Buddy Mondlock Kickstarter campaign

I like very, very few American singer-songwriters. One of the handful is Buddy Mondlock. In fact, my ‘studio band’ the Legends of Tomorrow recorded one of his songs only this year – but don’t let that put you off! 😀 He doesn’t record often – and these days, there’s no real real financial incentive for artists to do so. So I’m grateful that he’s doing so at all and I’ve supported his Kickstarter. If you have an idle moment, please do check him out. The blurb is below…

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It’s finally happening.
I’ve been talking onstage about making a new recording for some time. I’m happy to say it’s finally happening. In fact, I’ve been working away in the studio since the end of September and we’re in the final stages now. I’m really excited by what I’m hearing! I never want to just repeat what I’ve done before and this album takes me in some new directions for sure. I’ve been working with producer Brad Jones, who has created some of my favorite records. Brad has worked with artists like Ron Sexsmith, Richard Julian, Jill Sobule, Josh Rouse, Hayes Carll, and so many others. It feels like a true collaboration for me and he’s got me stretching into some new territory. Which feels good and fresh too.

Why?
Good question. Do people even buy albums anymore? Well, not like they used to, that’s for sure. Most folks have a subscription and just stream whatever they want to – one song at a time. We don’t get much for that. So it’s true, I won’t be making much (if any) money from recording an album. But I still believe there is value in it and I hope you do too. Writing these songs and others has been my life’s work. My heart is in these songs. And I’d like to see them out in the world on their own. But to make that happen I could use your help. So, if this makes sense to you, please take a look at the incentives over on the right side of the page. Anything you can throw in will be hugely appreciated. And I’ll do my best to make sure good stuff comes your way. Including the new album, Filament! (note: postage gets added on after the pledge these days)

Wait, who are you?
Okay, let’s back up for a second. In case you’re new to me I’m Buddy Mondlock. I’ve been at this songwriting thing for awhile now. My first album came out in 1987 and it’s been a pretty amazing ride since then. I met Guy Clark at the Kerrville Folk Festival around that time and he took me under his wing. That got me to Nashville and a publishing deal. I was lucky, they signed me and just let me do my thing instead of pushing me to write inside the lines. I never turned into a big star but I’ve managed to make a living doing what I love and getting to work with some of my heroes along the way. That includes Guy of course. We wrote “Mud” and “The Dark” together and those two songs bookend his album also called “The Dark.” I recorded my version of that song for this new album as a matter of fact. Garth Brooks recorded a song we wrote together called “Every Now and Then” in the mid nineties. So much talent and energy concentrated in one guy. Back around the beginning of this century I got to write and record an album with Maia Sharp and Art Garfunkel called “Everything Waits To Be Noticed.” That’s something, standing opposite Art Garfunkel with a microphone between you singing in unison! And I’ve had the great pleasure of hearing artists like Nanci Griffith, Joan Baez, Janis Ian, even Peter, Paul & Mary, (and others) sing my songs. But I never stopped performing, myself. I’ve been touring and recording for over 40 years now. This will be my 6th solo recording. I haven’t rushed things on the recording side. But it’s time again. I’m ready!

What’s on the record?
Brad and I picked the songs out together. I’ve got plenty of new material since my last album came out, like the title song, “Filament” and my co-write with Max Maxson, “Problem Solved.” One of the projects I got involved with in the last few years was writing with veterans who’ve been diagnosed with PTSD. Those retreats are sponsored by a wonderful organization called Music Therapy of the Rockies. I’m including one of those songs here, called “Weak.” I wrote it with Nick Tibbs who served in Iraq. The hard part doesn’t necessarily end when you come home. There are a couple of love songs here too, – “Sunlight In My Pocket” and “Perfect.” I do have a romantic side, it’s true. Hey, I just got married this year! There are also a few that have been waiting a while for their moment to come. “Jackson Petty” is a song about my Great Great Grandfather and his experience in the Civil War as a young boy. My Grandmother told me his story a long time ago. Some of you might know these from concerts so here’s the list of songs with co-writers when there were any (not in order yet!).

Come Back First, Filament, If You Will (written with Dana Cooper), Jackson Petty, Perfect, Problem Solved (with Max Maxson), Sunlight In My My Pocket, The Dark (with Guy Clark), The Woman In the Window (with Richard Berman), Ticket Taker Blues and Weak (with Nick Tibbs).

Who plays on it?
I’m in Nashville, right? Some of the best musicians in the world are here, and I got to work with some of them in the studio lately. Brad himself is a world class bassist. He played some organ, harmonica, harmonium, mellotron, mandolin and guitar while he was at it. But I also recruited my old friend and road companion Mike Lindauer to play some bass too. His fretless electric is just soulful! Josh Hunt really grooves on drums and percussion and he was so inventive! There are string sections on a bunch of these songs (Brad wrote some beautiful arrangements) and we got Avery Bright on violin and viola and Austin Hoke on cello. Austin’s dad, Jim Hoke played pedal steel. But we also used woodwinds. Evan Cobb played flute and oboe. Yes, oboe! For harmonies there’s Carey Kotsionis who just tugs at your heart, and I was especially lucky to get my old friend Melissa Greener to lend her voice to several too. Nobody sings like Melissa! I did my thing on acoustic guitar, of course, and even got the banjo out for a song.

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