Eric Stuart
Blue, Dressed in Black
Eric Stuart gets intense when he talks about his music: “It’s my own expression of the world I see which sets a mood or conveys an emotion,” he explains. “I make it a point that my music be for everyone, and I don’t compromise what I’m doing creatively at any time.” If those words seem like a refreshing return to a classic rock and roll credo that is a rarity in today’s short-attention-span music world, then Eric Stuart is your man.
Stuart’s latest album, “Blue, Dressed In Black”, fits into the time-honored American tradition of artists like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger and Tom Petty. Like those artists, his songs often deal with the kind of inner struggle and search that everyone can relate to, but songs like “Heaven In A Cadillac” also reflect Stuart’s personal experiences. “Digging through devotion for that diamond in the rough/You push aside the tally of what was never good enough/maybe the prize is in a different place” he sings on another song, “Staring You In the Face”, and the simple but powerful rock setting conveys the deep-rooted conviction he has displayed since he began writing songs at age 14. The album’s excellent title track, “Blue, Dressed In Black” is manages to pull of the difficult trick of using everyday language to express a complicated dilemma: putting on brave face despite inner pain.
Stuart’s song’s were so striking that Ringo Starr invited him to open his 1997 “All Star Band” tour, where he impressed many folks. No one more than classic rock icon Peter Frampton, however, who quickly agreed to produce some tracks on “Blue, Dressed In Black”. Frampton plays on three of them too, including a great guitar solo on “God’s Roof”. “It was a dream come true to tour with some of rock music’s most influential people,” Eric says, “but the honor of having one of them help shape my songs in the studio was the most incredible experience.” When the hard hitting and passionate sound of his latest album begins to reach more and more people, it seems certain that Eric Stuart’s incredible experiences--and songs--have just begun.>>
Also recommended:
Bruce Springsteen, Born In the USA
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Hard Promises
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, The Distance
Music Direct Magazine, 2000
