Artists

Dale McBride

Dale McBride was a grand performer, as much at home on the stage as he was at a backyard barbecue. The "Dale McBride Show" was the whole package: A little Country, a little Rock, spiced with blues, and flavored with pop, and nearly always tendered with a spiritual edge.

His love of guitar was evident in every note he played. And when he was in between all that, he loved to joke and laugh with the audience with monologues that were dry and wry, witty and wild. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, Dale would mesmerize the crowd by busting loose with his incredible impersonations of Elvis, Walter Brennan, Marty Robbins, Roy Orbison and a host of others.

Dale's small town (Lampasas, Texas) roots, and a deep spiritual upbringing, kept him firmly grounded in a profession that swallows up a lot of talented performers long before they have been in the business for the three solid decades that Dale recorded his legacy. Hundreds of recordings that provide a lasting memory, not only to his proud and loving family and friends, but to countless adoring fans.

Dale's recording history began in the late 50's when traditional Country Music was in a state of flux and very hostile to newcomers. But the innovative Dale was determined to make a living via his talent, and became one of the early pioneers of Rockabilly music. From a memorable performance with Gaylon Christie and the Downbeats on Kobb Records "Because I love you so",to Dale's solo performances on Fame Records' Rockabilly Classic "Prissy Missy" to his Teardrop Label classic swamp rocker "Barbara". Dale's early hits certainly fired up Biloxi, Mississippi's teen dancers on my Saturday afternoon WLOX-TV dance program, "Teen Time".

Still, Dale's heart never drifted far from his country roots, and the flip sides of his rockabilly recordings generally featured a pure traditional country love song, i.e., "Born to Love You" and "I Can't Ever Free My Mind".

With that rare crooning tenor voice that covered more than a couple of octaves, and a falsetto that could raise the hair on the back of your neck, Dale could have gone in any musical direction, perhaps even Opera, a fact that did not escape Dean Martin's attention in the mid sixties when he heard Dale and immediately signed him to a contract with his label Reprise Records.

Although Reprise was a huge and successful major record subsidiary, its focus was on adult pop, mostly middle-of-the-road music, which Dale was great at, but he yearned for a more mass appeal sound, and something more attuned to his roots. By 1970 Dale found a progressive Texas label, Thunderbird Records, which was eager to give him a shot at some traditional country cover songs, along with some of his own original compositions, including "Corpus Christie Wind". And that was Dale's first single to hit Billboard Magazine's Hot Country Chart.

During the early to mid 70's Dale produced a couple of albums on his own label which included a "Live" album of one of his stage shows, and also some of his wry monologues, plus some great impressions of Elvis Presley and Walter Brennan.

It was around that time that Nashville started perking up to Dale's music, and noted arranger/ producer Bill Walker signed him to a new energetic label called Con-Brio Records where he recorded two successful albums along with several hit singles, including his biggest career chart song, "Ordinary Man".

Other charted singles included, “I Don’t Like Cheatin’ Songs”, “Getting Over You Again”, and “Always Lovin’ Her Man”.

It was also during that time that several of his own compositions received national attention through inclusion on these albums – My Girl, Get Your Hands On Me Baby, and Love I Need You, all received critical praise from fans and music critics alike.

Producer and arranger Bill Walker described Dale at the time as, “Versatile, talented and one of the great voices in country music”.

Dale recorded for Con Brio for the period 1976-1979.

During the 80’s Dale continues an exhaustive touring schedule and focused his attention and recording more spiritual force. Louisiana’s former governor Jimmy Davis was enthralled by Dale’s highly charged spiritual rendition of Davis’ famous “You Are My Sunshine” and inspired him to record “Let It Shine, Let It Shine” another positive classic. Thought his musical outreach he continued to build a positive base for himself among fans and music lovers alike.

And when it looked like the sun would never stop shining on Dale McBride, the 1990s crept in under a dark cloud that came with the devastating news of his father's death, and only a short time later Dale learned that he, himself, was had a terminal brain tumor.

He passed away in 1992 leaving a legacy of great music, great performances and great memories for his many friends and fans – gone, but not forgotten Dale’s memory continues to live on through his music.

Don King

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Don King moved to Nashville in the mid 1970’s to pursue big dreams. In less than a year he had teamed up with the Con Brio Records team and was recording, writing, and touring.

In the three years between 1977 and 1979 he gathered ten consecutive national charted singles as an artist. They were:

- Cabin High (In the Blue Ridge Mountains)

- I’ve Got You (To Come Home To)

- She’s The Girl of My Dreams

- I Must Be Dreaming

- The Feeling’s So Right Tonight

- You Were Worth Waiting For*

- Don’t Make No Promises

- Music Is My Woman*

- Live Entertainment

- I’ve Got Country Music In My Soul

(Don wrote or co-wrote 8 out of 10 these charted singles*. The only exceptions were “You Were Worth Waiting For” and “Music Is My Woman”).

The majority of these singles reaches the national Top 40.

The journey of how Don got singed to Con Brio is like a storybook. While playing in a local bar, a representative from a publishing company asked Don to come to his office to audition. Don arrived at the right time in the wrong place. It seems the publishing company had recently changed locations and Don showed up at the old address, which happened to be Con Brio Records! Less than three months later Don was signed to the label as a writer and recording artist.

As a writer, his compositions were actively recorded by other artists on the label such as: Dale McBride, Terri Hollowell, Opry Star Jan Howard and Australian singing Legend Reg Lindsay. Many of these recordings yielded solid national chart positions, which gave him more success for him as a writer.

Don’s years at Con Brio taught him a lot about the Music Business. He built relationship, honed his songwriting and performing talent and matured into a full fledged entertainer.

In the 80’s he signed with Epic Records and continued his chart success with half a dozen nationally charted singles. He toured extensively opening for such prestigious artists such as Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn, and Conway Twitty. His songwriting continued to draw accolades as he attained Top Ten singles with two songs he co-wrote Reba McEntire’s “Why Do We Want We Know We Can’t Have” and Janie Fricke’s “You Don’t Know Love”.

In the 90’s Don expanded into record production, studio engineering and film and video production. It was the latter that caught the attention of the Tennessee Wildlife Recourses Agency who hired him to co-write (with long time friend Dave Woodward) the theme to their weekly PBS Television show. His relationship with the TWRA grew and he eventually accepted a position there, which has turned into a tenured position for him.

He now balances his life at the Agency with an active music career. He moonlights as part of two groups – 2nd Nature (A Bluegrass Focused Trio) and The Road Crew (which recently recorded a Route 66 focused project) – as well as accepting solo acoustic performances. In 2006 he released a Christian album entitled “Hymns of Faith”.

Along with his dad, Don King Sr., he owns and operates The Cypress Room studio in Nashville and in his spare time, he enjoys a family life with wife Peggy and daughter Katie.

Professionally Don still loves the songwriting, “To me songwriting provides an expression of emotion, memories, and an in sense spirituality, because it is so personal. I believe that all the success I have had in music can be part traced back to expressing myself through my writing.” Nowhere is this statement more corroborated than in the listening to Don’s haunting ode to his home state, in the safe penned Old Nebraska Memories.

Lori Parker

Born in Williamson West Virginia and proud of her Native American and Irish descent, Lori Parker grew up on the cusp of the Blue Ridge Mountains- in the heart of the coal fields. She inherited a musical ear from a musical family. Evenings were filled with impromptu front porch concerts for family and neighbors. In her summer evenings the air was filled with harmony of gospel songs (often sang a cappella). Her mother was self trained five-octave singer and an accomplished musician. As a teenager, her mother had her own radio program and performed with her brothers as ‘The Mountain Sweetheart’.

At the age of twelve Lori was a self taught guitarist and songwriter. Her first paid performance was at the Belfry KY Power Company Theater singing “Me and Bobby McGee" and “Mule Skinner Blues". Starting as solo accompanying herself on guitar, she was amazed, as unplanned, one by one musicians joined her on stage. With instrumental interludes, the songs were extended for more than fifteen minutes and when finished, the crowd stood and roared. Lori had turned ‘professional’ at age twelve, earning her first ten dollars.

She became engrossed in songwriting and inspired by the music of current artists, at the time like Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and the Eagles, Chet Atkins, Bill Monroe, and Dolly Parton among many others. Despite that Lori admits her foremost inspiration derives from her family’s fusion with music.

In 1976 Lori made her first trip to Nashville where noted record producer/arranger Bill Walker, recognizing her talent signed her to a production deal, and recording contract which eventually led to single releases on the Con Brio label.

During her Con Brio years Lori had 3 songs single releases and also had cuts by label mates Don King and Terri Hollowell as well as charting her own “Steppin’ Out Tonight" track.

From Country Ragtime to folk, ballads and pop music, Lori says, “I love singing, but I actually love the songwriting more than anything. To me, music is a perfect mixed-media of concepts and creativity."

While Lori is no longer recording her own music she is still an active songwriter.

She now resides in Indiana and is celebrating the release of her “Just Steppin’ Out" CD digitally.

“I enjoy songwriting because it allows me to share, awaken or revive a feeling… and just basically connect with people through my songs. The music usually leads the lyrics. I know I’ve done a good job when people enjoy the end result. To make that happen I just have to let go and glide with the music.

Lori Parker: Her songs reflect the history of her family, her times, and collective dreams.

Terri Hollowell

In Terri Hollowell’s comparatively short career in the music business she achieved enough success to satisfy any other artist performing for more than three times the same period.

A natural for the music business, Terri became interested in a full time career in music during her high school days in her hometown of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Her first real break came when she was signed with Con Brio Records in May 1978. A period of active chart representation followed for Terri. In the following two years after she signed to the record label she had five nationally charted singles including an impressive remake of the Beatle’s tune “Strawberry Fields Forever” which hit the national Billboard charts only seven days after it’s release and stayed on there for eight weeks. Her release of “May I” broke her into the national country Top 40 in mid 1979 and this was another first in her career. “It’s Too Soon To Say Goodbye” yielded her first ASCAP Award for chart longevity in October 1979. She performed and appeared on national television in three continents namely the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom and her first album entitled, “Just You And Me” was well received by critics in all three regions. The album had also been released in Canada and several Scandinavian countries.

Testimony of her potential acceptability was demonstrated in England between 1978 and 1980 where she had made five trips. Her credentials there were indeed impressive. She appeared on the prestigious Wembley Festival, toured with country superstar Don Williams in a national sell out tour, co-hosted four BBC TV Specials, headlined her own club tour, and appeared with such artists like Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell on the Portsmouth Festival in 1979. During all those appearances the critics have been unanimous in their praise of Terri as a potential superstar in that countries musical future.

Throughout her development as a total performer, Terri demonstrated both her talent and her professionalism repeatedly. Her infectious bubbling personality, both on and off the stage, enabled her to win many new friends and fans. Her youthful good looks and captivating cuteness won her the hearts of many critic’s and music lovers alike. And her mature middle of the road country voice had won her considerable acclaim from both country and non- country fans alike from many of her peers within the industry.

In 1980, Terri became pregnant with her first child and decided that motherhood should take preference to music. She walked away from a promising career but her voice and music lives on through her recordings.