Album Notes

The Doghouse Daddies are four artists with a musical passion that translates into broad smiles, involuntary foot tapping and in many cases jubilant dancing on the part of their audiences. These guys have a celebratory thing going when they unite and play that it quickly becomes apparent to everyone in the place that these guys are serious about having fun. The feeling spills over into the audience everytime they play. With common musical roots that go back back 20 years plus among some of the guys, the interplay between instruments, vocals and percussion is seemingly effortless. Individual ego's are set aside as the Doghouse Daddies give themselves to the music and the song at hand. The result is musical magic that is as real as it gets. Check out these reviews! Doghouse Daddies "Doghouse Daddies" Greenback Hill Records BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO, © AUGUST, 2006 "DOGHOUSE DADDIES", is the name of this self titled disc by a bunch of Kansas City area bluesmen with about 140 years of experience between them. No, no, no, that doesn't mean they're all as old as Pinetop Perkins and Robert Lockwood Jr. They just happen to be four baby boomers who have all been playing the blues for about 35 years each. The DOG HOUSE DADDIES are: BILL MORLAN, Upright Bass and Vocals; MARK ROLLINGS, Guitar and Vocals; A. W. HOWDY STEVENS, Harmonica; VAN DAVISON, Percussion. "SOUNDS LIKE KC", one of the originals, is an impressive opening track. It's one of those tracks where no one particularly blows you away yet the tight little groove the bands in, combined with all of their timely solos, makes it a pleasure to listen to. On any Rod Piazza track, done by any band, the harp player better be up to the task. HOWDY handles the duties very nicely on the Piazza penned "SOMEBODY" while MARK adds lots of guitar highlights. The seven minute version of "EARLY IN THE MORNING" finds the band mellowed down easy. It's a soft, slow blues burner which features HOWDY and MARK taking turns at tearing it up. With the rhythm section locked in on a very subtle groove in the background, this track may very well feature the discs best harp and guitar playing. Another original track just happens to be the name of the band, the name of the disc and the name of the song - "DOGHOUSE DADDY". This one totally rips. It's a fast paced number with BILL and VAN never letting up on rhythm while HOWDY and MARK lay down some blazing solos. BILL also does a great job on a song that was written for his voice. I could have easily handled this one, which may be the best track on the disc, being seven minutes long. I get the feeling that "DOGHOUSE DADDY" may very well be their ultimate crowd pleaser at the bands live shows. "I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU" is another real good, slow, blues burner. It opens with BILL belting out some of his signature gritty and growling vocals before giving way to an absolutely phenomenal three minute guitar showcase. JUNE will know a lot better than I on this, but I'm thinking that the reason the DADDIES may actually be in the DOGHOUSE is because they all went out and got "SLOPPY DRUNK". This Jimmy Rogers cover is another one of the best tracks on the disc and it takes the DHD'S home in real rockin' fashion. With BILL and VAN sounding like their having a race on bass and drums and HOWDY blowing his brains out on harp, this one is a real winner. Be sure to stop by the dog house and visit the DOG HOUSE DADDIES at www.doghousedaddies.com, but a word of caution...........be careful where you step. Reviewed June 2006 in the Blues News: Reviewed by Bruce Hibbs Doghouse Daddies Doghouse Daddies GBH 3006 Doghouse Daddies...have you heard these KC guys? Bill Morlan on upright bass, Mark Rollings, guitar, Howdy Stevens, harmonica, and Van Davison, drums. These four guys combine to form a Kansas City style blues band that is destined to become a rock-solid favorite in the Midwest. Hel