Terry Garland

Artist Information

Biography

Terry Garland Biography
Terry grew up in Appalachia, where he was exposed at an early age to roots, blues and gospel music. During his young years, Terry spent a great deal of time alone, and he filled that time with music. Some of his favorites were Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis.
Terry’s first love was the drums, which he would bang on when his brother’s band wasn’t rehearsing. He then became enamored with the guitar.
Legend has it that his Uncle Paul played bluegrass music on the radio. When Terry asked U Paul to teach him to play guitar, Uncle Paul said, “watch”. And watch he did.

He listened to and watched the greats. John Hiatt, Keith Richards, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, Blind Willie McTell, Lightnin’ Hopkins, to name a few. As he grew, he took the best of what he heard and felt from the greats to create his own style and sound. “They played the blues on guitar or piano, just themselves. They were the music. Just a voice and an instrument.”
Terry left home at 19 to play the “hotel circuit” in a band playing top 40’s. He then was in a succession of bands, playing blues and rock and roll.
After tiring of the band life, Terry decided to try his hand at solo blues. His interpretations of the greatest blues works were critically acclaimed. He recorded his first CD, Trouble in Mind , in 1991, which was followed by four more solo blues albums. His work has received excellent reviews from Living Blues and many others.
Terry became known internationally as a master slide and acoustic guitarist. He is one of the most innovative and praised contemporary blues and roots musicians. Terry’s meticulous finger-picking and driving percussive foot-stomping unite with his vocal prowess to create an evocative, engaging transformation.

He is included in the following books-
“Blues:Keeping the Faith Alive” by Keith Shadwick
“All Music Guide to the Blues” by Michael Erlewine
“The Big Book of Blues” by Robert Santelli
Support act for-
Ray Charles
BB King
Johnny Winter
Leon Russell
Dr. John


For many years, Terry was becoming restless and considered returning to electric rock and roll with a blues influence. He has now done that, with release of “Rewired”.
“Rewired “ is all original rock and roll recorded at the Rockhouse in Nashville, TN. Kevin McKendree produced, and played piano and organ (plus a touch of guitar and vocals), Glenn Worf on bass, Kenneth Blevins on drums, and of course Terry on guitar and vocals.



**Terry Garland Career Highlights**

• Europe-twenty plus tours
• Japan-one month as featured performer at Blue Note; extensive concerts throughout country
• Kennedy Center Millenium Stage
• Back to the Roots Magazine-appeared on January 2004 cover
• Austin, Texas-recorded and performed extensively
• Detroit Blues Festival
• Sacramento Blues Festival
• For Lauderdale Blues Festival-twice
• SXSW Festival-twice
• Handzame Blues Festival
• Belgian Rhythm and Blues Festival
• Virginia Highlands Festival-twice
• Great Eastern Blues Festival-twice
• Syracuse Blues Festival
• Blues at the Beach-Virginia Beach
• Eureka Blues Festival-several times
• Philadelphia Folk Festival-twice
Numerous listening rooms, including:
The Birchmere-Alexandria,Va
Godfrey Daniel’s-Bethlehem, Pa.
Caffe Lena-New York
Bamboo Room-Lake Worth, Florida
Fogartyville-Bradenton, Florida
Down Home-Johnson City,Tn
Second Story Blues-Bethlehem,Pa
The Canal Club-Richmond,Va

• Featured performer at grand opening of “The Mint” and “Dynamite Lounge” in Sun Valley, Idaho at personal request of owner Bruce Willis
• Five internationally acclaimed CD’s

Featured in the following books:
• “Blues:Keeping the Faith Alive” by Keith Shadwick
• “All Music Guide to the Blues” by Michael Erlewine
• “The Big Book of Blues” by Robert Santelli

Terry performs solo, duo with piano player Bruce Courson or with harp player Li'l Ronnie, or as a trio with Bruce and Li'l Ronnie.

Instrumentation

Terry Garland plays acoustic guitar and sings.
He tours solo or with pianist Bruce Courson as a duo.

Discography

Albums:
Trouble in Mind
The One to Blame
Edge of the Valley
Out Where the Blue Begins
Whistling in the Dark
Live at the Canal Club-Terry Garland and Li'l Ronnie
Rewired

Official Website

http://www.terrygarland.com

Links

• MySpace

Audio

• One to Blame
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• Jim Beam & Jesus
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• Stumbling in the Dark
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• Without You
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• When You See Their Eyes
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• Too Much Blood
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• Vacation Due
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• Hard Luck Blues
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• Memo to Jo
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Lyrics

• Without You
• Without You

Video

Without You (live)

Photo Gallery

Press

• Terry Garland-Whistling in the Dark [+ Show ]
  

  Terry Garland is a fine blues guitarist. He's equally comfortable with acoustic and electric, and mo...Terry Garland is a fine blues guitarist. He's equally comfortable with acoustic and electric, and most of his songs feature both. This is his first "all-original" album, and he plays it cool. There's a fair amount of piano and the odd special guest (among them harp virtuoso Mark Wenner), but this album, like all his others, rises on the strength of Garland's playing. And, like all the others, this one rises real high.

• Terry Garland-Gig Review [+ Show ]
  

  We were lucky to have one of only three UK dates on Terry's latest tour and as it was the first time...We were lucky to have one of only three UK dates on Terry's latest tour and as it was the first time he had appeared at "Bluesnights" we were keen to see and hear what he could do! A very affable, polite Southern Gentleman from the USA he nevertheless has a powerful style of playing that is up front and often in your face. Most of the material that he performed were his own compositions and I felt that he has quite an original take where the chord structure and rhythms are concerned. There was a good balance between full-on boogie numbers and slower, often poignant, ballads.
  The first set got going with a trio of hard driving numbers- "Bad Luck and Trouble" was good, "Trouble in Mind" was excellent, with an insistent rhythm, and "Get Bitchy" really cracked along with a shimmering slide solo. Terry toned it down with the lovely slow blues "Trouble on the Way"-a very measured number. The superb "Hard Weather", again featuring slide, just flowed up and down the fret board! A very nice soulful rendition of a Sam Cooke song and then the set finished with a high octane, rollicking "Dude Boy Boogie".
  Terry Garland's second set featured several introspective poignant numbers, "When You See Their Eyes", was also quite energetic. The haunting lament "Courtesy of Love" and a very interesting rhythm on "Without You", a number he dedicated to his wife. Another (largely) self-penned number "Jim Beam and the Bible" made full use of dropped-D tuning on which to hang a hypnotic riff and mournful vocal line. A good extended version of "Dust My Broom" went down well. "44 in My Hand" had very good chops. Again on Champion Jack Dupree's "Nasty Boogie Woogie" the chops were excellent!
  Then Terry wound it right up with a rip roaring version of Willie Dixon's "Wang Dang Doodle". We still got him back for an encore though. Four guys (aka The Crew) came all the way from Ashford in Kent to see this show. After this performance, I think he well get a solid following!

• Terry Garland-Whistling in the Dark [+ Show ]
  

  I've got to admit that prior to reviewing this disc, I had never heard of Johnson City, TN-born and ...I've got to admit that prior to reviewing this disc, I had never heard of Johnson City, TN-born and bred Terry Garland. That is my loss. The East Tennessee native sings and plays the blues, and does both exceedingly well. On this, his fifth CD, he has put together quite a collection. The Bluesy-roadhouse feel is alive and well from the beginning on the rollicking "Get Bitchy", and on "The Hard Luck Blues", where he adds some powerful work on the National Guitar. He shares the instrumental spotlight in places, like on "Memo to Jo", which has some effective piano work from Bruce Courson. Mark Wenner helps to add a wailing feel to "Soapbox Saturday Night" with his spirited harmonica playing.
  The feel-good lyrics about the thrill of being in love really get your toes tapping. He gets a little heavier, lyrically, with the biting social commentary of "Too Much Blood", and his ode to the victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes on "When You See Their Eyes". Possibly the best example of Garland's instrumental prowess is on "Stumbling in the Dark", while my favorite track is "Without You". If Jimmy Buffett ever got hold of this song, look out! The album ends with a spiritual revival on the lifting "Walk With Me". After a listen to "Whistling in the Dark", I would say to anybody who doesn't feel refreshed and renewed to check your heart...to make sure you still have one!

• Terry Garland-Whistling in the Dark [+ Show ]
  

  Five years after his last album, contemporary bluesman Terry Garland offers his latest disk "Whistli...Five years after his last album, contemporary bluesman Terry Garland offers his latest disk "Whistling in the Dark". Unlike his previous platters, this one is nothing but originals, a tack I wish more blues artists would take instead of just covering the same shit over and over. It's especially noteworthy here because Garland proves himself as interesting a songwriter as he is a guitarist and vocalist. He's witty, poignant, and most of all, angry-politically charged tunes like "Too Much Blood", "When You See Their Eyes" and "Soapbox Saturday Night" seethe as they groove. More personal tunes like "Jim Beam and the Bible", "the Hard Luck Blues" and "Stumbling in the Dark" don't see too much light at the end of the tunnel, either. But all is not lost-"Get Bitchy" and "Vacation Due" flash a snarky sense of humor, while "Without You' and "Memo to Jo" emphasize what's really important. "Whistling in the Dark" is a strong record that elevates Garland to the next level, which can only be good for the blues.

• Terry Garland-Whistling in the Dark [+ Show ]
  

  Terry Garland's masterful playing of his ever-present National steel guitar paired with an intensely...Terry Garland's masterful playing of his ever-present National steel guitar paired with an intensely personal lyrical style takes you on a tour de force into the heart and mind of this latter day blues musician, a musician in touch with the spirits of the blues legends who have inspired his life and work.
  This album is Terry's first of all-original material and gives us 11 cuts, eleven slices of life a la Terry Garland. From the rockabilly beat of "Get Bitchy" and "Vacation Due", to the surprisingly sweet gospel of "Walk With Me" and all the heartfelt songs in between, Brother Garland unabashedly opens it up and lays it down for us all to see. It isn't always pretty, but it's real. And just like Robert Johnson, just like Blind Willie McTell, just like Howlin' Wolf, just like Lightnin Hopkins, Terry Garland is all about keeping it real. He succeeded with "Whistling in the Dark".
  This is an album you will have to listen to more than once to really start appreciating, but trust me---it's time well spent.

• Terry Garland - Out Where the Blue Begins [+ Show ]
  

  TERRY GARLAND Out Where the Blue Begins (Planetary) Two words come to mind when listening to Out...TERRY GARLAND
  Out Where the Blue Begins
  (Planetary)
  Two words come to mind when listening to Out Where the Blue Begins, Terry Garland's fourth CD: Thank you.
  
  Thank you, Mr. Garland, for sidestepping the self-indulgence that plagues some blues musicians today; your masterful slide and acoustic guitar stylings are impressive enough without resorting to showboating and chicanery. Thank you for utilizing your limited voice well, leaning into a Clapton-esque growl when appropriate, and working within your range. And come to think of it, thank you for not imitating a black singer.
  
  Thank you also for good songs. Your five originals, including the stomping "Dude Boy Boogie," the Deltafied "Poor Boy Blues" and the horn-cushioned, jaunty title track hit the bullseye, avoiding overzealous clichés and colloquialisms. And your seven covers are good choices too, such as the country blues workups of Muddy Waters' "I Can't Be Satisfied" and his rarer, loping "Champagne and Reefer," as well as a chugging "Dallas" more tasteful than writer Johnny Winter's own version.
  
  Lots of musicians follow the blues muse down the path of self-righteous indulgence, hokey affectation and clueless embarrassment. Thank you, Mr. Garland, for leaving those turkeys in your dust. Brian Briscoe

• Terry Garland - The One to Blame [+ Show ]
  

  TERRY GARLAND The One to Blame Planetary Records 9025 Blues fans should thank the music god...TERRY GARLAND
  
  The One to Blame
  
  Planetary Records 9025
  
  Blues fans should thank the music gods for guys like Terry Garland. While not a prolific creator (he generally only writes two or three songs per disc) he is among the finest caretakers of traditional Piedmont and Delta blues styles working today. Armed with a National guitar, a slide, his seasoned voice and accompanied by the stomp of his well-shod foot, Garland can conjure the spirit of Mississippi Fred McDowell or Bukka White with equal ease. Perhaps only John Hammond is his equal when it comes to this kind of thing.
  
  Fans of Garland, whether from his previous recordings or frequent visits to the area, will want to get this. No surprises, really - just Garland’s standard "M.O." on eleven songs, ranging from the traditional classic "Stagger Lee" to Robert Johnson’s "Phonograph Blues." That’s just two of the highlights here. Mark Wenner, of the Nighthawks, lends some harp to several tracks, spicing things up nicely, particularly on Champion Jack Dupree’s "Nasty Boogie Woogie." If your Saturday night sinnin’ has you seeking salvation on Sunday, check out his great version of "A Closer Walk With Thee," complete with a New Orleans-style horn arrangement. Good stuff from start to finish, and highly recommended.
  
  Mike Piercy
  February, 2001
  

• Terry Garland - Out Where the Blue Begins [+ Show ]
  

  Terry Garland Out Where The Blue Begins (Planetary Records - 9030, 2001) by Craig Ruskey Review ...Terry Garland
  Out Where The Blue Begins
  (Planetary Records - 9030, 2001)
  by Craig Ruskey
  Review date: March 2002
  
  As with Terry Garland's previous releases, the recent "Out Where The Blue Begins" is loaded with Delta-influenced slide guitar, plus a few twists and turns along the way. This is mostly a back-porch affair where two friends sit across from each other; one armed with a National steel, the other blowing unamplified harmonica. Leading off with "Dude Boy Boogie," Mark Wenner contributes his tasteful harp, as he does on much of this disc, and Garland tackles the electric guitar, which he hasn't done in far too long a spell. Johnny Winter's "Dallas" retains the flavor of the original where Terry's gruff vocals sound eerily close to the Texan, and Wenner returns for "Poor Boy Blues," a tough and truthful original. "Champagne and Reefer," a track from Muddy's later years, is potent and finds Wenner adding some of his finest work, next to his chromatic excellence on "Going Home," where Garland adds his percussive guitar work and trademark foot stomps. Muddy's "Can't Be Satisfied" shows up and while this version won't make anyone forget the insistence Waters played with on the Aristocrat recording, the humorous, good-time approach here works remarkably well. "My Baby Left Town" has a Jimmy Reed flavor all over it, which is due in part to the repetitive guitar, and just as much to Wenner's high-register blowing, while the 1920's speakeasy feel of the title track with its muted horns sits comfortably among the set. Robert Johnson's "Dust My Broom" closes out the disc on a solid note, leaving only the two non-blues cuts. The air of devotion which surrounds "Courtesy Of Love" is inspired and honest, but the small drawback is Garland's voice, which doesn't work incredibly well in the ballad department. "Running Back To You" works a little better, but still isn't the strongest hand at the table when looking at the cards dealt earlier. Terry Garland, whose tenure on the blues scene rivals any performer in his age bracket, is a breath of fresh air when he offers up his earthy Delta-laced guitar, and even when he doesn't, his determination to stretch the boundaries of his soul will make one notice. "Out Where The Blue Begins" might be a Terry Garland CD, but the closeness shared by the two main artists here makes this a collaborative effort in every sense.

• Terry Garland-multi reviews [+ Show ]
  

  Robert Santelli, The Big Book of Blues Garland is one of a young wave of blues performers reinvesti...Robert Santelli, The Big Book of Blues
  Garland is one of a young wave of blues performers reinvestigating the country-blues tradition and bringing new vitality to it
  
  Chris Lockett, Dirty Linen
  Garland puts enough soul and power into acoustic blues to assure it a place in the 90’s.
  
  Maring Langley, Q
  Rarely is material brought forth with such driving spleen.
  
  About the Artist
  The One To Blame is an engaging collection of contemporary country-blues and rock & roll reconfigured to sound like country-blues. Among the highlights are "Stagger Lee," "Closer Walk with Thee," "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and "It'll Be Me."
  
  Product Description:
  Tennessee-born bluesman Terry Garland brings an energy and passion to his craft that is often missing from the music of strict traditionalists. He draws from the primal roots of the blues but isn’t afraid to mix in elements of other American music genres. The end result has been described by some as ‘bordering on possession.’
  Trouble In Mind and The One To Blame are both re-releases of (formerly) hard-to-find albums that were long out of print. Influences range from country blues to delta stomp to rockabilly, but the overall style is always gut-level, earthy, and intense.
  

• Festival Review - Belgium Rhythm & Blues Festival [+ Show ]
  

  Festival Review - Belgium Rhythm & Blues Festival Location: Peer - Belgium / Date ; 19/20/21 July ...Festival Review - Belgium Rhythm & Blues Festival
  Location: Peer - Belgium / Date ; 19/20/21 July 2002
  Personal opinion :
  
  A gig I wouldn't miss for no money in the world was the great sound of Terry Garland.Last year during the last edition of the Handzame Blues Festival he already hit nails with heads. Here in Peer he did it over again but weaker, and how!!! Phenomenal is the best description I can give. Whoever says that white man cannot play the blues, should reconsider his opinion. Pearls as "Cortesy Of Love", "Heard Weather" and "Poor Boy Blues" may not be underestimated. A man and a guitar become one, how this artist moves me is indescribable. The bonus song "Trouble" was more than welcome.
  
  
  

Setlist

Set list and length are dependent on the venue and the audience.

Terry performs solo, as a duo with either harp player Li'l Ronnie or pianist Bruce Courson, or as a trio.

Basic Requirements

Calendar