The Christy Howard Band

The is Christy and Jeff's finest body of work, to date. - Steve Allen, president, Detroit Blues Society

These folks are a true listening pleasure. - Felix Ybarra, president, Western Michigan Blues Society

The Christy Howard Band's "Party Girl" is one of the standout locally recorded discs of the year. Marketed to both blues and country stations, it works well in both formats. The title cut is a funky ditty that benefits from Jeff Howard's sizzling guitar and the backing vocals on the hook ("working hard/hardly working/party girl") sung by Christy and Maggie McCabe. As hard an act as that opener may be, the disc is laden with equally impressive performances. Christy gets points for tacking my favorite Etta James' tune, "The Rock," one of only three covers on the dozen strong disc (the others being the Memphis Minnie classic "Me and My Chauffeur" and Stella Parton's "I Want To Hold You In My Dreams Tonight:). "Living On The Edge Of Sin" has a decidedly bluesy/country and undeniably catchy groove. Tim Sparling's piano here is superb. "I Crossed The Tracks," on which Kenny Parker adds rhythm guitar touches and Mike Saxon's fiddle spices, the rockin' "Lost In The City," and the loping "Bad Side Of Town," with Vito La Fata's (not to be confused with Canned Heat's Fito De La Parra) mandolin are as impressive. So, too, are the locomotive "Small Town, Big Trouble," the rhythmic "Tennessee Playgirl" and the closing "It Ain't About Money." Aided and abetted by Kenny Parker, Frank Greenhalgh, Bob Lee, Greg Calder, Martin Gross, Tim Sparling, Tim Brockett, Vito La Fata, Roger Tapp, Mike Saxon and Maggie McCabe, this one's a joy to listen to. I don't know how much it's blues and how much it's country, but it's unquestionably a winner. - Mark E. Gallo, 2006, Detroit Blues Society's Blues Notes, v. 12, issue 6.

Christy's biggest asset has been she's not trying to sound like every other blues singer, she brings an honest voice to a stage crowded with imitators. Roger & Margaret White - Big City Rhythm and Blues Magazine, April/May 2007

This third CD from Christy Howard could be considered a fresh start because Christy's has put a new spin on some old tunes. Christy's voice has always been unique and recording in Nashville her producers encouraged her to give full reign to her vocals creating a deeper huskier sound. Her husband and writing partner Jeff Howard an award winning guitarist who's worked with the Butler Twins and provides the big city blues for this young country singer to play off. The band is filled out with the funky rhythm section of Jan Abrams on drums, John Foley laying down the bass and Andy Szymanski finessing the keyboards. All the songs on the CD are originals, half of them have been presented on her earlier CD's but this is where they belong.
One of the stand outs on the CD is the reworking of the title tune ”I Crossed the Tracks” Christy's own front porch tale of finding the blues. The rhythm section drives the number and Wailin' Dale's harp brings it on home. “Living On The Edge Of Sin” is a real eye opener with stinging guitars and sharp bass lines over mellow electric piano and jazzy percussion. Joining Jeff on guitar is Jim Kahr a man who's backed Junior Wells, Jimmy Rogers and John Lee Hooker. The interplay between the two guitars drives this song while Christy's vocals top it off. When she says she's “a bad, bad girl” this laid back little country girl sounds tough as can be and you believe all those sins. Chrisy follows up with “He's Gone” and this isn't just a title it's a declaration. Even though he's done her wrong you can't help but feel sorry for the man who has to face this woman. With “I'm Evil” and “Trading One Hell For Another” this girl surely has the blues but with“I've Got A Weakness” she turns that title around and is stronger then ever. Through out the record Jeff's guitar and slide provides the stage for his wife to shine. Even though this is a Christy Howard CD she is confident enough to let the other members of the band step to the front. Drummer Jan Abrams takes to the mic on three numbers, his heart rending vocals in “Six Feet Down In The Blues” with Detroit legend Billy Davis joining the band on guitar is a real unexpected highlight. Adding a funk factor to the reworking of “Blues To The Bone” Abrams shouts the blues from behind his drum kit and goes down “On The Gambling Floor” with the help of Wailin' Dale. Christy follows with “Deep In Blues Country” and this is the real point of the record, it's not strictly blues or country but a blend of the two.
When Muddy and the Wolf moved to Chicago to electrify the blues they had that country edge. This CD unites the real blues and a real country voice that's sung on Hee Haw and held her own in Detroit. Christy has blended small town country and big city blues and found a sound that is old and new and all her own.
Roger and Margaret White
bluestime@sbcglobal.net
www.whfr.fm
- Big City Rhythm & Blues magazine, March 2009

This is fun music and listening to these recordings while writing this review is indeed a pleasure. Spider has the privilege of knowing Christy Howard and enjoying her performances since she hit the Detroit scene back in 2005. She is deeply rooted in her southern upbringing in gospel and country music and has quickly evolved into an outstanding blues vocalist. This combination of experiences places her apart from her Detroit contemporaries, a little bit country and a whole lot of blues. Howard has released a series of CDs, all winners and each better than the last.

The latest effort is titled I Crossed the Tracks and is top of the line, a must have for blues fans. Christy and husband Jeff Howard wrote all the songs in the collection. Christy’s bluesy vocals are featured on nine of the thirteen tracks and band mate/percussionist Jan Abrams lends his soulful voice to the other three. The musicians backing the CD are impressive to be sure. Guitar duties feature Jeff Howard with Detroit favorite Billy Davis and former Chicago native now living in Germany Jim Kahr on several tracks each. John Foley, Don Oatman and Geno Leverett take turns on bass. Keyboard wizard Andy Szymanski finesses the ivories. Wailin’ Dale Blankenship adds his low down harmonica on a few tracks and many others contribute as well.

Christy’s songs are sometimes autobiographical, tend to the seedy side of life and are always oh so satisfying. The musicianship coupled with the studio expertise and mixing produced a world-class product. Like your blues moody, upbeat, passionate? It is all here. The underlying pulse riding beneath the vocals is like a heart beating out its passion for the music. You will not be able to keep your body from moving with the music. Spider digs it big time and you will as well. Christy Howard is riding high with another winner with I Crossed the Tracks. Check out the Christy Howard Band at: www.christyhowardband.net.


Wolfgang Spider
Detroit Blues Society

- Detroit Blues Society Blues Notes March 2009

PARTY GIRL is where the lonely country gravel back-road meets the smooth, flowing, black-top pavement. Unpretentious originals -- PARTY GIRL is part country with lots of big city blues fun. - Shirley Mae Owens, former president, Detroit Blues Society

Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt ... I hear a lot of that in Christy's voice, a voice that is deep and has soul. . . this new CD has country rockin' blues. . . a female Delbert McClinton with a voice Ray Charles would love. - Robert Jr. Whitall, Publisher/Editor in Chief, Big City Rhythm and Blues Magazine.

The Party Girl CD is a little bit rock n roll and a little bit country. At the same time there is an underlying current of soulful blues. This is no surprise when you consider the background of Christy and her husband Jeff. Christy Jones started life in Tennessee the daughter of a Southern Baptist minister. She began singing gospel at the tender age of six. The family moved to Mississippi and Christy got a dose of the blues from the plantation workers. Next stop was Detroit where she became the thirteen year old lead vocalist in the gospel group Royalaires. Then back to Tennessee and exposure to the Nashville scene and country music. Finally our story works its way to Detroit where she encountered bluesman and future husband Jeff Howard. He was band leader for the Butler Twins Blues Band for a while and is an accomplished guitarist and vocalist. Jeff introduced Christy to the blues community in Detroit.

The twelve tracks on the Party Girl CD include nine Christy and Jeff Howard originals. Christy sings about personal experiences in some of these. A number of Detroit’s finest musicians contributed their talents. The impressive list is detailed in the liner notes so I will not repeat it here. Christy Howard is the lead vocalist on all songs. An important component to the success of this CD is the variety of instruments featured. So many CDs are basic guitar or harmonica collections. Party Girl takes full advantage of the talents of all the musicians and this gives it a fun to listen to quality. I enjoyed all the tracks although I would count the song Living On The Edge of Sin and the Memphis Minnie tune Me and My Chauffer among my personal favorites. I enjoyed the range of music from slow to upbeat and running the gamut through country, rock n roll and blues. The recording and mastering quality is excellent. I love this CD. Party Girl is a winner. - Wolfgang Spider, Action Detroit, v. 18, no. 10, Oct. 2006

Hailing from Clifton, Tennessee, on the cover Christy Howard looks like another moody girl in her late teens or early twenties, yet sounds as Blues as they come. Having lived for a long time in Mississippi, she’s never been far away from the Blues, and started singing professionally at 13. She’s also the composer of all fifteen tracks here, and she must have a truckload of kudos because the band backing her on this CD are positively volcanic. Check out the guest players – Billy Davis (guitar) was at one time with Hank Ballard and The Midnighters. And there’s yet another top-drawer axeman here too – Jim Kahr, whose CV includes stints with Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and even the mighty T-bone Walker. “Trading One Hell For Another” is not only a great song title, it also rolls along with some stirring guitar from Jeff Howard. There’s a couple of tracks with some spine-tingling harp playing by Wailin’ Dale Blankenship. This CD represents a new wave of cross-generation Blues, and signifies in no uncertain terms that our favourite music is in very good hands. It’s a bit rock, a bit country, but all Blues – underpinned with nice, far cheesy Hammond organ sounds and blistering guitar solos. If this CD is anything to go by, I’ll bet Christy Howard is a revelation onstage. Bring it on – I can’t wait.

Roy Bainton
Blues Matters Magazine
Issue 48
April/May 2009
- Blues Matters Magazine