Jenni Dale Lord

Was there ever a day when you wondered if the strumming of an acoustic guitar could tell you everything you never knew about your grandmother? If not, then you clearly haven’t listened to the Jenni Dale Lord Band’s “A Million Moments.” That fresh Lubbock air must carry some kind of magic because this album is less an auditory experience and more a direct line into the human condition—equal parts grit, grief, and groove.

Jenni Dale Lord orchestrates this 13-track carnival of emotions with the help of Jay Saldana on drums, Aaron Dick sprinkling playful keys into somber moments, and Sean Frankhouser grounding it all with a bassline that feels like a deep breath before bad news. The chemistry here is palpable, like a whiskey poured with just the right amount of burn—there to wake you up and make you feel alive, whether you’re ready or not.

Now, here’s the kicker: Story of Your Life—that candid tribute to Lord’s grandmother—doesn’t sneak in, it saunters, takes off its shoes, and stays for tea. And the vibe becomes something akin to flipping through a dusty photo album while a mariachi band tunes up across the street. It somehow manages to feel celebratory and tragic in the same heartbeat. That balance between joy and gut-wrenching honesty is central to the entire album.

And then we have the title track, “A Million Moments,” a literal autobiography wrapped in melody. Every word has a sharpness that could easily slice through the tepid nonsense of radio waves. This isn’t some cushioned confessional. It’s like if Hemingway wrote country blues and also liked to dance.

In the end, one question lingers: How many moments in life will you let slip by before you remember to listen? - MusicArenaGH

In a musical world often saturated with superficiality, Jenni Dale Lord's A Million Moments stands out as a poignant work, rich in emotions and lived stories. Originally from Lubbock, Texas, Jenni Dale Lord delivers here an album that transcends genres and eras, while remaining anchored in the raw sincerity of a life spent sailing between light and darkness...

But the true soul of A Million Moments is the voice of Jenni Dale Lord. She is not afraid to indulge, to expose her scars, as on the eponymous piece where she traces, note after note, the contours of a devastating musical autobiography by a narrow hand. Whether in moments of vulnerability or affirmation, her voice captures the essence of the human condition, between hope and disillusionment...

Like a musical photo album, A Million Moments does not seek to embellish reality but to capture it in all its complexity. And this is where her greatest strength lies: in her ability to make the intimate universal.

Jenni Dale Lord doesn't just sing: she narrates, she embodies, she vibrates. With this album, she not only crosses the music industry, she engraves her indelible mark. - EXTRAVAFRENCH

There's a richness and warmth to her delivery that feels as if she's speaking directly to your soul. From the start, you know you're in for something special...

At times, her voice brings to mind Cher, with that same powerful, warm tone. This comparison only highlights Jenni's range and ability to evoke strong emotions in her listeners...

A Million Moments is a cohesive and satisfying album, showcasing Jenni Dale Lord's remarkable artistry and backed by a stellar band. Each track feels carefully crafted, with superb production and performances all around. - edgarallanpoets.com

If you’re going to write a solid country album, there are a host of “must-have” elements…. Clever lyrics inside of relatable stories …. a great drinking song (that’s easy to sing when you’re drunk) ….. a solid duet ….. a song about heartbreak ….. a song about loving where you come from …. an up-tempo 2-step track for line-dancing…… a song about getting over the loser you just dumped ….. an inspirational song ….. classic country instrumentation and tones, and, a unique voice (to name a few). “In the Dance,” the seventh record from Lubbock, TX singer-songwriter Jenni Dale Lord, checks all those boxes, and then some. Here’s our track by track review.

Once You Go Bourbon - The album starts with this straight up drinking song with all the classic tones and harmonies. This is definitely a sing-along with a simple and effective hook. This was our introduction to her voice and it’s safe to say that she has a unique one. She’s got a huskier tone than most, and we like it. She’s a bit Terri Clark, a bit Jo Dee Messina, and a lot of Wynonna. With this first track you also get a sense of her lyrical abilities and rhymes. Her skills are quite good here. The ability to turn a phrase in country music is a must, and she sets the tone well here.

Better Things - This is the perfect “screw you” song, further displaying Lord’s lyrical prowess. The tone of her voice really helps sell it. Just when you think the verse sets the mood, a great change up in the chorus makes this track really pop., and we love the chord choice at the end of the chorus. The separate solo sections are a nice touch, and there’s good interplay between the organ and guitar on the second round. We can definitely see a host of women singing this one at the top of their lungs!

I Don’t Want to Hurt You - A classic style duet with Darrin Morris. The tones and production on this are perfect for the genre. The contrast between their voices in wonderful. Her lower register is one thing, but then you get his. Kind of like a Kristofferson / Messina vibe. This is a solid song and very relatable about a relationship that has gone stale. So many of life’s questions are unanswered, and the way this song ends echoes that.

Love You Like You’re Leavin’ - Lovely intro for this hopeful and uplifting ballad, with a lyrical perspective that you don’t always hear from a woman’s point of view. Another point about this song that we like is that the lyrical structure and flow is not the standard faire. The verses flow in and over the choruses seamlessly - there’s not the standard “break” between the sections.

Love Wrapped Around My Finger - Pull back the rug and go get your boots on for this up-tempo 2-step jump, we definitely see a crowd line dancing to this. The classic upright piano tones in the left speaker are a nice touch - makes us feel like we’re at the Twin Sisters in Blanco (look it up, people). Great structure, lyrics and melody for this tune about getting engaged and married. Might be our favorite track on the record - incredible sync potential with this one!

Lay Us Down - Keep the boots on because here comes another up-tempo number, but this one covers the inevitable topic that we’re all going to be food for worms one day. The guitar tones are perfect and dry snare tone has the perfect effect. She’s managed to combine West TX country with a bit of California surf music, and it works very well. Pay attention for the background vocals, they’re subtle but very effective. The ending of the song perfectly display the narrative of the lyrics.

It Takes One to Know One - There’s nothing like a song about two women meeting up about a shared (but hidden) love interest. That’s this duet with Billie Jo. Just like the earlier duet, there’s good contrast between the voices. There’s a lovely chord progression in the chorus (especially under the line “somehow rearrange him”) and solo section, and the way she uses the major flat 7 chord (E, in this case) in here is always one of our favorite tricks.

Who I Used to Be - More of a modern feel with this intro and delayed part on the guitar. Love the way she breaks the theory rules on this track by using the major chord of the 6, and the minor of the 4 - this really adds some depth to the song. It’s a very uplifting and forgiving song, but also heartbreaking and very personal. We won’t give it away here, you’ll need to hear it for yourself. Safe to say it will resonate with a lot of women. Back to the theory side of this track, we love where the band starts the guitar section, and how it drops out for effect before that final chorus.

Two Lane Kinda Day - Here’s that song about loving where you’re from and being a country girl. The imagery of a “two lane” day is perfect if you know Texas well - especially West Texas where the horizon stretches for miles. This up-tempo vibe has great harmonies, structure and a big smile energy. If she was going for a driving with the top down vibe, she nailed it.

It Feels Good - Every solid country needs an up-tempo rocker with a bit of a naughty side, and this one delivers. Love the dirty B3 sounds, the fiddle and the chord progression that launches you into the chorus. We all need that song that helps us shed our inhibitions sometimes and live life to the fullest. If this one doesn’t do it for you, perhaps you should see a doctor (or listen to the first song again with a bottle of Pappy Van Winkles’ in y our hand).

Too Famous for Me Now - Back to the 2-step on this great, up-tempo, “good-riddance” song. The arrangement with the rhythm of the lead vocal in the chorus is quite clever, and the harmonica adds a great vibe. Backgrounds are solid in their presentation and when we get to the bridge there’s a classic slow-down all-stop. Nice production on this track!

In the Dance - Nice mid tempo vibe featuring a host of voices (presumably from her band). The “nothing is promised” premise about making the best of life (despite the challenges) comes across well with so many different people singing. It creates a community effect, reinforcing the idea that we’re all in this together, we all go through the same hardships and should take advantage of every breathe. Easy to understand why this is the title track.

I Won’t Give Up - Nice blues waltz for the final track with a gospel-choir feel in the chorus. Once again, love the chord choice for where the guitar solo starts, and the tones have been on point throughout. The build-up at the end is a surprise, reinforcing the community vibe that is prevalent throughout the record. Good way to end it, we get the vibe that there’s more coming.

In a time when most artists are only releasing singles, it’s nice to come across a project with considerable material that shows everything about them. It’s hard enough to put out one song, but 13 at once is a massive undertaking. In the Dance is a respectable project that shows Lord’s unique voice, talent as a lyricist, and ability to include a larger audience - qualities that every artist should try to achieve. Make sure you check out her social media to see where she’s playing next.

Check it out now! - PhantomPowerMusic.com

Driving down empty roads with the wind in your hair; while Jenni Dale Lord plays in the background, is something that everyone should experience at least once.

Citing their main musical influences to be country, blues, and rock n’ roll, JDL takes these genres and has produced something distinct. With traditional folk harmonies and generous use of string instruments such as acoustic and electric guitar, Jenni Dale Lord’s aura and vocals elevate this album. Her voice has an uncanny ability to make you invested in the story of each track.

Badass energy radiates from “Better Things” and “It Feels Good” while “Who I Used To Be” is painfully vulnerable with lyrics that hit you to the core. I liked the quiet, slightly audible breaths which add a confessional quality to the song. With such influential vocals, it’s no surprise that JDL has secured numerous female vocalist nominations from the Texas Regional Radio Music Association.

While listening to the album, it becomes apparent that themes of life, love, emotions and everything in between were the main ideas behind “In The Dance”. The release effectively communicates the message that “life is too short to not live it to the fullest.”

Unleash your inner country girl/boy with “In The Dance.” - wearemyx.com

Jenni Dale Lord Band might run with the magic of one person, Jenni Dale Lord. Her mesmerising vocals are the calling sign in many of the songs. Janis Joplin’s band was called The Big Brother Holding Company, and many have gone their lifetime without knowing this. In the Dance is Jenni Dale Lord making her calling card a prominent mark in the concrete. She and her talented band give electrifying performances of some great songs.

Once You Go Bourbon is as addictive a track as the drink. Claiming you never go back after some good American Bourbon, this is a real bar pleaser. Play this one as an opener live, and you’ve got the pub swinging to your tracks. A groovy number that has some powerful vocal harmonising elements and subtle slide guitar. Better Things slides into bluegrass territory, with the planks in the pub sure to come out.

As the track progresses, Jenni Dale Lord and her compatriots make an electrifying change within their chorus. A sure to go for dance number, people are around your fingertips now. I Don’t Want to Hurt You is a much smoother country track, with a collaboration leading to a diamond. The song has enticing lyrics, with the emotional element bringing out the sensitive guitar flourishes and simple base the track has.

A diamond in the rough

Love You Like You’re Leaving changes the tempo to another ballad. It’s a reminder of the Union Station, performing with Alison Krauss. Soulful songs with minimal distractions and depending only on a core melody. Jenni Dale Lord plays her notes with caution, realising her melodies can break as much as they heal. That’s the truth in her performances.

Kudos are due to the band as well, aiding and accentuating Jenni’s melodic voice in places. Love Wrapped Around My Finger chances into bluegrass pub swing territory once more, while Lay Us Down keeps the tempo up. These tracks are curated to make sure there’s a decent rise and fall in the album. Jenni Dale Lord Band makes their tracks known with heartfelt performances, like each lives for music.

It Takes One to Know One is a ballad style love song, country style. The progressions are reassuring, calming and emotionally sound. The tracks have a recurring sound with her powerful voice, Who I Used to Be shifting sound to a U2 kind of opening. The gentle strums of the guitar hope to echo with Jenni’s dreamy voice. Two Lane Kind of Day follows into the kind of rhythm that your body naturally grooves to. No downs as of yet, and we’re 3/4th of the way through.

When the heart sings

Move into rock territory with It Feels Good. The rhythm settles as soon as Jenni’s vocals come in, though the tone is a quicker, more energetic one. Too Famous for Me Now is a broken relationship letter forming a great swinging track. The smooth transitions make this album a catchy must have. The title track comes after, the acoustic leading the way. A grooving track with a sweet surrender marks this track being an insanely catchy tune. Love hearing such different textures in a track.

I Won’t Give Up closes out a fantastic album from a severely underrated artist. With smooth, soulful melodies to pumping, rocking tracks and poetic ballads, there are few things we haven’t heard from this group. Their music unites, brings feelings together and makes you smile at what something simple can do. When in the dance, enjoy every second of it. - Sinusoidal Music

It’s something about her voice that pulls me in. And the storytelling is why I stay. Every song on Jenni Dale Lord’s seventh album, In the Dance, takes you on a journey of solid songwriting, captivating vocals, and strong musicianship.

Lord also made damn good choices in duet partners. Billie Jo, quickly becoming a superstar on her own, provided backing vocals on several tracks. In “It Takes One to Know One,” the pair expertly pulls off a heartbreaking duet about two women in love with the same man, both ultimately knowing the other woman is being used by this cad and not at fault. And they both know neither will get the man. I teared up listening to this song and had empathy for both women.

A friend of Jenni Dale Lord and 2021’s TCMA Male Vocalist of the Year, Darrin Morris, lends his vocals on “I Don’t Want to Hurt You,” a heartfelt song that questions whether a long relationship on the brink of collapse can be, or even should be, saved. I caught a show recently where she told the story behind the recording of this song. While the album was made, and before Morris recorded his part, he won numerous awards and scored a couple of number one hits. At one point, she quipped Morris would soon be “too famous for me, now.” That casual comment soon became a song and “Too Famous For Me Now” made its way on the album.

Jenni Dale Lord is a bourbon drinker; it’s her drink of choice on stage. She begins the album with an upbeat, playful and fun song, “Once You Go Bourbon,” that details her discovery and subsequent love of the drink. (It does, I messaged her and asked, “Did I just listen to your whiskey timeline?” She confirmed).

Her current single, “Better Things,” is poised to be a huge success. It’s another relatable song for anyone who has ever been in a relationship where the other person didn’t seem to have the time, and maybe even the care, to respond. We’ve probably all been there. With biting lyrics, this one hits home.

Lord is joined by numerous friends on the title track, “In the Dance.” It’s my favorite song on the album. Maybe she has a super-specific meaning behind this one; I haven’t asked. It seems to me like this one just reminds us to live in the moment and enjoy every bit of this crazy dance we call life. It’s the perfect title track for an album that truly does take you through a whole range of emotions. I smiled, I cried, I wanted to fight for my friends, and most of all, I danced.

“Better Things,” the first single from Jenni Dale Lord’s seventh album, In the Dance, was released to Texas radio on June 9. She hosted a sold-out album release party in Lubbock last weekend, and the album hits all digital platforms on June 14. - Stagecoach Media

‘In The Dance’ is the 3rd album I have had the privilege of reviewing for Jenni Dale Lord, and it’s her best yet. The album is cohesive while still allowing a variety of song styles; fun songs, duets, love songs, and plenty of sage wisdom.

One of the things I love about a JDL album is her production team being willing to use a variety of instruments and styles. With other artists that can be distracting, but it always seems to play well for her. Frankly, none of this is a surprise, knowing that Scott Faris is behinds the boards producing it. Whether the quiet duets, the heavy harmonica in “Too Famous for Me Now”, or the hot guitars and heavy fiddle of the fun, Shania-esque “It Feels Good”, this album has it all. Hell, we even close the album with some gospel-style backgrounds.

We’ve all heard the duet breakup song, seems like there is a new one on the radio every month, but why? Because the formula works. On this album the cohort is Darrin Morris, on the track “I Don’t Want to Leave You”, and it’s a great example of vocal contrast. By keeping the music light, the team was able to keep the focus on Jenni’s passionate voice and Darrin’s deep vocals. Darrin’s voice has a little more gravel than I recall him having on previous recordings, but it helps take things to the next level, and they play incredibly well together.

“Love You Like You’re Leavin’”, is a gut punch for those of us who have been coupled up with someone for some time. A strong reminder not to take anything (or anyone) for granted, and to remember how lucky we are to have someone to love in our lives. I have a bullseye on my chest for songs like this one as I cautiously stroll into middle-age, putting everything in my life under a microscope. I’d like to thank Jenni for another reminder of that.

Speaking of duets, the pairing of JDL and Billie Jo on “It Takes One to Know One” is another winner. I’m a sucker for a duet written from two different perspectives, not just two people singing the same song. I have yet to meet one of these guys with enough swagger to have a couple different ladies into him and all but fight over him, but I have to believe they exist when a song like this comes together so damn well. Billie Jo also does background on several songs throughout the album, yet another way the team tied the whole album together so well.

Sultry vocals, great instrumentals, and meaningful lyrics have become staples of Jenni Dale Lord recordings, and they just keep getting better. Maturity continues to look good on her, and whether it’s a windows-down banger or a meaningful croon, JDL continues to impress. - Douglas Palmer, IOU Music Review - IOU Music Review

The latest record from Lubbock based Jenni Dale Lord Band is more refined, melodic, and entertaining than ever before. The distinctively Americana feel of this outfit is perhaps no better evoked than on this record. Beginning with a song like ‘Once You Go Bourbon’, it’s quite clear precisely the kind of homely and twanging heartland rock that’s coming your way. The arrangements are lush, filled to the brim with a host of folk instruments layered over one another. Lord’s vocals are clear and emotive throughout as well. As she evocatively sings, once you go bourbon, you never go back, it sets the mood for the record as a whole.

‘In the Dance’ as an entire album feels dated in its sensibilities. It doesn’t sound or track like a modern record by any which way. Yet that doesn’t seem to matter to its central strength. It feels and sounds like an album that’s best enjoyed live. Every one involved in this project, each individual instrument, each vocal performance, they all seem to be having such a ball together piecing it all into a whole piece.

You’ll want to sing along, want to dance to each song, and want to experience it all live as you go through this delightful piece of heartland rock. Americana in the best and purest way. - findnoenemy.com

The band whose members hail from Texas, Jenni Dale Lord, drinks from the deepest roots of American music to distill its highly oiled sound symbiosis between country, blues, rock and folk. The bard has Andrew Mason (bass and backing vocals), Judson Eddins (electric guitar), Terry Moore (drums and percussion), Aaron Dick (keyboards and backing vocals), in addition to the great voice of Jenni Dale Lord (who also does great on guitar!), nominated for the Texas Regional Radio Music Association Women's Vocalist of the Year award multiple times. In addition to the great visibility of the public and specialized critics through their previous singles!

Here we have the newest release, the album “In the Dance”, which starts the work enrapturing with a beautiful gospel lament, to later emerge in high country profusion, with the most fruitful melodies being unleashed incessantly. “Once You Go Bourbon” still has a sensory density that gives us an immediate level abduction, great song! “Better Things” revs the engines and here the rock'n'roll virulence takes the reins, in precise dialogue with a simply overwhelming blues-country party tendency. One of those songs that is born with the undoubted status of an anthem, given the power it unleashes!

“Love You Like You're Leavin'” is a ballad full of simple intentions that capture the emotional archetype, and we are not afraid to say that it is one of the most beautiful songs released in recent times. And Jenni's vocals are moving in the established eagerness, where in addition to the feeling she distills all the refined technique, washed without mercy... "Lay Us Down" with frivolous beat has a mysterious aura with its atmospheric intent of the introduction, which then leads to a gradual increase of great strength, providing several elements of surprise to the listener! But enough of highlighting tracks, “In The Dance” is a work that needs to be tasted in all its intensity, from the first seconds to the formidable encore of “I Won't Give Up”. In fact, try to skip one, you won't be able to, WE GUARANTEE IT! Great disk! - Roadie-Music.com

I was introduced to the Jenni Dale Lord Band a couple albums ago as a country artist, and while her lyrics fit that mold, her musical style moves from genre-to-genre with fluidity. Every album has a backbone slightly different than the rest, but the limbs of each song may grow close or swing wide. Being that eclectic can sometimes get messy, but Jenni and crew always seem to wrap everything up in a way that makes sense and is ever-pleasing for the listener.

I have a soft spot for artists who are not afraid to explore, and what I love most about Jenni is that she won’t put herself in a box. While her voice is unmistakably rich, she walks a unique line between country, blues, rock, and a dozen other micro-genres throughout.

This is the second album I have reviewed for her and either someone broke her heart like few have been broken, or she has one hell of an imagination. This poor woman bleeds every word of every sad song, and it hurts. I imagine her writing songs like “Still” in her living room with nothing more than an old piano and a bottle of red wine, her cat staring at her, wondering why humans are such pathetic creatures. I’d almost swear I’d seen a music video for this song by the picture it paints in my head. The subtle production, keeping her pain-filled voice the focus, makes it a true standout on the album for me.

In the same vein, “Go Do You” is what JDL does best; sad songs. This one plays a bit like “Still”, in the sense that it’s a heartbreak song before the breakup, but it is written from a different place. I love it because it’s another slightly different spin on the feelers that Jenni already does so well. One writer’s note on this one though: Boston (Or anywhere else) has NOTHING on northern New England in the fall!

‘He loves Me More’ is likely to be the song that Texas radio fans will recognize as a bit more like her recent radio singles, and it’s a barn burner with a healthy dose of that sweet, sweet pedal steel. This feels like it will be the crowd-pleaser of the bunch, I will be very surprised if we don’t see this one released as a single. That said, this album has me hooked more on the piano or wah driven sensitive bangers like the title track.

I love the 80’s rock intro of “I had a feeling”, and the lyric “Just because I saw it coming, doesn’t mean I had it planned” is pure gold. I’m reminded of courting my wife just out of high school; after an amazing summer I sent her off to college to enjoy her next 4 years unencumbered, then crossed my fingers that keeping in touch would be enough. Three and a half years later we got back together (For a concert date, surprise!) and less than a year later I was on one knee.

If I had to throw a piece of criticism at ‘Sometimes a Girl Needs the Blues’, it would be the same reason that I love it; it may have a hard time finding a regular home on radio. Because there are so many different influences each song almost stands on its own; I could see “He Loves Me More” on Texas country radio, “Still” on more of an easy listening station, and “Lover Don’t Leave” on whatever station is still playing sexy Prince songs regularly.

Obviously that criticism is not really criticism, but rather a hurdle. If Jenni’s last album was written from the booth of a dusty dive bar, this one was written from a claw foot bathtub by candlelight. It feels more mature, more painful at times, but with dignity. Starting the album with the title track is perfect foreshadowing of what is to come; an album written by a woman who knows herself rather than a girl still trying to figure it out. Beautiful through and through. - IOU Music: Americana, Country, Folk

The long running question about 'nature vs. nurture' can often arise when it comes to music. Is there something about the Mississippi Delta water or the prominent hard times of racism that resulted in most of the great blues pioneers rising from that fertile ground? And what about Texas...is it the innate "attitude" or is there something about the soil that sprouts so many great musicians and songwriters?

Jenni Dale Lord grew up in Lubbock, TX...the same Lubbock that claims Buddy Holly, Mac Davis, Natalie Maines, Delbert McClinton, Joe Ely and a host of others. She's not on those lofty plains just yet but if history has it's way her songwriting and majestic voice may put her on the path that will one day include a road sign just for her. The songs are strong, heartfelt in one breath and whiskey soaked with "don't fuck with me I'm from Texas" attitude in the next. The 'red-dirt' Texas country sound has a life of it's own outside the watered down, adolescent pap that has become Nashville country music and singer/songwriters like Jenni Dale Lord reap the benefits. That's a good thing...country music should be more of an attitude and less a commercial for beer, trucks and misogyny.

There's no doubt these songs can stand on their own and that Jenni Dale Lord can sit on a barstool by herself and more than adequately convey the softness of a song like 'Out of the Blue.' When your playing a 'home game' you can add a full band and all of the texture that allows...when you're on the road with the inherent costs of lugging around musicians you had better have a repertoire that holds up on it's own. Bringing a guitar slinger like Steve Lott along not only adds a substantial layer of texture it also adds a layer of comfort for an up and coming musician 1000 miles from the comforts of home. Lott is a seasoned pro that has mentored many young performers on professionalism, performance art and structure.

Where Jenni Dale Lord separates herself from a crowded pack is sheer attitude and confidence in her material and that comes back to the West Texas roots. She's brash but not cocky. She can deliver the 'cheap motel' pulp novel score 'Free Whiskey' with a sweet innocence that's almost humorous and entirely believable and then flip to an all-to-familiar relationship gone bad saga like 'Already Gone' with ease. Melodic songs with tight, biting lyrics delivered with power, confidence and woman-in-charge chutzpah...gotta love that!

-Bill Hurley - Fallout Magazine

While a song from her previous album continues to climb the Texas charts (“Already Gone” is currently #25 on TRRR), Jenni Dale Lord Band dropped a new album on us last week; that album is called ‘Reboot’ and it’s a stunner. There is a comforting familiarity to her music, even on first listen; this is the kind of artist that will make a new fan out of you when you weren’t looking.

Jenni is one that just spits out earworm after earworm. Each of her albums has a distinctly different sound, and while I enjoy them all, ‘Reboot’ has a lyrical style that conveys well with her vocals and effortlessly finds a spot in the corner of my brain.

‘Reboot’ came in under the radar for me; I was turned onto Jenni’s current radio single, but I gravitated to her new album almost immediately, falling in love with its varying degrees of honky-tonk and folky Americana. With lyrical content that feels like it was written from the corner booth of a low-lit down-and-outer bar, this one will hit you right in your country soft spot.

Jenni’s voice has a style that doesn’t need to prove it’s feminine; it doesn’t drip with sugary sweetness, there is power and confidence in her delivery. That’s not to say that it’s trying to be something it’s not, quite the contrary, I don’t think for a second that there is anything but honesty and reality in the delivery of her emotional lyrics. Some of the analogies and comparisons might seem cliché with someone else delivering them, but Jenni sings them in a way that leads us to believe this is just a snippet of the highlight (Or Lowlight?) reel of her life.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the quality of the players and production on this whole recording. This is an album that could stand alone on lyrics and vocals, but it’s so much better for the quality of its layout and well-played instrumentals. I often find myself more drawn to stripped down music, but I’m very impressed with how perfect everything works together to create such a well-rounded album.

“A New Me” is a fun one to lead with; it sets the tone for the album, letting us know that this isn’t going to be just another sappy love song album. While we are treated to a couple love songs, this album is going to resonate for its eloquently written heartbreak songs. “I Think He Still Loves Me”, “Smile”, “A New Me”, and “Cigarettes and Alcohol” all have well assembled relatable lyrics and creative instrumentals. It’s albums like this that sneak up on me, reminding me just how much great music there is out there that I simply haven’t heard yet.

-Douglas Palmer, IOUMusic.net - IOUMusic: Americana, Country, Folk

The Jenni Dale Lord Band Free Whiskey Independent Release

One of the rewarding joys of ageing is getting to watch and learn from seasons of maturity. Some of us mature slowly. We need time to hone our powers of observation, our capacities to process what we observe, and our abilities to express the outcome of those cognitive activities. Others of us seem born with that kind of maturity. They seem able to read the world — to interpret life in all its moments and facets, in all its attendant emotion, those that are dark and those that are radiant and transcendent — and to express what they read in ways that let the rest of us connect to their reading simply and beautifully. One such person born with that kind of maturity is Jenni Dale Lord.

In November of 2014, I was granted the privilege of reviewing Jenni’s previous release, Never Let Go . At that point, she was already mature beyond her years. Never Let Go was more than promising. Jenni’s voice, the singular voice comprising her authorial voice and her singing voice, was already distinctly discernible. Her writing was insightful and confident. Her singing was effectively evocative. Regardless of whether you’re inclined to think she’d found her calling, or her calling had found her, she was quite clearly where she belonged. And so it is with Free Whiskey .

As an indication of her artistic-vision-as-unifying-force, Jenni is accompanied by the same band with which she recorded Never Let Go , with one exception. The venerable Steve Lott still plays lead guitar. Andrew Mason still plays bass. But Bucky Broadus has replaced Tony Garcia behind the drums (although, Tony guests on percussion). And Free Whiskey boasts a long list of backing vocalists and guest musicians. But no one steals the show from the band. And nothing overshadows the brilliance of Jenni Dale Lord’s talent. The proof is right here:

Free Whiskey : The title track opens like a Pandora’s box of unexpected surprises, all of them intriguing and enjoyable. From the first swell of the horn section to Steve Lott’s layered guitar tracks, from Andrew Mason’s walking bass lines to Roy Agee’s trombone fills, from Bucky Broadus’ brushed snare to the rueful knowingness of Jenni’s lyrics, we’re put on notice: This disc will be estimable by any measure. Stick around.

Back There Again : Aside from the soft beauty of its melody and Jenni’s delivery, this is all you need to contemplate about this song:

But when I was seventeen
And they crowned me cotton queen,
Gravity was my friend.
Oh, to be back there again.

I don’t know what’s more touching about that lyric — its gentle, longing whimsy or the fact that a woman so young can sing it so beautifully, with a peaceful acceptance that suggests all of life is exactly as it should be. If the combination of yearning and celebration in this song doesn’t get you, it’s time to have your tear ducts checked.

Someone to Believe : Why is it that the most subtle wallops are the most powerful? If this track weren’t a stone showcase for every one of Jenni Dale Lord’s gifts (it is), it would be a showcase for Steve Lott. I’ll refrain from spoilers about the story this song tells. But I have to say the sympathetic interplay between Jenni and Steve is magical, mystical. As many times as I’ve played the cut, I’ve never decided if I’m listening for the lyrics, for Jenni’s voice, or for Steve’s fills and lead parts. Thank God I don’t have to choose or know. Neither do you. Just cue it up and revel in the artistry.

Me and My Brother : Imagine having the audacity to put Commander Cody , Lyle Lovett , Jim Whitman , and Ogden Nash in a blender. Imagine having the talent to pull it off. Now imagine making it sound effortless, to say nothing of careening, pedal-to-the-metal fun. I’d have been skeptical that a young lady as gentle and poetic as Jenni could conjure a convincing Bonnie to her brother’s Clyde. I’d also have been wrong. And I don’t know who made the decision to let Steve Lott play his guitar with reckless raunch on this track. But it was the right decision. Buckle up.

When I Drink : A lesser person, a lesser talent, a lesser purveyor of the language would have named this aching, slow waltz “I Only Dance When I Drink”. But Jenni Dale Lord is too big a person with too much talent and too keen an appreciation of the language to telegraph and lessen the arresting irony of her own double entendre. In its every aspect, this song is wise in its self-awareness, fearless in its openness, and heartachingly beautiful.

Already Gone : More than anything else, I’d like to have been in the studio when this track was cut. I’d like to have seen the mutual admiration in the eyes of Jenni Dale Lord and Joe Ely. (Ely has to see Jenni as one of his musical progeny.) I’d like to have seen Bucky Broadus play his drums so deftly. I’d like to have seen Andrew Mason smile, knowing he could have played many more bass notes but didn’t need to. I’d like to have seen Steve Lott weave his wizardry so sympathetically. I’d like to have asked Jenni how one so young can capture the agonizing intricacy of relationships so deeply and succinctly. And I’d like to have seen the expressions on all of their faces when they realized what they’d created.

Predictable (Here It Goes) : I don’t know if the absence of credit for the arrangements on this disc is an oversight or if the arrangements were a group effort requiring no particular credit. But the arrangement on this track is every bit as affecting as the sentiments expressed, as Jenni’s voice. Maybe it’s in deference to the syllabic sophistication of Jenni’s lyrics (“Please forgive my predictability/I know that that's your least favorite quality in me”). Maybe it’s out of pure complementary musicianship. I don’t know. But the notes not played in this track — the restraint, the reflective space, the need to force nothing — makes the listening all the more engaging and the emotional pull all the more touching.

I Need a Broken Heart : What? When I read the title of this track, I opened the lyrics I received with the disc and read them before I played the track. I had to know: Who needs a broken heart? Why? I found part of the answer in the punch line: “But darlin’ don't be gone too long/I just need time to write one song.” But I still wasn’t prepared for what I heard. The horn section is in your face, accentuated with hand claps. The rhythm is Calypso-meets-New Orleans. And Jenni, with her tongue
firmly in her cheek, is ready to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous loneliness to get her Muse back. Nice twist.

Country Rock and Roll : Today’s Pop Quiz is brought to you by the Jenni Dale Lord Band. Here we go: Who had the biggest smile:

A. Jenni when she cleverly riffed off of lyrics from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones?
B. Steve Lott when he swapped lead lines and then harmonized with Kyle Aaron’s fiddle?
C. Andrew Mason and Bucky Broadus when they created a pocket deep enough to hold a Texas-sized bankroll?
D. Me, when I realized I’d been sitting with a huge grin plastered across my mug for three minutes and 52 seconds without even blinking?
E. All of the above.

And the answer is: Who the hell cares? Any time you can have this much fun doing anything, don’t question it. Just do it. Then, if you can get away with it, do it again.

Find the Words : The instrumentation here recalls the work Sir George Martin did with the Beatles, particularly the strings he used in “Yesterday” (against Paul McCartney’s wishes) and “Eleanor Rigby”. Since the disc is dedicated to Jenni Dale Lord’s dad, who passed away on December 19, 2015, I presume this track was written for him. It’s a beautiful evocation of the struggle to process grief, loss, and finality: “Find the words/To say I’ll never love a better man/Find the words/To tell my heart be brave/You’re off in some better place/Than here on Earth/That’s what I’ve heard/But I just can’t find the words.” Starting with Jenni’s strummed chords on an acoustic guitar, over which Steve Lott plays a melodic, electric, overdriven lead line, violins and cellos find their way in on the first chorus. Their sadness is palpable. And as Steve’s final solo fades away, the strings punctuate the last 30 seconds of the track emphatically and dramatically before holding an abruptly final bowed note. You can feel the pain of their passing.

Trust : The first time I drove over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel , I imagined being the guy in whatever meeting who said for the first time, “Hey! You know what we can do?” When I heard Steve Lott’s furiously overdriven guitars opening this track, I imagined Steve saying something quite similar: “Hey, Jenni! You know what we can do?” The guitars don’t have to bridge a body of water, but they do have to segue into a very poignant reflection on betrayal and resolve. And they descend masterfully into roiling rhythm riffs that rendezvous with the bass and drums solidly behind Jenni Dale Lord’s impassioned vocals: “There’s nothing left for us to say/’Cause I don’t trust you with my heart.” This track is a musical and emotional match, note for note and word for word.

Where Are You Now : This track plays like a long, languid anguish. Jenni Dale Lord’s voice smolders with a longing passion that will no longer be requited: “It was a cold, cold December/But the heat our bodies made/Could’ve burnt down the house/Where are you now?” The anger hinted at by the syncopated rhythm chirp with which Steve Lott opens the cut is unleashed in his scorching solo, made ethereal by playing it through reverb and delay. After the second verse, Andrew Mason shows the adroitness of his own talent, adding melodic lines that play as a counter-narrative to Jenni’s plaintive lyrics, managing to be at once attention-grabbing and subtle. And this track may be the measure of Bucky Broadus’s own artistry: It wasn’t until the third listen that I noticed what he was doing with his bass drum. Alternating single and double kicks — with faint, syncopated taps on his snare drum that echo Steve Lott’s opening chords — he holds the time like an anchor. And when it’s time to pick it up, his snare is like a slightly muffled rifle shot, with a spare sprinkling of cymbal over the top. No clutter. Nothing unnecessary. All class and controlled finesse. It takes a while to get over the throbbing in your chest after this cut.

Being Me: The final track on the disc strikes an unorthodox and uncanny balance of melancholy and self-satisfaction, of self-defeat and comfort in one’s skin: “Tomorrow I’ll face the cold truth once again/When I wake alone while she’s kissing your chin/And I’ll turn to your pillow, confused, but I’ll grin/From a lifetime of being me.” The music plays like a Tyrolean waltz, with Steve Lott’s acoustic guitar dancing lyrical figures around Wade McNutt’s accordion. And the lasting effect is one of wonder: Even at the end of another ruthless self-examination, Jenni Dale Lord emerges whole, strong, triumphant.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say I’ve been a fan and reviewer of Steve Lott’s work for more than 20 years. It pleases me immensely to hear, to know, Jenni Dale Lord has inspired Steve’s best work to date. I don’t know for whom I should be happier — Steve for finding Jenni or Jenni for finding Steve. But I do know their finding each other cannot be an accident. Musical relationships like this are gifts of the spirit. Talents like these are gifts of the spirit. And the paths of these two spirits were intended to cross. We’re beneficiaries of the fact that they recognized the gifts when they were given them. And for that, we should be as honored as we are grateful for their sharing those gifts.

Since Free Whiskey is the work of the band that bears Jenni Dale Lord’s name, and since she wrote every song on the disc, I tip my hat to Jenni for finding the work of her heart, for sharing that work so generously, for honing her talent so diligently, and for having the courage to do all three. I can’t be sure where she goes from here. No one can be sure. We can only be sure it will be up.

In my review of Never Let Go, I wrote this: “The disc that follows this one is breathtaking to imagine.” I’ll gladly suffer accusations of immodesty to say I’ve never been happier to be correct. And I’m humbled to bear witness to this season of Jenni Dale Lord’s maturity.

Mark O'Brien
December 2016 - Mark O'Brien - O'Brien Communications group

“Texas Americana with a kick. That’s how I would describe the new album “Never Let Go” by the Jenni Dale Lord Band. To start with, the songwriting is superb. The lyrics are real and tangible, they spin emotions right into the music. Jenni has a razor sharp voice and a great ear for phrasing. Not only is she a great singer, she knows how to sing a song and connect with the listener. The new single “There We Were” is out now (featuring Kent Mings), it’s a hit that will get stuck in your head and have you singing along. I am partial to the title cut “Never Let Go,” that’s the one I have on repeat at the moment. The lovely lady from Lubbock delivers big time with this CD, pick it up and thank me later!”

-Kenny Graves - Bridge the Beats Magazine

"Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his theft into a whole of feeling which is unique, utterly different than that from which it is torn." (Eliot, T.S., The Sacred Wood)

By T.S. Eliot's definition, Jenni Dale Lord is a poet both mature and good. She's young. But she's mature enough to have solution well and artfully as evidenced by an assortment of recognizable shards throughout this disc. And she's good enough to have turned those shards from random splinters into songs very much different from their sources. After all, it's long-since established: "There is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

By any definition, Jenni Dale Lord also is canny enough to have assembled one crack unit to constitute her band. Steve Lott, lead guitarist, is a veteran of the road and his own 20-year international recording career. Andrew Mason is a young bassist who plays with the accomplished understated grace of an old pro. And drummer, Tony Garcia, has an infallible feel for the pocket and just enough flair to be perfect. As for the material, that speaks for itself. - Mark O'Brien - O'Brien Communications Group

There is an element of pure country in Jenni Dale’s music, but her songwriting and performances are an amalgam of country, rock, blues, folk, and more, making her style unique and all her own... She IS going places, and fast … I was listening to her CD, and I was thinking how “Willie” has “monster hit” written all over it. It’s catchy, clever, and there’s not a wasted word or note in the whole song.

-Paul Johnson - HubCityMusic.com

The first thing that is really striking to me about this album is the voice that is featured on it. Jenni’s voice is that of a strong woman and even though she is often singing sweetly, it doesn’t play like what you might call a “girl song”. That is, I’m sad to say, a rare thing to hear these days. She sounds powerful. This kind of performance is unique and there is no “girl song” feel undermining the album. This is a straight songwriting album, as far as I can tell. The lyrics are fun and well put together. They flow nicely and make for easy and positively charged listening. As the hippies might say, this record has “good vibes”.



The overall production values are high across the board. I don’t know what prices are like at Crossroads Recording Studio in Lubbock, Texas but this shit sounds expensive. Tones are warm and close. The guitars are impressively played and carry most of the groove of these tunes. There are a few examples of “Holy Fucking Shit” electric guitar solos on here as well. In the mastering seat on this album is local legend Alan Crossland and his collected years as a tone smith are on display here as well. Nothing is lost or jumbled or bleeding into the tonal territory of another instrument. I love this kind of mixing because it’s easy to hear individual instruments and follow their parts.



I think Jenni deserves an album this good. She has content worth producing and sharing. I’m glad she’s in the game. As far as standout tracks are concerned, there are several worth mentioning in more detail. The first one I really stopped and played again was “Lover, Don’t Leave” it stands apart musically from the rest of the tunes with minor tonality and a sort of Santana type guitar attack. It’s a really strong tune about doin’ it. I was actually surprised by the level of sexual content in it. It’s very sensual and flirts with crossing the line into the graphic. It’s excellently written and finds the balance between sweet and dirty. The phrase “I’ll make you cum more” is one that calls for applause around my house. Clever and sexy is always a winning mix.



Another especially strong tune on Jenni’s self-titled record is “Willie” which is a total classic in the making. It’s one of those that could, I imagine, be picked up by some Nashville debutant show pony and provide Jenni a well deserved pay day. Jenni comes off as “Miss Bad Ass” sitting comfortably in some grime slicked Texas draft house. Strong tune. It sounds authentic and unforced because she’s a good Texas girl at heart.



Another song I want to mention from this record is the first one on the disc. It’s called “A New Me” and it’s a pretty basic country tune recorded and composed with a wink to pristine classic country. It sounds like it’s a cover of some older song from the golden age of this music but it’s a fresh original from a strong songwriter who knows what pieces need to come together to create a well balanced song like this one.



Over all I’d say that this album is an insta-purchase for anyone who loves music from West Texas. The flavors of the area are captured well and mixed with a level of creativity and respect for the genre that is rare and lovely. I would probably classify this as “West Texas Soul” which is music that simply couldn’t come from somewhere else and carries the stain of the flatlands on it. For enthusiasts of Lubbock music history I think this is an album to take note of. I hope you will pick it up and visit the site as well.



Featured performers are JT Paz, The Eddy Weir, Dr. Curtis Peoples, Brian Dunhan, The Legend John Hartin, Lonnie Joe Howell, Steve Anderson, Amy DeVoge, Mike Morgan and Terry Vincent. - prairierscholars.com