Georgia singer- songwriter Larry Jon Wilson was born in 1940. Between 1975- 79, he made four albums which were highly regarded by his peers but largely ignored by the general public.
Disinclined to adapt his brand of "funky southern story telling" to the template of Nashville's music city he returned to his day job. He never completely abandoned his musical inclinations however and he began touring again in 1989.
Now comes this new self titled solo record with some songs written by himself, some by his friends.
All 12 tracks are first takes and unplugged recorded in one week on the Florida coast.
If that gives the impression of a rush job, the very opposite is true of the finished album. Wilson has a relaxed baritone voice somewhere between the country soul of Kris Kristofferson and the blues of John Lee Hooker.
The songs are about getting old and making the right life choices.
On 'Heartland', he sings "My American dream fell apart at the seams" but there's no trace of bitterness here, just a worldly reflectiveness steeped in memories. The upshot of it all is that contentment comes from finding a good woman and being true to yourself.
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There's no raging against the dying of the light as he reflects that an "old rocking chair don''t scare me like it used to" (Rocking With You) and on the superb closing track 'Where From' he muses on how life-friends-choices-loves all come and go with only age and the end being constants.
Like the late great Townes Van Zandt who he lived and toured with many years ago, there's no mould to contain old troopers like Wilson. He's one of a dying breed but this fine collection should guarantee that when he's gone he won't be forgotten.
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