I had been wanting to use the "Train" Tracks (no pun intended) in BIAB since I first got it.
I decided that this song would work well with them. Just straight forward, all guitar....

I laid the rhythm tracks and the vocals. And that all fit perfectly. Then went back to find the leads.
Which are really important for this kind of song. Figured that would be easy. There are a couple of
solo tracks specifically for a train style production. But they didn't quite work. So I walked my way through all the other solo tracks. Some could work, but I wasn't finding "just the right thing".

Then... BAM! a video post appeared in the Showcase from TeaxsHeartRush - that blew me away!
Incredible country pickin'. Exactly what I needed for the song I was working on...

So I took a chance and asked Rodney (TexasHeartRush) if we might work something out, if he would be willing to throw a few leads on the song I was working on. He took a listen to the rough and agreed to work with it.
He did, however, ask that I drop the electric rhythm that I had (which was good to begin with), so that he
could do something "that all worked together"...

The following day, within 24 hours, I had new guitar tracks to mix into this song.
I think when you hear them, you will agree, it's "something else"!
Put on the headphones - and crank 'em up!!!

Here are the RealTracks:
RealTracks in style: 379:Bass, Electric, Country DoubleTime Ev 088
RealTracks in style: 378:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming DoubleTime Ev 088
RealDrums in style: NashTrainEv16^1-a:Sticks Snare , b:Sticks Snare 16th

******* And featuring Rodney Gene (TexasHeartRush) on guitar. (rhythm and lead) **********


Prayer Of A Simple Man


I did vocals and harmonies. Hope you enjoy it...

Great tune, so well produced! Thanks for sharing!

Wow!
Nice production and composition, reminded me of Merle.
Awesome picking on those tracks, sounds like you had Brent himself playing on your recording.
thanks!

Dave

Amazing. Beautifully created and produced. Hot track that would fit in on a country playlist anywhere. Left me wanting more. Well done, guys.

WOW that hits the spot, well done both, excellent.

Alyn

Superbly competent production always and now you got a hot guitar buddy!!
Great driving RD style (reminded me of Clapton's 'Lay Down Sally) and a great vocal - all it needed was some telecaster pickin. And then RG came on the scene. Loved those licks and the octaving double track infills and mini-solos.
Another Winner and another reason for my growing appreciation of modern country rock.
Cheers
Ian

Hey Floyd and TexasHeartRush,

This is incredibly good! Everything about the song gleams like 24 carat gold: the writing is tight and 200% efficient; Floyd's performance is fantastic; THR's guitar work is mesmerising. And the production is studio quality through and through.

I've also got to say that the energy in this piece is amazing. It really grabs hold of you and doesn't let go! Try as I might, I just couldn't stop my feet from tapping, my shoulders rocking and my head nodding. Even my computer monitor was bopping along.

It's a hearty "more! more! encore!" from me

Noel

That's some mighty finger-lickin' chickin-pickin'! Great colab.


Regards,

Bob

Hi Floyd,

you've hit the bull's eye again.
And with Rodney you have got a wonderful complement.
It's a completely rounded piece of work.
A pleasure to listen.

Guenter

Robert - always appreciate your comments. thanks

Dave - thanks - the boy can play, can't he?

Ryszard - thanks for dropping in - and the nice words. Hopefully, there will be more....

Alyn - appreciate that.

Ian - I think it's more Alan's Chattahoochee than Clapton's Sally... just go all-out country - it's all that's left....

Noel - 200% ? <big smile> cool,huh?

Bob - thank you, man....

Guenter - Cool place, cool people, cool software... we are having fun, aren't we????

Mighty fine collab there guys. Mighty fine.

Just superb, great to listen to, great lyrics, great production and playing.

Any while we're casting our minds to what this song - and in particular the guitar pickin' - reminds us of, I'll throw in my 2 cents and say: early Mark Knopfler (in particular "Southbound Again" from the first album entitled "Dire Straits").

Tom Marvan.

Great collaboration and a fine tune to do it with. The whole groove gives me a feel of James Burton or Vince Gill with the rhythm guitar and the fills/solo (folks that haven't taken the time to listen to some hot country pickin' are missing out on a lot. Gill wasn't invited to Eric Clapton's gala for nothing).

Throw in strong lyrics, melody and harmony and you got a wonderful representation of real country. And there hasn't been much of that around since the hey days of Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Alan Jackson, George Strait and Clint Black in my not so humble opinion.

Thanks for the obvious effort that went into this production - it shows.

Hey All...thanks for the good words! And Floyd, thanks for the tune! Its great writing as usual. Hey for clarity, this wasn't a 'Collab' really. This is Floyd s tune. He sent me basic tracks(Drums, Bass and Acoustic) and I just added guitars. I did help shape the tune as I added the 'theme' of the musical context with a riff that emerged after a few practice passes through. I kept a certain 'type'of playing throughout, but that was my sole contribution.

As you know the benefit of having a live person playing on the tracks is that they can shape the playing to create stronger support for the artists intent. It becomes integral to the song versus just 'decoration' on the outside as can often be the case with BIAB when we try and hunt for the right Real Track. Sure, BIAB is really incredible and so many RTS can 'work', but sometimes it is nice to have a player who has actually heard the tune. LOL!

Thanks again Floyd and PG forum!~ Have a great weekend!

Hi Floyd.

Wonderful sound - a very, very, tight track. As usual, excellent production and mix.

ROG.

Good song (as always) and the mix of the RT's, the vocals and THR's excellent picking is just pretty dang wonderful. Well done guys!

I’m late to the party but I’m glad I came!

Fantastic vocals and geetar pickin backed by the perfect backing track. What more could a guy ask for.

Two thumbs up for both of you!

Nice work guys, very well done.

Later,

Very nice job guys! It's a good example of how a human can tailor the decorations intuitively to make the whole sound better than the sum of its parts. You also end up with recurring licks that create signature turnarounds in the song (which usually doesn't happen with Real Tracks unless the arranger makes special effort to ensure that it does)

There is one vocal harmony note that doesn't sit well with my ears even though it is probably a legitimate note... it just doesn't sound like the PERFECT note to me.

At the end of the refrain when you sing "this is the PRAYER..." you hold the word PRAYER through two chords. the harmony to the word PRAYER during the first chord sounds like it needs to be different but When the word resolves to the next chord, the harmony sounds more pleasing to my ear. I think if you used the second harmony note and held it through both chords it would have more impact.

also in the phrase "Ain't got much but at least it's MINE" the harmony note to the word MINE also sounds like another note in the scale would make a more satisfying harmony

But, this is one of those observations that is totally subjective and could legitimately be seen in multiple ways. This song is so good that any negative comments are kinda like saying "Yeahhhh Cindy Crawford is pretty but her nail polish isn't the shade I prefer..."

Hey Floyd,

Another outstanding effort. Great job on the mix, vocals, etc.

Rodney's guitar work is excellent as well, love the tone & licks!

Greg

Floyd,

Another hit here! I always like your songs. Great turn of lyrics, and presentation of vocals, harmonies, and backing. And adding Rodney is the icing on the cake on this one!

Very nice!

Steve

Josie - thanks for having a listen.

Tom - thanks for the nice comments. Nothing against Mark K - have always loved his work, but in this case, I think the work Rodney did here is more interesting than what Mark did in Southbound!

Bud - Thanks for that!! Again, it comes down to... "They don't make 'em like they used to.. do they.."

ROG - appreciate that. An interesting observation - "very, very thick track" - This is one of the sparsest tracks I've done. Drums, bass, guitar and vocal. The perfect ingredients to create some magic. Rodney's guitar work was a huge part of that...

Kevin - Thanks, man.

Mario - Never too late. Appreciate you dropping by....

Danny - thanks!

Rodney - say what you will (and I appreciate your comments!)... your beautiful guitar work on this song took it to an incredible place. Often by the time I'm done mixing a song, I've heard it so many times that I don't want to hear it for a while. This one I just keep loading up and hitting play!!! Every time I hear that opening, I smile... and then I listen all the way to the end...

Thank you!

floyd

Pat -

First, thanks for listening... but more than that, thanks for listening "so carefully"... and then taking the time to point out in detail the things that did not quite land on your ear well. I have a good friend that does that kind of thing for me and provides that kind of detailed feedback - it is invaluable.

I listened several times to the harmony notes that you pointed out. I can understand what you are saying (hearing). I went back and tried to do what you suggested (use that last note) - and couldn't do it. It was an unnatural thing to try to start the harmony there (I've never been good at trying to follow something like that). I tried a few other things and just kept landing in the same place.

But, again, I do appreciate the detailed feedback. It would be nice to be able to get more of that once in a while....

But, in this case, Cindy turned, winked at you, and said "I liked this shade..."

floyd

Greg - Thanks for the listen and the comments.

Steve - Appreciate your dropping in for the sit down...

You guys got a good thing going there...let's have some more of your collaboration !

Great stuff Floyd. I'm a great admirer of you songs and every time I hear them and hear you sing I just think that so many of them would be very suitable for Robert Mizell, a big country star here in Ireland from Louisiana in the Good ole USA.

He has a soundcloud page and always on the lookout for suitable material I believe.

http://www.robertmizzell.com/about.html

Plenty of stuff on youtube as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyGeUJg3kQ4

But then you can sing a song just as well as him.

all the best
Musiclover

Quote:

---

Hey All...thanks for the good words! And Floyd, thanks for the tune! Its great writing as usual. Hey for clarity, this wasn't a 'Collab' really. This is Floyd s tune. He sent me basic tracks(Drums, Bass and Acoustic) and I just added guitars. I did help shape the tune as I added the 'theme' of the musical context with a riff that emerged after a few practice passes through. I kept a certain 'type'of playing throughout, but that was my sole contribution.

As you know the benefit of having a live person playing on the tracks is that they can shape the playing to create stronger support for the artists intent. It becomes integral to the song versus just 'decoration' on the outside as can often be the case with BIAB when we try and hunt for the right Real Track. Sure, BIAB is really incredible and so many RTS can 'work', but sometimes it is nice to have a player who has actually heard the tune. LOL!

Thanks again Floyd and PG forum!~ Have a great weekend!

---

Very well stated regarding the way a player can shape the instrumental support. Unfortunately in several of the bands I played in that was a rarity. It takes a well grounded, tasteful and relatively ego picker to provide that support. I spend hours cutting RealTracks into snippets and reassembling them to try and approximate this feel.