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Danny O'Keefe & Doug Haywood
In the 1970's, Danny O'Keefe put out a string of albums that cemented his reputation as being among the best songwriters of his generation. These days, casual fans know him best for his Top Ten hit "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues" or Jackson Browne's version of "The Road" from the classic Running On Empty album. But the story didn't end in the 70's. He continued to release the occasional album and in 2008 returned with "In Time", his first solo release in nine years. Now with his new recording, "Light Leaves the West" he brings thirteen new songs to the "Light"; songs of loss and longing, hope and struggle on the long road we all must take. Danny's songs have been recorded by a Who's Who of artists over the last thirty plus years: Elvis Presley, Cab Calloway, Charlie Rich, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Earl Klugh, Chris Hillman, Conway Twitty, Leon Russell, Dwight Yoakam, Jerry Lee Lewis and Milt Hinton. But that's just who recorded "Good Time Charlie." Other credits include Alison Krauss ("Never Got Off The Ground"), Jimmy Buffett ("Souvenirs"), Nickel Creek ("When You Come Back Down"), Judy Collins ("Angel Spread Your Wings"), Donny Hathaway ("Magdalena"), John Denver ("Along for the Ride"), Gary Stewart ("Quits"), Sheena Easton ("Next to You"), Jesse Colin Young ("Night School"), Chris Smither ("Steel Guitar "), Ute Lemper ("You Look Just Like A Girl Again") and Alan Jackson ("Anywhere on Earth You Are"). "Well, Well, Well," which Danny wrote with Bob Dylan, has been recorded by Ben Harper, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Bonnie Raitt and David Lindley. Danny's reputation among his peers says volumes. Michael McDonald, who co-wrote a song on the new record, describes Danny's affinity for folk, country , jazz and more here: "Danny O'Keefe takes his rightful place in that ingenious and enigmatic tradition of unfettered poetic American song writing. Often traditional feeling music that is never completely identified with, or tied to, any one genre. (He writes) the kind of songs that ring with that sense of being classic and enduring, always having much to tell us lyrically. Working with Danny for me is a source of great pride because I truly think of him as one of the greats."
Here's a final word from country, Celtic and folk singer and multi-instrumentalist, Tim O'Brien, "Look in the dictionary under "singer songwriter" and you'll see a picture of Danny O'Keefe. His is the complete package: a strong performer with a batch of amazing songs. His guitar and voice lead you beyond ditty world, deep into the land of poetry."
Doug Haywood is a singer-songwriter whose songs have been recorded by such artists as Bobbie Gentry, The Dillards, David Lindley, Jennifer Warnes, Mason Williams, John Hartford, Jerry Reed, and Juice Newton. Doug has sung and/or played instruments in the studio and/or on stage with Willie Nelson, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Graham Nash and Warren Zevon. For 20 years Doug Haywood was a part of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame sound of Jackson Browne. In 2014 they reunited in the studio where Doug sang harmony on an epic track for Jacksons new album, Standing In The Breach. He continues to spend his time creating and performing his own work, as well as choice selections from other artists, while making his home in Phoenix.
Doug Haywood - Artist Biography by Tom Kealey:
Doug Haywood has written songs, made hit records, and toured and performed with several household names in country rock beginning in the 1970s. He began his professional career in Phoenix, AZ, when he and his two buddies, pedal steel player Ed Black and drummer Mickey McGee joined Goose Creek Symphony. The band opened up a show for Linda Ronstadt at the Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles. As a result, Ronstadt convinced Haywood's two friends to come over and play in her band, which they did for a couple of years. Haywood would join them some months later after devoting some time performing in Bobbie Gentry's band as her single, "Ode to Billy Joe," was climbing the charts. These were among the first boosts to Haywood's career, but they would not be his last.
Being the new kid in town had its disadvantages, most of which were financial, but Haywood found ways to overcome these obstacles. He wanted to join the musician's union but didn't have enough money for the initiation fee, so he worked out an arrangement with the union whereby he would picket a night club, Gazarri's for about 15 dollars a night until the fee was paid off. The union also sent him out on a couple of jobs, one of which was a Mod Squad shoot where he played the part of a folksinger in a coffeehouse. His song wound up playing in the background of the episode which got him into ASCAP, and the royalties, though shrinking somewhat, still continue to roll in.
What seemed like a pattern of trading up eventually led to a long and fruitful working relationship with Jackson Browne in 1973. Over the next 20 years Haywood would spend thousands of hours in the studio supplying bass, organ, and vocal parts on more than a dozen of Browne's albums. And, as is generally the case, following each release there would be a rigorous tour schedule to promote each record, adding up to hundreds of thousands of road and air miles and hundreds of concert performances logged by the talented music veteran. As a result of his singing on Browne's albums other artists began taking notice of Haywood's studio quality vocal talent and he became very busy with requests to appear on their albums, sometimes forced to command triple AFTRA scale.
Working with and for Jackson Browne provided Haywood with a stable and financially rewarding career in the big leagues of the music business, and it also provided him with an education in the industry. Having proved to himself that he had the knowledge and talent to go off on his own, Haywood opened up a recording studio in Colorado for the dual purpose of sustaining an income, and to serve as a vehicle for his own productions. This venture, by his own account, caused somewhat of a struggle within himself, however. After a hard day's work making his clients sound good, he found that it wasn't easy to muster up the energy to create his own music. He said, "I'd probably write more songs if I was a brick layer." And went on to say, "But I continue to chase the dream, not the money. Wouldn't it be great to have both?"
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LocationFiddler's Dream Coffeehouse (View)
1702 E. Glendale Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85020
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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