The Starlight Drifters

Thirteen To Go, The Starlight Drifters
Rollin' Rock CD 112





The Starlight Drifters are a honky tonk combo with a touch of western swing and rockabilly, and they are certainly not new to the scene. Two CDs proceeded this release, "Presenting The Starlight Drifters" and "Every Note a Pearl", both on DynaElectro. Luckily for us rockabilly fans, the band switched labels and this 3rd CD is issued on Rockin' Ronny Weiser's famous Rollin' Rock label. It's quite obvious that Ronny himself produced the album, because it has much more rockabilly influences than the previous albums. The opener "Cold Fish" proves this immediatly, fast paced rockabilly with a bite! And there's a lot more where that came from. Although on most songs, the Starlight Drifters stay true to their honky tonk roots, the rockabilly beat on most tracks (varied with a couple of great ballads) make this quite a "bopable" album.
About half of the 13 songs are self penned originals and among the well chosen covers are a pretty damn good version of Conway Twitty's "Long Black Train" and Jack Scott's "Never Felt Like This". The experienced musical capabilities of the band, Ronny producing the album, the superb voice of Bill Alton and wonderfull harmony vocals of the other members (try "Pretty Little Ring" on for size!) makes this Rollin' Rock production a must for all rockabilly fans and authentic 50s music lovers.

Tracklisting:

Cold Fish - Telephone Call - Two Bottles An Hour - Long Black Train - We Can Make It - Pretty Little Ring - Wolverton Mountain - I'm Not The Guy - Never Felt Like This - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - Long Goner - Six Pack To Go - End Of The Road

The Starlight Drifters are:

Bill Alton - Vocals
Chris Casello - Guitars, steel, vocals
Billy Mack Cowen - Drums, percussion, vocals
Dave Roof - Doghouse bass, trumpet, percussion, vocals

Guest appearances by:

Jason Edwards - Piano
Jessica Rooth - Vocals

Contact information:

The Starlight Drifters
1595 Pauline Boulevard
Ann Harbor, MI USA
Tel: +1-734-994-1841

http://www.starlightdrifters.com

Always Rollin' The Rock, Rockin' Ronny Weiser
2460 Casey Dr.
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Tel. 702 739 6213
Fax. 702 739 6218
E-mail: [email]rockronny@aol.com[/email]
Reviewed by The BlackCat, 2001

http://www.rockabillyeurope.com/reviews/thirteen2go.htm





Feature Column
Exclusive to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame

Column #37 - published September 5, 2000

THE STARLIGHT DRIFTERS
A-ROLLIN' AT ROLLIN' ROCK

The Starlight Drifters around the Pink & Black Rollin' Rock Flag: Billy, Chris, Ronny, Bill, Dave
About two years ago, within the same week, I received both the Johnny & The Blades and the Starlight Drifters debut CDs, and, what I did notice immediately about both bands, that, in addition of delivering a tight rockin' sound with strong material, they also featured very soulful vocalists.


Bill Alton is a very cool cat in his red rayon 1950s Western jacket!

I had to record these bands for Rollin' Rock!
Last year the Starlight Drifters won (in a tie with the Chop Tops) the annual Kats Like Us Battle Of The Bands. The band live turned out to be even stronger than their record! The price for winning the contest was a recording contract with Rollin' Rock Records. Well, it's taken exactly one year, but the Starlight Drifters finally made it to Rollin' Rock!!


Bill Alton

The original two members are Bill Alton on vocals, and Chris Casello on guitar and slide guitar. The two newest members are David Roof on slappin' bass and trumpet, and Billy Mack on drums. Billy Mack also has his own CD out, as a vocalist.
The day before the recording session they gigged at the Kats Like Us weekly rockabilly show, and bedazzled the audience with an amazing degree of musicianship which did not interfere with their very lively stage show. Or viceversa!


Chris Casello plays as dazzling as his shirt advertises!!

Chris Casello's guitar wizardry is very difficult to match, I don't care which guitar genius you stack against him from anywhere in the world!! But being extremely technically proficient would not move me that much, were the guitarist not able to have the right feel for rockabilly. And Casello certainly has more "feel" for our music than one could hope for! And his steel guitar palying ain't bad either!


Dave Roof not only slaps the bull fiddle, but also plays trumpet and many other instruments.

I don't have to repeat again how intense and soulful Bill Alton's singing is, but instead will say that the new members, David Roof on slappin' bass, and Billy Mack on drums, perfectly complement the superb talents of Bill Alton and Chris Casello.
One of the Top Five Rock'n'Roll/Rockabilly/Western Swing bands in America today, the boys delivered the goods to Rollin' Rock with a selection of Western Swing, Rockabilly, Gospel, Blues and Rock'n'Roll.


Billy Mack keeps that solid Big Beat going at all times!

Some songs were finished off with four part harmonies, and on one song David Roof overdubbed a trumpet, a first here at Rollin' Rock!
Just like the boys they tied with at the Battle of The Bands --The Chop Tops -- all four Starlight Drifters are extremely friendly cats, a real pleasure to work with.
And the fact that the two Bills were down with the flu did not dampen their spirits, diminish their gentlemanly behavior, or interfere with their performance.


Bill


Welcome to Rollin' Rock, boys, we've got a Hit on our hands!!
source
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/COLRockRon0900.html

Hi Ritchy

de rien c'est un plaisir

a toi