Little Darlin' Sessions

iTunes Review

Although not many people know it, producer Aubrey Mayhew’s Little Darlin’ label is responsible for some of the most devastatingly good honky-tonk music ever recorded. While Mayhew produced classic records for Stonewall Jackson and Don Williams, the undisputable jewel in Little Darlin’s crown was Johnny Paycheck, who made his name there with jukebox killers like “Motel Time Again” and “(Like Me) You’ll Recover In Time.” While no one can ever hope to outdo Paycheck’s originals, no one is better suited to trying than Dale Watson, who has spent a career worshipping at the alter of Paycheck, Jones, and Haggard to surprisingly successful results. The 80-year-old Mayhew was so impressed with Watson that he came out of retirement to produce this album at the Sound Emporium in Nashville, where all the Little Darlin’ records were originally cut. In addition, original session men including fiddle player “Hoot” Hester, pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins and steel guitarist Lloyd Green were brought on to contribute. The results are magnificent; Watson sinks his rich tenor into gilded classics like “It I’m Gonna Sink,” “Apartment #9,” and “Everything You Touch Turns To Hurt” as if the songs were written just for him. While Watson was self-critical and later admitted he was not given enough time to put his finishing touches on the album, there is a live wire intensity here that the mighty Paycheck, had he lived to hear it, would have surely admired.