(Yep Roc) Thad Cockrell's mantra is "Putting The Hurt Back In Country." 25 year-old Thad grew up in Tampa, FL, the son of a Baptist minister and his first taste of music came by way of artists like Merle Haggard, George Jones and Southern gospel music. However, he didn't start his own musical career until after he graduated college in Virginia. While attending Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina, he began playing for tips at small coffeehouses near campus. Soon he was a regular on the Raleigh club scene and formed his combo, the Starlite Country Band. He recorded what was supposed to be a demo that was produced by Chris Stamey. However LA based Miles Of Music, the country's leading Indie mail order house, was so taken with the recordings, they released it themselves. Titled Stack Of Dreams, Thad's debut disc was released in 2001 and was an instant and critically acclaimed success. The honest sincerity of his songs and his high-lonesome tenor voice that oozes with emotion struck a chord with country music fans from coast to coast.  

For his follow up, Warmth & Beauty, Thad signed with Yep Rock Records. Once again produced with Chris Stamey, Thad who wrote all the album's songs, is also accompanied on this effort by Zeke Hutchins (drums) and Greg Reading (pedal steel), two members of Tift Merritt's band, The Carbines, while Tift herself shows up to provide backing vocals as does Caitlin Carey. Aaron Oliva supplies upright bass, John Teer handles guitar, fiddle and mandolin and Jen Gunderman (ex-Jayhawks and now an accompanist for Caitlin Cary) is on keyboards. 

Thad's approach to his music is to back up a great voice that has a certain twang to it, with great country songs that stand strongly on their own without the need to go over the top on the steel and fiddle. "I think they are really good songs, and there's no reason to hide behind a bunch of pedal steel all over the place," he says. On Warmth & Beauty, Thad lets his songs do the talking, using his voice as the primary instrument to convey emotions, while steel, mandolin and other musical instruments gently frame his songs of longing, personal loss, lost love and heartache. Though heartache is the theme that runs through his songs, he delivers them in a mixed bag of whiskey soaked barroom weepers ("Why Go?," "My Favorite Memory," "Are You Still Missing Me?"), aching waltzes ("She Ain't You"), melancholy ballads ("Breaking Of A Day," "I Was So Lonesome" and the rustic tinged "Some Tears"), mid-tempo reflections ("Warmth & Beauty, "Taking The View") and a smattering of up-tempo honky tonk two steppers ("What's The Use," "I've Got That Misery Feeling Again," "I'd Rather Have You").

Thad Cockrell indeed knows how to put the hurt back in country music with his terrifically emotive voice, and as Thad himself says, "But you can't have a great country record if you don't have great country songs." With Warmth & Beauty, Thad and his strong songwriting successfully deliver on all counts.

Standout Tracks: "Warmth & Beauty," "My Favorite Memory," "What's The Use," "I Was So Lonesome," "Are You Still Missing Me?," "I've Got That Misery Feeling Again (Hidden Track)"

The Last Word:  Thad Cockrell delivers an outstanding quietly aching album of heartache that provides enough hurt to be the perfect accompaniment to drown a lifetime of sorrows.

 On The Net:   www.thadcockrell.com www.yeproc.com www.milesofmusic.com

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack November 2003