http://www.singlelockrecords.com
Muscle Shoals veteran ‘funky’ Donnie Fritts thought at aged 71 his recording days were over, that is till John Paul White, co-founder of Single Lock Records and formerly of the duo Civil Wars befriended the singer-songwriter musician, and asked him to play at the Muscle Shoals documentary premier in Florence (Alabama). From the on in it was inevitable JPW would get his wish and get to make a record with the leaning man from Alabama, who apart from having diverse acts ranging from Waylon Jennings to Dusty Springfield, Percy Sledge, Dolly Parton and Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones and Shelby Lynne record his songs he also played in Kris Kristofferson’s band for twenty years. Not a bad track record that’s for sure.
Fritts’ tone is one of the main ingredients, and it is impeccable. His syrupy drawl add to the ambiance of the lyric as in “Errol Flynn” and with his classy playing aided by the best there is the Alabama veteran mops up with lyrics that stick, like glue in the mind of the listener. He has a star-studded selection of guests line-up with him in Brittany Howard of The Alabama Shakes, Jason Isbell, John Prine, Amanda shires, The Secret Sisters and Spooner Oldham among others as he reels off not only “Errol Flynn”, a co-write he did with Prine “Oldest Baby In The World”, a funky juke-house styled version of “Tuscaloosa 1962”, and on nailing his heart and soul to the mast “Them Old Songs” has Fritts lift the bar in beguiling fashion with an incredible performance. Not least due to such lyrics as down a dusty Dixie road, My old levis dragging tracks, Nobody cares about where I’m going, For all they know I ain’t coming back’.
Prior to making the record, Fritts reveals John Paul came by the house and I just started playing songs on the Wurlitzer piano. John Paul said, if we do this album, you just play that wurlitzer, sing the songs, and we’ll build around it.” And this exactly how it was done. Turning on all his Muscle Shoals expertise “If It’s Really Got To Be This Way” soaked in a slick production is a far cry (but non the less a superb cut to killer tune) to funky as they come “Memphis Women And Chicken”. Man, just like a quip included at the tail-end of the song it is nothing less than finger-licking good. I well imagine the greats from the era on hearing this will be smiling ear to ear as they turn up the volume. It is most fitting Spooner Oldham, a master of the keyboard, piano etc was thrilled on getting the opportunity to take part. Others of note include melancholy “Foolish Heart”, and with a little more daring to it “Good As New” as he speaks of drinking himself to death and how thanks to his new lady he is now as good as knew, and with short sharp burst of a familiar tune it chugs along in a happy go lucky style. Stronger still, emotionally, but not a happy tune is on his account of a return to his old little trailer and rusty mailbox in “Temporarily Forever Mine”. Speak ing of those days he questions what went wrong. Boy, it’s a tough one.
Penultimate track “Choo Choo Train” is another reflective ode, and with a superb restless rhythm stoking up the boiler Fritts is found after a long absence heading back home before “Oh My Goodness” shuffles, blues fashion to negotiate its way safely (and a little less memorably) back to base camp.
Maurice Hope