Richie Arndt - Tennessee & Alabama: Songs Along The Road #2 (2024) [CD Rip]

Richie Arndt was born on February 23, 1958, in Bielefeld. This blues and rock musician has been a well-known and colorful figure in Germany for years. Arndt learned to play electric guitar at a young age and studied music education. His musical heroes are Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, and Jimi Hendrix. Arndt's passion is blues and American roots music. He has played with bands and solo in clubs and at festivals throughout Europe for five decades. He has released 17 albums and has received numerous awards.

On this album, "Tennessee & Alabama – Songs Along the Road #2 , " he takes us on a musical journey through these two southern US states.

The album opens melodically with Eric Hughes' " Meet Me In Memphis ." Warm vocals with harmonies and the Big Brass Machine 's horns transport you to a soulful realm. The guitar solo in the well-known Paul Simon song "Graceland" is beautiful. The pedal steel and backing vocals are a feast for the ears in the ballad " Tennessee ," a song by singer-songwriter Drew Holcomb. The tempo picks up with the rocking " Nutbush City Limits," written by Tina Turner. A tight rhythm section, harmonica and duo vocals from Kellie Rucker , piano, and a powerful guitar solo complete the album.

Lowell George's "Dixie Chicken" isn't too far off from Little Feat's version with slide, congas, piano, and harmonica. It's also a great song in Arndt and co.'s version. The beautifully sung acoustic country song " Gentle On My Mind" is best known in Glen Campbell's 1967 version. " Jackson" by Billy Edd Wheeler and Jerry Leiber is known from Johnny Cash & June Carter and Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood. Here too, it's an uptempo country song with banjo and fiddle, and Kellie Rucker in the roles of June Carter and Nancy Sinatra.

Chris Stapleton wrote the ballad " Nashville TN . " Nils Stockmann 's pedal steel is a real treat. The Willie Nelson classic " On the Road Again" swings wildly with banjo, fiddle, dobro, mouth harp, and backing vocals. Arndt features only vocals and acoustic guitar on JB Lenoir's beautiful country blues " Alabama Blues ." Southern rock is the order of the day, with tinkling piano and lyrical guitar solos on "Sweet Home Alabama ," Lynyrd Skynyrd's ultimate classic from 1974. The album closes on a jazzy and subdued note with the traditional "Oh! Susanna."

Conclusion:
Richie Arndt is an enthusiastic musical guide and has treated the enthusiast to a fine album with 'Tennessee & Alabama – Songs Along The Road # 2'. ~Gerrit Schinkel