Kenny Ray Horton: Reviews

KENNY RAY HORTON
A CANARY’S SONG
Fader 4 Records
No Number

The name Kenny Ray Horton may not be easily recognizable, but that may be about to change. This native of Comfort, Mo., has an extensive background in both country and bluegrass music and has written material for such noted artists as Kenny Rogers. In 2008, he became the lead singer of the U.S. Navy’s bluegrass band, Country Current, and only the fourth person in the band’s 36 year history to hold that position.

These 12 superlative tracks highlight Kenny’s considerable vocal and songwriting talents. Joining him are Country Current bandmates, Keith Arneson (banjo), Pat White (fiddle and vocals), and Jeremy Middleton (bass and vocals). Other supporting musicians include Mike Auldridge (resonator guitar) and Darren Beachley (background vocals). Most of the titles were either written or co-written by Kenny. One exception is the title song which was co-authored by Garth Brooks and inspired by the practice of miners taking canaries into the mines as they dug for coal (as long as the canaries were singing, the miners knew the air was safe to breathe). Another is the humorous and fast-paced “Papa Come Quick” (“Jody and Chico”).

Kenny is at his best, however, performing his own material including “Horses You Can’t Tame,” “Mailpouch Chew,” “Wherever You Are,” and “Grateful.” Also featured is the Pat White instrumental, “S.O.S.” This album is a pleasant surprise and one of the more dynamic collections of original bluegrass music this year. Highly recommended! (Fader 4 Music, P.O. Box 251, Point of Rocks, MD 21777.) LM

We had a great interview with Katy Daley on Washington D.C.'s bluegrass station, WAMU. If you missed it, click the link below or go to www.echoesrecordingstudio.com and give it a listen!

An Old Friend Doing Well - Kenny Ray Horton
Wednesday 03-04-2009 2:27am HA

If you've been a regular listener to my show over the past few years you will recognize the name Kenny Ray Horton.

If not let me introduce to you singer, songwriter and good friend Kenny Ray Horton. Kenny Ray is just about to release his latest effort, a CD titled "A Canary's Song". I encourage you all to listen to a 'sneak peek' of Canary's Song at Kenny's home page: http://www.kennyrayhorton.com/music-36.html

What a talent, what a story behind the man. I'll let you read his bio on his home page but I will tell you this - Kenny Ray is a successful songwriter (he received an RIAA certified Gold Record for "A Soldier's King" recorded by Kenny Rogers), and one heck of a singer and performer with several tours throughout the United States,

Rarely do we find such a gifted entertainer of notable succes who is still very much a "regular guy". And while after listening to Kenny Ray Horton you may say he is anything but "regular", he absolutely remains grounded in his faith and love of his family and just a wonderful human being.

Wouldn't it be nice if the world had a few more men and women like that? Then again, I suppose that's what makes them so special!

Kenny Ray Horton - A Canary’s Song
POSTED BY JOHN ON 02.25.09 @ 12:48 PM
TAGS: DARREN BEACHLEY, FRANK SOLIVAN II, KENNY RAY HORTON, WAYNE TAYLOR
We heard yesterday from Kenny Ray Horton, guitarist and lead vocalist with the US Navy’s Country Current, who is about to release a new solo project.

A Canary’s Song, which features 7 songs of Horton’s amidst the 11 tracks, will hit on March 11. In addition to Kenny on guitar and vocals, the CD is anchored by Keith Arneson on banjo, Pat White on fiddle and mandolin, Mike Auldridge on resonator guitar and Jeremy Middleton on bass. Darren Beachley and Courtney Williams add harmony vocals.

Kenny stepped in last year to fill the shoes of Wayne Taylor when he retired from the US Navy, and tells us that it was a circuitous path from his childhood home in southern Missouri to Washington, DC to take the spot with Country Current.

As a boy, he was raised on bluegrass and country music, and spent many hours with one of his dad’s best friends, Bob Brumley, son of Albert E. Brumley. The elder Brumley is among the most prolific writers of country Gospel songs, including the classic I’ll Fly Away.

Horton knew from an early age that music was where he wanted to earn his living, and eventually made the trek to Music City where he found some success.

“I made my way to Nashville where I was a staff writer for publishing houses, one of which was Oh Boy Records, John Prine’s label. They picked me up as a full-time staff writer and I ended up co-writing the song A Soldier’s King with John Barlow Jarvis for Kenny Rogers’ Christmas album entitled The Gift.”

After some time singing demos and background vocals in Nashville, he made the decision to look for more secure income, and joined the Navy as an electronics tech.

“Then when I found out that they had bands that did something other than march as a parade band, I switched over and started fronting Navy Band Horizon in Chicago, IL. I spent 5 years there, then moved to Pearl Harbor, HI for two years and finally to Memphis, TN.

All this while I had my eye on this position and kept an ear to the ground on what Wayne Taylor was doing. The group had such a name, not only in the Navy, but in the bluegrass world that it was hard not to pay attention to them.”

When word went out that Taylor planned to retire, Kenny quickly called for an audition.

“I was nervous because I knew that the spot was and is the brass ring of what I do for the Navy. The guys brought me in with the audition material and tried to make me as comfortable as possible. I realized one thing about nerves during that audition. A person’s nervousness in an audition situation is directly attributed to how badly they want the gig. I was pretty much able to control the nerves, except for my left leg - I couldn’t get it to quit shaking during the whole audition. I looked like a bad Elvis impersonator.

Thankfully I got the call and one month to the day after receiving the phone call telling me I got the spot, I was in rehearsals for three days and then off to the Withlacoochie Bluegrass Festival for my official breaking in. I immediately stepped into the job of fronting the band and I have to say, I was more nervous about pleasing that audience than I was in my audition. Folks had come to expect Wayne to be there, and to fill those shoes took a lot of stuffing and duct tape, but they seemed to enjoy the show. I was very relieved about that one!”

Once he had settled in with his new navy gig, Kenny started looking towards producing a solo bluegrass project - a break from his previous releases, which had more of a country rock feel.

He wanted to include fellow members of Country Current, and enlisted banjoist Arneson, fiddler/mandolinist White, and bass player Middleton as his primary rhythm section. Before the tracking began, Horton made a point of telling everyone that he wasn’t looking for a stressful, perfection-oriented studio experience, and was determined to make the recording sessions fun for all involved.

“I wanted that part to come though on the album. I’m not one that is so concerned about everything being perfectly lined up, spit and polished. I didn’t want that mechanical type of sound. We all wanted the project to be great musically, but not by relying on what the computer could make us sound like. One thing I am most proud of about this album is the fact that when you see us play these songs live, you will understand that what we did in the studio is what we are doing on the stage. It’s real.

One statement that I have made about recording is that it is my belief that it isn’t about perfection. It is about finding or writing the best songs you can that YOU truly believe in, working with the best players you can find that you have FUN with, play those songs and have the most fun you can with it!”

Audio samples from A Canary’s Song, and Kenny’s two previous albums, can be heard on his web site.

Kenny also shared a word about the newest member of Country Current. Joe Friedman will soon join the band, taking the mandolin/vocal spot held until recently by Frank Solivan II.

Update - Kenny Ray Horton's new CD!
Wednesday 03-18-2009 9:00am HA
A quick update for all you music fans...Kenny Ray's new Bluegrass album (CD) is set for release on March 24th. But I'm going to get an early copy and have it ready for you, the most akamai talk radio and music fans, by this weekend.

But let me warn you first. You may have a preconceived notion of what bluegrass music sounds like. You probably think bluegrass music is that old, traditional hillbilly sound of good ole boys sittin' on a porch pickin' on the banjo and mandolin and singing with that predictable "twang". But Kenny Ray is anything but predictable.

In fact, I sent Kenny Ray a note to say his new stuff doesn't sound like the stuff my grandparents (from Kentucky) use to listen to. Kenny Ray's approach to bluegrass is new, exciting, and quite simply rocks.

Now, you may think a progressive approach to bluegrass is sacreligious but Kenny Ray Horton not only pulls it off, he gets it on! And I mean he really gets it on! The arrangements, the chord progessions, the vocals all fuzed to bring a new life to a traditional sound. A sound unlike that which you've grown accustomed.

What I'm trying to say is do yourself a favor and give a listen to one of the most talented young artists of our time. Kenny Ray Horton will give you a reason to put bluegrass music on your play list. In a word, Kenny Ray's new set "A Canary's Song" is wonderful. It's a combination of east meets west - of traditional and contemporary - of country and good old rock-n-roll.

So stick around...you'll be glad you did!