With Beavers first release of an eclectic collection of country, blues, gospel, southern rock, and what he calls “slam-grass,” Sinful Tunes has something for just about every musical taste.  The musical journey of this collection is extremely more interesting than the destination.  The versatile voice coupled with intelligent, yet simple lyrics in these original songs, gives you a glimpse (or deeper look, if you dare) at the deep roots and emotions in his songs.  The wide variety of emotions and portrayals in these tales gives you opportunities for your own interpretations and sequels.  This CD is a very individual exploration of relationships, emotional need, and temptation, both for the author and the listener.

Beavers has plenty of talented help in this co-produced journey with the Band of Brothers.  Jim Reiss lends his able, and much in demand, lead guitar to the effort, as well as the co-producing work load.  Ric Phiffer gets plenty of opportunities for mandolin, guitar, and vocals.  David Hutson holds up his end on bass and vocals.  Zeke Durrell has the percussion all sewn up.  This tight Band of Brothers seems to read one another’s minds as they improvise in live performances.  On the recorded CD, the effect is a completely integrated and cohesive transition from one track to the next.  From the front cover which proudly proclaims “Made in Texas,” to the last notes of the final track, you’re never sure what is coming next, but you’re sure you’re going to love it. 

In a recent chat with Beavers, he answered a few questions about himself and his music.  The hyphenated surname comes from his maternal grandfather, Emzie Mulliniks, a talented and dedicated southern gospel quartet performer.  Emzie was the initial musical influence in Beavers’ life.  “I got the deep love for the rich, harmonic vocals of southern gospel from my grandfather, so now I carry his name to honor that tie.”  Beavers also claims other musical influences that are as diverse as the music on this CD.  He loves the harmony and gospel foundation of Larry Gatlin; the truly Texas stylings of BW Stevenson and Guy Clark; the bluegrass roots of Bill Monroe and Slaid Cleaves; the folk themes of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dillon, and Crosby, Still, & Nash; and don’t forget to throw in Sam Cooke and country Hag and Hank.  But more than that is evident in his music.  I see a great deal of Bob Seager in both the vocal and lyrical grittiness that sometimes sneaks through.  Beavers claims (with a significant amount of tongue-in-cheek) his diversity comes very naturally to him because of his multiple personalities.  “There is Jimmy, who is the romantic; James is the spiritual, gospel singer; and Jimmy Lee, who gets the other two in trouble.”  He jokingly refers to live performances as the “prayer meetings of the Congregation of the Church of the Immaculate Blue Agave, led by the Right Reverend Jimmy Lee.”  He even claims there are evenings when, if he glances quickly enough in the mirror behind the bar, he can catch a “Cheshire cat-grinning Jimmy Lee with his arms around Jimmy on one side and James on the other.”  When asked about the CD title, Sinful Tunes, Beavers replies that making good music was just too much fun to NOT be sinful.  There is a tremendous struggle of gospel roots and all the other musical influences within his repertoire.  But because he and his alter-egos are such good pals, they all work together to create a unique and integrated musical experience. 

"Straight 8 Buick" pulls from his experiences with his Dad.  The dream car was the ’49 Buick Roadmaster with that straight-8 engine.  In his melodic tale, Beavers adds that to the list of goodies that would come with fame and fortune in a Bill Monroe-ala-southern rock Beavers Slam-grass style.

“I want a straight 8 Buick

And some silver-tipped boots

And a couple of diamond rings.

I shiny new suit and new guitar

And, man, I’ll live like a king.”

The tale that leads up to the acquisition of these coveted items starts with the boy who is Mama’s “carbon copy of that awful mistake she married” who learns to play his dad’s old guitar.  Even though he used that guitar to...

“Accompany the Nazarene Church choir….

Late at night she would find me

Listening to the radio.

Playing with the Hayride and the Opry.

That music was burning a hole in my soul.”

He takes that to eventual fame and fortune where

“I got much more than I could bargain for…

But still wanted that straight 8 Buick….”

"Awful Regrets" gives a glimpse of the Haggard influence working with Bill Monroe and a touch of gospel theme.  The chorus:

“If I could fill a cup of my regrets

It would spill onto the table and down the leg

To the floor, through the cracks, to the dirt below

Where awful regrets should go.”

The moral of the story is:

“You can’t always get what you want.

Sometimes it’s better to pray for something you need.”

Then let those awful regrets go.

"Hold Me Close Maria" is a beautiful ballad that came to Beavers in a dream.  He awoke and wrote this selection in twenty minutes.  Actually, this song is the root of the whole Sinful Tunes CD recording process.  Brian Burns (who does the excellent harmony vocals on this track) heard Beavers do the song and got his permission to try it out for himself.  Burns, being the perfectionist he is, wasn’t satisfied with his rendition, and insisted that Beavers had to do this one for himself.  After much persuasion, Burns was able to convince Beavers that this tune and others deserved to be recorded and shared.  Thank you, Brian, for having the wisdom, insight and silver tongue to pull that off.  All who take a listen are in your debt.  The guitar and Phiffer’s lilting mandolin are also significant contributors to the dream that turned into a song.  His description of the dream:

“Sunlight fades and twilight fills the room

I can almost feel your body, the scent of perfume.

Candle flickers gently, painting shadows of you

For a moment I could swear you were here.”

Don’t we all want dreams like that?

"I Hate to Love Ya" is a bluesy, somewhat dark, jazz number that came about through the good-natured heckling of a fellow musician.  Beavers would kid with her then follow up with, “you hate to love me.”  And she would answer, “But I still do.”  The theme revolves around the things that annoy, but you continue to care in spite of them.

“You drive me crazy when I look for my coat

In the closet and trip over your shoes

I hate to love ya, but baby I still do.

The way you snore makes me want to turn over

And seal your mouth with glue.

I hate to love ya, but baby I still do.”

"Crying and Dying" was inspired by a tune penned by Brian Burns, "I Don’t Live Here Anymore" (from Burns CD,  Highways, Heartaches, & Honky-Tonks).  Beavers said, “I heard that song and I knew that feeling.  I just had to try to work with that dark feeling.”  This mournful, desolate dirge tugged at my soul the first time I heard it.  I’ve even seen people surreptitiously wipe away tears on their first hearing.  It has such a hopeless, lost feeling.

“It’s all I can do to keep from crying.

Living just ain’t living, without you.

Holding to a thread of hope

That I know will break in two

And it’s all I can do to keep from dying.

I just sit here in this chair

Wondering where to go from here

But my head’s not clear

And I’m not thinking straight

My only company is just this misery

And I ask myself why I’m so alone.

Don’t wanna sit here, but I can’t walk

Phone’s off the hook, now ‘cause I can’t talk.

The pain of losing you is more than I can stand.

My heart is beggin’ for the touch of your hand.”

Lest we get too mired in emotionality, Beavers rips us back to the joyful side of breaking up with "Don’t Let Your Butt", a rollicking rockabilly tune about the lengths some of us have gone to get rid of the other half. 

“I got a brand new plan to make a stand

In this bitter little feud.

I hope you enjoy the following words as much as I do.

Don’t let the door hit your butt on your way out

Just leave the keys on the table, baby,

Don’t scream and shout.

I just bought you a repo mobile home so you can play house

Don’t let the door hit your butt on your way out.

I got everything packed just for you.

I even got your new boyfriend out of jail

Just to help you move.

I hope that both of you will be satisfied

In the new love nest made for two.

Just remember, don’t call me, I’ll call you.”

"When I Look Thru Your Eyes" is a smoothly rolling southern rock/country treatment that is as full of hope and inspiration as "Crying and Dying" is bleak.  The vocal harmonies are very reminiscent of a church choir.  When asked about the “choir”, Beavers admitted that he has another spiritual version of the song that is "When I Look Thru His Eyes".  It definitely works either way.

“Sometimes I just have to pinch myself

When I look in the mornings at a painted sky

Brushed on canvas by God Himself

Beauty’s real; it can’t be denied….

When I look thru your eyes,

I feel a love I will not hide

Thought my heart was dead and gone

Till you walked in my life.”

Another selection that pulls the dark emotion from deep within is "Blue Northern".  This is another blue, melancholy selection.

“Hindsight can be so damn painful, you see

When you’re trying to figure out

What went wrong; maybe I was gone too long

But I feel it coming on.

There’s a blue northern, a cold wind blowing

Through this heart of mine.

It’s hard to keep yourself warm in the winter

When you’re so cold inside

Bottle won’t hide the chill tonight

At the bottom of my soul.

There’s a blue northern, a cold wind blowing

Through this heart of mine.”

"Great Divide" is one of those just-for-fun, live performance type of tunes that makes the audience want to participate.  The audio from live recordings is tricky, especially when combined on the same CD with professionally mixed studio tracks.  But this one has flavor and substance and deserves to be a part of this collection.  The lyrics speak for themselves:

“She favors brass bras and spike heeled shoes.

Riding crop that’s just made to bruise.

Any young man that strikes her fancy

She pulls that sucker out and she slaps her fanny.

She’s just what the doctor ordered for me

For my emotional stability…..

She’s got some strange ideas about making love….

Chains and whips, that’s all the woman thinks of

If I survive the night I’ll thank the stars above.

There’s just one thing that kinda bothers me

Is that leather-studded muzzle that she makes me wear.

She got a gap between her teeth about a quarter inch wide.

Lord, she can spit beer about 10 feet high.

Every night is different; it’s always a great big surprise

That’s why I love that woman I call the Great Divide.”