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Recognized as
one of America’s
premier
harmonica
players, Rob Roy
Parnell’s new
CD, Let’s
Start Something,
plays like the
soundtrack for a
Saturday night
at a Texas
roadhouse. It’s
a powerful mix
of rockin’
blues, boogie
woogie, R&B and
soul that makes
it a must in any
music lover’s
collection.
In addition to
Rob Roy’s
powerhouse blues
harp and soulful
vocals, the
album features a
veritable “who’s
who” of all-star
players, such as
current Delbert
McClinton band
members Kevin
McKendree
(keyboards),
Lynn Williams
(drums) and Don
Wise (sax), plus
former members
Lewis Stephens
(keyboards),
James Pennebaker
(guitar) and
Dave Millsap
(guitar). Other
standout
musicians on
Let’s Start
Something
include Rob
Roy’s brother,
Lee Roy Parnell
on guitar, as
well as
guitarists
Stephen Bruton
and Hector Watt,
bassists Sarah
Brown and Steve
Mackey and
singers Jay Boy
Adams and Jonell
Mosser.
It’s been over 8
years since
Texas-based
Parnell released
his last album,
the
critically-acclaimed
Jacksboro
Highway.
“The musicians
who played on
Let’s Start
Something are
some of the best
friends I’ve had
the pleasure to
work with over
my musical
career, and
making this CD
with them was
truly a blast,”
says Rob Roy.
Parnell, who
also produced
the album, had a
hand in penning
10 of its 12
songs. He
co-wrote “If
Mama Ain’t
Happy” with
guitarist Will
Indian, who
currently
plays guitar
with James Hand.
The track also
features
Nashville's
Jonell Mosser on
the awesome
response backing
vocals.
“I Know Better”
and “Rose
Petals” were
co-written with
Mike Cross, who
plays in several
Austin bands,
and does much of
the voice work
on jingles heard
on local TV and
radio. “Rose
Petals” has been
one of the most
requested songs
at Parnell’s
live shows in
the past several
years.
“If I Were You”
was co-written
with Dave
Millsap, one of
Ft. Worth’s
favorite
performers, who
performs
regularly there
and has released
two CDs in the
last five years.
Also written
with Dave were
the songs “Long
Distance Love,”
which is a song
about being on
the road and
away from your
family and
“Texas Love
Machine,” a
tribute to all
the women of
Texas.
“Stephen Bruton,
who is like
another brother
to me, co-wrote
‘That’s All She
Wrote,’ a phrase
my dad said to
me many times as
a kid at the end
of a long day of
work,” remembers
Parnell. “That
saying has
been turned into
a song about a
man being left
by his woman,
only to find out
that her leaving
was the best
thing that ever
happened to him.
Not quite the
same meaning
that it had when
spoken by my
dad. Stephen
sings bass on
the song and
plays great
guitar.”
“Sarah Brown
co-wrote ‘That's
What Blues is
All About,’ a
song about
playing the
blues circuit
throughout
America,” says
Rob Roy.
“Sarah’s been a
bass stalwart on
the national
music scene for
over three
decades, has
played with
Bonnie Raitt,
Earl King, Dr.
John and many
other blues
greats, past and
present, and her
bass playing is
unmatched by
anyone in the
business.”
“On ‘Sorry as
They Come,’ I
was expressing
the thoughts of
a man who may
not be
recognized as
the top in the
game of life,
but on second
look determines
he might be the
best of the
catch,” Parnell
says. “Hector
Watt, who plays
with my band
regularly, plays
a great solo on
this one.”
Let’s Start
Something
clearly
demonstrates Rob
Roy Parnell is
at the top of
his game as a
singer,
songwriter,
harmonica player
and performer.
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