CD Overview: Phil Vassar's 'Traveling Circus'
Hit-maker Phil Vassar, who's easily the best-known piano-playin' country star on the circuit today, is releasing his much-anticipated new studio album, Traveling Circus.
Award-winning country artist Phil Vassar is one of the seemingly few piano-playing solo acts of his genre. In fact, when one thinks of piano men on the music scene, it's performers such as Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and the late Ray Charles who come to mind more often than any ivory-tickler on the country scene.
The Virginia-born Vassar, however, has persisted in his love for both piano and country music, and on his latest CD, Traveling Circus, he further establishes himself as one of the genre's preeminent piano players, having resisted the warnings of Nashville's industry powers that once told him he'd have to leave his instrument of choice behind if he wanted to become a commercially viable artist in country music.
Phil Vassar: Piano Player-turned-Country Star
Remembering that time, Vassar, along with fellow piano man James Slater, penned Where Have All the Pianos Gone as a tribute to the instrument's masters who've somehow managed to, increasingly, be MIA on the popular radioscape. The song is the final track, No. 11, on Vassar's brand-new Traveling Circus CD, which will be available in stores Dec. 15, 2009, just in time to find its way into fans' Christmas stockings.
"When I got town, nobody wanted to hear about a piano," recalled Vassar in a November 2009 interview with Suite101 about his latest CD's music. "I literally had record-label heads tell me I would have to put on a (cowboy) hat and start playing guitar, but I stuck to my guns."
'Traveling Circus' Features Singer's Touring Musicians
These days, Vassar, largely, can call the creative shots. In turn, when it came time to recordTraveling Circus, which is the entertainer's fifth solo disc to date, he had the luxury of taking more time to create the record, and in doing so, he achieved a first by opting to have his road band, not studio players, join him on the album. The result is a more homogeneous musical product from a performer who's demonstrated he can effortlessly tackle a variety of emotions in both voice and via his tunesmithing.
Everywhere I Go is the current single release from the album. Penned by Vassar and Jeffrey Steele, the track is making its way up the U.S. country charts at this writing, and in Vassar's view, it's "one of the more powerful songs on the album," he said, and one that can apply almost any relationship, from a broken friendship to a divorce.
Cowboy John Wayne Provides Song Inspiration
The blond musician had a hand in penning all of the tracks on Traveling Circus, including one about a childhood icon, John Wayne, that he wrote with Tom Douglas.
"I never get sick of hearing it," he recently shared about the song. 'Writing it, we kept thinking about the Old West and the heroes we grew up with. As a very small kid, my dad loved John Wayne. How different the world is now. Chivalry, how you treat a woman, treat a friend--that's all gone. The Golden Rule doesn't seem to apply anymore. Nothing seems to last.
"Everybody wants a quick fix now, from disposable razors to disposable relationships," he continued. "Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame. People used to really work at sticking together and making things last. That's what John Wayne represents for me; he was really a man's man."
Singer's New CD Features Hit-Country Music
As for a song about a ladies man, well, Traveling Circus boasts one of those, too, sort of, with the previously debuted Bobbi with An I song, a number Vassar penned with his frequent writing partner, hit-tunesmith Craig Wiseman.
A humorous music clip in honor of the tune was released earlier this year, and believe it or not, the song was inspired by a real-life ladies man who liked to dress like one of the girls to get their attention.
"Craig Wiseman and I were laughing one day about that one due in a small town who always likes to dress up," Vassar said. "Bobbi is actually a guy I knew--this outrageous guy who showed up at a club one night dressed as a girl. It was just a funny way to pick up girls, and women were all over him!"
Parenthood Provides Impetus for a Different Kind of Love Song
Tackling a different emotion, Vassar's new record also features a song about being a dad titledShe's On Her Way. The song is perhaps the most revealing track on the 11-song offering, because it's transparent in expressing a father's unconditional love for his daughter.
"When I had my first daughter, Haley, sitting in the waiting room, this older guy came up and talked to me," Vassar recalled during the recent interview. "A lot of this song came directly out of that conversation. He said, 'Your daughter is the one woman you are going to love unconditionally for the rest of your life. That just hit me between the eyes. ... No matter what happens, she's my daughter. They sure grow up fast. ..."
Country Songwriters Kenny Chesney, Phil Vassar Collaborate
Elsewhere on Traveling Circus, Vassar tackles the perennial relationship of romantic love, with tracks such as Save Tonight for Me, which focuses on the need for couples to take time out for one another; A Year from Now, which is a number--and heartache--that Vassar lived through; and I Will Remember You, which Vassar penned with one of today's biggest country stars.
Referring to the latter tune, "I wrote this song with Kenny Chesney years ago, when he was going through a break-up," Vassar said. "Moving on from something like that, you always remember somebody ... the good times, great moments, how much you really loved somebody."
If there's an overriding feel or spirit to Traveling Circus, though, it rests with the "L" words; namely, Life and Lemonade, respectively. The former is the first track on Vassar's new CD, and its intro, which features the singer-songwriter in the role of ringmaster, is about hanging on for the ride through all its twists and turns.
"Good, bad or ugly, life deals its hand," Vassar said, matter of factly. "It doesn't care who or what you are, it just happens. so enjoy it when it's good. Handle it when it's not."
Lemonade, meanwhile, seems to embody Vassar's long-term outlook, and fans of the artist will likely take note of this, too. Its message, quite simply, is that come what may, be it failed exams or heartbreak, "it's all going to be OK," the musician said. And sometimes, just knowing that, if nothing else, is enough.
Country Fans Score with Singer-Songwriter's New CD
Fans of Vassar won't be disappointed in the Traveling Circus he brings to town. Indeed, the offering takes listeners on a carousel of emotions, from kick-back party tunes such as Tequila Town to the unavoidable heartbreaks that life holds.
Along the way, however, "Ringmaster Vassar" is timely in his reminders to music "ticket-holders" that, although the ride of Life is often bumpy, tomorrow's always a new day, with the potential to experience enduring heroes, unconditional love and perhaps best of all, a bit of sweet Lemonade.
The Virginia-born Vassar, however, has persisted in his love for both piano and country music, and on his latest CD, Traveling Circus, he further establishes himself as one of the genre's preeminent piano players, having resisted the warnings of Nashville's industry powers that once told him he'd have to leave his instrument of choice behind if he wanted to become a commercially viable artist in country music.
Phil Vassar: Piano Player-turned-Country Star
Remembering that time, Vassar, along with fellow piano man James Slater, penned Where Have All the Pianos Gone as a tribute to the instrument's masters who've somehow managed to, increasingly, be MIA on the popular radioscape. The song is the final track, No. 11, on Vassar's brand-new Traveling Circus CD, which will be available in stores Dec. 15, 2009, just in time to find its way into fans' Christmas stockings.
"When I got town, nobody wanted to hear about a piano," recalled Vassar in a November 2009 interview with Suite101 about his latest CD's music. "I literally had record-label heads tell me I would have to put on a (cowboy) hat and start playing guitar, but I stuck to my guns."
'Traveling Circus' Features Singer's Touring Musicians
These days, Vassar, largely, can call the creative shots. In turn, when it came time to recordTraveling Circus, which is the entertainer's fifth solo disc to date, he had the luxury of taking more time to create the record, and in doing so, he achieved a first by opting to have his road band, not studio players, join him on the album. The result is a more homogeneous musical product from a performer who's demonstrated he can effortlessly tackle a variety of emotions in both voice and via his tunesmithing.
Everywhere I Go is the current single release from the album. Penned by Vassar and Jeffrey Steele, the track is making its way up the U.S. country charts at this writing, and in Vassar's view, it's "one of the more powerful songs on the album," he said, and one that can apply almost any relationship, from a broken friendship to a divorce.
Cowboy John Wayne Provides Song Inspiration
The blond musician had a hand in penning all of the tracks on Traveling Circus, including one about a childhood icon, John Wayne, that he wrote with Tom Douglas.
"I never get sick of hearing it," he recently shared about the song. 'Writing it, we kept thinking about the Old West and the heroes we grew up with. As a very small kid, my dad loved John Wayne. How different the world is now. Chivalry, how you treat a woman, treat a friend--that's all gone. The Golden Rule doesn't seem to apply anymore. Nothing seems to last.
"Everybody wants a quick fix now, from disposable razors to disposable relationships," he continued. "Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame. People used to really work at sticking together and making things last. That's what John Wayne represents for me; he was really a man's man."
Singer's New CD Features Hit-Country Music
As for a song about a ladies man, well, Traveling Circus boasts one of those, too, sort of, with the previously debuted Bobbi with An I song, a number Vassar penned with his frequent writing partner, hit-tunesmith Craig Wiseman.
A humorous music clip in honor of the tune was released earlier this year, and believe it or not, the song was inspired by a real-life ladies man who liked to dress like one of the girls to get their attention.
"Craig Wiseman and I were laughing one day about that one due in a small town who always likes to dress up," Vassar said. "Bobbi is actually a guy I knew--this outrageous guy who showed up at a club one night dressed as a girl. It was just a funny way to pick up girls, and women were all over him!"
Parenthood Provides Impetus for a Different Kind of Love Song
Tackling a different emotion, Vassar's new record also features a song about being a dad titledShe's On Her Way. The song is perhaps the most revealing track on the 11-song offering, because it's transparent in expressing a father's unconditional love for his daughter.
"When I had my first daughter, Haley, sitting in the waiting room, this older guy came up and talked to me," Vassar recalled during the recent interview. "A lot of this song came directly out of that conversation. He said, 'Your daughter is the one woman you are going to love unconditionally for the rest of your life. That just hit me between the eyes. ... No matter what happens, she's my daughter. They sure grow up fast. ..."
Country Songwriters Kenny Chesney, Phil Vassar Collaborate
Elsewhere on Traveling Circus, Vassar tackles the perennial relationship of romantic love, with tracks such as Save Tonight for Me, which focuses on the need for couples to take time out for one another; A Year from Now, which is a number--and heartache--that Vassar lived through; and I Will Remember You, which Vassar penned with one of today's biggest country stars.
Referring to the latter tune, "I wrote this song with Kenny Chesney years ago, when he was going through a break-up," Vassar said. "Moving on from something like that, you always remember somebody ... the good times, great moments, how much you really loved somebody."
If there's an overriding feel or spirit to Traveling Circus, though, it rests with the "L" words; namely, Life and Lemonade, respectively. The former is the first track on Vassar's new CD, and its intro, which features the singer-songwriter in the role of ringmaster, is about hanging on for the ride through all its twists and turns.
"Good, bad or ugly, life deals its hand," Vassar said, matter of factly. "It doesn't care who or what you are, it just happens. so enjoy it when it's good. Handle it when it's not."
Lemonade, meanwhile, seems to embody Vassar's long-term outlook, and fans of the artist will likely take note of this, too. Its message, quite simply, is that come what may, be it failed exams or heartbreak, "it's all going to be OK," the musician said. And sometimes, just knowing that, if nothing else, is enough.
Country Fans Score with Singer-Songwriter's New CD
Fans of Vassar won't be disappointed in the Traveling Circus he brings to town. Indeed, the offering takes listeners on a carousel of emotions, from kick-back party tunes such as Tequila Town to the unavoidable heartbreaks that life holds.
Along the way, however, "Ringmaster Vassar" is timely in his reminders to music "ticket-holders" that, although the ride of Life is often bumpy, tomorrow's always a new day, with the potential to experience enduring heroes, unconditional love and perhaps best of all, a bit of sweet Lemonade.
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