are among mine preferred in mine many musical tastes. I hope to listen soon to you, in italy .. talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music. all the best.. from italy..and good life.. every day Ciao.. neal
(the friends.. they don't have frontiers and distances, it doesn't have age', and not even the color of the skin, and everything this.. thanks to the music;-)
Ciao,Bill Thank you for the add and the friendship. you are very good, I like your stupendous music a lot,and stupendous voice. compliments ..really. you are one of my prefeitis, I feel great admiration for you, talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music. all the best.. from italy..and good week neal
