David Grissom "How It Feels To Fly"

I had to ask BKP who this guy was and now I'm embarrassed.  He was a member of a band that still has a CD residing in my Featured 500 in the office, Storyville.  After SRV died, Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton formed Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton (and apparently there is a current working version that I was unaware of...) and when that band flamed out, Storyville was born in '94.  Grissom got his start with Lou Ann Barton, played with Joe Ely and then spent a few years with JC Mellencamp before forming the band.  A couple of fine albums were well received in their native Texas but failed to break nationally.  A live album closed the door on the band but Grissom had become an in-demand session/touring player for a string of country and blues performers.  His songs were also finding their way on to records by Trisha Yearwood, Billy Bob Cyrus and Lee Ann Womack.  But I didn't f#&king know all this until I researched it.  Also didn't know this was his FOURTH solo release.  It also slipped past me that he contributed to Warren Haynes solo and the last release by Buddy Guy.  See?  Embarrassed...

The man can indubitably play a guitar (he has tons of "how to" videos across the web) and he's no slouch when it comes to songwriting.  The albatross is his vocals.  They aren't bad but the bar is set pretty high since everything else about the album is done so well.  The band around Grissom smokes, especially on the four live tracks at the end of the record.  The cover of "Jessica" is a wonderful ensemble event.  Grissom once filled in for the oft-absent Dickie Betts for a three-week stint in the ABB some twenty+ years ago and used to play other Allman songs in his pre-professional years.  Two more of the live tracks are earlier songs of his and really come off well in the live setting.  His cover of ZZ Top's "Nasty Dogs & Funky Kings" has everyone raving but the vocals bog it down for me (nope, didn't keep it).  Of the eight studio originals I'll retain two.  Here is a live version of the album's opener...



The studio track is superior as his vocals have the opportunity to get it right.  Here is the other keeper...



Notice anything missing?

Well, I won't sleep on this guy again and I'd like to be able to promise that my cluelessness won't happen anew but that's a guarantee in the world of music that's impossible to make...