Stephen Clair: News
Pete Seeger and Stephen Clair - June 6, 2008
A Once in a lifetime gig.
I'll be splitting a wonderful 90 minutes with Pete Seeger in Beacon NY in the exquisite Hudson Valley. Stay tuned to the calendar link on this website - and plan on bringing the family.
Along comes a new album - June 3, 2008
Summer 2008 -- Here comes a new record from Stephen Clair, made down in Texas with Rich Brotherton at the helm and a fine, fine Austin posse of players sitting in. That's the same Rich Brotherton who slangs guitar in the Robert Earl Keen band; and this is the same Stephen Clair who's been gathering up songs into records and performing them as far and wide as he can spit, hoof or fly for well over a decade.
It was touring as an opener for Keen that led to Rich and half the REK crew to backing Stephen in the studio on WHAT LUCK. Stephen sparked the songs and Rich made 'em hum, sway; rock and soar; expand and breathe. Yeah, there's a little Texas in Clair, but there's plenty of New York grit, too. And—as longtime fans know—there’s the clear blue sky of honesty in his songs.
For those of you who’ve dogged the Stephen Clair trail for a while you know he never makes just one kind of record. He writes real songs from where he’s at right now. And he's just as honest in the studio. Rich was the right Joe for the job because he simply said, “We’re gonna let these arrangements serve the songs.” Amen. So, is it a kinda oldy country record? Is it kinda rock’n’rolly? Is it lulla-bye-bye baby sounding? And kinda hooky swingy to boot? Well, it is freaking cool. Is there something in there for you? We dare say, “Hells yes.”
Personnel:
STEPHEN CLAIR - acoustic guitar, vocal
RICH BROTHERTON - acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, lap steel, and a whole lot more
TOM VAN SCHAIK - drums
GLENN FUKUNAGA - bass
MARTY MUSE - pedal steel
WARREN HOOD - fiddle
BILL MALCHOW - piano
CLARE BURSON & PETER HUTCHISON - backing vocals