TJ Casey

Montana's Singing Cowboy

It's always a delight to find "the real deal" anywhere in today's world of plastic music from plastic "super stars." T.J. Casey is not plastic - he's a genuine cowboy, hailing from Montana, a working cowboy who is also a "horse doctor" (i.e., certified veterinary technician) and a real fine singer.

With his gentle, mellow baritone, he sounds like a comfortable cross between Marty Robbins and Eddy Arnold, giving a rich delivery to such swinging cowboy tunes as "(My Only) Turtle Dove," "Cowboy's Lullaby," "Sleepin' Out Under The Stars," and the wonderful title track, "Blue Montana Skies." He's equally at home with softer songs, such as the lovely "In America," a marvelous ballad that pays homage to the spirit of the American cowboy, and soft waltz "Cowboy's Paradise," and he really lays down some heart-pounding sound with "He's Ridden," the story of a hard-riding cowboy.

The songs are all written by T.J. Casey, and he's performed "Cowboy's Paradise" at the Louisiana Hayride. The combination of old-fashioned sound with a modern feel works exceptionally well in these tunes, from swing to waltz to two-step, this is a nice evening out on the floor with a romantic partner, or great for listening to while out on a camp out.

There's nothing bad about this fun little album. It's a delight from start to finish, cheerful and warm, showing that country music can be happy without being maudlin!

T.J. is a straight-shootin', real-time cowboy giving his heart to these real cowboy tunes. It's as genuine as you can get. He knows his heritage, and he's proud of it. Three cheers for the cowboy.

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back February 2003