A Bonus track found that was once lost, a cover of "Slow Burn" by the Half Truth.

Born in a hurry, always late
Haven't been early since '88
Texas is hot, I can be cold
Grandma cried when I pierced my nose
Good in a glass, good on green
Good when you're puttin' your hands all over me

I'm alright with a slow burn
Takin' my time, let the world turn
I'm gonna do it my way, it'll be alright
If we burn it down and it takes all night
It's a slow burn, yeah

In Tennessee, the sun's goin' down
But in Beijing, they're headin' out to work
You know the bar down the street don't close for an hour
We should take a walk and look at all the flowers

'Cause I'm alright with a slow burn
Takin' my time, let the world turn
I'm gonna do it my way, it'll be alright
If we burn it down and it takes all night
It's a slow burn

Whatever feels good
Old soul, waitin' my turn
I know a few things, but I still got a lot to learn
So I'm alright with a slow burn, slow burn, slow burn
I'm alright with a slow burn

Contributing Musicians:

Emmy Ham - vocals
James Taylor - acoustic guitar
Drew Miller - banjo
Kyle Burnett - bass
Ekene Nworah - acoustic guitar

Monterey Sessions

Slow Burn (Kacey Musgraves Cover)

Kyle and Ekene rip off a really unique track to complete a wonderful memorialization of their music in the central California coast.

The visions of waves as we swim in Nworah's chord work and Burnett's soundscape.


Contributing Musicians: 

Ekene "Richard" Nworah - acoustic guitar
Kyle Burnett - electric guitar

Visions of Waves

The Half Truth rip out an instrumental take of Phish's "Sample in a Jar."

On the acoustic guitar is Kyle Burnett, holding rhythm - and he throws an amazing intro solo in, Drew Miller is impeccable on claw-hammer banjo and Sean Salazar debuts amazing chops on electric guitar.  Ekene is lightly heard on the acoustic in the back ground because he isn't close to the mic.

featuring Drew Miller on banjo
Sean Salazar on electric guitar
Kyle Burnett on bass guitar
Ekene Nworah on acoustic guitar

All Rights Reserved The Half Truth 2020.

The Half Truth, Bluegrass and Folk

Sample in a Jar (Phish Cover)

The Half Truth have a lazy almost acoustic jam on Sunday.

Ekene freestyles some lyrics as he plays acoustic guitar.  Kyle lays down a compelling bass that compliments Drew's incredible banjo styling.

she wants to go 
away from home

where she will try
freedom

she wants to go
away from home

where there they will find
some people so kind




featuring Drew Miller on banjo
Kyle Burnett on bass
Ekene Nworah on acoustic and vocals

All Rights Reserved The Half Truth 2020.

Away From Home (the where's my pick?! song)

The Half Truth take from another set of deep-cuts and banjo runs to release yet another sample demo album of their talent and skills.

The closing track to the Monterey Sessions as The Half Truth play a little major run for some Nigeria bluegrass highlife.  Drew Miller, Nworah and Burnett provide the tunes.

Contributing Musicians: 

Drew Miller - banjo
Kyle Burnett - acoustic guitar, percussion
James Taylor  - bass

All Rights Reserved, The Half Truth 2019

High Life Run

Song chords, and a magnificent feeling one might get, from this little ditty named for the novel, and the bar, and the time of hour, the pearl hour.


Contributing Musicians:

James Taylor - acoustic guitar, vocals

All Rights Reserved, James Taylor, 2021

The Pearl Hour

James Taylor demonstrates very nice chord work and timing in this first track of The Pearl Hour.  The song has a real rhythmic quality to it even with solo acoustic.

Contributing Musicians:

James Taylor - acoustic guitar

All Rights Reserved, James Taylor, 2021

The Lovely and the Gone

James plays a demo of "The Lovely and the Gone" while the gang plays along.  Kelly riffs some acoustic and sings. Drew and Kyle strum the banjo and guitars along with James.

And I, I wonder, 
dadadadadada
Yeah - I could have

And I, I wonder, 
hey hey heyyyy
So I could go here

I saw once and I got all confused
You were the type I thought I could use
I wanna know if I see you again
So I'll be right here, in my head

I know I looked at your calendar page
I don't see anything scheduled with me
I'm right here down in your bed
I'll be right here in my head

Contributing Musicians:

James Taylor - acoustic guitar, vocals
Kyle Burnett - acoustic guitar, bass, vocals
Kelly Miller - vocals, acoustic guitar
Drew Miller - banjo

All Rights Reserved, James Taylor, 2021
All Rights Reserved, The Half Truth, 2020

The Lovely and the Gone (Demo)

A classic Magnetic Fields song that Taylor sings pretty well.  Oh, and he plays a nice guitar, too.

The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing
It's full of charts and facts, and figures
And instructions for dancing

But I
I love it when you read to me.
And you
You can read me anything.

The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it's just transcendental
Some of it's just really dumb

But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything

The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago
It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we're all too young to know

But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings

And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings

You ought to give me
Wedding rings

Contributing Musicians:

James Taylor - acoustic guitar, vocals
Kyle Burnett - acoustic guitar

All Rights Reserved, James Taylor, 2021

The Book of Love (The Magnetic Fields Cover)

In a rooftop apartment in Monterey, James Taylor duet on a Radiohead classic, slightly off tune.

Karma police
Arrest this man
He talks in maths
He buzzes like a fridge
He's like a detuned radio

Karma police
Arrest this girl
Her Hitler hairdo
Is making me feel ill
And we have crashed her party

This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
When you mess with us

Karma police
I've given all I can
It's not enough
I've given all I can
But we're still on the payroll

This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
When you mess with us

For a minute there
I lost myself, I lost myself
Phew, for a minute there
I lost myself, I lost myself

For a minute there
I lost myself, I lost myself
Phew, for a minute there
I lost myself, I lost myself

Contributing Musicians:

James Taylor - acoustic guitar, vocals
Kyle Burnett - acoustic guitar, vocals


All Rights Reserved, Radiohead, 1997

Karma Police (Radiohead Cover)

James sings and plays with The Half Truth for a classic Sixto Rodriguez song which demonstrates some fine playing from banjo aficionado Drew Miller and guitarist-turned-bass player in this song, Kyle Burnett,

Now you sit there thinking feeling insecure
The mocking court gesture claims there is no proven cure
Go back to your chamber, your eyes upon the wall
'Cos you got no one to listen, you got no one to call

And you think I'm curious

So go on, you'll continue with your nose so open wide
Knocking on that door that says Hurry come inside
But don't bother to buy insurance 'cos you've already died

And you can't be serious


Contributing Musicians:

James Taylor - acoustic guitar, vocals
Kyle Burnett - acoustic guitar, bass, vocals
Drew Miller - banjo

All Rights Reserved, James Taylor, 2021

Jane S Piddy (Sixto Rodriguez Cover)

James and Kyle whip out a little Radiohead deep cut -- "I Am A Wicked Child", which Kyle sings, despite some flaws in tone.

(One, two, three, four.)

Mother Mary come to me
For I am a wicked child
I have sinned and I am so confused
And I am a wicked child
I am a wicked child

I am the Devil's son
And I wish I could be good
I walk a crooked mile
And I wish I could be good
I wish I could be good

If I could have kept on a straight and narrow
If I could have kept on a straight and narrow
And not have broke your heart
Not have broke your heart

Now I wake up in the night
It's tugging at my arms and legs
Like I was a marionette

Send baby Jesus
To radiate his light
To radiate his light



Contributing Musicians:

James Taylor - acoustic guitar
Kyle Burnett - bass, vocals


All Rights Reserved, James Taylor, 2021
All Rights Reserved, The Half Truth, 2020

I Am A Wicked Child (Radiohead Cover)

Christmas Lights (full)

The Half Truth are a band from Monterey, CA, focusing on folk, funk, world, jazz, and rock genres. This account will post some live recordings and early demos of songs especially focusing on the jam quality of our content, bluegrass, and cover songs.

The Half Truth were formed in 2018 in response to pressures to create music and all the members meeting at school in Monterey, California.

Powered by the world music knowledge and indelible presence of Ekene "Richard" Nworah - his folk stylings brought the group together. Mixed with the depth of musical theory and golden ear of Kyle Burnett's multi-instrumentalist skills, the original duo was destined to meet.

By recruiting the incredibly talented banjoist Drew Miller into the fold, the group took shape.  Drew's impressive Claw-Hammer skills added a forward momentum to The Half Truth that allowed up to expand into folk and bluegrass.

Abigail Blass became integrated into the sound as more of the group moved away after graduating.  Her soulful sound is a great compliment to the group's theme.

Other musicians have played with The Half Truth, filtering in and out of membership, but all of them have their own paths in life and will go on to do great things.

Kelly Miller, for one, is a talented songwriter with a need to express his sounds.  He joins in on the action many times, and fit in seamlessly.  Emmy Ham, and her impressive voice, along with James Taylor and Alaina Joleen completed the group's maximum limit. A few other folks played in an out of jams, they are mentioned in each track's description.

With 2020, and a world-changing rapidly, The Half Truth went on hiatus to pursue personal projects and careers, to live safely.

Enjoy our music here, or on any of our related channels.


Associated Acts:

Kyle Burnett
Ekene Nworah / Ekene Music
Kyle Burnett & Kelly Miller
Drew Miller (Banjo)
Angelo Luis Gonzalez (Ukulele)
Abigail Blass / Abigail Rose / Toni Rose

The Half Truth - Demos

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