BigWater is feverishly trying to get out a a CD by the end of March. We have been recording songs from the Playground catalog and are playing them at our live performances to enthusiastic audiences. We have also included a Dan Penn song or two. We are making "in progress" reference Cds and this is the working cover for the ref disks. They are for sale on a limited basis.. Less than 30 units will be manufactured before we change jackets and program content.

This is a post from the current Uk mag "In The Basement". Playground alumnus Len Wade is picked #3 all time blue-eyed soul singers with his 1966 cut of "It Comes and It Goes".. truly an amazing track and a scorching vocal. Thanks to David for publishing this great rag!

Mr and Mrs. Right

We are finishing up the 1st 7 cuts on Rip Wright. Rip was raised right here in Valparaiso... and in 1980 made a 45 with Finley Duncan. It was issued on the Emerald Coast label on green vinyl ( there are only 4 artists issued on this label). Rip has combined local color as well as well as a unique musical combination of players for the new project which includes his son Robert. The project was initially begun with the Decoy's lead singer, Scott Boyer. Rip is officially a boat captain and entrepreneur. Songwriting has always been a hobby, but now one that he can put on disk and share. "Alimony" which was issued on the 45, for you collectors, who by a slim chance might have this Emerald Coast 45 has been re-cut and is a rockin track. We look for an issue on the current endeavor sometime in 2010.

Steve Fisher "Nothing But Hope"

As the New Year has turned over.. we can hardly say 2010 much less write it down.. however studios are like casinos.. no natural light and no clocks.. after a three year project, Steve Fisher's "Nothing But Hope" is finally on the forecast to be released. Masters have been sent to the manufacturer and art is on the way.. so we are about a month out for retail copies. Steve has crafted some fine songs into an Americana Symphony.. actually we like to call it the "Boggy Bayou Hobo Orchestra". To accompany these quatrains, some fine musicians are featured on this disk. Clayton's guitar work exceeds Nashville twang. This is what a telecaster is supposed to sound like. Fred Dumalot overdubbed drums on the entire project (a feat in itself) and Doug plays some memorable mandolin on these American poems. There will be a limited amount available on the Playground website www.playgroundrecordingstudio.com. The cover photo is by Shelley Swanger and graphic art by Willie Warren Meigs

MudBoy in 1987.. MudBoy and the Neutrons.. from left
Sid Selvidge, Jim Dickinson, Jimmy Crosswaithe, Lee Baker

A Happy Holidays greeting to all. We love the holidays at Playground Recording Studio... cause everybody is doing something else while we are recording. The grandchildren are running around here waiting on Christmas morning.. gumbo on the stove.. fish in the bayou.. and tunes on ProTools.. these are things we are thankful for. I do miss my weekly calls from Dickinson and still expect him to call up one day from the grave to discuss the state of the music business and what we have been recording and how nothing we record will ever make it to the pop charts and both being proud of that fact.. The we agree that neither will disclose the fact that we had this conversation. BigWater is going strong...we are finally recording a few of the old Playground songs and presenting them to the public in a little different light. God Bless all who might read this and Happy Holidays