(Startex Records) Born in Cross Plains, Texas and raised in Abilene, Curtis Potter is, unfortunately for the rest of us, one of Texas' "best" best kept secrets. He started out working for KRBC TV and The Bill Fox Show, and played the Central/West Texas club circuit. From 1959 to 1972, he was bandleader for Hank Thompson & The Brazos Valley Boys. He later teamed up on an album with Darrell McCall, and two of the album's songs landed on the Top 100 Country Charts. Over the years he's recorded singles and albums for the DOT, Capitol, RCA and Hillside labels, and performs around Texas. His last recording was a live album recorded in 2000 titled, Curtis Potter And The National Swing Band Of Texas Live. Curtis, who's forte is 'old school' honky tonk and swing, is an outstanding vocalist who's voice and/or style has been compared many times to those of Ray Price, Leon Rausch, Hank Thompson, Jake Hooker and Johnny Bush. Curtis was also named the Academy of Western Artists 2002 'Male Vocalist of the Year.'

Curtis follows up his previous live disc with a long awaited studio recording, Walking On New Grass, which is packed with plenty of twin fiddles, honky tonk piano and weeping pedal steel. Backing Curtis on the disc is Bob Moore and John Loessberg (bass), Jim Loessberg (drums, steel)), Bobby Flores (fiddle, guitar), Levi Mullen (guitars) and Randy Reinhard (piano).

Walking On New Grass offers up a healthy dose of outstanding swing by way of the title track, a stellar cover of Kenny Price's 1966 top 10 hit "Walking On New Grass," a rousing and spirited "San Antonio Medley" that includes "Home In San Antone/San Antonio Rose/There's Still A Lot Of Love In San Antone," a cover of Moon Mullican's "I Was Sorta Wondering," and another trip back to San Antone for "Mama Was The Rose Of San Antone."

Curtis serves up classic honky tonk shuffles with a standout cover of Johnny Russell's "Someday I'll Sober Up," the tale of heartache with a Ray Pillow cover ""One Too Many Memories," "Look What You're Doing," and the mid-tempo shuffle "Your Favorite Fool." Heartache is on tap with the barroom weepers "Our Yesterdays" and a terrific cover of Carl Smith's 1964 top 30 "I Almost Forgot Her Today." Curtis delivers a straight up ballad, a take on "Shenandoah," that really spotlights his truly gorgeous voice.

Curtis Potter, with his wonderful, warm baritone (which, when it comes to tales of heartbreak, seems to have a permanent catch of ache in his voice) is one vocalist who rightly deserves the comparisons made to the aforementioned legends of honky tonk and swing. For fans of this elite group who sing so convincingly that they sound as if they invented the style, then both Curtis Potter and Walking On New Grass belongs in your collection without question. 

www.startexrecords.com

http://www.cd-tex.com/potter.html

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack September 2003