Richard Wilkins Empty Seats
Richard Wilkins
Empty Seats
Independent
Portland Oregon based blues singer/songwriter Richard Wilkins is celebrating the release of his new album “Empty Seats”. It’s been two years since Wilkins last recording “Life’s for Livin'”. Wilkins plays both bass guitar and tenor saxophone and is accompanied by an illustrious ensemble including drummer Jimi Bott of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and the Mannish Boys; Paul Brainard, guitar, lapsteel, and trumpet; and LaRhonda Steele, backgound vocals. Wilkins has shared stages with Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, John Bonham, Lightning Hopkins, Johnny Winter and many more.
The new album opens with a short 27 second traditional Irish tune. “Coming in for a Landing” is the first song on which we hear Wilkins’ sing “I’ve been driving so long…coming in for a landing…mama don’t you pass me by”; Brainard is on the lapsteel, while Brian Harris plays piano. “Rainy Sunday Morning” features Brainard, background vocalist Steele, and Ed Neuman on organ. The title track “Empty Seats” is a tribute to the late Stevie Ray Vaughan with Piper Bott on organ.
“Daylight Train” is a beautiful vocal from Wilkins with horns from Joe McCarthy, and a great lapsteel solo by Brainard, “living in Mill Valley, I fell in love with a girl they called Cocaine Sally…then one day she left me standin’ in the rain”. On “Monterey” bassist Wilkins asks “what can a young man do?”. On “Pamela” Wilkins gives us another great vocal with Piper Bott on piano. “Somebody”, is a cover of a song from Rod Piazza, “somebody got my baby acting strange…somebody stole my love from me”, with a great saxophone solo from Wilkins, and Brian Harris on piano.
Here I am standing at the “Crossroads of Love” follows. “Minstrel Boy/Song for Ireland” is beautifully sung, it’s a medley combining two of Wilkins’ favorite Irish and Scottish songs with a couple of great sax solos. “Memphis Diamonds” features Futoshi Morioka, guitar with Kevin McIntyre providing the backing vocal. “Rock This House” is another cover, this time from the Hollywood Fats Band. “Sober Life” is an autobiographical tale, Wilkins sings “many years ago I was a broken man, but I left that old bar stool …the sober life is the best life I know”, again with another sax solo. “Will Ye No Come Back Again” is yet another traditional tune that closes out this fine album.
Today the Portland based Wilkins enjoys the sober life, experiencing the joy of writing and playing the music that he loves. Wilkins shares it with on “Empty Seats”.
Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene
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