Review: Dallas Wayne—Here I Am In Dallas

Dallas Wayne may not be as confidently assertive as the legendary John Wayne, but he's as fiercely independent as The Duke on this hardcore honky-tonk country album. And just like that great western actor, Dallas is not some pretty boy entertainer. He's not afraid to get his hands a little dirty, especially if doing so will help him get the job done. On Here I Am In Dallas, he sings songs for the brokenhearted, and also from the viewpoint of the brokenhearted, with a voice of one who knows what he's talking about.

So many of today's new-traditionalists, (or alternative country players or whatever they want to call themselves) know how to write and play country the way it ought to be done, but few sing it as well as Wayne. Just get a listen to "Not A Dry Eye In The House," where he bends the notes just like George Jones used to, and you'll know for yourself.

Wayne is also a witty and skillful songwriter. "The Stuff Inside," for example, states that the bottle won't kill you, it's the stuff inside. Drinking, as you may have already gathered, plays a big role in Wayne's music. It's no coincidence that he is pictured on the CD cover at a beer bottle strewn barroom table, with a heater in his left hand. Welcome to his world.

Dallas Wayne's music is as classically traditional as his name, and there's no better example of this than the song "If These Walls Could Cry." Loaded to the gills with sawing fiddles, it builds up a head of swinging honky-tonk steam. It may not be suitable for the superficial line-dancing crowd, but it'll sit nicely next to your precious Bob Wills CDs. —Dan MacIntosh