I first heard Chris Wall’s music through Jerry Jeff Walker’s cover of his songs. The racious “Trashy Women” and the sublime “I Feel Like Hank Williams Tonight” both appeared on Jerry Jeff’s Live at Gruene Hall album. “I Feel Like Hank Williams Tonight” is one of my favorite all-time songs songs!
Through the years I’ve followed Chris’ career and there was no question that when I saw that he had released a new album that it was going on the iPod! The new album is titled El Western Motel and like every Chris Wall album it’s full of wonderfully written songs. I loved the album from the opening track “Six Shiney Strings” Which tells the tale of the life of a guitar and it’s owners, I knew I was going to like this album! Throughout the album there are great songs about life and each song contains several great lines. Like the title track “El Western Motel” which tells the tale of an old cowboy who loses his job and life after forty years of riding for the brand, and now is only remembered by his friends at the bar – he’s only “remembered by those trying to forget” Ok so I am getting very frustrated by this computer that is running oh so slowly and needs to be restarted so I’m just going to say check out this great album! Now I’ll let Ray Wylie Hubbard say the rest from Chris bio!
In an era where cliches dominate every publicity bio, and country wannabes desperately try to establish their credibilityby citing their “influences” Chris Wall doesn’t even bother. He doesn‘t have to. In review after review he is cited as TheReal Deal. If that weren’t enough one needn’t look past the faces on the packed dance floors ofthe western honky tonks he plays, nor past the lips of the dancers singing along to every singleword. Perhaps one quote from a truly legendary Texas songwriter sums it up best:“In this lawless terminal age where music is made for the sole purpose of creating revenue forcorporations, Chris Wall is a cowboy savior/hero/poet who with his words and music gives usredemption from the atrocities of this illusion that is presently known as country music.”—Ray Wylie Hubbard
Now there’s not a lot of new videos on YouTube for Chris’ music so here’s one of my favorites and another song that Jerry Jeff covered “Rodeo Wind”.
