Chris Vaughn: Press/Reviews

- May 2, 2007
Review of Chris Vaughn BY Col. Tamar Alexia Fleishman

With the state of country music these days, it’s often hard to find someone who’ll stand up proudly and say they play country. It’s rarer still that the person today doesn’t come from Vancouver or some such place and isn’t wearing thong panties for everyone to see. Born in Winston County, Alabama, Chris Vaughn was raised on Bluegrass and Gospel. His guitar skills led to a gig playing bass for Clay Walker.

“Out of Your Mind” has some Travis Tritt-like edginess. His songs have that great, old-school George Jones wistfulness: Vaughn isn’t singing about changing diapers, like so many Nashville acts today. (Who is listening to these Mr. Mom songs? Nobody I’d ever break bread with.)


http://www.southernfriedmagazine.com/magazine/

2/13/2007 9:06:51 PM

I hate to give you a 5 star being's i am competeing against you for the number 1 spot on the artistopia country music charts but you have to give credit where credit is due and you are dam good Chris
luck to you your friend Rick.

Stream: THE WIND

Home > Magazine > Content

Reviews: Chris Vaughn ~ Self-Titled
Posted on Saturday, January 06, 2007 @ 08:28:20 EST
Topic: Reviews

Artist: Chris Vaughn

CD: Self-Titled

Home: Cullman, Alabama

Style: Country

Quote: "He’s 100% devoted to good old-fashioned, old-school country music, but he’s not afraid to rise above the cliches and put his own clever spin on things."

By Jennifer Layton

Chris Vaughn knows how to write a song. As a pure country artist with authentic twang and drawl, of course he covers songs about love and trucks and living on a farm. But I’ve never heard it put quite the way he puts it in “Material Cowgirl”:

It all started when we bought this farm
Then she had to have a new horse barn
Bridles and saddles that cost more than my truck.
She got the very best western wear
uses mane and tail in her hair
And now my bank account has run amok ...

Sounds like the poor guy married the Bama version of Paris Hilton. And that’s what impresses me about Vaughn’s music – he’s 100% devoted to good old-fashioned, old-school country music, but he’s not afraid to rise above the cliches and put his own clever spin on things. We get the full smokin’ band, angelic harmonies, and wailing pedal steel (nice work, Steve “Rabbit” Easter), but what stands out are great lyrics like the ones in “Backward”:

I sat down to write a song about me and you
Always on the last line, we wind up sad and blue.
I don’t like the outcome, so this is what I’ll do
I’ll write this song backwards, then I won’t have to lose ...

This is the real deal. Fun and foot-stomping tracks mixed with sweet, heartbreaking ballads, and a well-done cover of Johnny Paycheck’s “In Memory of a Memory,” which contains one of the best song openers in country music: “I guess I owe all the neighbors an explanation about the noise that’s coming from this old house and me.” I guess being a sharp songwriter himself, Vaughn knows a winner when he hears it.

http://www.chrisvaughnmusic.com

Listening to Chris Vaughn’s self-titled CD, I find myself thinking about the randomness of country music success.

Here’s a guy who, unlike many of the big names in Nashville, writes almost all of his own songs. Vaughn creates contemporary-sounding country music that is still firmly rooted in tradition.

To my ears, Vaughn’s disc is as good as what I hear on the radio. It’s closer to Dwight Yoakam than Kenny Chesney, a well-produced effort that is slick but with some serious twang as well.

So why isn’t this guy on CMT? As far as potential hits, Vaughn gives us the clever and catchy “Backward” and “Out of Your Mind.” I’m playing these songs over and over again instead of tuning into the local “from the latest to the greatest” country station.

I like the ode to a trucker’s life, “500 Miles,” to start the album. It’s a straight-ahead rock and roll number, a punchy attention-getter. Later in the disc comes the other barn-burner, the bluegrassy “Picture in My Mind.”

The cover of Johnny Paycheck’s “In Memory of a Memory” is a perfect choice. Vaughn pours out an aching vocal of one of the best country lyrics I’ve heard lately. That song and the pretty “I Still Love You” (dig the soulful piano work) show that Vaughn can deliver a sensitive ballad.

Even the song that I think gets too cute lyrically, “Material Cowgirl,” is a musical romp. And maybe I’d appreciate the tune more if I were a cowboy. I have to stress that Vaughn's band (piano in the spotlight again, this time fun and strolling) absolutely swings.

I can imagine the closing track, the mid-tempo “The Wind,” being a big hit. It’s a bittersweet look at a couple who don't see eye to eye, and it has crisp drumming and a crying guitar solo.

The musician who is all over this disc, whose riffs blow me away, is pedal steel player Steve Easter. Check out how he makes “Backward” (my favorite cut) absolutely cook. Anyone who wants to have a country band needs to find a guy like this.

Granted, Chris Vaughn doesn’t break much new ground here, but every number is worth a listen. If you like popular country music, and you give this disc a chance, you will see that Chris merits a shot at big-time success. He’s his own man, in charge of his own sound and image, and that’s refreshing

The Wind
1/7/2007 12:23:19 PM Sold me on the Press Release.
Nice to know we have substance coming through the airwaves.
Anthing less would be uncivilized. RS

11/18/2006 12:06:37 AM
Great writing and arrangement Chris! Sounds Super!
Cliff Dawe- www.Artistopia.com/Cliff_Dawe


9/13/2006 10:54:58 AM
When a song gives you the goose bumps, you know its really good!
My wife and I want to hear this one on the radio.

8/27/2006 9:41:22 PM
Great Song. Excellent Arrangement. This guy should be playing on the Opry. Can't wait to hear him in person.
He has more talent than most of the people on the radio today. If he ever gets a chance, just wait and see how far he goes.
Keep this caliber of artist on your charts.


8/20/2006 5:41:25 PM
WOW!!! Beats out all that crap they play on the radio - hands down!!!


8/11/2006 8:26:29 PM
why is this guy not in music city usa...nashvegas

8/11/2006 8:23:54 PM
this is better than i hear on the radio today. this should be in ever country radio station across the US

8/11/2006 8:22:39 PM
this is one of the best i've ever heard


8/3/2006 11:10:12 PM
where has this artist been



8/1/2006 7:30:20 PM
this is one of the best songs that I have heard in a very long time.
this is what one would call real country.


/30/2006 1:11:21 PM
great music, great sound, where has this young man been all my life?

7/12/2006 9:03:09 PM
the best i've heard in a long time

7/7/2006 9:06:24 PM
this is a really cool dude. I want to hear more


7/3/2006 7:50:01 PM
Why is this artist on an Independent chart and not on billboard or CMT lists, etc...

7/3/2006 7:48:24 PM
Some major label needs to listen and sign


/3/2006 7:46:39 PM
This is a very very good song. He has what it takes...lets see him go places.


7/3/2006 7:44:46 PM
When can we expect more from this album here? This is very impressive!!

7/2/2006 11:08:58 PM
THE WIND BLEW US AWAY


/2/2006 7:07:32 PM
This is such a beautiful song. To me, it tells the life of a musician and his partner.
Chris is such an inspiration and such a great writer.

6/7/2006 11:15:46 PM
i love songs that tell a story and this one really tells the life of a musician on the road all of the time.
Chris this one is a hit.


6/6/2006 3:13:48 PM
Loved the song from the first time I heard it!. From a singer's wife point of view,
it's right on the money. Keep up the great work.

6/5/2006 10:37:25 PM
this is another one of Chris' songs that really show his talent.
He has the talent and the ambition to go far.

6/3/2006 8:32:00 PM
great and what a doll