The Masked Blogger - Goodbye Dan Seals

On March 26, 2009, Dan Seals passed away at 61 years young after a long battle with lymphoma. Seals enjoyed success in pop and country music primarily in the 1980's and early 1990's. His hits include Meet Me in Montana, One Friend, Bop, They Rage On, and Everything That Glitters is Not Gold, to name a few.

Long after the peak of his popularity, my first introduction to Dan Seals was on spring break of 1997. My friend Philip and I drove from Arkansas to Florida. He had a Dan Seals greatest hits tape. We listened to that tape over and over on our trip. We constantly thought "Dan Seals is awesome" and "why isn't he all over the place". For whatever reason, Seals' popularity became non existent by the mid 1990's.

In a time when it's hard to find good country music, you can always dust off a Dan Seals cd. His life may be over, but for me his music will continue to rage on.

Justin Townes Earle...hmm.

Justin Townes Earle is the son of famous musician/poet/political activist/sometimes troublemaker Steve Earle. Steve Earle is a bittersweet pill for me to swallow. I think he is very talented, but he can really get on my nerves at times. Over the years his music has become more of a politico-music thing and that just wears on me.

I became aware of Justin about a year ago. I was able to listen to some tracks from his second release The Good Life and was blown away. Anyone that has a famous parent as a dad is going going to have it tough. I think you may have your foot in the door and the money, BUT you won't have the people your side and THAT's the problem. The Good Life is a great album. It is a mixture of tunes that are traditional country with some that are more folk oriented. Justin's voice blows me away and the production is great. I would venture to say that his voice (at least on the recordings) are the best traditional style country voicings I've heard in country music in the last 15 years. They seem pure and reminiscent of Hank while keeping his own person integrity.

Justin has a new album out, Midnight at the Movies, and it sounds like it's fairly solid. I was disappointed that the direction of styles seem to be changing slightly. It seemed to me that I could here a young Steve Earle singing a lot on that record - in voice and style of music. I hope that was just me and not the reality.

Anyway, I think the public should take a look a this guy and give him a fair shot even if you like or dislike his daddy.

Here's his official video from his The Good Life release:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQbO25Yb73Y