COUNTRY HARMONICA

Due to my early interest in country and bluegrass harmonica, I ended up playing on several albums by New Zealand country singers in the 80's (Patsy Riggir, Howard Morrison, Brendan Dugan etc). 

As a result, in 1983 Erroll and Ginny Peters asked me to do a harmonica instrumental album of country tunes. They had been to Nashville, and bought a whole swag of pre-recorded backing tracks intended for singers to record over. The tracks had the lot: rhythm section, piano, guitars, pedal steel, solos - and even pre-recorded backing harmonies! The idea was to substitute the harmonica for the lead vocal, and release the result as an instrumental album. It was a chance to work on a solo album project in the studio for the first time, so I set to work learning a whole lot of country classics and arranging them to fit the backing tracks. I enjoyed the challenge, as it really stretched my technique and knowledge of the harp. 

Everything would have been great except for those accursed backing vocals, as the songs were pre-mixed to-two track and they couldn't be removed. So the harmonica would be flying along in some flurry of notes, and then in came those Nashville chicks doing their oohs and aahs! Kind of distracting during the recording process, but they give the finished product an endearing kitsch quality all its own.

This album was only ever released in New Zealand in 1984, on cassette in a small batch, and no more were made. It's available from me on CD.

TRACKS 

1. Rocky Top        2. Elvira        3. San Antonio Rose        3. Hello Walls        4. Sunday Morning Coming Down        5. I'm Movin' On        6. My Shoes Keep Walkin' Back to You        7. I Believe in You        8. Candy Kisses        9. Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down        10. You Needed Me        11. Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line

(Selected tunes link to MP3 Music Clips)

HARMONICAS

All the harmonicas used on this album are custom-tuned 11 hole half-valved diatonics. I made these up myself from two Hohner Special 20 bodies stuck together, with various brand reedplates attached. 

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