 |
||
| MAIN STREET PEOPLE | ||
|
||
| Reviews of "Main Street People" REVIEW OF “MAIN STREET PEOPLE” My Music Or Yours By Mike Little The Craig Woolard Band found great success with their first two releases, Making Waves and Come Get To This, and the popular group is sure to follow on the same road from their new release, Main Street People, the new album from SisBro Records. The CD contains all new material from the band including the bonus track from Craig Michael Woolard, Jr., Say Goodbye. The song was written and the lead vocals handled by Craig Michael. You may recognize a few of the songs on the album, as The Craig Woolard Band has been performing some of them live in their recent performances. These included Love Sweet Love and Beach-A-Holic. The latter is an original given to Craig by big-time Nashville songwriter David Malloy. The Jimmy Buffet-like tune puts some fun into the album, as well as the group's live performances. Other songs included in this new release are Who's Cheating Who, originally recorded by Little Milton, (I Think) I'm In Love With The Girl Next Door, originally recorded by Rue Davis and The Eagles' No More Cloudy Days. You will also find You Love Is Amazing and the title track Main Street People, originally recorded by The Four Tops. There is plenty of brass to be found on Soulful Kinda' Love. Band member and keyboardist Andy Swindell, who made a name for himself with The Embers, takes the lead on the Brook Benton classic, Thank You Pretty Baby. The jewel on Main Street People is found with Impossible. The song is accompanied by famed guitarist Steve Cropper and the background vocals provided by noted songstress Barbara Weathers. Steve Cropper really needs no introduction, as he is well known across the music world for his session work and has been a mainstay from the beginning with Booker T. & The M.G.'s and The Mar-Keys. His name became a household word following his performances in the movie and the albums of The Blues Brothers. Barbara Weathers was a member of Atlantic Starr. Atlantic Starr was one of the most popular urban contemporary acts of the eighties. Not only will some of the songs on Main Street People become Beach Music classics, the cover of the album is also destined to become a classic on its own. You may recognize the design of the cover, as it is derived from the cover of The Beatles' classic album, Abbey Road. Main Street People will surely become a main stay in the Beach Music world. A NOTE FROM CRAIG: Due to the deadline time with the Carefree Times, etc., Mike Little’s review had to be done prior to our completion of the song selections for the new CD. Since FALL MIGRATION is to many of us the OFFICIAL END of SUMMER, (plus the passing of Michael Jackson), we thought this would be perfect timing, and opted at the last minute to record “FAREWELL MY SUMMER LOVE” in place of Craig Michael’s original song “SAY GOOD BYE”. We WILL have that song out some time in the near future. This decision came after the article was submitted, so all information herein was correct at the time of the writing. Mike Little is a highly respected legend in Beach Music, not only for his vast knowledge of the music, but for his integrity and sincere love and dedication to our industry. Thank you, Mike, for such a wonderful review! MIKE LITTLE Mike Little is a member of the Electric City Shag Club in Anderson, South Carolina and the Carolina Shag Club in Greenville, South Carolina. He hosted for 3-1/2 years The Saturday Morning Beach Party on WANS, 1280 AM in Anderson, which was rated by Arbitron as the highest rated AM show listened to and number three overall for that time slot. He is a regular columnist for the newsletters of the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Dee Jays and the Association of Beach & Shag Club DJ’s, as well as the web site, beachmusic45.com and Care Free Times, the official publication of Society of Stranders (SOS) and the Association of Carolina Shag Clubs. He serves on the Board as an Advisory Member of the Carolina Beach Music Awards. Mike also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Dee Jays. In 2004, Mike was awarded the Rufus Oates Award by the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Dee Jays for his writing contributions. Note From a Fan:
It is a fact that an aged vintage wine has a better taste and color than one produced in the current year. It that were applied to music, Craig Woolard would be a Mouton Rothschild, Bordeaux Red, 1953. Like an aged wine, Craig Woolard and the CWB have only gotten better through the years. One comment I hear over and over is that every time someone sees Craig and the band, they are always the very best ever! I agree hands down. They continue to take it to the next level. To me, this new CD “MAIN STREET” showcases Craig at his absolute best. The songs are vintage R&B mixed with new contemporary sounds. I have known Craig Woolard for over thirty years, and most of the CWB band members equally as long. Having worked in the radio and television business in the Carolina’s in the early sixties, the music that has evolved into what we described as Beach Music has only gotten better with time. I listen to music with a careful ear for how a song would fit for Craig and the CWB. Two of the songs on this CD, LOVE SWEET LOVE and YOUR LOVE IS AMAZING, show Craig’s amazing talent as a vocalist as well as an accomplished musician. IMPOSSIBLE simply blows me away, and to add to that STEVE CROPPER playing guitar on this song – shows you the enormous respect Craig Woolard has in this industry! The entire CD makes a major statement about who Craig is and where his musical journey has taken him. He is as passionate today as he has ever been about playing music and entertaining his audience. They always get his very best performance, never anything less. He attracts the very best musicians, and that is what you get with THE CRAIG WOOLARD BAND - The very best in entertainment! My wish is for all of you to continue on this musical journey with Craig Woolard and the CWB band. Come out and see them perform live and buy the CD. Craig’s desire and musical dreams have not waned one bit. I am moved by his music and hope all of you will be also. (Written by A TRUE FAN, Douglas T. Pearce) |
||
| COME GET TO THIS | ||
|
||
| Reviews of "Come Get To This" Come
Get To This Written by Butch Halpin A
year after they hit with “Making Waves”, the Craig Woolard
Band hits us with their new CD on the Sisbro label, “Come Get
To This”. As expected with the talented group of musicians Woolard
is so blessed to have in this band, we hear great horn work from Craig,
Andy King and Keith Stone, awesome guitar licks courtesy of J.K. Loftin,
killer keyboards a la’ Terry Nash, Greg Watson’s steady
bass, a driving drum beat from Sam Bryant and harmonies that take us
to church. All of these are found in the first song to the last. “River
of Love” kicks things off and features Craig on lead. He also
handles lead on the next one, the radio & dance friendly “What
You Gave Me”, which is one of my favorites. Another one that I
really dig is their version of The Drifters’ “Money Honey”.
Lead vocals are handled by Andy King. It takes a special voice to even
attempt to cover the great Clyde McPhatter, and Andy King is the only
person of the Caucasian persuasion I have ever heard to even come close
to McPhatter. All I can think of to say is he nails this song to the
wall. The backing vocals and Craig’s baritone sax add to his vocals
to make this my number one favorite off this CD. “I Can’t
Dance” comes up next, with Craig on lead. Like the music of Archie
Bell that is an obvious influence on this tune, this one has an infectious
rhythm and beat. Craig had covered music by David Ruffin in the past,
but now he has a band mate who can take the falsetto sound of Eddie
Kendricks and run with it. He and Andy team up with a soulful cover
Ruffin & Kendricks’ “I Couldn’t Believe It”.
“On The Beach” starts off with some great guitar work and
features Craig on lead. This one reminds me of music by Sergio Mendes
and could find favor with competition shaggers. The mid-tempo “Hopelessly
In Love” features Craig’s lead vocals and lovely female
back up vocals. “Every Time You Cry” also features Craig
on lead and has some great lyrics. Take a close listen, fellas. If you’ve
ever seen CWB live, you know bass player Greg Watson can also sing.
He gets the lead mike with “The Coast Is Clear”, another
shag friendly tune and does a great job. “Bet You’ll Never
Be Sorry” is heard next with a melody that gets in your head and
stays there awhile after you’ve taken the CD out of the player.
“Color Away” is on a compilation previously released, so
you’ve probably already heard it. This is a departure from the
usual for CWB, but is also another song that has some beautiful lyrics,
Craig’s heartfelt delivery and we get to hear daughter Carly at
the end. Next we have the title track, the popular Marvin Gaye cover,
“Come Get To This” that has seen a lot of chart action.
As a bonus cut, we’re treated to “Save Room For My Love”,
featuring CJ (Craig Michael Woolard). All in all, this is a well-produced
CD with some great music to dance or just listen to. The Smokin’
Beach Music 45 Review is in… Come
Get To This – This sophomore effort finds the Craig Woolard Band marking their third year anniversary in fine style – a CD release with outstanding vocals, instrumentation and production throughout. It’s like a ‘second child’ to the band, according to the liner notes. It is also the first release of an artist by SISBRO Records, Judy Collins’ new label. CWB has undergone quite a positive transformation in their three years, including the comings and goings of a few players, as most all bands tend to experience. The founding base of Craig on lead vocals and sax, JK Loftin on lead guitar and Terry Nash on keyboards is still intact, however, and one of the net results of all the changes is: a smokin’ new horn section! There are several songs on the new release that could become bonafide hits. Leading off is a rousing get-on-your-feet rendition a 1991 tune entitled River of Love. Craig really brings the mail on the smooth mid-tempo Hopelessly In Love and the rhythmic Every Time You Cry. The strains of Chicago soul are all over the horn laden Bet You’ll Never Be Sorry - it might be my favorite song on the CD and it should be an excellent tune for radio play. Another one that really jumps off is I Can’t Dance – Craig’s vocal stylings and the bands hard driven playing make the song their own in originality. Can you say ‘line dance’? Gotta love all the Motown influence on this album – the previously released Come Get To This, which has already made it well up the charts, the Ashford and Simpson written What You Gave Me and I Couldn’t Believe It, a marvelous tribute to what was one of the last combined efforts of two original members of the Temptations, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks. Both of these amazing artists tragically passed away in the early ‘90’s, neither was much over fifty. Jesse Stone wrote the incredible Money Honey in the early ‘50’s. Dozens of artists have covered it over the years, including The Drifters, Elvis Presley and Little Richard. Andy King’s version has to be one of the finest I’ve ever heard. I mean, he nails it, from start to finish! The melodic Color Away was provided by Florence, South Carolina’s songwriters Billy and Jack Jeffords. Budding young star and recent college graduate (and dad couldn’t be prouder!) Craig Michael aka CJ makes his recording debut with Save Room For My Love, a song he has been performing of late in the band’s live performances. Written
by Neal “Soul Dog” Furr Note
from a Fan: Craig
Woolard has been making music since the age of 14.
To say he is a legend in this industry is an understatement.
And now, with his new band, (Written
by a true CWB fan!) |
