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Something new from The Kill Branch Studio. A little reflection on my life. I decided this time to use everything from BB rather than to play any of the tracks myself. Of course I really wanted to play the piano and the guitars but I stuck with the plan. This 100% pure organic. The band: Real Tracks Bass 3501 Acoustic Guitars 368 & 1676 Solo Guitar 3505 Piano 2045 Fiddle 2028 Steel 2542 Dobro 3073 & 2042 B3 688 Drums Nashville Power Radio Ballad with generous editing Vocals Me Enjoy! Lucky Man Lyrics: Copyright by Herb Hartley 2026 Woke up with the sunrise over that old hill, Coffee on the porch, got some time to kill. Ain't got much, but I got what I need, Simple life's a blessing, nothings guaranteed Truck's a bit rusty, runs a little lean, Dogs in the yard, they ain't too mean. Kids in the kitchen, laughin' with their maw, Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man, I've got it all. Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man, Got my guitar and and a farmer's tan. Family that surrounds me, I hope you understand Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man. People know me everywhere I go Some moving fast and others slow Got my roots down deep that's what I know Hell yeah I'm a lucky man Neighbors wave when I drive into town, Small talk and smiles, never let you down. Church bell rings, calls us to pray, Count your blessings, each and every day. Seasons change, but the love remains, Through the good times, heartaches, joy and pain. From the front porch swing to the promised land, Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man, Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man, Got my guitar and and a farmer's tan. Love that surrounds me, I hope you understand Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man People know me everywhere I go Some moving fast and others slow Got my roots down deep that's what I know Hell yeah I'm a lucky man [solo electric guitar] Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man, Got my guitar and and a farmer's tan. Love that surrounds me, I hope you understand Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man, Got my guitar and and a farmer's tan. Love that surrounds me, I hope you understand Hell yeah, I'm a lucky man Hell Yeah, I'm a lucky man. Comments appreciated if you would like to chime in.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Hi Herb,
Vocals, BB backing tracks, solo, lyrics, arrangement and mix all sound superb.
Very nice write, well done!
Bob
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Herb,
Beautiful song... Love everything about this. A new favorite for me.
Excellent!
Bob
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Good song, good lyrics, and good story. The mix is a little too bright, but other than that, pretty good. Love your vocals. Enjoyed my listen ![[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]](https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/images/icons/default/thumbs_up.gif)
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Nice one, Herb. SUPER vocals, love the dynamic range you've put to great use here. Crisp BiaB arrangement with a cool, supportive flow. That solo sounds exactly right, too. Nicely executed plan all the way around. 
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
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Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Oh, yes, you are one lucky man for sure, Herb. Those lyrics tell a wonderful story, and this song is a terrific demonstration. Thanks for sharing your luck with us. Inspirational for sure. Farmer's tan. I used to have a coach's tan. Good guitar work, and I'm sure you would've done one as well. Way to stick to your plan, man.
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Hi Herb,
Vocals, BB backing tracks, solo, lyrics, arrangement and mix all sound superb.
Very nice write, well done!
Bob Thanks Bob. I'm glad you liked it.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Herb,
Beautiful song... Love everything about this. A new favorite for me.
Excellent!
Bob Thanks Bob. This took me a while to get it to gel properly. I started working on it back in December and put it off several times. Thank you
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Good song, good lyrics, and good story. The mix is a little too bright, but other than that, pretty good. Love your vocals. Enjoyed my listen Thanks BD. I remixed this today and tamed the high end a bit. I also cleaned up the acoustic guitar by dropping the strumming guitar in the intro. I appreciate you.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Good tune, I especially enjoyed the lyrics. "Dogs in the yard, they ain't too mean" put a smile on my face. Great work!
Windows 11, Intel Core I5 10400, 16 gig ram, Scarlett 2i2, Sony Acid Music Studio 10, BIAB 2020 UltraPlus Pak
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Hey Herb,
Just gave your track a spin and—wow—what a feel‑good ride!
The intro notes (the whole “Something new from The Kill Branch Studio… 100 % pure organic” spiel) set the scene perfectly.
The laid‑back tempo is the perfect match for the down‑home storytelling, and the “Real Tracks” band you pulled together sounds like a mini‑mountain‑town jam session – bass, fiddle, dobro, steel, B‑3… you’ve got every tool a country‑rock handyman could need.
Vocals – they’re the star of the show. Your voice rides the laid‑back tempo with just the right blend of twang, grit, and that unmistakable “I‑actually‑live‑the‑life‑I’m‑singing‑about” confidence. Those subtle pitch bends and the way you let a word linger give the track personality that no suno could ever fake. ☝️
Lyrics – the rural‑road‑trip‑through‑life vibe is spot‑on, and the “maw‑all” rhyme? Pure, unfiltered Americana. Only a true country‑heart can pull that off without a second‑guessing glance from the grammar police. It’s the kind of cheeky, home‑grown wordplay that made me grin and think, “Yeah, that’s exactly how they would say it down on the farm.” Consider this my official British stamp of approval. 🇦🇺 🇺🇸
The “Real Tracks” ensemble sits perfectly under your voice. The fiddle and Dobro add that rustic shimmer, the B‑3 gives just enough gospel warmth, and the Nashville‑style drums keep the groove moving without ever getting in the way of the storytelling.
You’ve taken a simple, heartfelt ode to country living and dressed it in a full‑band wardrobe while keeping the intimacy of a porch‑side sing‑along. It’s a recipe that works very well,
All in all, a sunny‑day anthem that feels as home‑grown as your farmer’s tan. ☼
Your tagline, “Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both,” is exactly the spirit I hear in this track – every element earned its place, and the whole thing feels like progress in a bottle.
Bottom line: great song, great vibe, and a voice that makes the whole thing feel like a friendly firewater chat on that old hill you sing about. Keep cranking out the good stuff—me and my cows are listening. (◔_◔) 👋 👋 👋
Cheers,
Izzy
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Excellent song, Herb, really well written, arranged, and mixed, and I've always enjoyed your vocals. I miss hearing you on the lead guitar, but the BIAB dude did a good job for you  Good one, enjoyed.
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Just a lovely honest song, Herb.
Chorus lifts from the verse. Everything sounds great.
Vic
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Herb, you hit a home run with this one
Outstanding vocal
The lyrics took it over the top for me - a brilliant write
Loved the arrangement and mix
Loved the entire song.
OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Nice one, Herb. SUPER vocals, love the dynamic range you've put to great use here. Crisp BiaB arrangement with a cool, supportive flow. That solo sounds exactly right, too. Nicely executed plan all the way around. Thanks Ron. I've hesitated to use my own vocals but I decided to go with it. A couple of punch in spots but nothing radical. I was actually planning on playing the guitar solo but after hearing what the real tracks gave me I thought it was a good solo, so use it. Thanks for listening
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Oh, yes, you are one lucky man for sure, Herb. Those lyrics tell a wonderful story, and this song is a terrific demonstration. Thanks for sharing your luck with us. Inspirational for sure. Farmer's tan. I used to have a coach's tan. Good guitar work, and I'm sure you would've done one as well. Way to stick to your plan, man. Thanks Babu.... I have to agree with you. Some of it was luck if you call being in the right place at the right time and being prepared..... or divine intervention , either way, yes indeed, I feel blessed to have the life I have. Farmer's tan, coaches tan, I stick out like a sore thumb at the beach as my daughters have pointed out on more than one occasion. "Daddy, your legs are so white... you need to get some sun on them".... yeah yeah yeah..... I did in fact have a very cool guitar solo worked out for the song, but like I said, I opted to simply let BB show it's stuff on this one. Thanks again
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Good tune, I especially enjoyed the lyrics. "Dogs in the yard, they ain't too mean" put a smile on my face. Great work! That's good because my dogs put a smile on my face every day. Glad you liked the song
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,867
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Posts: 10,867 |
Hey Herb,
Just gave your track a spin and—wow—what a feel‑good ride!
The intro notes (the whole “Something new from The Kill Branch Studio… 100 % pure organic” spiel) set the scene perfectly.
The laid‑back tempo is the perfect match for the down‑home storytelling, and the “Real Tracks” band you pulled together sounds like a mini‑mountain‑town jam session – bass, fiddle, dobro, steel, B‑3… you’ve got every tool a country‑rock handyman could need.
Vocals – they’re the star of the show. Your voice rides the laid‑back tempo with just the right blend of twang, grit, and that unmistakable “I‑actually‑live‑the‑life‑I’m‑singing‑about” confidence. Those subtle pitch bends and the way you let a word linger give the track personality that no suno could ever fake. ☝️
Lyrics – the rural‑road‑trip‑through‑life vibe is spot‑on, and the “maw‑all” rhyme? Pure, unfiltered Americana. Only a true country‑heart can pull that off without a second‑guessing glance from the grammar police. It’s the kind of cheeky, home‑grown wordplay that made me grin and think, “Yeah, that’s exactly how they would say it down on the farm.” Consider this my official British stamp of approval. 🇦🇺 🇺🇸
The “Real Tracks” ensemble sits perfectly under your voice. The fiddle and Dobro add that rustic shimmer, the B‑3 gives just enough gospel warmth, and the Nashville‑style drums keep the groove moving without ever getting in the way of the storytelling.
You’ve taken a simple, heartfelt ode to country living and dressed it in a full‑band wardrobe while keeping the intimacy of a porch‑side sing‑along. It’s a recipe that works very well,
All in all, a sunny‑day anthem that feels as home‑grown as your farmer’s tan. ☼
Your tagline, “Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both,” is exactly the spirit I hear in this track – every element earned its place, and the whole thing feels like progress in a bottle.
Bottom line: great song, great vibe, and a voice that makes the whole thing feel like a friendly firewater chat on that old hill you sing about. Keep cranking out the good stuff—me and my cows are listening. (◔_◔) 👋 👋 👋
Cheers,
Izzy Man.... That review was better than anything my publisist could have come up with. I enjoyed reading that. Thanks
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Great accompaniment with beautiful guitars and a solid voice. Super lucky man.
Laurent
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,123
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,123 |
That's a good song! Authentic!!
And I like that you kept it basic in terms of Real Tracks so that the lyrics are always front and center.
And speaking of lyrics, like...
"Simple life's a blessing, nothings guaranteed"
"Dogs in the yard, they ain't too mean. "
...excellent.
Well done, Herb.
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