Billy Stapleton - Got to Be a Love (2000)

Tracklist

01. Got to Be a Love (feat. Mark Dufresne)
02. Blue Attitude (feat. Mark Dufresne)
03. Mack Attack (feat. Mark Dufresne)
04. No One Leads the Blind (feat. Mark Dufresne)
05. Real Gone Love (feat. Mark Dufresne)
06. Build Me Up (feat. Mark Dufresne)
07. Turkey in the Mayonnaise
08. This Mountain (feat. Mark Dufresne)
09. Love of My Life (feat. Mark Dufresne)
10. Steppin Out
11. Before I Go (feat. Mark Dufresne)
12. I'll Fall Down (feat. Mark Dufresne)

“Got to be a Love” recorded over almost four years, this “labor of love” CD is a collection of songs written by Billy Stapleton and his writing friends like Lenny Lacks, over a twenty year period. Billy held Little Miltons’ “Blind Man”, Al Koopers’s “More than you’ll ever know” and Lonnie Macks’ album “Glad I’m in the Band” as sacred benchmarks, that inspired the writing, horn parts and Hammond Organ flavors that populate the CD, “Got to be a Love.” Ace sax man Dewey Marlor translated Billy’s ideas into charts. Billy’s friend, room mate and bandmate from Monterey CA playing days, Mark Ross flew to Seattle and provided all Hammond, piano and string parts in a day and a half. Billy was Mark Dufresne’s guitar player for eight years and arranged many of the songs around Dufresne’s three octave range. You can’t really pidgeonhole the CD, there is old style rythm & blues, blues, instrumental rockers & R&B Ballads. Recorded at Studio North in Lynwood WA during equipment and studio revamps, this is an ambitious solo recording.

There are many imitations in the world of blues but this CD is the real thing. Billy Stapleton's guitar work is clean, crisp and flawless. His wide range of tone is only matched by his soulful style and innovative playing. Mark Dufresne's unbelievable range and soulful classic blues style of singing is the perfect counterpoint to Stapletons tasteful song writing and inspiring and searing licks. There is a texture to this CD that takes the listener on a magical ride back through the golden years of blues and soul while maintaining a finely crafted contempory sound. Don't miss this one!
Finding an artist that can re-define the emotion and depth of blues guitar is an extremely difficult feat. Mr Stapleton has done just that. Screamin', cryin', dyin' guitar work. A valuable contribution to contempory blues.

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