Dave Jorgenson hails from Perry, Kansas and developed a love of music at a young age since first picking up his father's guitar at the age of 7. It wasn't until he graduated high school though, that he began realizing the strengths of his voice and became confident enough to start writing songs. He sights among his main influences, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. He formed a band Rio, and they toured around the Midwest. However, Dave realized he'd never reach his potential staying in the mid-west. Because his music is so deeply rooted in tradition and songs of the blue collar working class, the glitz and glamour of Nashville weren't his style, so instead, he headed to Austin. A couple of the members of Rio packed up and followed him, and they reformed the band, calling themselves Big Iron. They toured the central Texas honky tonk scene for 4 years and opening shows for artists like Chris LeDoux and Patti Loveless. It was during this time that Dave met and struck up a friendship with Ace In The Hole guitarist Benny McArthur.

Dave Jorgenson now delivers his debut album Then And Now, produced by Benny McArthur. They rounded up a list of first rate talent to help Dave present his songs: Rick Cornell on drums, Luke Marino on bass, Kenny Grohman on steel, Haydn Vitera on fiddle, and Ronnie Huckaby on piano. Lead and rhythm guitar duties are divided up between Benny McArthur, Rick McRae, Shane Laurence and Jacob Hilebrand. All the songs on Then And Now are penned by Dave, and range from two-stepping honky tonkers to aching barroom weepers. 

The disc opens with a spirited two-stepping pledge of love, "Loving Anybody But You" and closes on the same two-stepping note with kissing off a lover with "No Way, No How." In-between, there's the realization that drowning your sorrows to mend a broken heart doesn't really work in the honky tonker, "Whiskey Helps The Heartache." The honky tonk shuffle, "Misty Eyed" finds a man who was fooled into thinking there was more to a relationship than he thought. The outstanding "You Turned Me Around" is a mid-tempo ballad of finding a love that filled an otherwise empty life. "I've Seen It Coming" is a classic shuffling barroom weeper about a man being handed his walking papers. The mournful steel makes the shuffling ballad, "You Remind Me Of Someone" ache with the regret of a lost love. "Hell Froze Over" is an exquisite steel driven waltz about a love/hate relationship, a man who wants to leave, but always finds a reason to stay. With it's masterful Spanish guitar work, "Living A Lie" is an equally outstanding ballad of betrayal, with background fiddle flourishes giving it a haunting feeling.

Dave Jorgenson possesses a rich and supple voice, one that's unmistakably country, and it wraps itself around every note, whether it's the ache of heartbreak or the high spirited optimism of finding true love. He's a strong songwriter, his songs and his sound reminiscent of George Strait in his heyday, or more recently, up and comer Roger Wallace. Then And Now is an outstanding album full of traditional Texas honky tonk, and if you're a fan of that sound, whatever you do, don't let Dave Jorgenson or this disc get away.

www.davejorgenson.com