Dave Alvin – Far Away

I pulled up Dave Alvin’s debut album Romeo’s Escape released in 1987 and heard this song among many of the others. This one I liked right away. He had some great musicians on here including Al Kooper on keyboards. This guy seems to be everywhere in every decade.

After CB recommended The Blasters I’ve followed him around and he pops up everywhere with different bands and performers. The man is a great guitar player needless to say, but his vocals and songwriting are almost equal to it. 

Dave Alvin launched his solo career with this record with a blend of roots rock, rockabilly, country, and blues influences. While his brother continued to handle lead vocals for The Blasters, Dave stepped into the spotlight, taking on all vocal duties for the first time. The album was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and Mark Linett.

This album is pure Americana which fits me perfectly. I started looking at his discography and he has played with so many artists. Artists like The Blasters, X, Los Lobos, Tom Waits, The Knitters, The Pleasure Barons, Gene Taylor, and The Third Man Blind…not even mention the albums he did with his brother

Although Dave Alvin never achieved massive commercial success, he has cultivated a following and is highly respected in the music world. In 2000, he earned a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album with Public Domain: Songs from the Wild Land.

A few weeks ago I posted Justified the tv show. Here is Dave Alvin & The Guilty Ones doing Harlan County Line from the show.