''Butt Naked Free'' is an album by the American musician
Guy Davis, released in 2000.
The album title was inspired by a dance performed by Davis's son during the recording sessions, although it was ultimately selected by
Red House Records
Red House Records is an independent folk and Americana record label in St. Paul, Minnesota. The label was founded in 1983 by Bob Feldman after seeing a performance by Iowa folk singer Greg Brown.
Origin
The label is named for a farmhouse in ...
. Davis supported the album with North American and United Kingdom tours. ''Butt Naked Free'' was nominated for a
W. C. Handy Award for best "Acoustic Blues Album". The album was a success on public and college radio stations.
Production
The album was produced by
John Platania
John Platania is a session musician, guitar player, and record producer. He was born in 1948 in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley, in Ulster County, near Woodstock.
Career Van Morrison
Platania is best known for his work with Van Morrison, beginni ...
. Davis used a 12-string guitar on the album.
Levon Helm
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm (May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012) was an American musician who achieved fame as the drummer and one of the three lead vocalists for the Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. H ...
played drums on some of the tracks;
Tom Wolk
Tom "T-Bone" Wolk (December 24, 1951 – February 28, 2010) was an American musician and bassist for the music duo Daryl Hall & John Oates and a member of the ''Saturday Night Live'' house band.
Life and career
Wolk was born and raised in Yon ...
contributed on bass.
[ "Raining in My Soul" is dedicated to Oscar Brown III, the son of ]Oscar Brown
Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, civil rights activist, and actor. Aside from his career, Brown ran unsuccessfully for office in both the Illinois state legislature and the U. ...
. "Writing Paper Blues" is a cover of the Blind Willie McTell
Blind Willie McTell (born William Samuel McTier; May 5, 1898 – August 19, 1959) was a Piedmont blues and ragtime singer and guitarist. He played with a fluid, syncopated fingerstyle guitar technique, common among many exponents of Piedmont bl ...
song. McTell was a chief influence on Davis's decision to tell stories through his songs. "Sometimes I Wish..." was inspired by Reverend Gary Davis
Reverend Gary Davis, also Blind Gary Davis (born Gary D. Davis, April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972), was a blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica. Born in Laurens, South Carolina and blind since infancy ...
's "Death Don't Have No Mercy".[
]
Critical reception
The ''Calgary Herald
The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network.
History
''The ...
'' noted that "this is not blues for an all-night whiskey binge or for shaking your booty... It's more of a beer on the back porch, stroll in the park collection."[ '']The Gazette
The Gazette (stylized as the GazettE), formerly known as , is a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band, formed in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa in early 2002.''Shoxx'' Vol 106 June 2007 pg 40-45 The band is currently signed to Sony Music Recor ...
'' wrote that "Davis has evolved from a traditional revivalist into one of the pre-eminent singer-songwriter-guitarists in acoustic blues music."[ The '']Democrat and Chronicle
The ''Democrat and Chronicle'' is a daily newspaper serving the greater Rochester, New York, area. At 245 East Main Street in downtown Rochester, the ''Democrat and Chronicle'' operates under the ownership of Gannett. The paper's production fa ...
'' called the album "a smooth ride on enchantingly shambling rhythms and Davis' voice: a phlegmatic-bluesman's rumble, salted with the gravel of the Southern roads of the music's heritage." The ''Times Colonist
The ''Times Colonist'' is an English-language daily newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was formed by the Sept. 2, 1980 merger of the ''Victoria Daily Times'', established in 1884, and the ''British Colonist'' (later the ''Daily Co ...
'' praised the "wise, passionate, organic reshaping of archaic forms." ''The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' stated: "A confident and assured songwriter, Davis uses the McTell pattern book to create his own tales of lowlife ways."
Track listing
References
{{authority control
Guy Davis (musician) albums
2000 albums
Red House Records albums