In any discussion about the greatest voices in country music, David Frizzell’s name is certain to come up — at least among those who know country music. And it’s not just because he bears a vocal resemblance to his older brother, that ultimate stylist, Lefty Frizzell. While both share the forlorn, stripped-down quality of singing that is so essential to interpreting traditional country themes, David’s voice is even more resonant and nuanced, a perfect instrument for electrifying the lyrics of a song.
With the release of his new album, FRIZZELL & FRIENDS THIS IS OUR TIME, David Frizzell reasserts the vocal stature that has earned him a lengthy string of radio hits, dozens of awards and prominence on concert stages around the world. This project is a CD/DVD package containing 20 songs (solos and duets with Frizzell from the cream of the crop in country music) along with a bonus DVD featuring “The Making Of Frizzell & Friends” that shows interview segments and Frizzell performing and recording with a star-studded line-up of his friends.
Produced by Frizzell and released on his own Nashville America Records label, FRIZZELL & FRIENDS features guest performances by Merle Haggard, Crystal Gayle, Johnny Lee, Gene Watson, Joe Stampley, Jeannie Seely, T. Graham Brown, Lacy J. Dalton, Bobby Bare, Helen Cornelius, Jimmy Fortune (of the Statler Brothers), John Cowan (New Grass Revival), Johnny Rodriguez, Amy Clawson and brother Allen Frizzell featuring Tess Frizzell.
The new collection contains Frizzell’s male/female duets with Crystal Gayle, Helen Cornelius, Jeannie Seely, Lacy J. Dalton and Amy Clawson. Frizzell pairs with Crystal Gayle on her favorite pick which was a song David penned titled “Wedding Dress For Sale.” Frizzell joins Jeannie Seely on a long-time favorite Jimmie Davis song of hers titled “Nobody’s Darlin’ But Mine.” He teams up with Lacy J. Dalton on a Kevin Welch tune titled “Something ‘Bout You.” David asked Helen Cornelius to join him on a song he wrote titled “Could It Be We Fell In Love Tonight.” Rounding out the male/female duets, David joins the supremely talented Amy Clawson on his self-penned “Why Wasn’t It Me.”
The new CD collection also contains Frizzell’s duet with Johnny Rodriguez on a Roger Alan Wade song, “Warm Spanish Wine,” a duet with Merle Haggard on Lefty’s “If You Got The Money, I’ve Got The Time,” a duet with Gene Watson on Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill’s “Long Black Veil,” a pairing with Joe Stampley on a song written by Tom Botkin and Kevin Denney titled “Music (Where Did It Come From?),” a lively duet with T. Graham Brown on Alex Harvey and Stephen Schuffert’s “Got To Get To Louisiana,” and a pairing with Bobby Bare, “Cowboy Hat” (written by Rick Scott, Charlie Moore and Chris Cummings), a duet with Johnny Lee on a David Frizzell penned song “You Can’t Love Her,” a family pairing with brother Allen Frizzell featuring his niece Tess Frizzell on “Three Minutes” (written by David Frizzell), a pairing with Statler’s Jimmy Fortune on a song David Frizzell wrote titled “Ordinary Joe,” and a duet with John Cowan on a song title “Reckless Wind,” which was written by Dennis Knutson, Roger Alan Wade and DeWayne Blackwell.
The stellar vocal event includes vocal pairings with each of these country greats along with an unprecedented vocal collaboration on the lead single, “This Is Our Time,” which was written by David Frizzell, Tom Botkin and Kevin Denney. This single release coincided with the release of the music video for “This Is Our Time,” edited by Nashville’s Coleman Teleproductions, which features priceless, home-shot footage of these stellar country greats recording in the studio, talking, laughing and sharing stories.
(click image for larger view) While still a teenager, David Frizzell left home to perform and tour with his legendary brother. In that role, he worked the concert circuit with many of the mightiest names in country music. By his 18th birthday, Frizzell began recording country and rockabilly albums for Columbia Records. Although a four-year hitch in the military slowed his emerging musical career, Columbia immediately re-signed Frizzell after his discharge.
In spite of the difficulty of working in Lefty’s shadow, David gradually created his own artistic identity. He recorded and charted the first country version of “L.A. International Airport” — months before Susan Raye made it a hit-and followed it with a Top 40 rendition of “I Just Can’t Help Believing,” the B. J. Thomas pop favorite. Frizzell then parlayed his recording successes into headlining country shows in Las Vegas. This bold move opened the Vegas gates for many other country acts. In the early 1980s, Frizzell founded the musical duo of Frizzell & West. His partner in this exciting enterprise was the gorgeous and gifted Shelly West, daughter of country superstar Dottie West. After recording “You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma” to showcase their fresh-as-Spring sound, Frizzell & West suffered the indignity of being turned down as an act by every major country label. Then their producer, Snuff Garrett, played the song for Clint Eastwood.
Eastwood loved it and insisted on adding “You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma” to the soundtrack of his forthcoming film, Any Which Way You Can. This vote of confidence soon earned Frizzell & West a record contract with Warner Bros. Then things really started to happen. A small radio station in Tulare, California was the first to play it, when it was still an album track. Other stations quickly followed, prompting Warner Bros. to release it as a single. In short order, the song that nobody wanted became a smash hit.
Frizzell & West went on to become one of the hottest and most-awarded acts in the business. They recorded five albums together, won the Country Music Association’s Vocal Duo of the Year award for 1981 and 1982, won the Academy of Country Music award for Vocal Duet of the Year for 1981 and 1982 as well as the ACM Song of the Year award in 1981 and sold out arenas worldwide. Frizzell and West garnered Music City News Awards for Duet of the Year in 1982 and 1983 as well as Music City News’ Song of the Year award in 1982.
During his duet years with West, Frizzell continued his solo career. He scored a huge chart-topping hit with “I’m Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home.” The record, which has since become a standard, was recently featured on CMT’s 40 Greatest Drinking Songs in Country Music, making #17 in the countdown. Also, making #6 in CMT’s countdown of the 100 Greatest Duets is “You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma.”
Besides his CMA awards, Frizzell has won numerous performing and recording trophies from the Academy of Country Music, Billboard and Music City News. In addition, he has been nominated for three Grammys, both as part of Frizzell & West duet and as a solo act.
Apart from taping a live concert TV special and touring to support his new album FRIZZELL & FRIENDS – “This Is Our Time”, Frizzell is also working on a television tribute to Lefty Frizzell and a series of children’s records and books, projects that promise to keep this prolific artist, producer and songwriter busier than ever.
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David Frizzell Career Highlights
CMA Awards
1981 “Vocal Duo of The Year”
1982 “Vocal Duo of The Year”
ACM Awards
1981 “Vocal Duet of The Year”
1981 “Song of The Year”
1982 “Vocal Duet of The Year”
Music City News Awards
1982 “Duet of The Year”
1982 “Song of The Year”
1983 “Duet of The Year”
Videos
I’m Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home
Beautiful Body
Catch The Wind (Special Olympic Video)
Silent Partners (Duet with Shelly West)
The One That Got Away (Duet with Ed Bruce)
Movie Soundtracks
Any Which Way You Can (Clint Eastwood)
Honky-Tonk Man (Clint Eastwood)
Partial Listing of Television & Personal Appearances
Grand Ol’ Opry
CMA Award Shows
ACM Award Shows
Solid Gold
Nashville Now
Crook & Chase
Grammy Award Shows
Good Morning America
Major Fairs & Festivals
World Fair
Las Vegas Casino’s: Hacienda, Tropicana, Golden Nugget And The Aladdin
Lake Tahoe Casino’s: The Caesar’s Tahoe
Spark's Casino’s: John Ascuaga’s Nugget
Top Ten Songs
#1 You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma
#1 I’m Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home
Just Came Here To Dance
Lost My Baby Blues
Honky-Tonk Nights On Broadway
Where Are You Spending Your Nights
Grammy Nominations
Group or Duo of The Year
Song of The Year — “I’m Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home”
Song of The Year — “You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma”
CMT Status
“I’m Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home” #17 in the countdown of the 40 Greatest Drinking Songs in Country Music
“You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma” #6 in the countdown of the 100 Greatest Duets
