Andy Hedges is a real find. Andy Wilkinson liked him so much that he produced Hedges' first music CD, City Boys. I saw and heard what Wilkinson liked so much about this young Brownfield-based artist at a CD release party in November, 2004 and asked Hedges to join the Yellowhouse Music family. A couple of days later I listened to City Boys on a 180-mile trek from Lubbock to Snyder and back.
It was ALL I listened to--that's almost three times through the CD.
City Boys is one of the most refreshing pieces of work I have heard in a long time. This first effort is almost one hour in length and includes no fillers. A pleasing mix of cowboy and folk, City Boys features solid guitar work and heart-felt vocals that make it irresistible. Some great tunes, many traditional, are featured here. My favorite? Jamie Raeborn's Lament, an old Scottish ballad, sounds like it was written for Andy--but this CD is filled with equally solid recordings. Although best known for his cowboy poetry, Andy gives us a hint of his songwriting ability with the title cut, a song that speaks to the cowboy in many of us that longs to escape the trappings of city life (pickers and cowboys aren't so different). Rod Taylor's Dust and Horns is also a standout for me, and I further like Dreams Drive the Brazos, one of three songs written by our own Andy Wilkinson.
Wilkinson recently wrote of Hedges, claiming to be neither cowboy nor cowboy singer, his work plainly shows the heritage of each. His voice is honest and unpretentious, his guitar work an effortless and unconscious blend of folk and modern styles, both set to work on material that crosses the turns of two centuries.
We are indeed pleased to welcome Andy Hedges to Yellowhouse Music.
Brad Carter
Yellowhouse Music