Very cool about the pick and I'll be sure to check out that CD!

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"There is more to life than increasing its speed." Mahatma Gandhi

Owner of:
-2008 American Standard Strat in Candy Cola Red
-Vibro-Champ XD
-Fender CD-60 Acoustic (Sunburst)

My autographed copy of Cray's This Time came yesterday and it's great! Just when I think I've heard Cray play well, he raises the bar with this new release.

His chord work is just amazing, it's no wonder that Eric Clapton called Cray 'the smartest guitar player he's ever met'.

Cray has made a couple of changes in his band, an original member of The Robert Cray Band, bassist Richard Cousins is back. Cray writes on his Myspace site:

"I’ve known Richard for 40 years,” Cray says. “We go back to 1969, and we grew up in the same area together. We’ve always had a really good rapport together stage-wise. Richard and I have remained the best of friends ever since he departed way back in ’91. I’d still see Richard, whether it was in the States or in Europe – where he still lives. He’d always come to see us at the gigs. We always remained close. We talked on the telephone all the time.

“It just so happened that last year, I wanted to make personnel changes in the band. So I asked Richard to come back.”

Cousins’ return to the Cray fold bonds him once again with keyboardist Jim Pugh, a cornerstone of the guitarist’s group since 1989."

When I saw them live back in '84, Cray & Cousins had this musical connection, that only comes from being friends, as well as bandmates.

Also new is drummer Tony Braunagel, whose résumé includes work with Bonnie Raitt (including her Grammy-winning Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw), Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, and B.B. King.

This album is a blues, southern soul, soul, it's just doesn't fall in one genre, it's all good.

And the engineering & production is great

Also Richard Cousins gives a shout-out to Fender's Mike Eldred in the liner notes. I posted about that here http://www.fender.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25862 .

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Tony Houston

I just love discovering new music and artists.......I can see that I am not alone.

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I Can't Explain

Cray's new site http://www.robertcray.com/home is up, it has gear info, as well as tour dates, videos & music.

_________________
Tony Houston

I wish he'd come around Vermont. I've actually been listening to his music a lot today and seeing him live would be sweet!

_________________
"There is more to life than increasing its speed." Mahatma Gandhi

Owner of:
-2008 American Standard Strat in Candy Cola Red
-Vibro-Champ XD
-Fender CD-60 Acoustic (Sunburst)

Cray has a interview on ABC's site http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=8358391

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Tony Houston