Doug Sahm Return Of Wayne Douglas CD

As one of the pioneers in Tex-Mex music, Doug Sahm fused rock & roll, R&B, conjunto, and country. This posthumous release, containing some of the last recordings made before his death, finds Sahm focusing on the country part of that equation. As this disc makes plain, country music was a major part of Sahm's life and music, and these tracks are pure, dyed-in-the-wool honky-tonk in the grand old style. Most are original tunes, and "Oh No! Not Another One" shows Sahm's feelings about country by humorously expressing his dismay at the way pop posers have taken over the country music scene. "Texas Me" is an old Sahm staple, but it's given new life in this context.

Of the two cover tunes, Bob Dylan's "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" gets a fresher coat of paint than most of the Dylan homages cluttering up tribute albums. Leon Payne's "They'll Never Take Her Love from Me" is a lovingly rendered piece of honky-tonk history followed by a spoken aside from Sahm, who takes pains to reiterate Payne's importance. What might be a cheesy moment in another context rings completely sincere when tucked into this honky-tonk love letter.

Doug Sahm's musical legend lives on as 'Wayne Douglas', one of his stage names as a solo country-western singer. He was also known as a founding member of both the Sir Douglas Quintet and The Texas Tornados. Upset with today's current country crap-o-rama, as he sings in 'Not Another One', Doug returns to his country roots to show us all that great musiccan transcend any genre. Sadly, he died shortly after this recording's completion.

Recorded at Cherry Ridge Studios, Floresville, Texas. Includes liner notes by James "Big Boy" Medlin.

Personnel: Doug Sahm (vocals, acoustic, electric & 12-string guitars); Tommy Detamore (acoustic & steel guitars); Clay Baker (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Bill Kirchen (electric guitar); Bobby Flores (fiddle, background vocals); Augie Meyer (piano, organ); Ronnie Huckaby (piano); David Carroll (upright bass); Dan Dreeben (drums); Shawn Sahm (background vocals).

Rolling Stone (7/20/00, p.140) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...A reaffirmation of the country swing and sentiment ever present in [his] music....he sings like a man with plenty of work to do..."
Q (10/00, p.127) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A premature but respectable final album."
No Depression (7-8/00, pp.108-9) - "...Hard country....straightforward, catchy renditions of Texas country shuffles, ballads and swing....touching and smooth..."
Mojo (Publisher) (10/00, p.118) - "...Sounds as if it could have come from Austin in the golden mid-'70s era of progressive country....damn near perfect..."