New Dale Watson Album “El Rancho Azul”
2013 is already shaping up to be an excellent year for real country music, with some of the heavy hitters slating new releases before we even hit Easter. Just announced, Dale Watson and his Lone Stars have a brand new album titled El Rancho Azul to be released January 29th through Red House Records, featured 14 original songs and being touted as his “honkiest tonkiest” album yet of his 21-album career.
Recorded at Willie Nelson’s legendary Pedernales Studio in Austin, Dale used his own band of Chris Crepps on upright bass, Mike Bernal on drums, Don “Don Don” Pawlak on pedal steel, with Danny Levin sitting in on piano and fiddle.
Originally it was announced that the album would be titled I Lie When I Drink (the opening track) when the first single from the album “Daughter’s Wedding Song” was released in late August of 2012. “I’m often asked to recommend a song for the father/daughter dance,” Dale says. “I usually say Merle Haggard’s ‘Farmers Daughter.’ The only problem is that, in the song, the mother is gone. So one day I told this couple I would write one special for the dance. While writing, I drew on my two daughters for inspiration and started crying halfway through it. I figured if it hit my heart strings, maybe it’ll hit the heart strings of fathers and daughters everywhere.”
The recently-divorced Dale takes the listener on a journey through love and heartache in El Rancho Azul. As you can expect with Dale spending most of his time entertaining Texas two-steppers in Austin’s dancehall haunts like The Broken Spoke, the album includes some songs written specifically for dancing. “Quick Quick Slow Slow” is a two-step tune, while the following “Quick Slow Slow” is a waltz.
Look for the Saving Country Music review coming soon!
Pre-order El Rancho Azul from Amazon
1. I Lie When I Drink |
2. Where Do You Want It |
3. I Drink to Remember |
4. Cowboy Boots |
5. We’re Gonna Get Married |
6. Daughter’s Wedding Song |
7. Quick Quick Slow Slow |
8. Slow Quick Quick |
9. Give Me More Kisses |
10. Drink Drink Drink |
11. I Can’t Be Satisfied |
12. I Hate to Drink Alone |
13. Smokey Old Bar |
14. Thanks to Tequila |
Chris Lewis "louie"
January 7, 2013 @ 12:47 pm
Is this the album that also features Sarah Gayle Meech? I noticed on her facebook last month that they were in the studio with Dale and posted some pics/vids of that.
Trigger
January 7, 2013 @ 12:56 pm
I’m not seeing Sarah’s name in the press release, liner notes, credits, etc. that I have it right here in front of me so my guess is no. It also would seem like the turnaround time is too quick. Maybe Dale is appearing on Sarah’s new album, not vice versa.
Thanks for the nugget though, that’s something to look forward to.
Oh wait, see Geoff’s comment below.
Chris Lewis "louie"
January 7, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
Here is info from a couple pics she posted on her facebook page:
“Headed to Memphis TN today with the great Dale Watson to record a duet at Sun Studios for his new album! Did I mention Hillbilly Casino is the backing band? Stoked!
and another comment
Had to share this small video clip of Sarah Gayle Meech, Geoff Firebaugh, Ronnie Crutcher and me recording backup vocals on” Don’t Let The Screendoor Hit Ya Where The Good Lord Split Ya”. It’s one of 6 songs we recorded at Sun Studios for a vinyl EP called “iF yoU” and was engineered by the amazing Matt Ross-Spang”
TX Music Jim
January 7, 2013 @ 12:52 pm
Dale played several of these tracks when I saw him this summer. It is going to be a good one.
geoff
January 7, 2013 @ 12:54 pm
No, the record with Sarah is a seperate project. Tentatively titled “If You”, it was cut at Sun Studios with Dale being backed up by the Hillbilly Casino and Jason D. Williams. The Title Track is a duet with Sarah Gayle Meech.
Trigger
January 7, 2013 @ 12:57 pm
(mouth watering)
TX Music Jim
January 7, 2013 @ 1:45 pm
Something to look foward to that will indeed be a tasty treat, no doubt.
goldencountry
January 7, 2013 @ 2:42 pm
This is great news and I can’t wait to hear it
Mike
January 7, 2013 @ 4:27 pm
Dale Watson is the man. I find it mildly amusing that his song “country my ass” has the acronym CMA, not sure if that was intentional on his part or not but its a funny coincidence.
carrie left mike fisher for me
January 8, 2013 @ 3:55 am
iv’e never even thought about that ha.
CapnWain
January 8, 2013 @ 12:15 pm
Saw Dale and his Lonestars (both band and bottle) back in September and he did some of these new songs, including the Daughter’s Wedding Song, with the same intro for it as described above.
Looking forward to the new album
Kev
January 9, 2013 @ 7:35 am
Hmmmm, sounds great. No UK release at the moment though. According to Dale’s website: “The next record out in Europe will be Dalevis: Sun Sessions 2, around January 2013. It’s all original songs inspired by the Elvis songs that came out of Sun studios. It is a derivative record that completes the Sun Studio Tribute that covers more of the Elvis, Jerry Lee side of that history”.
So, 2 new Watson albums – though all is quiet on Sun Sessions 2 over here!
Fish Camp Barbie
January 9, 2013 @ 8:30 pm
Dale posted a Facebook picture an hour ago from Sun Studios with the caption Mixing the ” iF yoU…” EP at Sun Studios.
I’ve pre-ordered the El Rancho Azul cd from Amazon. can’t wait!
Luckyoldsun
January 13, 2013 @ 12:59 am
If record sales reflected my tastes, Dale Watson would already be a Hall-of-Famer.