“I was nineteen in Mission Beach and barely old enough to shave. It was there, beneath a floodlight in a coffee can, on a stage no bigger than a kitchen table, I used to hear Guy Clark, Rosalie Sorrels, Thomas Shaw, Guy Carawan, Utah Phillips and many nights I was lucky enough to hear the voice of the great Ray Bierl. No one knows how to weave you into a song quite like Ray Bierl.” —Tom Waits
Friday’s Blues (Written by Ray Bierl and Ted Staak, performed by Tom Waits)
“Every song Ray chooses becomes his own, fresh and personal. He’s a great storyteller.” —Laurie Lewis
“Ray Bierl is a West Coast treasure” —Festival of American Fiddle Tunes
Praise for Solo Ray—Easy Street
“Your new album is the greatest ever. It is my favorite!!! Super great versions of the songs I love and also The Moth and others that I did not know.” —Jack Tempchin
Praise for Any Place I Hang My Hat
“I’ve never experienced a more fiercely lapel-grabbing ‘All Around the Mountain’ than this one. As Bierl sings ‘All around the mountain / And it was so cold / You couldn’t hear nothin’ but the car wheels roll,’ you may notice that the temperature has fallen and all you’re hearing are turning car wheels… ‘Tramps and Hawkers’ is an anthem of such visionary power that any singer not in full command of his powers should not even consider taking it on. Bierl is in full command of his powers.” —Jerome Clark, Rambles.net
“With the perfect timing of a master storyteller, Bierl holds this listener engrossed every time I hear [Phantom 309]…[a] completely enjoyable album…” —Mike Regenstreif, Sing Out! Magazine
“I can’t stop listening to it! It’s really a wonderful job you did on it in every way, singing, playing and choice of material. You really know what suits you (a surprisingly rare faculty) and have a completely open mind as to song choices. I wouldn’t have figured ‘Phantom 309’ in a million years, but it is beautiful the way you do it. I love the whole CD, but I think my particular favorite is ‘Lonesome Town.’ It is so pretty and you really got a great take. It’s a lovely melody. Your fiddling sounds super and your voice is beautifully recorded. Kudos to Laurie for the production and all the musicians for such fine playing. I’m a fan!” —John Miller
“I love it! It is just right. It captures you well, and wonderfully, it is a good production. I like all the songs, it’s just terrific! Well done!” —Kate Brislin
“Just wanted to tell you that I think your new album is absolutely outstanding, excellent in every way: great songs, interesting and unusual, showing the breadth of your repertoire, superb delivery and performance of every song, fine production—tastefully restrained and at the same time courageous and bold arrangements, and the package simply looks great—understated but very attractive. But the best part is just what Tom Waits said—you know how to pull the listener into the song. You seem to find the essence of the song and present it so honestly that one cannot help but be drawn in, wanting to hear it all.” —Larry Hanks
“This is currently my favorite album. Ray Bierl has always been my favorite live performer, but I haven’t heard him for many years. The song selection and the recording and performing are all amazing. No one will ever perform ‘Big Joe and Phantom 309’ as good as Ray. Also, I heard new great lyrics in the song that weren’t in it when Tom Waits and I learned the song from Ray many years ago. I cannot say enough about how great this record is and what a treasure to all of American music Ray Bierl is. The best version I ever heart of ‘The Old Chisolm Trail’ is on this record. Please make another album soon!” —Jack Tempchin
Praise for Cowboy Dancing
“He as selected some great tunes and executes them with flair, style, and all the essential ornaments and phrasing that make those styles what they are.” —Kerry Blech
