ROUTES & BRANCHES
September 29, 2012
Scott Foley

About 3 years ago, I reached out to Texas songwriter Ronnie Fauss after reading about his debut EP on a blog.  New Songs For the Old Frontier, Volume 1 soon earned itself a recurring spot on my playlist for its immediately engaging songs and Fauss' refreshingly left of center lyrics:  "I've seen your future baby / And it looks a lot like your past / I was your first ohh baby / Let me be the last."    In his email Fauss mentioned family connections in the state and declared, to quote from that email, "I love me some Colorado!"  

Over the next couple years, Ronnie Fauss sent two more EPs of great songs definitely deserving of a wider release.  Forward to 2012, his songwriting skill is rewarded with his debut full length release on New West's Normaltown Records imprint.  Turns out a couple tunes from those early EPs have made their way onto I Am the Man You Know I'm Not, as well as a welcome bounty of new pieces that sound like the work of a Texas music veteran.

In touch with Fauss again recently to congratulate him on the album, I asked if he could help get me started with a new Routes & Branches project I am calling Departures.  Departures will present a series of questions to an R&B artist regarding their musical taste and inspiration (the same couple questions to each participant).  Here's what I received from Ronnie Fauss:

_________________________________________________

DEPARTURES

 *

RONNIE FAUSS

I Am the Man You Know I'm Not  

Hometown: Dallas

Favorite music as a youngster: 

When the rest of the kids were getting into grunge, I was getting into americana - buying albums by people like John Hiatt and Nanci Griffith

Your 5 favorite albums:

My 5 favorite albums of 2012 are:

Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back

Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now

Todd Snider - Time As We Know It

Rodney Crowell - KIN

5 (tie, if you'll allow it): Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball & Counting Crows - Underwater Sunshine

(not sure if you've heard it but there are lots of great americana covers on the Counting Crows album!)

Lyric you wish you had written:
"There's just no easy way to say everything you thought was right was wrong today, that is all, go away"

- Slobberbone, "Meltdown"

Best concert you've seen:
Wilco at a small club in Dallas in 2001, right after Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was released

What's in your CD player these days:
Last week I picked up the new Band of Horses, Avett Brothers, and Ryan Bingham....so I'm listening to all 3!

 ____________________________________

Ronnie will be playing at The D Note in Denver on Oct 20, and the prior evening at the Cowboy Bar in Laramie. 


*  Rosie Flores, "Working Girl's Guitar"  Working Girl's Guitar  (Bloodshot, 12)
*  Shovels & Rope, "Lay Low"  O' Be Joyful  (Dualtone, 12)
*  John Doe, "Golden State"  Year In the Wilderness  (Yep Roc, 07)
*  Wanda Jackson, "What Do You Do When You're Lonesome"  Unfinished Business  (Sugar Hill, 12)
*  Mosey West, "Lonesome River"  Vaca Money  (Self, 11)
*  Missing Cats, "Larry Brown Amen"  Larry Brown Amen  (Self, 12)
*  Rosanne Cash, "Sea Of Heartbreak"  List  (Manhattan, 09)
*  Vince Gill, "Talk Memphis"  Quiet About It  (Mailboat, 12)
*  Ryan Bingham, "Beg For Broken Legs"  Tomorrowland  (Axster Bingham, 12)
*  Esme Patterson, "Jessica"  All Princes, I  (Great Than Collective, 12)  D
*  Jayhawks, "Blue"  Tomorrow the Green Grass  (American, 95)
*  Mindy Smith, "When You're Walking On My Grave"  Mindy Smith  (Giant Leap, 12)
*  Mumford & Sons, "Lover's Eyes"  Babel  (Glassnote, 12)  D
*  Bonnie Bishop, "Bad Seed"  Free  (Self, 12)
*  Low Cut Connie, "Brand New Cadillac"  Call Me Sylvia  (Self, 12)  D
*  Blue Rodeo, "Go Go Round"  Beautiful: Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot  (Borealis, 03)
*  Early Sides, "By and By"  By and By  (Self, 12)  D
*  Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson, "Dustbowl"  Wreck & Ruin  (Essence, 12)
*  Houston Marchman, "When I Come Back To Farmin'"  Econoliner  (Western Road, 12)  D
*  Jerry Jeff Walker, "I Like To Sleep Late (live)"  Live From Dixie's Bar & Bus Stop  (May 6, 12)  D
*  Avett Brothers, "Once and Future Carpenter"  The Carpenter  (American, 12)
*  Texas Tornados, "Hangin' On By a Thread"  Hangin' On By a Thread  (Reprise, 92)
*  Sumner Brothers, "Lay You In the Grave"  I'll Be There Tomorrow  (Self, 12)  D
*  Reckless Kelly, "Pennsylvania Avenue"  single  (No Big Deal, 12)  D
*  Chris McGarry, "Coal Colored Sun"  Bare Bright Halos  (Self, 12)
^  Ronnie Fauss, "Pretty Nice Night For Houston"  I Am the Man You Know I'm Not  (Normaltown, 12)  D
*  Carolyn Mark, "Not Like the Movies"  Queen of Vancouver Island  (Mint, 12)
*  Loretta Lynn, "Have Mercy"  Van Lear Rose  (Interscope, 04)
*  Giant Sand, "Things Like That"  Tucson  (Fire, 12)