"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." These were Muhammad Ali's fighting words. Let me introduce you to Mike Pritchard, a singer/songwriter/musician whose blues-styled Tex-Mex music can waft gently like a butterfly, or can come exploding right in your face like a bee sting. Born and raised in Lubbock Texas, the area that has produced so many music-oriented people, Mike Pritchard is well known around the region. To survive in the music world , you have to be good. As they say, no talent, no job. Mike doesn't have to worry about that; he has talent. I've been a fan of his for a long time. I asked Mike why so much musical talent has come from the West Texas area, and he replied, "I think the standard of quality here is set very high. That standard of excellence has been so good, for so long." From his first band in the ninth grade called The Brimstones, playing Beatles and Stones type of music, he's had several bands since and was on the road touring. One day, Mike thought about it and felt he wasn't spending enough time with his wife, Tiffny, and their children. He came back to Lubbock to stay and formed his latest band, Mike Pritchard's Blue Thunder and Lighting Horns, which is, as I've described it many times, a coalescing of New Orleans blues with the horns and the originality of the West Texas "Tex-Mex" sound. However, that band is not what you'll hear on this release. Mike had some songs he'd already written and some new ones he'd just finished, and he wanted to bring in some talented musicians {very easy to do in Lubbock, Texas!} to play on certain tracks. As this music was primarily blues and pop oriented, his horns just wouldn't work. Mike said he had no real theme for this CD, "just some good songs to preserve for posterity." "Out of my lonely mind" is a slow dance song with attitude. That's Lubbockite Don Caldwell playing saxophone on this track. This is one of my favorites {if I'm allowed to say so} along with "You are the Center of My Universe," which features the wonderful voice of Leslie Sawyer harmonizing with Mike. There's a lot of music in this song, and it really works. This up tempo love song has some conscientious lyrics, and it's one of those songs you hear and then whistle all day long. One thing I really like about Mike is that he believes in what he sings. After recording "You Are the Center of My Universe," He listened to the playback and told Wally Moyers {owner and engineer of Lubbock' Studio 84 where these tracks were recorded}, "I can't sing this, I don't believe in these lyrics." Mike then rewrote the lyrics right then and there, recorded again, and rewrote the lyrics one more time until he was satisfied. Asked for his favorite track, Mike replied, "Wednesday morning" because "I gave birth to it and it hit the ground running. Also, I got to Play some harmonica on it." Mike also played a chime on this song. I use the singular, as he played one solitary note on the chime. You'll hear it right after the line "standing at the door." By the way, you'll hear two basses on this, and Chuck Brown played both of them. This displays a lot of power for a slow song. "I'll Be There" is one of those songs I know will sound great when performed live. There are also some good Lyrics in "It's Your Pride," an up tempo song. "Make Up a Lover" will really fool you with its very slow, then as I said before, mike explodes right in your face. "Do Me a Favor" has a slow rolling beat to it that is mesmerizing. Danny Dukatnik's bluesy piano on "Since You Left Me" is just as infectious, you'll like it. The long rolling sax solo on 'Since You Left Me" was done by Don Wise {who plays with Delbert McClinton Band}. Actually, his sax is prominent all the way through. And where did mike get that growl in his voice on this? If I had to pick another favorite, this would be it. I really like Mike's band with the horns, and this is a pleasant diversion from that. I also admire Mike as one of our "locals" who didn't run off to Austin as so many have. He stayed in Lubbock and keeps providing us with his great music. "Lubbock's job is to supply the rest of the world with musicians," quipped Mike with a smile. I agree. When I wrote this, the working title was The Way I See It. I hope he keeps that title, as it fully explains what this CD is all about. If you visit Lubbock, check the newspaper. Odds are that Mike Prichard will be performing somewhere in town this weekend. Make sure you don't miss him; you're in for a treat!