专辑简介

It has been four years since her last CD, and now comes the highly anticipated sophomore release from Connie Mims, entitled “Gettin’ There”, on Canela Records. Produced by Peter “Ren” Renfree, best known for his recent work with bands The Renfrees and 2-Bit Palomino, the twelve songs represent a body of work written both by Mims and with co-writers from Texas and Nashville. The songwriting reflects a culmination of experiences both on the road and at home, which, these days, splits between The Woodlands and Tyler, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee. In 2010, Mims and her husband lived in Nashville full time, where she forged successful co-writing relationships and frequently performed at famous Music City haunts like The Bluebird Café, Douglas Corner, and others. Looking back on that year, she recalls, “When my friends and family in Texas would ask me how it was going for me in Nashville, my typical response was “it’s gettin’ there”, as I was enjoying both the process of writing for Music Row, as well as when a good song would result from all the trials and tribulations that come with that territory. I learned a whole lot about myself and songwriting during that period. So, that led me to write the title cut for the record, which says that half the fun of getting somewhere or reaching a goal is actually the process itself.”

The recording features standout instrumental performances by some Texas legends, including Gene Elders (Ace in the Hole Band) on fiddle, Lloyd Maines (Joe Ely/Terri Hendrix) on dobro and pedal steel, Chris Gage (Albert & Gage/Jerry Jeff Walker) on keyboards, and both veteran musician/producer Jack Saunders and rising star, Chad Ware, on electric guitar. Mims and Renfree provide the foundation with acoustic guitar and mandolin, and Rankin Peters and Steve Allison anchor the tracks with their solidified bass and drums signature rhythm section. The musical styles give the listener a feel of a beautiful, sunny, breezy day in Texas, and some of the titles speak to that by visiting Texas weather in a variety of ways (“Bad Weather”, “After a Storm”). Tempos range from the up-tempo dancer of the first track (“If You Could See My Love”) to an easy going rocking chair lullaby (“When I Called You Mine”) to a gritty guitar twanger (“Weathervane”), to the title track’s memorable signature melodic lines and phrases. Mims touches on family legacy (“Doc Loved Jean”, “Grace of the Rio Grande”) and of love won and lost (“I Can’t Love You Anymore”, “Paint”, “Gettin’ In”). The disc completes with a respectful nod to the muses that have accompanied her throughout her creative path, with a Gospel send up (“Three Angels”). Mims handles the majority of vocal work, with an appearance by The Renfrees on background vocals.

Mims wowed audiences throughout the ‘70s as a member of such seminal Texas bands as the acoustic Wheatfield and the electrified St. Elmo’s Fire. Both groups enjoyed broad exposure through extensive American touring, and with their performance on the PBS series Austin City Limits. After disbanding in 1979, Mims has enjoyed a successful solo career as a studio vocalist, performer and songwriter. She is remembered as one of the artists featured in the famous Blue Bell Ice Cream television commercial called Texas Musicians and was honored by the Academy of Texas Music Awards in 2009 as the first woman to receive the honor of Singer Songwriter of the Year.