Gary Gorence
Pecos, New Mexico, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014
Music
Press
Gary Gorence extensively tours the Southwest as a solo act, and frequently performs with the popular classic rock band, The Jakes. I first caught a performance by Gorence about 24 years ago; what struck me then, and still does now, is his steady, reflective manner—an almost unflappable presence of cowboy Zen.
Gorence, raised in Midland, sings with a gentle Texas twang, and his melodies highlight his passion for guitars. Yeah, that’s him playing eight different guitars, ranging from six-string acoustic lead to 12-string electric rhythm. The lyrics on his new CD, Desert Trippin’, reflect Gorence’s realistic eye and strong, optimistic spirit in songs that often reveal his love of the land, particularly the Pecos Canyon, where he lives. The sentiment is epitomized by “The River,” an allegory of life; midway through, Gorence sings, “Everything you do, everything you say / sends a ripple out across the Milky Way.” Lucky for us, the song appears twice here: in a rousing band version with backing singers, and, at the end, in an acoustic arrangement with great harmonica riffs by Gorence.
But Gorence can also write yarns about off-the-wall characters with a rebellious spirit, such as “A Rebel with Good Intentions,” about a Southern draft dodger’s standoff with the FBI.
If you like Tom Petty, you’ll probably appreciate the flavor of Gary Gorence’s music; it’s similarly rootsy, but in a New Mexico way. In fact, Desert Trippin’ is a thoroughly New Mexican production: recorded at Oliver Studio in Santa Fe, and distributed by Blue Farm Records, which is based in Melrose, not far from the music hub of Clovis - New Mexico Magazine
Desert Trippin' By Gary Gorence
Full disclosure: nearly 25 years ago Gorence
played in my band Spudgrasslled(The Spuds).
But he's done a lot since then-fronting his own
band Renegade Country and, more recently, playing
with Mike Montiel in The Jakes.
Backed by members of The Jakes, Desert Trippin'
is good, rootsy, bluesy country-rock and Southern
rock with all original songs. The opening cut, "A Rebel
With Good Intentions", is about a good ol' boy draft
dodger who ends up in a bad confrontation with the FBI.
"Red Sky Cafe" is about a couple of rowdy women, one of
whom has vengeance on her mind.
The CD release party for Desert Trippin' is at 8 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 3, at the Cowgirl BBQ(319 S. Guadalupe St.,
982-2565). Admission is free. - Santa Fe New Mexican Pasatiempo
Discography
"The New West" Renegade Country 1994
"Desert Trippin' " Gary Gorence 2008
"Straight Ahead" Gary Gorence 2009
"No Turning Back" Gary Gorence 2012
"The Acoustic Sessions" Gary Gorence 2013
Photos
Bio
GARY GORENCE SINGER-SONGWRITER MUSICIAN
Born in Oklahoma and raised in west Texas, Gary took notice of music at a young age. Gary started out on 5-string banjo and then moved to guitar and began writing songs. He wrote nine of
the ten songs on Renegade Country's "The New West", and has since released four solo albums on Blues Farm Records.
While living in Phoenix, AZ after graduating from UT-Austin,
Gary was fortunate to play and record with guitarist Bob Henke.
Bob was a member of Goose Creek Symphony and Dr. Hook
and the Medicine Show. Gary also had Frank Reckard on lead guitar in Renegade Country. Frank toured and recorded with Emmy Lou Harris and the Hot Band for twelve years, and also was a member of Hoyt Axton's band.
Gary was a finalist in the 2009 New Mexico Music Awards,
and his first solo CD, "Desert Trippin' ", was reviewed in The Santa Fe New Mexican and the April 2009 issue of New Mexico
Magazine. The first single from Gary's release, "Straight Ahead", is called "Under Lock and Key" and was recorded in Clovis, New Mexico at the Johnny Mulhair Recording Studio. Johnny was one of the engineers and producers of LeAnn Rimes' first album, "Blue". The song was promoted to the Texas
Music Chart. Gary resides in the Pecos Canyon of northern New Mexico. You can see him in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas performing solo and with the Santa Fe band The Jakes.
Band Members
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