The Social Freelancer: Media, Music, TV & Film

I am a big fan of the old VH1 standby “Behind The Music” because knowing the stories behind the songs makes the listening more interesting to me. Since releasing the debut CD “Prosperity Street” from Trace Relations I’ve been asked about how the songs were selected for the record and what went into making it.

Trace Relations (L-R) Kevin Lewis, Sparky Montoya, John Echols, Tracy Ready, Mike Beall

“Prosperity Street” by Trace Relations Band is “twelve tracks of Texas groove guaranteed to improve your mood.”

For the next 12 weeks I will be posting stories behind all of the songs on the CD. Today, we start with the title track, “Prosperity Street” Read more…

I am very thankful for the kind response we’ve had on the release of this song “Open Mind, Open Eye” a Trace Relations ™ original. The lyric was inspired by a single line from my friend, guitarist Kevin Lewis. I posted the story about the lyric HERE> A Crash A Day.

Today I am posting the track (click play on ReverbNation box below) along with the full lyric, for those of you curious about the words. I hope you enjoy our song and look forward to your feedback. Please post in the comments section below, that would thrill me!

Trace Relations - The Band

“Sittin’ on the corner of Prosperity Street, wonderin’ where my next meal’s coming from, Yesterday I was rakin’ in the coin, today I’m just a poor old bum.” – Augie Meyers, from “Prosperity Street”

A lyric so timely for the economic conditions of 2011, who would guess it was written in 1975?

Trace Relations debut with their arrangement of “Prosperity Street” with special guests Augie Meyers and The West Side Horns:

This track available for download now > Trace Relations Official Site

About Prosperity Street
READ ON, GROOVE ON>>> Read more…

As a kid, I was into music. I was fortunate to grow up listening to a musical stew brewed up by my older brothers and their friends whose taste was, let’s say, “diverse”.
The Beatles, Cream, Harry Chapin, Led Zeppelin, Zappa, and Little Feat shared a room sometimes with Count Basie and his Orchestra, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and BB King. Out back on the patio? Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, Charlie Daniels Band and the Edgar Winter Group.

Willie Dixon courtesy of The Willie Dixon Fan Club

The great Freddie King hailed from Dallas, Texas and tore up stages all over the world with his blistering brand of electric blues before his untimely death at age 42 in 1976. His vocal and guitar prowess were without match and have now influenced a generation of players. Often imitated, never duplicated – Freddie King!
This video of “The Texas Cannonball” is Freddie at his best, live onstage in Sweden, 1973, performing “Have You Ever Loved A Woman.” This one is on my top 10 best electric blues songs ever written list, for sure. Enjoy the video…> Read more…