Blues From Texas to the World
and now it’s 2024. “Boomer’s Last Stand” is still getting some airplay in Europe and thousands of streams per month on the usual outlets- Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Thank you!
I’ve relocated from the desert to the Hill Country of Texas and am back to writing and recording. You’ll find 3 new tunes / videos on the video page. Enjoy.
I’m also playing with a local band called the Hoodoo Daddies. You can find us in San Marcos, New Braunfels, Wimberley… Gotta keep those chops up.
Order your CD HERE.
Read it online at Blues Blast HERE.
What does it mean to be a “success” in music? It is easy to see the range of popular musicians from superstars like Taylor Swift or Beyonce to more niche acts like Old Crow Medicine Show or Tedeschi Trucks Band as successes. In reality all of these popular musicians are in the 1%. There are millions of successful blue-collar/working-class musicians worldwide who make their living off of their art; grinding it out and shopping at big box retail stores like the rest of us. We Blues lovers know this. Our favorite musicians often have personal relationships with us because in some cases they are our neighbors.
Pat O’Bryan is a great example of one of these gifted musicians who has lived a life of art and creation with some international success, but, with minimal name recognition. A tried and true Texan, O’Bryan’s twisted musical journey has led him through early experiments in electronic music at UT (University of Texas, ya’ll), Country Western Swing bands, hard core touring barrelhouse Blues and the Austin Blues explosion of the 70’s and 80’s. Using the pandemic as an opportunity to slow down off the grid in East Texas, O’Bryan, a record producer of countless local projects, has released his mostly self recorded and all original pandemic record Boomer’s Last Stand.
Staying socially distant the few collaborations on this record were all done remotely. Austin Blues guitar royalty Carolyn Wonderland sent in a searing lead part for one track, the highly irreverent “She Looks Just Like You.” Italian drummer extraordinaire Beppe Facchetti sent his percussive music across the Atlantic adding funk and depth to all 10 tracks. Smoky singer Elizabeth Lee offers backgrounds on a couple tracks and solo lead on the epic “Satisfied” which also features lead guitar work from Lary Chaney. Chase Peeler sent saxophone down from Colorado and Allan McGinty recorded bass for one track in a different part of Texas.
Even though Boomer’s Last Stand is credited as “and Friends,” this last stand is the Pat O’Bryan show. Not a beautiful singer, O’Bryan growls out his lead vocals but doesn’t overreach, a mistake made too often by limited singers, ensuring his vocals are always engaging. O’Bryan’s real talent comes in his instrumental and production prowess. Layered sweeps of organ, piano, drum programming, guitars of all type and tone create a well realized vision of popular, slightly Blues colored, music. The dramatic ballad “Burn It Down” is a great example. A medium-slow classic soul ballad, O’Bryan rasps and pleads in perfect sync with his lush organ and piano counter point. A searing yet tasty lead guitar line slinks through the open spaces and creates a deeply satisfying performance.
Pat O’Bryan is clearly a Blues artist. He was a member of the Monday night house band at Antone’s, toured with W.C. Clark all through the West, opened for Johnny Winter and ZZ Top and worked with Albert Collins. But, O’Bryan was also bit early on by the innovations of electronic instruments and the composers who used them. O’Bryan indulges a wide pallet of styles from 80’s Hair Band Rock to faux-Reggae to gut bucket Blues to Roots Rock burners. These diverse interests come to bear in some of the more rock informed tracks. Album opener “Tell Me the Truth” is a hair metal workout. The hopped up zoom of “Nikki Put the Knife Down” is a cross of Morphine and the Stooges. These diverse turns make for an interesting ride that shows off what this multifaceted artist can do. Thank goodness Pat O’Bryan is a musical success.
I just saw this review from Electric Guitar Blues Magazine.
Thank You CULTURA BLUES Magazine (Spain)
Thank You Cultura Blues Magazine!
When you consider how many thousands of albums are released every day internationally, this is a huge honor.
(And radio stations and Blues podcasts are starting to give us some love. Scroll down to see where Pat O’Bryan and Friends are being played)
Yet it is not only blues rock that hits the clock here.
It turns out that Pat O’Bryan has two faces. A raw rocking face, but also a warm and intimate, sometimes even romantic, face.
The “Friends” on this album are Italian drummer Beppe Facchetti, guitarist Carolyn Wonderland from John Mayall’s band, singer Elizabeth Lee, guitarist Larry Chaney, saxophonist Chase Peeler and bassist Alan McGinty.
Nikki Put The Knife Down is an example of the raw rockers featured on this album. A viciously sweaty song with Alan McGinty on the bass. Shut The Fuck Up (NSFW) is then a George Thorogood-like raw rocker with nice burning guitar playing.
She Looks Just Like You is a driving boogie with Carolyn Wonderland as guest. According to Pat, there is no adultery if your mistress looks exactly like your own wife. Especially in the dark!
From the more intimate warm songs jumps the relaxed ticking, J.J. Cale-esque Chicago looks with its light reggae traits and lived vocals. Elizabeth Lee sings the very intense slow blues Satisfied. A song in which Larry Chaney’s cutting guitar playing steals the show.
(D’ya Evah) Feel Like That sounds like Tony Joe White’s swamp work because of its brooding sound.
Pat O’Bryan & Friends have delivered a very pleasantly varied album!
https://www.bluestownmusic.nl/recensie-pat-obryan-and…/
Listen in March 2, 7-8PM France-time!! (that’s noon here in Texas)
This is the video I’m promoting in Euro-ville to let people know about the new album.
Click HERE to download “Boomer’s Last Stand” now.
We were featured on the “Monster Blues Show” 1/12/21 – click to Listen to the re-broadcast.
Boomer’s Last Stand, the new original blues-rock CD from Pat O’Bryan, is OUT NOW! (looking for liner notes for the CD? Click “About Pat” above.)
Featuring guest appearances from Elizabeth Lee (Cozmic Mojo), Carolyn Wonderland (John Mayall), and Beppe Facchetti (SuperDownhome), Larry Chaney (Edwin McCain), as well as Chase Peeler and Allan McGinty, this album straddles the line between Blues Rock and Classic Rock.
Support Indie musicians: Buy now!
To order the CD click HERE.
To download click HERE.
Go “LIKE” Pat’s Facebook page for free music, videos, and news! Click HERE.
Pat O’Bryan has shared stages with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Gibbons, BB King, Eric Johnson, Hubert Sumlin, and many others in his 40+ year career as a Texas Blues Man.
During non-COVID years, he tours the U.S. and Europe.
“Boomer’s Last Stand” is his 10th studio album. He has also been featured on compilation albums with Johnny Winter, Janice Joplin, Willie Nelson, Albert Collins, and many more great artists.
Pat lives and records in his off-the-grid cabin in the desert near Terlingua, Texas.
To order the CD click HERE.
To download click HERE.
Go “LIKE” Pat’s Facebook page for free music, videos, and news! Click HERE.
The first video from the new album, “Boomer’s Last Stand,” is up on YouTube.
The project is moving along. Beppe did the drum tracks in Brescia, Italy. Amazing job- adding the real drums really made the songs “real.”
This song is just Beppe and me.
Stay tuned- Elizabeth Lee did some fantastic vocals. Larry Chaney did a guitar lead on “I’ll Be Satisfied” that’ll make you drop your jaw and scratch your head… how did he do that?
Chase Peeler added Sax to “In My Arms Again.” Tasty.
Old pal Carolyn Wonderland is doing a guitar lead on “That Ain’t Cheatin’.” Can’t wait to see what she comes up with.
Aside from Carolyn’s lead, the tracks are done. I’ve been mixing and listening and re-mixing and listening and throwing shit at the walls and remixing… this is probably my last album project, and I want it to be perfect.
And albums are never perfect.
Stay tuned.
It’s the time of the pandemic, which will be followed by the economic collapse.
What do we do? We make music. Click on the song names below to hear the finished demos.
Introducing the “International Blues Project.” Thanks to technology, I’m putting together a super-group to record this project. The drummer is in Italy, the other singer is in Germany, the sax player is in Colorado, the harmonica player is on the Texas Coast, the other guitar player is in Dripping Springs, and the bass player is in San Marcos.
I’ll name names later, but these are all touring and recording musicians- getting this band together in one studio at the same time would cost a fortune. Doing it this way, they can all work on the project in their spare time. It’s going to be amazing. My hardest job is writing 10 or so great songs to justify having this much talent on call.
These are demos I made so that the band can learn the songs. I played all the instruments and sang them. I promise the finished project will sound much better. Over the next several months, I’ll be shipping project files via the internet to some of the players- Beppe is starting the drum recording in Italy in August. For the other Texas musicians, I’ll put my studio in a backpack and go to where they are, as soon as it’s safe to travel.