(L Passo Music Group) Lonnie Spiker was born and raised in Uniontown, PA, growing up with a love of traditional country music, as well as other sounds coming out of Texas and Nashville. Some of his influences include Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, George Jones and Marty Robbins. During the 80's he performed with his band L-Passo, becoming a regional favorite, and played many festivals where he got the chance to work with such artists as Marty Robbins, Bill Anderson, and Loretta Lynn. In the 90's he moved to Nashville where he pursued his songwriting and honed his skills as a singer and musician. While there, he worked with artists such as Leon Ashley, Margie Singleton and Slim Whitman. He's had his songs recorded by other artists, including those in 3 foreign markets.

Lonnie's now released his own solo album, My Future Ain't What It Used To Be. His music is a blend of Texas honky tonk, western swing and traditional country. On listening to this album, I couldn't help but note that this is the kind of music George Strait used to put out, where he kept firmly within the boundaries of traditional country music, avoiding sounding dated, even on the older material he chose to cover, as he brought something fresh and contemporary with him to the sound. His albums were heavy on the steel and fiddle, and filled with clever, tongue-in-cheek 'play on words' songs, a dash of western swing, a well done romantic ballad sprinkled in here and there, and two-stepping honky tonkers to fill the dance floor.

As George has moved away from his trademark sound over the past several years, Lonnie Spiker steps in to fill that void. My Future Ain't What It Used To Be contains all those elements, but Lonnie doesn't imitate them, he updates them as he, in turn, brings something new and contemporary to the sound. Lonnie possesses a strong country voice, though a few notches lower on the register than Strait's. He co-writes all the songs on the disc, that are smart, clever and sometimes downright amusing. The songs are deliciously steel and fiddle driven.

The disc opens in high gear with the swinging two-stepper "Making You An Old Flame." The title track of lost love, "My Future Ain't What It Used To Be," blends a touch of swing into this honky tonker, while on "You Make Me Want To Be A Better Man" he shows a bit of a bluesy side on this tale of finding love. He declares his faith that true love will prevail in "It's Just A Matter Of Time," a straight up two stepper. Lonnie provides some amusing wit on the cleverly titled honky tonker, "Let Me Drink It Over." 

The disc's most contemporary sounding, yet still undeniably country, song is "Somebody Ought To Write A Song About This" a breezy, slightly swinging ode celebrating the everyday heroics that occur in the lives of ordinary people that tend to go unnoticed. "The Cows Are Coming Home" is a swinging western tale of a cowboy that's fallen in love and is ready to put his wild and wooly days behind him. The mid-tempo shuffle of "Hurt Always Begins With Her" conveys the ache of a lost love, and the outstanding ballad "Ft. Worth" reflects on a chance meeting of two ex-lovers. Another highlight is the poignant and lovely waltz-time ballad, "Your Dancing Around Love Tonight," a duet with Karen Pendley. The disc closes with another standout, "The Dove." This one shows a strong Marty Robbins influence, a blending of western and Tex-Mex, full of poetic imagery in this pledge of undying love, which Lonnie delivers in a strong, clear voice.

Lonnie Spiker makes a strong case with My Future Ain't What It Used To Be, that by combining the sounds and themes of the past, with a fresh contemporary eye, that traditional country music still very much indeed has a place in today's world, without having to be spit polished, overproduced, generic tripe.

www.lonniespiker.com