Back to the Well

 (10 customer reviews)

With his last record, 2001's woefully-overlooked TELL THE TRUTH, Lee Roy Parnell made a drastic departure from his previous music. During the nineties, he was a country hitmaker--his radio friendly hits were, to be honest, better than most of what was played at the time, but they still didn't showcase his soulful, "rugged down-home voice" very well. The afore-mentioned album, however, did just that--by going back to his roots, Parnell made an honest, bluesy, jazzy, country/rock record that told it like it was.

Fortunately, Universal South--a label that, in my mind, is becoming reknowned for letting artists be themselves--allowed Parnell to keep that honest music going. BACK TO THE WELL is just as strong as its predecessor, maybe even more so; Parnell's lyrics are as honest as ever, his guitar picking is still to be reckoned with (I can think of no better slide-guitarist today, or in the past couple decades), and his music is, for lack of a better word, soulful. These...Read more

Prime Cuts: Saving Grace, Old Soul, Daddies and Daughters

No one imbues their country with such an ineluctable funky blues like Lee Roy Parnell. Yet, Parnell still has the ability to stay commercially assessable. Signed to the most temerarious Universal South Records, whose roaster include gutsy left of center artists such as the Notorious Cherrybombs and Shooter Jennings, this is Parnell's second chance at a major label. After his substantial stint at Arista Records with a string of hits such as "What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am," "On the Road" and "Love without Mercy," one would have expected Parnell to buy in to the Music Row hit-making machinery of recycling today's country hit songs. But, this Texas-bred musician has wisely chose to follow his blues-infested heart in creating one of his most honest and engaging records. On the other hand, Parnell has not given in to an over indulgence in his craft, making this record far too idiosyncratic. Rather there is a...Read more

Last Saturday evening (July 15th 06), I had the opportunity to meet Lee Roy Parnell. I have been a huge fan for several years after being introduced to his music by a friend who was with me and able to meet him as well. The concert was in an out of the way place in Massanutten Ski Resort in Virginia and the turn out was low. I was tremendously dissappointed with the crowd in attendance. Although they were big fans of Lee Roy, they were quite lackadaisical and quiet. It was interesting that they cheered wildly for the local start up groups that were horrible (to say it kindly)... A very unsophisticated bunch. This is not to cast aspersions on Virginians (being one myself) but I was literally embarassed.

What made the 3 1/2 hour trip was when Lee Roy Parnell came on the stage. At the first note of his guitar I felt like I had found my place in musical mecca! I absolutely love his music. What I was about to find out though was that I really like him. He paid no mind to the...Read more