Nashville, TN - JOHN MONROE's new album - "FROM THE HEART"-, is his 9th solo offering, and if the early reviews are correct, it may be his best since the celebrated 1991 release, "LONEWIND", which was John's "Country" breakthrough album. Never one to be "pigeon-holed" into just one style or catagory, (The "Folk-Rocker"-turned "Hard/Blues-Rocker"- turned "COUNTRY-Folk-Rocker"), JOHN MONROE has LIVED the times & troubles he writes and sings about. A veteran of 4,000+ nightclub, concert hall & festival gigs, stretching over an eventful 35 yr. career across 10 countries, Monroe is still going strong, doing as many as 200 shows a year,opening many for the likes of Tim McGraw, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Styx & Charlie Daniels. (For complete Bio info., go to wwww.johnmonroe.org). Born in Augusta, Georgia & raised in nearby South Carolina, John grew up with the music of his 60's & 70's generation, soaking up styles & influences as diverse as James Brown, Gene Pitney, ZZ Top & Jim Reeves, and of course the BLUES MASTER guitarist himself, Albert King. His big sister was a big fan of the crooners of her 50's idols, and little "Johnny" grew up playing, absorbing, (and SCRATCHING!) her enviable record collection when she was out dating. When the Beatles hit, John, like millions of boys, instantly became hooked on "the fateful life of a musician". Co-forming his own band with his cousin Hank, he gradually developed a kind of "hybrid" musical vocal & guitar style that would eventually work it's way into his electrifying live performances. At 19 John's first solo release would begin a recording career that has now streched across 4 decades. "If there's anything I learned as a kid growing up, it was what my father & brother, and later my hometown-hero James Brown always drilled into me,- "Don't EVER give up!,... on yourself, on the people that you love, and your personal & professional goals. You are never a loser as long as you're still trying. Look for the GOOD, and the redeeming value in everyone and everything, which is always there, you just have to find it, but it is always there. Don't ever let negative people poison your soul". The new abum "FROM THE HEART" is a touching epic tribute to Johns late wife Lisa, and to his late parents, his son Bobby who died at age 10, John's mentor James Brown, and 26 deceased boyhood pals, which the song "Long Lost Friends" was written for. The album is refreshing and uplifting despite its sad undertones about love, loss, heartache & hope. With his positive spirit; the solid performances & orchestrations from some of Nashville's best session players, and of course Monroe himself, (who delivers stunning vocal performances and dazzling lead, bottleneck slide & acoustic guitar work, as well as tracking 7 other instruments including banjo and piano), "FROM THE HEART" is an EXCELLENT, soulful, artistic achievement! It wears very well, like a favorite old pair of jeans - is easy to relate to - and like any fine recording, it gets better with each listen. If you enjoy the music of artists like James Taylor, Santana, Gene Pitney, Travis Tritt & Jim Reeves, then you will love this superb new release from one of the modern South's best singer-songwriters, JOHN MONROE! {Five stars *****} Cliff Bussey,...Music City Reviews