Chris Daniels-Better Days

by Torch

Chris Daniels is releasing his second solo album of his 40-year music career, the first being The Juggler, from 1982, and now Better Days. The album is more of an effort of a circle of friends joining Daniels on an unexpected adventure in music. Better Days honors a nostalgic past with songs like “El Dorado Canyon” and “Better Days,” and drives through times of worry, with the heart wrenching “Sister Delores,” when Daniels fought with leukemia, and all while holding on to his sense of humor through hospital hell with his campy jaunt, “Medical Marijuana.” This album includes bits of jazz (“Therapy”), bluegrass (“Old Man Das”), country waltz (“Rose Colored Glasses”), and yes, rock-n-roll with the fiery song “Wild Cat.”

The album has 15 tracks, and there are five more songs on the bonus CD that is inside the CD book. It includes four recordings from the extraordinary 1985 Bluegrass Festival in Telluride, with New Grass Revival friends John Cowan, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, and Pat Flynn, as well as one Christmas song, “Ila’s Carol.” The hardcover is worth the buy, as it includes artwork from Willie Matthews, Emmy winner, Greg Carr, and a few photos. It will be available exclusively at Twist and Shout and Albums on the Hill in Boulder on July 7. If you want to access it online, it will be available on iTunes the same day, (if you buy the entire CD online, it will include the five bonus tracks.) There will be a free track on Chrisdaniels.com on July 7, along with the CD release party at Swallow Hill in Denver; tickets are $15 or $13 for Swallow Hill members. It will be an incredible show including some of the musicians that played on the album. Tickets are available at http://bit.ly/Chris-BetterDays

Friends who joined Daniels in the studio include: Ernie Martinez (Dakota Blonde), Sam Bush (as in the amazing), Jake Schroeder (Opie Gone Bad), Hazel Miller, Freddi Gowdy, Bradley Kopp, Christian Teele, Greg Garrison (Left Over Salmon and the Punch Brothers), Kenny Passarelli (Elton John) John Magnie (Subdudes), Molly O’Brien, Lloyd Maines (Dixie Chicks and much more), Sean McGowan, Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco), Mary Huckins (Dakota Blonde), Tim Irvin (Flash Cadillac), Bill, Eric, Kevin and John (Queen City Jazz Band), Clay Kirkland, and more!

The fun continues from there, as Daniels and his son, Cedar Daniels, are making a video for the song “Medical Marijuana” through Cedar’s company Starrtree Productions. Look for it on Youtube!

See the INTERVIEWS section for a full interview with Chris Daniels.

Tags: Chris Daniels, swallow hill, sam bush, kenny passarelli, flash cadillac, telluride, twist and shout, itunes, albums on the hill, hazel miller, therapy, old man das, rose colored glasses, wild cat, bluegrass festival, new grass revival, john cowan, bela fleck, pat flynn, ila's carol, wilie matthews, greg carr, ernie martinez, dakota blonde, jake schroeder, opie gone bad, freddi gowdy, bradley kopp, christian teele, greg garrison, left over salmon, the punch brothers, elton john, john magnie, subdudes, molly o'brien, lloyd maines, dixie chicks, sean mcgowan, richie furay, buffalo springfield, poco, mary huckins, tim irvin, queen city jazz band, clay kirkland, cedar daniels, better days, the juggler, el dorado canyon, sister delores, medical marijuana

Category: The Rock