Design Notes
The Forest represents a new direction in recording for me - all my previous CDs had been in the blues style, whereas this one can be described as Americana or singer/songwriter, or folk. However, most of these were songs I had written long ago, and a couple of them (Neighbors, Guitar in the Sun) I'd already been performing for years.
The photos were taken from the back deck of my mom's house in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They represent the four seasons of the year in The Forest.
As the story goes, one day I found myself in the forest with my acoustic guitar and some time for reflection. A passel of guest artists stopped by and sat down by the campfire to pick a little and help tell the tales that needed to be told. They wind through the woods and farmlands to the outskirts of the city, introduce you to characters both wise and foolish, and touch on emotions both deep and shallow.
The Songs
Coal River Mountain - This bluegrass tune, featuring Charlie on Dobro and Josh Pinkham on mandolin, tells the story of a mountain in West Virginia that isn’t there any more.
I Don’t Know my Neighbors Anymore - Charlie shifts to a more electric arrangement, with drums and pedal steel, to tell a story about modern life in Florida.
Dish of Pink Pills - Dennis Wallace (guitar), Kevin Holloway (mandolin) and John Richard (fiddle) add bluegrass flavor to this whimsical tale of a mountain family.
Tigress by the Tail - More grass with the Cornfused boys, as Charlie gets in trouble with his woman.
The Man Who Stole the Dish of Gold Wherein the Dog Ate - Careful, this is a long one. It’s a spoken-word piece over a bed of old-time picking, which tells a timeless riches-to-rags story from the Arabian Nights.
Summer in Europe - A lighthearted acoustic number about a young backpacker’s adventures.
On a Winter’s Night - A mellow and introspective love song.
You and Me - Dobro and electric guitar converse on this little story about a frontier family.
Guitar in the Sun - This upbeat acoustic number is an anthem for lazy musicians everywhere.
The War Is Over - Once again, Josh Pinkham’s mandolin winds around Charlie’s Dobro on a slow acoustic piece with a message of hope (or despair, depending on your mood).
The Farm - This rock tune will take you back to the sixties (and maybe leave you there).
Love - One of those moody, artsy songs.
Dachshund Polka - Believe it or not, a polka, in Swiss German, with a real accordion!
Liner Notes
Man, what a lot of musicians played on this one! Thanks, folks.
Guitar and vocals are by Charlie Morris, except as noted. All songs written by Charlie Morris (BMI).
Parts of On a Winter's Night and Summer in Europe were recorded at Relief Studio, Belfaux, Switzerland. Engineer: Dom Torche.
Everything else was recorded, mixed and mastered at Panda Studio, Clearwater, Florida. Engineer: George Harris.
Coal River Mountain
Dobro: Charlie
Mandolin: Joshua Pinkham
Bass: George Harris
Backing Vocal: Tracy LaBarbera
I Don't Know my Neighbors Anymore
Organ: Tim Heding
Pedal Steel: Matt Smith
Bass: Mike Chavers
Drums: Tom Bell
Dish of Pink Pills
Guitars: Charlie (left), Dennis Wallace (right)
Mandolin: Kevin Holloway
Fiddle: John Richard
Bass: Andrew Lack
Backing Vocal: Alan Craig
Tigress by the Tail
Guitars: Charlie (left), Dennis Wallace (right)
Mandolin: Kevin Holloway
Fiddle: John Richard
Bass: Andrew Lack
Backing Vocals: Kevin Holloway, Dennis Wallace
The Man Who Stole the Dish of Gold Wherein the Dog Ate
Guitars: Charlie (left), Dennis Wallace (right)
Mandolin: Kevin Holloway
Fiddle: John Richard
Bass: Andrew Lack
Summer in Europe
Accordion: Vincent Genoud
Guitars: Charlie (lead), Tom Bell
Bass: Mike Chavers
Drums: Tom Bell
On a Winter's Night
Piano: Charlie
Violin: Sarah Shellman
You and Me
Dobro: Charlie
Bass: George Harris
Backing Vocal: Lori Cherry
Guitar in the Sun
Acoustic Guitars: Charlie (left), Dennis Wallace (right)
Electric Guitar: Charlie
Mandolin: Kevin Holloway
Fiddle: John Richard
Bass: Andrew Lack
Backing Vocal: Alan Craig
The War Is Over
Dobro: Charlie
Mandolin: Joshua Pinkham
Bass: George Harris
A tip of the hat to John Lennon
The Farm
Organ: Dean Germain
Bass: Mike Chavers
Drums: Mike Thomas
Love
Organ: Tim Heding
Bass: Mike Chavers
Drums: Mike Thomas
Voiceover: Russ Albums
Dachshund Polka
Accordion: Jim Andrykovich
Bass: Mike Chavers
Drums: Tom Bell