Carolina Mountain Time
by: Mark Emerick
Mark Emerick has filled the lead guitar spot in the Commander Cody Band for many years now, so it’s no small wonder he would tip his hat to the Commander on his first solo outing, covering “Six Days On The Road” and the country-fried “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone?” Even still, Emerick fills this record with a ton of hot licks, many of which are obviously influenced by his love of the late Toy Caldwell. Some of the guitar licks send chills up my spine, as if Mark is actually channeling the spirit of Caldwell.
Most of Emerick's own compositions would be right at home on a Marshall Tucker Band record. “Apache Rose” certainly would, and especially “Carolina Mountain Time,” an original watermelon-boogie tune that is Tuckerized to the core and “Eight Hour Ride,” a tune reminiscent of the mid-seventies MTB meets The Outlaws sound. Good stuff.
Emerick is backed by a line up of classic players, The King Snake Allstars: Tim Kelliher on acoustic/slide & electric guitar; Mike Beausoleil on bass & harmony vocals; Ron "The Byrd" Foster on drums and vocals; Bill Delk on piano/organ; Steve Barbuto on drums; and Juan Perez on drums.The album was recorded at Delk Studio Complex in Deltona, Florida.
Oh yeah, one sweet surprise here is a beautiful take on Tony Joe White’s classic “Rainy Night in Georgia” with lead vocals by Ron Foster. Emerick lays back and plays some sweet lead guitar.
Carolina Moutain Time is an excellent solo debut from an honest, sincere, honorary Southern Gentleman, Mark Emerick.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Comments
Please login or you can
If you aren't registered, Register Now to start leaving comments.