Daniel Link

(September 21, 2002) It’s always a pleasure to watch an artist of immense promise grow and continually hit the creative mark. Unfortunately, it’s an all-too-rare treat, too. But Daniel Link can easily be counted among the few. The Austin, Texas singer/songwriter ends a 2 year absence from public view with Ghost Stories, a sterling collection that firmly expands upon his debut Out of the Silence.

Once again, Link serves up heartfelt acoustic-rock that conjures immediate images of Counting Crows, Jackson Browne, and James Taylor.

But once listners scratch past the surface, they’ll discover an artist who is honing his own distictive voice and sound. Link is clearly a product of his undeniable influences. The element that sets him apart from other similar yound artists is that he’s not leaning too heavily on his influences. Rather, he’s using his influences as a springboard to fully develop himself. Ghost Stories also shows Link rocking a little harder then he did on his last project. It’s move that provides an appealing contrast to the vibrant, textured poetry that his lyrics often can be. Cuts like “Tangled,” “Good Life,” and “Storm in my Heart” have a nice hard edge that work well when taken on a purely musical level, but they deliver far more to those who listen for more than a solid beat, sweet harmonies, and sharp guitar work. Those listeners also get a carefully drawn series of songs that follow a specific storyline - a ghostly one, if you will. “The ghost is that part of us that has been forgotten,” Link says. “That essential essence of ourself. But because of the dark things that happen in life, we sometimes forget who we really are because we build up walls to protect us. Sometimes we protect ourselves too well. We become angry, cold, and distant. But that ghost deep inside us is there haunting us, trying to come back and trying to remind us what we are capable of doing.” Link spent a year meticulously crafting the songs that would become Ghost Stories. Despite his intent to make a technically sharp record, he had a fairly loose, communal approach to working in the studio. “I chose my players based on their talent, intuition, and compatibility,” he says. “They are all excellent musicians. I believe that allowing them to be creative artists is the best way to get the best performance from them.” They’ve also apparently urged Link to perform to peak capability. He more than shows improvement on Ghost Stories; he shows that he’s now a serious contender for national attention. If you need proof, check out one of his shows on his upcoming tour. If justice and art prevails, Link is an artist whom you’ll be hearing quite a bit of in the years to come.

- Larry Flick, Talent Editor

(June 23, 2005) Daniel Link fits no obvious Austin type. The Missouri native wrote most of the music and lyrics for "Color of Rain," a thickly arranged effort produced and mixed by Johnny Big. His sounds oscillate between pop and rock, and his subjects move through mostly spiritual or therapeutic themes, as if Link were working through some primal hurt ("My heart sought resurrection/I longed for explanation") A lot could be read into the name of his independent label — Recovering Catholic music — and the subject of his defiant, yet reflective song "Altar Boy."

Link is an accomplished tunesmith (the only dicey cut from this, his third album, is "4 a.m. Slam Over Coffee," with music by Big). But two things stand out on "Color of Rain" — Link's resilient voice, which recalls Michael Stipe's at times — and Big's arrangement of countless instruments and backup vocals, which threaten to overwhelm Link, but never do. Contributions by Jon Dee Graham, Pat Mastelotto and Chelle Murrey also raise the general level of excellence on this studio winner.
- Michael Barnes, Entertainment Editor

(July 24, 2004) For the first time since leaving Hannibal 20 years ago, Daniel Link is returning home to perform at 7 p.m., Sunday, July 25, at Java Jive. Link, who currently lives in Austin, Texas, left Hannibal in 1984 after graduating from Hannibal High School to pursue a life in music, and has since caught the attention of people in Austin and elsewhere with his performances and CD releases. "This is the first time playing in Hannibal since a high school talent show in '84," said Link. "I'm very excited about it ­ it really cooks. I credit Hannibal as a nurturing place for my creativity. I'm connected to the land and river. It feels really good to be coming home to do music. My mother is very proud and thrilled." Link describes his music as Americana new-folk. "It's not really country and not really rock and roll," he said. "I compare it to James Taylor, Jackson Browne and Chris Isaac. Although my greatest influence has been Fleetwood Mac. I love great songwriters and Fleetwood Mac has three of the best." Although Link is usually accompanied onstage by bass player Johnny Big, formerly of the band Dysfunction Jynction, he will be performing on stage as a one-man show with his keyboard Sunday night, while his partner fills other obligations. "Johnny and I work very well together," said Link. "He was looking for a different flavor of music and liked where my musical direction was headed with my voice and song writing. We play and work very well together and share a lot of chemistry." Big has toured with Billy Idol, Bo Diddley and Ted Nugent in the past. As a part of the original cast of the Mark Twain Outdoor Theatre in 1979, Link performed for six years onstage. When he expressed a desire to play the piano, his parents purchased one. "I learned from watching my mother, who is not a professional, but very good," he said. "I don't read music, I play by ear and my strong desire to make music works for me." Hannibal was also an inspiration for his CD, "Ghost Stories," where the "Someone in Austin" came in at number two on MAJIC 95.5 FM's 2003 Local Music Countdown. "We lived in Oakwood on 36th Street," said Link. "The house was haunted, and it inspired me to write ghost stories with interesting metaphors. One of the songs is called 'Seance.' I wrote all the songs on the CD. Everything I play is my own material. I'm currently working on my third CD. The emphasis is on lyric content and a lot of people really like what they hear." One of the most memorable events Link has experienced lately is when he debuted in March for the premier episode of Nashville Star ­ and muffed the lyrics. "It was hilarious on the clip. The song I picked was John Mellancamp's 'Jack and Diane.' I forgot the words. But I guess it was memorable enough to show on a clip. I can't believe I did that," he laughed. "I love music and feel blessed to be doing it on the level where I'm at right now." The youngest of six children born to Rosell and the late James W. (Jimmie) Link, he said there is a lot of family remaining in Hannibal, as well as some in Austin. "Austin is a very creative and liberal city loaded with talented musicians and singers," said Link. "But it's great to be home. Right now (Thursday), I'm about 1 1/2 hours from Chicago, standing in a cornfield in the rain, talking to you and loving every minute of it. "I'm debating playing the song I performed all those years ago, 'Track a Ghost,' which by the way is the first song I've ever written. I recorded it in a friend's home studio in Hannibal. I hope all my friends and family will make it to this special show on Sunday." Admission to the show will be $5. CDs will be available for sale. - Margie Clark

(March 8, 2005) In less than two months, “Color of Rain” will be on music store shelves. In the meantime, Daniel Link and Cyd Cassone are getting the word out in Austin with live performances in a lineup that includes members from Dysfunkshun Junkshun and Argyles. The album itself also features guest performers such as Jon Dee Graham, Pat Mastelotto and Chelle Murrey. 7pm today. Momo’s (above Katz’s) 618 W. Sixth St. $5.
- Kathleen Nacozy, Music Writer

MOAM Top 20 of 2003 - November 23, 2003 (Repeated on 12/28/03)
1 Heaven Los Lonely Boys
2 Someone In Austin Link, Daniel
3 At Last Culler, Ashley
4 Vida Del Castillo
5 Seventeen (17) Cross Canadian Ragweed
6 Kind Of Perfect Crowley, Kacy
7 You Are Vallejo
8 Foreclose On The House Of Love Ball, Marcia
9 No Fear Moore, Abra
10 Sweet November Pike, Patrice
11 Don't Dream It's Over Sixpence None The Richer
12 Jonestown Kings Of The Motel 6
13 I Found The Lions Hendrix, Terri
14 Love's The Only Way Pierce, Sarah
15 Shine A Light Vonne, Patricia
16 Trophies And Baggage Tingle, Lisa
17 Passion And Deception Leigh, Ginger
18 Righteously Williams, Lucinda
19 Satellite Smith, Darden
20 Thelma And Louise Murphy, Trish
- Eric Leikam