Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters eighth Stony Plain album, Good News, was recorded December 20-21, 2013 at Wellspring Studios in Acton, MA. The project and its recording was a time to remember as Ronnie gathered together the extended Broadcaster family of musicians and friends including Dave Limina, Lorne Entress, Jim Mouradian, Tom Hazeltine, Debbie Blanchard, engineer Huck Bennert, Boston area vocalist Diane Blue, guitarist Zach Zunis of the Janiva Magness band, guitarist Nicholas Tabarias from Detroit and many other friends of the band.
Ten tracks, including Sam Cooke’s Change is Gonna Come, were recorded over the two days which concluded before the wee hours with a great holiday feast that may have included some puddin’ pie and many, many cups of coffee.
The album title Good News came to Ronnie in the New Year right before we heard an NPR story on the fiftieth anniversary of Sam Cooke recording Change is Gonna Come and playing on the Tonight show days before The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.
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The Broadcasters are:
Ronnie Earl – Guitar
Lorne Entress – Drums
Dave Limina – Piano and Hammond B3
Jim Mouradian – Bass
Guests
Diane Blue –Vocals
Nicholas Tabarias – Guitar
Zach Zunis - Guitar
Huck Bennert, Recording and Mixing Engineer
Written, produced and directed by Ronnie Earl
Deborah Blanchard, Associate Producer
Holger Peterson, Executive Producer
On:
I Met Her On That Train:
Zach Zunis first guitar solo, Nicholas Tabarias second guitar solo, Ronnie Earl, third solo and rhythm guitar
In the Wee Hours: Ronnie Earl Intro, Zach Zunis first guitar solo, Ronnie Earl second guitar solo.
Marje’s Melody : Nicholas Tabarias second guitar solo
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I want to send extreme and massive amounts of love to the band family: Dave Limina, Lorne Entress, Jim Mouradian, Tommy Hazeltine, Debbie Blanchard as well as Rocky, Suwanna, Barb, Michelle, Eddie, Donna and the extended Broadcaster family. Donna I am forever grateful I met you on that train.
We are alive by the grace of God and without higher power none of this could be possible. We wish you all peace, simplicity, health, healing, positive vibes and good news.
Love, Ronnie
I want to send extreme and massive amounts of love to the band family: Dave Limina, Lorne Entress, Jim Mouradian, Tommy Hazeltine, Debbie Blanchard as well as Rocky, Suwanna, Barb, Michelle, Eddie, Donna and the extended Broadcaster family. Donna I am forever grateful I met you on that train.
We are alive by the grace of God and without higher power none of this could be possible. We wish you all peace, simplicity, health, healing, positive vibes and good news.
Love, Ronnie
I want to send extreme and massive amounts of love to the band family: Dave Limina, Lorne Entress, Jim Mouradian, Tommy Hazeltine, Debbie Blanchard as well as Rocky, Suwanna, Barb, Michelle, Eddie, Donna and the extended Broadcaster family. Donna I am forever grateful I met you on that train.
We are alive by the grace of God and without higher power none of this could be possible. We wish you all peace, simplicity, health, healing, positive vibes and good news.
Love, Ronnie
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The songs, lyrics and a few stories:
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- I Met Her on That Train 4:44 Ronnie Earl, Lorne Entress, Dave Limina, Jim Mouradian
- Change is Gonna Come 6:02 Sam Cooke
- Time to Remember 6:10 Neal Creque
- In the Wee Hours 10:53 Amos Blakemore, Buddy Guy
- Good News 3:33 Dave Limina, Ronnie Earl
- Six String Blessing 9:24 Deborah Blanchard, Ronnie Earl, Diane Blue
- Marje’s Melody 6:45 Ronnie Earl, Dave Limina, Lorne Entress
- Blues for Henry 7:16 Ronnie Earl, Hubert Sumlin
- Puddin’ Pie 4:08 Ronnie Earl, Dave Limina, Lorne Entress
- Runnin’ in Peace 5:59 Ilana Katz Katz, Ronnie Earl
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Change Is Gonna Come
Sam Cooke, composer
Diane Blue, vocals
I was born by the river
In a little tent
And just like the river
I've been runnin' ever since
He said it's been a long time comin'
But I know my change is gonna come, oh yeah
He said it's been too hard livin'
But I'm afraid to die
I might not be if I knew what was up there
Beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time comin'
But I know my change has got to come, oh yeah
I went, I went to my brother
And I asked him, "Brother
Could you help me, please?"
He said, "Good sister
I'd like to but I'm not able"
And when I, when I looked around
I was right back down
Down on my bended knees, yes I was, oh
There've been times that I thought
I thought that I wouldn't last for long
But somehow right now
I believe that I'm able, I'm able to carry on
I tell you that it's been a long
And oh it's been an uphill journey, all the way
But I know, I know, I know
I know my change is gonna come
Sometimes I had to cry all night long, yes I did
Sometimes I had to give up right,
for what I knew was wrong
Yes it's been an uphill journey
It's sure's been a long way comin', yes it has
It's been real hard every step of the way
But I believe, I believe
This evenin' my change is come
Yeah, I tell you that my change is come
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In The Wee Hours
Amos Blakemore, Buddy Guy
Oooh wee
Oooh, oooh, oooh wee
Oooh, oooh, oooh wee
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh wee
Got to find somebody,
Hep’ me with these blues.
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Six String Blessing
This blessing was written in honor of Ronnie’s sixtieth birthday on March 10, 2013 and my husband Ed, who I hear playing his guitar every morning while I am writing. John O’Donohue, an Irish writer, poet and priest, said that a blessing can change the atmosphere and “the beauty of blessing is its belief that it can affect what unfolds.” (John O’Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us, Doubleday, p198)
Debbie
Six String Blessing
Deborah Blanchard, Ronnie Earl, Diane Blue
Bless these fingers dancing with strings,
Give rise to beauty from deepest pain.
May each note be gentle and true,
Sometimes fiery always blue.
Chorus:
Take me, touch you,
Music of life.
Heal me, move you,
Blessings begin.
Guide this heart from silence to sound,
Song arising notes profound.
May our stories shape this song,
And find a home where they belong.
Chorus:
Use me, move you,
Music of life.
Heal me, heal you,
Strings of life. (love)
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Runnin’ in Peace by Ilana Katz Katz and Ronnie Earl
The words were written by our friend Ilana Katz Katz who was 50 feet from the first Boston marathon bombing on April 15, 2013. Ilana and Ronnie worked together to create the music, which is sung by Diane Blue on Good News, as well on Ilana’s own album I’ve Got Something to Tell You. You may find more info about Ilana on her website. http://ilanakatz.com/
Runnin’ in Peace
Ilana Katz Katz, Ronnie Earl
It was just the other day In Boston
After 116 years
Runnin' in peace
A bomb went off
And then another
People were maimed
Lord, and people died
Women and children
Save us Lord.
Save us, with love.
With love and light.
Save us from ourselves.
It was just the other day In Boston…
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Steve Morse of the Boston Globe calls Good News "another exquisite outing" by the "world-class Broadcasters." Read the review here: Boston Globe
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Thank you for the great comments on the Good News CD cover!
The cover art is based on a vintage sign that Holger Petersen of Stony Plain Records and Michael Dangelmaier remembered seeing in the 60's in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was located at Mike's News which was also the location to buy concert tickets. Michael and his company Karo Design in Calgary did a brilliant job running with the concept. Read the story of Mike’s News sign on the city of Edmonton website. Many thanks!
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Good News comes in at #7 on the Billboard Blues chart!
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Good News album teaser #1
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Good News Album Teaser #2
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For a better view check out our pictures on Flickr which are organized by sets or albums.
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