The album opens with "Invitation To The Blues," which has a nice vibe right from its instrumental introduction, featuring fiddle. This song was written by Roger Miller, and it was a hit for Ray Price. Here Dan Wheetman is on lead vocals, delivering a good, passionate performance. "I don't know why you caused me such pain/I only hope I never go through this much again." In the middle, we are treated to several great leads in a row, beginning with guitar, that section a reminder of how talented all these musicians are. That's followed by "Honky Tonk Song," the first of two tracks on this album to include the term "Honky Tonk." This one was written by Mel Tellis and Buck Peddy. Mike Phelan sings lead. "A band kept playing in a joint underneath/I picked up my pillow and I covered up my head/But the band kept playin' and shakin' my bed." Then it kicks in, and it's like the music itself might be what's keeping him up. This is a fun number featuring some delicious work on piano. And of course we learn that the band playing dowstairs isn't the real problem. "Well, I'm so blue, my baby's gone/She took all my money and left me all alone/I'm trying to forget her, but I don't know what to do/A honky tonk song keeps leaking on through." Yup, the real trouble is a woman who has done her man wrong.
Ed Littlefield Jr. sings lead on "Brand New Mister Me," a song written by Ronald McCown, and recorded by Mel Tillis And The Statesiders. It's one of those sweetly sad country number, and these guys do a great job with it, Ed's vocal performance containing just the right amount of ache. It's an interesting song, as it directly addresses his love's new man. "Is my darling good to you/I hope you're feeling happy/'Cause I'm sure feeling blue/And I drive by every morning/And see the man I used to be/How does it feel to be/The brand new mister me?" Then we get the second song with "Honky Tonk" in its title, "Burn Another Honky Tonk Down," a song most famously recorded by George Jones. It's a delightful waltz, with Jon Wilcox on lead vocals, and featuring some really nice drumming. This track has a full and vibrant sound, with lovely work on accordion and fiddle. "Spending my money I earned at the saw mill/To build another honky tonk wall/Early each morning I'm back on that mountain/Wishing her lies were the truth." This is one of my personal favorites on this album.
Teresa Williams joins Dan Wheetman on vocals for "Just Someone I Used To Know," a song written by Jack Clement, and a hit for George Jones. This song is also known as "A Girl I Used To Know." "There's a picture that I carry/One we made some time ago/When they ask who's in the picture with me/I say just someone I used to know." This song always works better as a duet (Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton, George Jones & Tammy Wynette), because they're both experiencing the same thing, the same longing, yet each (we imagine) without knowing the other does. It's like they are in two different places, but expressing the same things simultaneously, which makes the ache all the more striking. It's a beautiful and sad song, and features some nice work on fiddle. That's followed by "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line," a cool and catchy number written by Ivy Bryant and recorded by Waylon Jennings, who included it on his Only The Greatest record. This one is great fun. Ed Littlefield Jr. is on lead vocals. "I keep working every day/All you want to do is play/I'm tired of staying out all night/I'm coming unglued." This track contains a good lead on guitar, as well as some delicious stuff on pedal steel and piano.
Mike Phelan sings lead on "Slowly," delivering a moving performance. There are also some excellent harmonies. "Now I can't hide my feelings no matter what I do/For slowly I'm falling more in love with you/More and more, I need you and want you by my side/More and more, I love you as each day passes by." Oh yes, what a great feeling. Hey, even the peddle steel seems cheerful. This is another of my personal favorite tracks. It's followed by "Rockin' Chair Money," the Hank Williams number (through it was written by Lonnie Glosson and Bill Carlisle). "And I love to rock/Yeah, rock/Baby, rock/Rock on down the line." There are many precursors to rock and roll, but obviously this song is one of them, and this track features a cool bass line and some hopping stuff on piano, through the fiddle and peddle steel provide a lot of its charm.
I love Merle Haggard's songs, especially his slower, sad numbers like "Sing Me Back Home" and the one that Marley's Ghost chooses to cover, "If I'd Left It Up To You," which was on Merle's 1965 album Strangers. Dan Wheetman is on lead vocals, and he delivers an excellent performance. "You made plans to leave a thousand times, I know/And a thousand times I should have let you go/But then I'd always beg you back somehow/If I'd left it up to you, it would all be over now." This track also features some really nice work on guitar. Then "Detour" is a fun, delightful number, with Mike Phelan on lead vocals. "Spent the next five years in jail/Should have read that detour sign." Part of its charm is in its rhythm. And, like many of these tracks, it contains some really nice work on fiddle and pedal steel. These guys need to go on tour soon, spread some of this great music to all the places where it's needed, which, as far as I can tell, is everywhere. Mike Phelan also sings lead on "Midnight," another of the disc's highlights. This song was a big hit for Red Foley, and if this world made any sense, it would be a big hit for Marley's Ghost too. Everything about this track works perfectly. I especially love that guitar work in the middle.
"Motel Time Again" was written by Bobby Bare, and was a hit for Johnny Paycheck. Here it is sung by Jon Wilcox. "Motel time again/Yes, I take myself to bed/I don't even know what town I'm in." Sometimes I miss being on the road, but I don't miss the motels all that much. Road trips still hold their appeal, but I doubt gas prices will ever return to a place where such adventures again become affordable. That's followed by "Waltz Of The Angels," a good, slow waltz featuring Dan Wheetman on lead vocals. "It's surely from heaven, this music I hear/When your lips say I love you in waltz time, my dear." The album concludes with a cover of "Birmingham Bounce," which is a total delight. Jerry Fletcher sings lead on this one. The line "When the drum starts playing that solid beat" leads to a brief drum solo that I love. This track also contains some great stuff on piano, along with a strong bass line. What a perfect choice to wrap things up, the band leaving us feeling good, leaving us dancing. "Now everybody's dancing and they're jumping too/When the music starts rocking, nobody's blue." Exactly. So if you're feeling blue, put this album on.
CD Track List
- Invitation To The Blues
- Honky Tonk Song
- Brand New Mister Me
- Burn Another Honky Tonk Down
- Just Someone I Used To Know
- Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line
- Slowly
- Rockin' Chair Money
- If I'd Left It Up To You
- Detour
- Midnight
- Motel Time Again
- Waltz Of The Angels
- Birmingham Bounce
Honky Tonk is scheduled to be released on May 19, 2026.
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