Title: Steel Guitar: Blues Opera
Artist: Herzog, Pete
Label: CD Baby
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 885767783362
Genre: Blues

Steel Guitar, a Blues Odyssey, a unique one man show, written and performed by musician, Pete Herzog, spotlights 22 original songs linking the story of a guitar, a multi-generational love story, and a search for happiness. Steel Guitar tells the story of a guitar as it is passed from owner to owner, purchased, stolen, won in a card game, and passed down through generations. Through it's travels it's sound is colored by each person who plays it and they feel it's history. The 22 original songs are the glue between the stories about the lives of these characters filled with love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness with a little gamblin and ramblin thrown in. This performance combines storytelling and original blues/roots acoustic music to tell the history of a steel guitar. As the guitar guides you through the lives of it's owners you hear Herzog's songs give a flavor of blues history. He included musical styles that showcased elements of blues roots and development of different styles. "I have often thought about vintage instruments I have played and wondered at their history and felt all those who had played them had colored their sound." says Herzog. Herzog is currently performing Steel Guitar as a "one man show" but says that he wrote the blues opera with the idea that it could be performed by one person or by a number of people. Monday, January 31, 2011 No Fat Lady Opera: It's a Blues Odyssey At first sight Pete Herzog may resemble a typical bearded biker (or back-woods hippie) guy with a bottle of whiskey sitting on a stage, guitar in hand. Standard stuff, right? You will be thinking twice once the blues-opera 'Steel Guitar' gets underway. This man's presence commands respect, the sort of respect you'd offer to your grandfather, one of his friends or even a fun uncle you've had the occasion to have a few drinks with. For the most part, those of us in younger generations do not expect a song, or album, to tell us a story. We're used to booty-shaking fluff. By definition 'opera' means telling a story through music. Your attention will be immediately garnered and held with the very idea of a story told through music via a 'Steel Guitar'. It's one fantastic way to tell a story, if you ask me. Pete Herzog's album and performance of his opera 'Steel Guitar' does just that, tells the story of one guitar's owners with a range of upbeat blues simple-life songs to tales of love lost. To speak to a neighbor during the telling of a story from a wise and talented member of the music community would be a remarkable disrespect. You do not want to miss a thing in the journey of this shiny metal guitar. It captivates in the way blues should captivate.; not the powerful vocal blues, but the sort of blues that tell a real story. In this case, the tale of one guitar's soul as it passes through time from hand to hand; if guitars have souls. In today's society, you will not be sitting in a smoky room crammed with a degenerate rough-and-tumble sort of crowd., though, it is fun to imagine such an atmosphere while in attendance. Pete Herzog's performance puts you in that place; minus the rowdy crowd and toxic air. Should you have the opportunity and craving for a story and/or a sip of whiskey (both?), or you're a blue guru; you will not be disappointed by this Oregonian playing, singing and telling the stories of hard working men, no-good gamblers and regretful hearts reminiscing over the one woman that got away; all told with the character and personality of Pete Herzog and the accompaniment of one very special 'Steel Guitar'. It does not matter whether you are 75 or 25, if you enjoy a plot, music and a relaxed atmosphere; you WILL enjoy your night out with Pete Herzog. Dawn Hatchard - Dawn of the Whatnot (Jan 31, 2011) One of the great things I've discovered about the blues over the years is that the possibilities are endless for ways that artists can express them. For years, it was mostly accessible by means of listening to records or juke boxes or radios or seeing artists performing live. Today, there are so many different ways to experience the genre. Most artists now have DVD's available for purchase, so you can see them perform in the comfort of your home (which is not the same, I'll admit, but for those who don't live within driving distance, it's pretty handy). Also, you can download tunes via the internet and iTunes or some other service, or even watch a performance via the internet......Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale had a link for a while that allowed you to view their performers on selected nights (unfortunately, it's no longer available). Still, those options can be considered pretty mainstream. There are other ways to experience the blues....ways that you might not have expected. For example, take Oregon blues guitarist Pete Herzog.? Herzog has been playing the blues since he was 8 years old and has spent most of his life around the genre. All of his life, he's been attracted to the blues, especially the delta and country blues. Over the past year, Herzog has composed an opera, called Steel Guitar. It's a one man show with 22 original songs that tell the story of a guitar as it is passed from owner to owner, whether it's bought, sold, stolen, or won. According to Herzog, the guitar's sound is colored by each person who plays it and in return, the musicians absorb the history of the instrument, and the blues itself. The songs provide the link between the stories of the lives of the various characters and the guitar. Here's a couple of selections from the performance. Even though Herzog is currently performing Steel Guitar as a one man show, he composed the opera with the idea that it could be performed by either one person or by a number of people. The possibilities are endless with this sort of concept, provided enough people are aware of it. So far, Herzog has performed the piece primarily on the West Coast (California, Oregon, and Washington state) for the past nine months, working out the kinks, and will be traveling to Hawaii later this month. He's hoping to work his way east later this year to Austin, New Orleans, and, hopefully, Mississippi. Pete Herzog In December, Mr. Herzog sent me a copy of a performance from late in 2010, plus a CD of the songs. He plans to release the 'official' CD in late winter/early spring, but is undecided on when (or if) he will release a DVD. Watching the performance that he sent me, it's obvious that he has a solid grasp on delta and country blues. It's a nice, relaxed performance that could only be better if seen in person. If you'd like to hear more about Pete Herzog, please visit his website and check out his clips at YouTube. Graham - Friday Blues Fix (Jan 7, 2011.

Tracks:
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Open a Window Noah
1.3 Too Slim and Guitar
1.4 Not Today
1.5 Too Slim Woodcuting
1.6 Firewood
1.7 Stolen Guitar
1.8 Clyde Hears Guitar
1.9 For Too Long I've Been Lonely
1.10 Clyde Steals Guitar
1.11 Gamblin and Ramblin
1.12 Clyde Things of Stella
1.13 Pretty Mamma Take Me Home
1.14 Clyde Looks for Stella
1.15 Back Again Someday
1.16 Clyde's Used to Be
1.17 Baby Don't You Leave Me Here
1.18 Clyde Sells Guitar
1.19 Willie
1.20 One Eyed Jack
1.21 Willie Buys Guitar
1.22 When Willie Plays
1.23 Willie Talks to Stella
1.24 Stellas Song
1.25 Willie ; Stella
1.26 My Baby, Uh Huh
1.27 The Sheriff
1.28 Lucky Day
1.29 Take a Break
2.1 Two Buck Chuck
2.2 Henry
2.3 Hello Old Friend
2.4 Roadhouse
2.5 We All Fall Down
2.6 Guitar Story
2.7 Mistakes
2.8 Tips ; Beer
2.9 Tip Jar
2.10 Henry and Harmony
2.11 Woman That I Love
2.12 We'll Have a Time
2.13 What's It Gonna Take
2.14 Dilemma
2.15 My Man
2.16 One Last Time
2.17 Pretty Mamma
2.18 Henry ; Harmony
2.19 Not Today
2.20 Good Night

Audio Sample:
All soundclips are provided by Tidal and are for illustrative purposes only. For some releases, the tracks listed may not accurately represent the tracks on the physical release.