Do you love country music? Do you love the big band sound? Whether the answer is yes to one or both of these questions this album is for you. Singer, musician, producer and radio host Les Brown Jr. and His Band of Renown pair up with country superstar Neal McCoy in this unique, can’t help but make you smile, album. Complete with a 20 piece orchestra and country greats Janie Fricke and Charley Pride, these songs are nothing but pleasurable, with a hint of nostalgia.

DPTV Media brought together this pairing for a special they taped for Public TV. Les had seen Neal’s show and knew right away he would love to work with him. Big band isn’t as out of the realm for Neal as some might think. It actually brought him back to his roots. When he was just starting out he was singing standards with a small Jazz band in Texas. He loves some of the old classics and has incorporated them into his shows. This current project was recorded for CD and DVD in front of a live audience. Both Neal and Les play off the crowd. The laughter and applause add to the genuine feel of the album. There are 13 songs and they are a great mix of standards and some of Neal’s collection.

One of Neal’s biggest, most popular hits, “They’re Playing Our Song” is featured on this album, along with other well known hits “The Shake,” “No Doubt About It” and “Wink.” All of these are backed by the tremendous sounds of horns with the whole big band experience. It gives the songs a new flare that I really enjoyed. Songs like the classic, “Fly Me to the Moon” and “You Don’t Know Me” bring a sense of familiarity. They are songs that most music lovers know and revere and the band does a superlative job playing these standards.

Another great part about this album is the stories the artists tell between songs. Neal shares that when he was young he entered a singing competition and Janie Fricke was a judge in the finals. Neal won the competition and he and Janie have been friends ever since. After he tells the story, he invites Janie out to sing one of her songs, “It’s a Cheating Situation” with him. He also shared how Janie introduced him to the legend Charley Pride. Charley had helped many people get their career started and did the same thing for Neal. He said Charley means the world to him and introduced him to the excited crowd. The two then sang the song together, “You’re My Jamaica.”

At the end of the album they discuss how the Band of Renown and Neal have both spent a lot of time with the USO entertaining the troops. It was very touching to here them take a moment to acknowledge the service these men and women provide to our country. Lastly Neal says he always ends his shows with the song, “I’m Your Biggest Fan,” and he did just that. This album was something out of the ordinary that just so happened to work brilliantly. It was a lot of fun and made you feel like you were sitting in the auditorium with Les, Neal and the whole gang. This is the kind of album that will brighten your day. It is available now on iTunes as well as amazon.com.

Want to know more about Neal McCoy? www.nealmccoy.com
Want to know more about Les Brown Jr. and His Band of Renown? www.bandofrenown.com

Krissie Humphrey
CMTT Music Contributor
@khmusic12