02 - Wanna Be Your Cowboy

01 - Losing My Name

The genius Steve Allen of Square One Studio found some time out of his very busy schedule to work on this track. I love the mix. I wrote this song a few months before losing our home and stuff in the Camp Fire in Paradise, California November 8th 2018. Ended up being a little bit prophetic. The original idea of the song came from a vivid dream I had during a turbulent time on my life. I often just ignore my dreams because they are confusing and, well, sometimes causes me to question my own goodness. Yet, the Bible is full of dream stories and appears as a way that God often communicated. Not sure why dreams are so often discounted or ignored now. Anyway, parts of my dream ended up in this song and the rest of the lyrics are just observations.  Nicky Hines, of the country band Shenandoah, plays all the guitar parts and directed the song. The sound is his vision. We originally were after that 70's Laurel Canyon sound, but of course my wandering vocals often don't end up where originally intended. I do like this mix a lot and the musicians are awesome.

Love Has Gone Away

Back around 2015, I started taking guitar lessons from an instructor who was really into Bluegrass Music. I soon discovered that didn't have an aptitude for the guitar and didn't have a great desire to practice enough to make up for any natural ability. 
I did mention to my instructor that I had written a couple of songs and maybe our time would be better spent learning how to record these songs.
One day I tried to write a 'bluegrass" tune and titled it, "I've Done It Again." We recorded it. Years later, I wanted to revisit some of my earlier recordings and see what they might sound like with professional musicians. Nicky V. Hines, currently the lead guitarist with Shenandoah acted as musical director, guitarist, arranger, engineer, and producer for me on this finally finished new version. (Several versions have been posted on my SC page throughout the years. This will be the Spotify, Apple, Amazon etc version of which I shall make .002 of a penny every time it is played.) On bass is Martin Motnik currently a member of the popular European Heavy Metal Band "Accept." (Trust me, I have no idea how a country bumpkin like me ended up working with Heavy Metal - but I dig it.) On keyboards is the wonderful Tim McDonald , out of Nashville. On drums is another Nashvillian, Travis L.. Super people and very, very talented and experienced.
I like this version very much - musically. I think the mix is excellent (Nicky V. Hines) and I like how he took down the reverb on the vocal, it sounds a bit edgier, a little more vulnerable, and real. 
What's the song about? It's about not being able to take off the "masks" and take down the walls . Although "good lover" is sexual certainly sounding - we can mess up good love in other ways too - family, friends, etc. And, although we can deeply feel the pain of our actions, sometimes we just can't seem to get out of our own way. 
It is a song about being human. Thank you Nicky!

I've Done It Again

Inspired by Brennan Manning's The Ragamuffin Gospel and for all my fellow ragamuffin brothers and sisters.

Mercy Me

Sing Your Song

Let Er Ride

These vocals nearly killed me, more of a songwriter than a singer. Next song I write might only have a 3 step range!...Dementia, Alzheimer's is a terrible reality for so many. I wrote the first verse from the perspective of the afflicted one and the second verse from the caregiver’s . The cover art is being created before I release on the streamers in early 2025, but here it is for meySoundClouders. I promise, the next song will be a more joyful tune...I hope!

Falling (Final Vocal and Mix)

just some observations accompanied by 3 chords.

This track is not available anymore.

Other tracks from Gary A. McMahon