When I first made a demo/sketch for this song I knew that Libbie Linton's voice (of https://soundcloud.com/mideau) would make it way better. To all of our enjoyment she accepted my request. She even sang it with a cough. 
Many others came forward to make this song whole. In the last few minutes of the session for Native Land I tracked Nelda Ault playing the countermelody of Downpour on her viola. Jake Vanweezep played the drums. Ryan Campbell jigged the jig of the song on his violin. And finally Diane Spackman, who leads a Bell Choir in the Boise area, was kind enough to bring her bell set on a visit. She, Amber S. Jones and I tracked the bells late into the night because I did not have great tone on my bells. They were very good sports about the session.
Lyrically the song was meant to have the type of incomplete and confused phrasing that gives it a sort of dreamlike quality. With the subject mostly being precipitation, the loud 6/8 chorus and appended jig was added in the composition to express the violence of a flash flood which rain can bring.
Lyrics are posted here: https://sites.google.com/site/showdownattheburntcreekcafe/tanner-s-music-for-the-showdown


Downpour

Starting with a sonnet pair as a template for a song is an intimidating proposition but not so intimidating as Marty's Javert like character in this chapter. 
Western music means entirely different things depending on the thing you are trying to describe. Consider the following: country western, western waltz, western soundtrack. The latter is the sound of a dusty bandito surrounded by saguaros and sunset. I wanted to make this lone vaquero gallop in my song.
Jake Vanweezep on drums again, John Olshinski blew the trumpet.

Lyrics are posted here: sites.google.com/site/showdownatt…for-the-showdown 

Marshall's Sonnet

Taking a short hook from the album's opening track, and integrating the chords from the bridge of Native Land, I wove them into this cowboy waltz. I usually avoid this style of song because they are so easy to write and when they are played one after another they quickly lose my interest. What really makes this song beautiful is the solo. When John Olshinski finished his trumpet session for Marshall's Sonnet he asked if there was anything else I wanted. I couldn't resist trying him on an improvised solo which we all have the pleasure of enjoying now.
Other personnel include https://soundcloud.com/cewright on the electric guitars and Tim Owen, both from Ghost of Spring.

Lyrics are here: https://sites.google.com/site/showdownattheburntcreekcafe/tanner-s-music-for-the-showdown

The Stand

This is the song I've been wanting to write since I started this project. I wanted a riff rocker that had bluesiness. I feel that the blues fits well with the dim outlook for Bertie's future as a creekboy. This song also recalls the first track of the album in some subtle ways. Patience may reward the listener in surprising ways. Jake VanWeezep rocks the drums as always!

Lyrics are posted here: https://sites.google.com/site/showdownattheburntcreekcafe/tanner-s-music-for-the-showdown

Creekboy's Trouble

Prologue: Bertie, the Kid 
This song is meant to introduce the protagonist of the novel. Bertie is a soft spoken but scrappy underdog. At 9 years old he shows himself more mature and strong willed than his older rivals. The lyrics really lend an adult's voice to the boy barely able to reach the pedals on his bicycle. My wife Amber and I collaborated to write them.

I borrowed from "Ghost Riders In The Sky" for the melody. I think this was ok considering that Stan Jones borrowed from "Johnny Comes Marching Home" for that one.

Instrumentally I wanted a western sound. For recording I collaborated with my Americana producer/musician C.E. Wright: www.facebook.com/cewrightmusic

Monica Spendlove sings backup vocals on this recording.

Lyrics are here: sites.google.com/site/showdownatt…for-the-showdown

Bertie The Kid (new finished album mix)

Starting with a sonnet pair as a template for a song is an intimidating proposition but not so intimidating as Marty's Javert like character in this chapter. 
Western music means entirely different things depending on the thing you are trying to describe. Consider the following: country western, western waltz, western soundtrack. The latter is the sound of a dusty bandito surrounded by saguaros and sunset. I wanted to make this lone vaquero gallop in my song.
Jake Vanweezep on drums again, John Olshinski blew the trumpet.

Lyrics are posted here: sites.google.com/site/showdownatt…for-the-showdown

Marshall's Sonnet (new finished album mix)

This is the climax of the novel Showdown at the Burnt Creek Café. I love the story at this point. I express as well as I can the tension of the mood and (as always) Bertie's determination to do things right. 
One thing I love about writing concept albums is taking a melody from one song and transforming it into something very different for another. Amber Spackman Jones sang the backup vocals on this one.  She always helps to make my songs better, but not usually with such a hands on approach.

Hero's End

It wasn't my intention to add a full revamp song from earlier in the album as a reprise, but as rehearsals got underway for live performance of the album this song became so very different and strong in a new way. I knew we needed to record it either as a bonus track or as a new song with new lyrics.
Jake VanWeezep took a pivotal role in the formulation of the track on his drums.
Pearl Maren Jones (12mo/old) makes her debut by bringing the band in with her vocal cues.

The Rush (reprise)

The album is finished with this number in the vein of "Her Majesty". The best way to finish the project I could see was to include all of the 'tall tales' from the story into one short folk tune.

The Story Goes

This Boy is about having faith enough to risk not just your own but the lives of strangers when there's nothing left to lose... well that and succeeding so well that you toss defiant challenges where ere you will.

tannerlex

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