'AN INDEPENDENT VIEW'
by: Linda Fryer, BMI, CLA
© June, 2003

"ONE OF A KIND"

ARTIST: BIG AL DOWNING
TITLE: "ONE OF A KIND"
LABEL: HAYDEN'S FERRY RECORDS
PLATINUM EXPRESS RECORDS
PRO DUCERS: BIG AL DOWNING/BOB BABBITT/CHARLES GREGORY
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: ERROL WATLER
Listening to this CD was never, and I MEAN it, more of a pleasure!!! This is the kind of music that makes you feel just soooooooo good! Al Downing is one of the best songwriters I've ever had the honor of reviewing. Fabulous lyrics! You will find yourself SINGING right along with him, even if it's the first time you've heard it! Now, THAT'S saying something, folks! I mean, how could you sing to a song you don't even know? Well, that's what I thought, too. BUT…believe it or not, you can, and you WILL. (And just to make it easier, Al has included all the lyric song sheets in the album.)
When I received this CD, I wondered what kind of music it was, and if it would "fit" into a "category" with what y'all have been reading about here, before. But, I needn't have worried. This music is undeniably country. Country SOUL with the feel of blues, gospel, and good ol' rock-n-roll. Plus some good old-fashioned boogie-woogie!! I LOVED this! Al Downing, who won Billboard's "New Artist of the Year" in 1979, is best known for his hits, "Mr. Jones" and "Touch Me", and has continued to thrill audiences all around the world. Whether it's in a club, on a concert stage, on a record, or on radio, it doesn't matter. Whether the audience is filled with country, blues, rock and roll, or gospel fans, he will entertain them. How could you NOT love this music?

Al wrote all the songs on this CD. On "Talkin' the Talk" he conspired with his pal and Executive Producer for this CD, Errol Watler…and what a GREAT rockin' song this is!! Errol also joined Big Al on the heartbreaker, "Goodbye My Love". And on the 'tongue-n-cheek pick-up song', "Joe's Truck Stop", Al and Dick Simmons teamed up. I'm tellin' ya, folks, this is an album that's so much fun to listen to that you'll have to have it with you in your car, at your office, and anywhere else you listen to music. It's a great one for your collection of good ol' country soul. The songs are long enough, too, not like so many others that cut you off, just when you begin to get the feel of it. I hate that! This one, folks, does NOT cut you off. 'Course, they're so good, you may want to hit the repeat button a few times, like I did! And be sure to check out "I'm Too Green to be Blue", a little song that softly reminds us not to judge folks by their color, but without being preachy. It's NICE to be reminded, and I guess we could all use some of that, once in a while, huh? And then there's that oooh so sexy, sultry song, "What a Man Will Do….". If this one doesn't get ya thinkin', I don't know what will! But remember, it's ONLY a song….or IS it??

Al had a great bunch of musicians backing him up on this album, including Bob Babbitt, Rod Smarr, Byrd Burton, Mark T. Jordan, Ed Greene, Wayne Jackson, Jimmy Clarke, Sammy Harp, and Teresa Collier, Yvonne Hodges, and Scat Springer on vocals. A wonderful group of artists. Bob Krusen did an OUTSTANDING job of mixing this CD, too. WOW.
I don't want to close this review without mentioning a song that really touched my heart, and I'm sure it will touch yours. "Hometown America" is one of the most beautifully written songs on this album. It covers everything about us, the people and citizens of this great country of ours. It
mentions and pays tribute to our veterans and servicemen and women, both past and present. In this song, Al mentions many of the places in the United States he's been throughout his life. And one of the lines in the songbrings it all together for us, and makes us feel so proud…"any place in America is hometown to me". I love this line, these simple words tell what it's like to be a REAL American. And a PROUD American. Oh, and by the way, this IS one song you'll want to hit that 'repeat' button on. Count on it.

"ONE OF A KIND" will be released and in stores on July 29th, and you can contact Al or his record label through it's website, http://www.platinumexpressrecords.com . Or contact … http://www.haydensferry.com Don't miss out on this one. We talk about supporting our independent artists, all the time. Well, I urge you to do so. If you have never purchased a CD by an independent artist, let this be the first one. It won't be the last, but it WILL be a great beginning to your indie collection, I promise you that. I know what you're thinkin', folks…promises, promises. Well, ok. I'll let YOU be the judge. Cause, after all, this is only…