Missing Person (2012)

This song was originally written back in 2009 as a writing/recording challenge by Robby Robbins.  I took some liberty with it and rewrote it lyrically.

The original version from 2009 is on my sound click here>  http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=7520478  if you have the time, listen to this original version first.

I figured that with everything that Robby and I have learned over the years we could, and should redo this tune.  It would provide an interesting look at how we have both progressed musically over the last 3 years. I started to work on it as a full country band version, but after talking with Robby,  decided to go in a totally different direction with the production.  Totally 100% acoustic..... no midi.  Use mics to record it.  

So... here's the breakdown of this project. I salvaged a few of the tracks from 2009 that were worth keeping.  Fiddles and the dobro leads and that was about all that is common to both versions. 

The decision was made to record everything else again. 

There are 10 vocal tracks... 5 by Robby and 5 by me. one lead each and 4 BGV's. 

1 track: Scott Campbell is playing the fiddle in his classic and brilliant fashion.

7 tracks: Robby is playing acoustic guitar, dobro, and fretless bass.

4 tracks: I am playing acoustic guitar and mandolin. 

A total of 22 tracks with lots of panning and volume envelopes. Much time went into this project and we sincerely hope that you enjoy this new acoustic version. 

Thanks Robby for playing and singing on this new version. 

We present, for your listening pleasure Missing Person (2012 acoustic version)  http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11962059

Enjoy.

Great job on both tracks especially the acoustic one. I also see the tremolo part still remained. Gives one that old "Saloon" feel (I do realize the genre, but nonetheless). 

Never right, never wrong, I can write a tune all day long
Nothing like the good ole I-IV-V! (Had to. Sorry!)

Wonderful job by both again. In general, some songs sound better when played acoustically.

I read the explanation for the rewrite, but what prompted the original to begin with?

Yeah, this is actually a very storied song...

I wrote it many years ago for Miss April who was a missing person in my life... She later died from cancer. She also inspired many other songs I've written. When I went to record it, I told my son I was working on a new song called "Missing Person" My ex was listening in and called the cops and said I was threatening to make her a missing person and had a restraining order sworn out against me.

I also sent it out to 9 different people who stepped up to the task and did 9 different versions of it, in all genera's from cowboy country (thank you Herb!) to smooth jazz (thank you Frank) to a hard rock version, a soft piano version, a trip hop version, it was was really wild! And fun :-)

I called the project "Missing People" and the song was actually used as evidence in a case in Georgia! Pretty wild.

Holy Cow! What a difference! The new version has a much more clear and open mix. Robby's additions make it real special too.

Robby: I had remembered it was about Miss April but had forgotten the other stuff..... wow... evidence in an Atlanta courtroom.... did the judge like the song? 

Frank: thank you for listening When you are impressed, I feel I have done my job well. 

Scotty: thank you...and same thing I said to Frank..... yes, I would say there is a difference.... after all, it has been 3 years and we've all learned a lot in that time....

 This is a good example of how time and applying your lessons and the things you study does make a difference.  the first version, back in March 2009, when I recorded it, I thought, it was really good, and it was at the time, since it was the best I could do then. The difference is startling on the second mix.... it's just been a matter of sticking with it and working though a bunch of songs, mixes, situations, and learning something from them all. No magic, no slick tricks, just the results of work...lots of work, and more yet to go. 

I like it.... the word you were looking for....a popular one around here.....arse. 

yeah I'm glad to see you updated your bucket list. 

Thanks Reece.... yeah the old one is hard for me to listen to as well after working on this new one. 

The only thing that could make this cowboy country, any more cowboy country? Would be a lone coyote in the distance on the break, the sound of a campfire, and some farting... Herb sounds like a cowboy :-)

Alegria is the one who put them all up on his website.  Not sure if they're still there.  

This is great, you guys!  No surprise there, with all this talent aboard. ;)  

It's all band in a box? I even "literally" climbed in to a box when I played the fretless track? I was holding down the bottom? Like a male lead in an inappropriate video.

(I apologize for that right there Lord.)

Your honor, note the subtle harmonies? If this were a death metal song, my client could concede some threatening connotations. However, who among us has felt threatened by Roy Rogers? Move to dismiss... 

I hope you're not a freaking Judge Rus... LOL! hahahaha

and now or something completely different...

  Awesome guys, I'm not a big fan of modern country, this takes me back to the days when country was cool. Great vox and instrumentaion. Production even has that classic country sound. I really dig it

Mark, Mark Janet and another Marcus.... thanks for listening.

Grant and Tony.... glad you like it..... 

The "jangly / tremolo sounding thing is not a guitar.... it is an actual real Fender Mandolin. I have always liked the sound of a mandolin and tried to emulate that sound with a guitar on numerous projects in the past but a guitar doesn't have those double strings like a mandolin. So when I saw a mandolin on Craigs list last year... I called and bought it. I have been working and practicing to try to get clean notes out of it...and the finger patterns are not like a guitar so I'm still trying to learn that aspect of the instrument.