This CD, aptly named, Something Old, New, Borrowed, & Blue, has something for everyone. From wonderful old can’t miss tunes like Crazy Arms and I Washed My Hands in Muddy Waters; new tuneful introductions like I’m Going Postal (already a Texas music crowd favorite) and I Don’t Want to Marry; borrowed favorites like Brown Eyes of Mexico, I Forgot I Don’t Live Here Anymore, and More Than Texas; and blue standards like Dust of the Chase, Up and Gone, and She Told Me She Loved Me. This CD mixes many traditional Texas music sounds with the distinct flavor of a new spice for the recipe – Sherwin Phillips.

Those of you familiar with Texas music are used to Sherwin providing the spice in the chili, barbeque, and anything else mouth-wateringly delicious we find available to sample at Sherwin’s pit at these festival gatherings. However, he definitely has dubs on some unique musical spice, too. We’ve enjoyed his campfire contributions in the song circles over the past several years, and now, just like his barbeque recipe secrets, he’s packaged his music so we can enjoy it long after the festival and campfires are over. With the able musical assistance of Bodie Powell, Dirt Stinett, Mike Choate, Tommy Alverson, Curtis Tilton, and T-Roy Miller, he has a top notch CD ready for willing ears.

Phillips is not really a new comer to music. His life has been overflowing with radio stations, DJs, record stores, and country and western shows all associated with his family since he was knee high to a grasshopper. He even bought his first guitar with money earned at that family record store. Phillips’ first band had its beginnings around 1976, and except for a couple of years where he stayed deliberately away from music, has been involved in some degree with playing, and more recently, writing music ever since.

He captures your secret longings with his original, I’m Going Coastal (Before I Go Postal). Even though not all his songs come easily or quickly, Sherwin says this song wasn’t long-labored: "Phyllis and I had a trip booked 3 months in advance to Cozumel and that time wasn’t getting here quick enough. This one particular day was not a good one at all at work and I busted out ‘I’m going coastal before I go postal.’ I went in my office and wrote down the chorus in less than 5 minutes." With a definite Caribbean flavor, Sherwin explains a Cozumel vacation as,

Tommy Alverson even shares in the fun via a verse on this track.

Brown Eyes of Mexico, authored by Texas music favorite Clay Blaker, is one of the best covers of that tune that I’ve heard. Phillips mixes the solid country base with a touching sensitivity and romanticism of the Latin culture.

Crazy Arms, always a great traditional 2-stepping selection, is very well arranged and presented on this CD. I’m sure you’ve heard too many versions of this great classic to count, but you will remember this rendition. Phillips blends his vocals very gracefully with the expert musical treatment.

I Forgot I Don’t Live Here Anymore, authored by Brian Burns, is another great cover on this CD. Although each previous cover (Gary P Nunn, Tommy Alverson, Brian Burns, to name a few) of this tune has special qualities that make you remember it, this one is so smooth that it feels like cool water flowing over bare toes on a hot lazy summer day.

Up & Gone, a velvety soft waltz by Terry Rasor, is beautifully nostalgic and bittersweet.

Phillips has such a polished rendition that you will be crying in your beer on the cheeriest, sunny day. You can almost smell the stale tobacco and sour beer of your favorite old style honky-tonk as you listen to this.

One of my favorites by Phillips is I Don’t Want to Marry. The harmony vocals with JoAnn Guest are especially captivating and the tune is quick and witty.

Makes you want to give careful second thoughts to matrimonial impulses. He certainly has an interesting thought.

The CD culminates with the perfect finale, More than Texas, by Bodie and Donna Powell. A real dreams-come-true romantic selection described so poignantly ….

Now that’s a pretty good simile for a whole, whole bunch whether you’re talking about the love of your life or just a tremendous love of Texas!

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