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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Tuesday Commissioner's apology for text incident doesn't sway family Since You Asked: State requires headlight use in bad weather Emergency Services Kitchenware, sheets would ease stress of starting over for mom and son Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Man wearing fake beard robs Medford bank Police still hunting for third suspect tied to bomb threats, high speed chase Josephine County scrambles to house juvenile offenders Emergency Services Politics and Elections State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means Education Ruch school class focuses on the natural environment Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU St. Mary's plays host to youth robotics tournament A lesson in giving Environment Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock Jackson County holds back on enforcing GMO ban for now No fish, no funding for problem dams Most residents speak against gas pipeline State News Oregon to step up water quality checks on farms Questions remain in death of Oklahoma teen Impostor makes off with Salvation Army donations in Corvallis, Albany Faith-healing couple sentenced to 10 years for death of diabetic daughter Uber suspends operations in Portland for 3 months Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Emile Victor Caloz Donna J. 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Former Ashland student saves surfer from pounding waves ... Man wearing fake beard robs Medford bank ... Our View: One more try for Josephine safety levy ... Former Ashland student saves surfer from pounding waves ... Man wearing fake beard robs Medford bank ... MUSIC In the Pocket releases 'I Got News' In the Pocket guitarist Leonard Griffie, singer Billy Rock Smith and producer Dennis Walker have teamed up to cowrite a mix of songs that ride the intangible line between blues and soul. Comment By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 22, 2014 @ 11:39 am Updated Dec 22, 2014 at 4:48 PM By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 22, 2014 @ 11:39 am Updated Dec 22, 2014 at 4:48 PM » Social News In the Pocket guitarist Leonard Griffie, singer Billy Rock Smith and producer Dennis Walker have teamed up to cowrite a mix of songs that ride the intangible line between blues and soul. Walker, a three-time Grammy Award winner, wrote lyrics for most of the songs on the album, "I Got News," all the while thinking of Smith's vocals and soul roots. "We have Billy, the soul man, and Leonard, the blues man, and Walker, the lyricist," Smith says. "Walker would write the lyrics, then hand them to Leonard, who was trying to create a crossover of traditional blues and old-school soul." What emerged is 12 songs co-written by Griffie, Smith and Walker, with the exception of "It's Always Something" and "Believe Me" by Griffie, characterized by an unusual recording and performance style. "I'd look at the lyrics and tell Leonard what style I'd like to sing them with, and he'd run with it," Smith says. "When I'd visit his studio, he'd play back a finished song with a scratch vocal track. I liked what I heard on his vocals, so I just sang over the tops of them. When Walker liked it, we just went with it." Four of the songs — "Baby Chill," "Why Should I Cry," "Fire It Up" and "Charlene" — turned out to be duets, something that wasn't planned when work on the album began six months ago. "You rarely find duets, especially with male vocalists, in the blues genre," Smith says. "You hear it in the world of soul." The title song, "I Got News," was Smith's idea. He wanted Walker and Griffie to write a song that reflects Otis Redding's "Pain in My Heart." "It's one of his more famous ballads. So Dennis came up with a simple lyric, and Leonard came up with the arrangement. Other ballads on the CD are 'Different With Me,' the first song the three of us wrote together for the record, and 'No Sign of Me Here.' That last one reflects my life," Smith laughs. "Even in the rough mix, I could tell 'Different with Me' had heart. When I sang it, I realized it is a true soul ballad. "We know that we've come up with something that's not a traditional blues album. We've created a mix that is all our own here. It may be difficult to sell it to the blues industry. Now our fight will be to find a niche in the blues market. "Curtis Salgado's album 'Soul Shot' was in this same vein, and it was picked up by Alligator Records," Smith says. "Salgado's manager was a little nervous that they may have stepped outside of the blues genre. But it's worked for him. "Another one who does this often is Buddy Guy," he says. "He tends to throw whatever he feels like into the world of blues. He's been quoted as saying, 'If I play it, it's blues.'" Bassist Mark Cunningham, drummer Taylor Murphy and keyboard players Pat McDougall and Michael Vannice are featured on "I Got News," recorded and mastered by Bob Pagano at Mountainview Productions in Wilderville. By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Laurie Heuston Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 22, 2014 @ 11:39 am Updated Dec 22, 2014 at 4:48 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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