Hello Readers,
Welcome back. How are you doing?
Today we’re going to talk about Albuquerque-based, accomplished folk singer-songwriter C. Daniel Boling. Boling has lived an extraordinary life. For three decades, he was a Ranger and Criminal Investigator in National Parks and Public Lands across the US West. At age 50, he began touring as a full-time musician both as a solo artist and as part of a trio. Since 2019, Boling has been a member of the current lineup of the famous folk trio, The Limeliters. The band has released two albums during Boling’s tenure. The original trio was best known for creating folk songs in a wonderful era for US folk, from 1959 to 1965. In addition to his work as a band member, Boling is a well-regarded songwriter. Boling is a Kerrville New Folk Winner, First Place Songwriter at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, First Place Songwriter at the Santa Fe Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival, and three-time winner at the Walnut Valley Acoustic Music Festival Songwriter Contest.
Aside from his work with The Limeliters, Boling’s lengthy solo full-length discography includes the following releases, Perfectly Stable (1999), Welcome Home (2000), The Old International (2003), He Dreams (2009), LIVE! from the Winter Folk Festival (2009), Sleeping Dogs (2013), These Houses (2016), LIVE at The Kitchen Sink (2018), and New Old Friends (2023) an acclaimed album that Boling co-wrote with the incredible singer-songwriter Tom Paxton.
And now on Friday, November 22nd, Boling’s newest album, Love, Dan will be released via Berkalin Records. From the album’s press release, “Boling wrote these 14 folk songs between 2019 and 2024, and his friend and frequent collaborator Tom Paxton shares co-writer credit on one. While some of the stories are deeply personal, folks will find all the songs quite relatable.”
Besides Boling (who played all guitar, sang lead vocals, and played banjo on two songs), others that contributed to the album include:
- Kelly Mulhollan (humming, mandolin, upright bass, banjo, drums)
- Jon Gagan (upright bass)
- Char Rothschild (accordion, tin whistles)
- Jono Manson (humming, backing vocals)
- Jason Crosby (violin, piano)
- Donna Mulhollan (humming)
- Michael J. Ronstadt (cello)
- John Egenes (dobro)
- The album was co-produced by Jono Manson and Boling.
- All songs by C. Daniel Boling except “Maya, I Adore You” by C. Daniel Boling and Tom Paxton.
- Recorded and mixed by Jono Manson at The Kitchen Sink Studio, Santa Fe, NM and
mastered by David Glasser at AirShow, Boulder, CO.
We’re excited to share three songs off the album with you today!
Love, Dan Tracklist with my favorites highlighted in green:
- Love, Dan (3:28)
- All of Us Are Immigrants (3:54)
- If I Were You (3:14)
- Whadya Do Today? (3:10)
- Ever Since I Woke (3:00)
- Something From Your Past (3:06)
- Quarter (2:46)
- Toward the Fire (2:56)
- Public Domain (2:28)
- I Don’t Know How (3:52)
- For Better or Worse (3:45)
- The Leash (2:37)
- Maya, I Adore You (1:51)
- The Sycamore Tree (3:29)
Love, Dan features exactly what you love to hear in a folk album. Including the expected instrumentation choices, sweet melodies, some fingerpicking guitar, a few ballads and well-crafted lyrics. The album has much more than that including excellent songwriting looking reflectively at the past and present and into the future. In addition, there’s standout singing and backing vocals and great musicianship from each contributor. This album is worth your time to listen.
To get the album, and find out more about the artist, please visit C. Daniel Boling’s comprehensive site. The site truly has everything you need to know and more!
Happy listening!
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
