Kelly Spinks - Thank God For Cowboys

In this week's episode, we're featuring the second album from Central Texan Kelly Spinks: "Thank God For Cowboys" (1987). Spinks has left a decade or more between each of his three full length recording projects, but when he does head into the studio, the wait is always worth it. After an education learned in the dancehalls and honky tonks of Texas from some legendary teachers including Johnny Bush, Fiddlin' Frenchie Burke and Hank Thompson - Kelly Spinks has headed up his own band Miles Of Texas for over three decades. In this week's feature album, it's all fiddle and steel, as you'd expect - with a well-chosen, refreshing mix of country gold. Aside from "Mr. Record Man" and the pen of Willie Nelson, most all the rest of the tracks on "Thank God For Cowboys" are obscurities or new cuts and are expertly executed by Spinks' chosen team of musicians. Opry staff steeler Tommy White is all over this album as is Bill C. Graham on the secondary fiddle. Graham, an industry veteran and songwriter to boot, contributed four songs to Spinks' second outing here - and the fact that you might not have heard most of these songs before is really only a strength. This is mandatory listening for any fan of traditional Texas dancehall music: Kelly Spinks & Miles Of Texas know how to get it done.