Homegrown feat. Michael de Jong - Homegrown

Size: 268 MB
Time: 43:25
File: Flac
Released: 2020
Styles: Rock, Blues
Art: Front

1. Absolutely Sweet Marie (4:24)
2. Beware of Darkness (3:49)
3. Cry Like a Man (4:14)
4. Feels Like Rain (4:40)
5. Slip Away (3:48)
6. You Left the Water Running (3:25)
7. Simple Twist of Fate (5:25)
8. Stone Me (4:17)
9. Crazy in Love (3:51)
10. Driving Wheel (5:26)

Blues singer and guitarist Michael de Jong was born on January 22, 1945 in Fontenay, France. He emigrated to the US with his French mother and Frisian father when he was five and grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At the age of thirteen he taught himself to play the guitar and when he was 18 he formed his first band, The Nightwalkers. In 1967 he moved to Detroit. Between 1970 and 1974 he traveled through the US and eventually ended up in New Orleans. From 1975 to 1984 he lived in California, where he performed with, among others, Jerry Garcia, Paul Butterfield, Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Maria Muldaur, Country Joe, Charlie Musselwhite and Albert King. And he becomes guitarist in Jimmy Reed's backing band. In 1984 he turned his back on the US and moved to Europe and lived in the Netherlands from 1988. In 1993 he settled in Dordrecht, where he died on March 10, 2018 at the age of 73. Michael was the “grand old man” of the Dutch roots and singer-songwriter scene. From the age of eighteen he lived and played in various cities in America with blues musicians such as John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Albert Collins and he joined Jimmy Reed's band. Since 1994, Michael has lived in the Netherlands again and recorded eight albums. Anyone who knows Michael's lyrics knows that they are often about loneliness, madness, heartbreak: the themes of a tormented man. As always, he has been very open about his life and had many demons to fight. He often recorded his albums alone or with musicians in America. He found working with Dutch musicians difficult. Yet in 2012 he approached producer and drumming native of Dordrecht Timothy van der Holst to collaborate. He was tired of traveling and it was his wish to record his last albums in Dordrecht. To try out the collaboration, they came up with the idea of starting with a cover record. They put together a list of favorite songs and soon discovered that they had the same background in terms of music experience. Timothy formed a band with local musicians and started recording. The band recorded separately from Michael. He was afraid of arguing with the musicians and left everything to Timothy in terms of arrangements and production. He himself came to sing the songs at a later time, sitting in an armchair, gasping for breath after each song. His health deteriorated rapidly. Unfortunately, the original plan - an album with new original work - did not materialize. 'Homegrown' only contains Michael's personal favorites. This time with full arrangements by a large band, including wind instruments and backing vocalists. A record that his fans will not be used to from him. He was concerned about that and decided not to release the record for the time being. His request was not to release the record until after his death. At least then he wouldn't have to account for it. Covers of the greatest songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, John Hiatt and George Harrison. An album also dedicated to the city where he ultimately found peace. After all these years, it is finally available and can be listened to by the many lovers of his voice.

Homegrown FLAC

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