Dennis Jay is a cowboy singer who is both an actual cowboy and an actual singer. I met him some years back at a music jam, and we hit it off, mainly by way of some impromptu Buddy Holly duets. (Buddy Holly is the way to many a Texan's heart.) Dennis is one ornery sonofabitch, and one hell of a singer, and if he ain't achieved legend status it's probably due more the orneriness than to the singing. His album Primicia was produced and co-written in places by the great Dave McKittrick (he who is producing and co-writing in places the future album by me, the one that shares the name of this blog), and part of what makes their partnership work is Dave's ability to bring out the heart and soul of every performer he works with, ornery or otherwise. Dennis is a guy who takes no shit and can be tough to take (and I love him dearly for it), but in his singing you hear the aching of a man who has known a lot of heartbreak and loneliness. Which is what you should expect from the best cowboy singers.
These videos were shot by me two summers ago in Dave's studio, where Dennis was performing for an appreciative live audience one Sunday afternoon. Buy Dennis's EP Primicia when you get a chance. His voice deserves to be heard.
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