Texas guitarist, singer/songwriter Jesse Dayton releases his new album,THE REVEALER, on September 16 via his new record deal with Blue Elan Records. Dayton, the country-blues-punk guitarist from Beaumont, Texas, has been building a cult following around the globe, playing 180 shows a year in North America and Europe, with his guitar shredding, country-infused, Americana sound.
Recorded in Houston at the Gulf Coast’s hit factory, SugarHill Studios, The Revealer puts Dayton’s considerable talent on full display as he plays guitar, bass, percussion, and keys, as well as singing his own harmonies. He’s assisted by childhood buddy Eric Tucker, Mike Stinson, and Eric Hughes on drums, and Austin ringers Riley Osbourne (piano and B3) and Beth Chrisman (fiddle). Evans and engineer Steve Christensen, a Grammy Award winner for his engineering work on Steve Earle’s 2009 Grammy nominated album Townes, round out Dayton’s dream team. “John and I go way back to our days in Houston,” Dayton explains, “and once we got in the studio it felt like the ghosts of Freddy Fender, George Jones, and Doug Sahm were in the room with us. They all recorded massive hits there with Huey Meaux and there’s just such a powerful vibe. You’re surrounded by all this Texas music history and that’s inspiring.”
THE REVEALER starts right off with a bang, from the track titled ‘Daddy Was A Badass’ a driving piece recalling the hard charging life of Dayton’s own father and uncles. This opening track explains a whole hell of a lot about who Jesse Dayton is and why he sounds so different from the current wave of Americana artists. Other highlights include ‘Three Pecker Goat’ which Dayton co-wrote with longtime friend and Americana star Hayes Carll and a duet on ‘Match Made In Heaven’ with Austin songbird Brennan Leigh.
An early chance meeting with Austin blues impresario Clifford Antone (the man who discovered Stevie Ray & Jimmie Vaughn, Charlie Sexton, Doyle Bramhall Sr. & Jr, etc.), led to an invitation for Dayton to “come to Austin and play Antone’s, anytime.” This priceless exposure, coupled with the number one ranking of his first record,RAISIN’ CAIN (1995) on Americana radio, led to Dayton being hired at a young age to play with his heroes.
