In The Wind

TRUE COUNTRY - That's the essence of Heather Myles' music, her character, and her spirit. In a time when country music has started to become a fad for young pop stylists, hunting a new audience and a new sound for little sense of history, Heather Myles indulges in the real meat and marrow of what country music is all about. In The Wind is the latest signpost on the trail of her exceptional career, nodding towards the modern currents of country while maintianing a good grip on the reins of the past. This honky-tonk queen was raised on a horse ranch near Riverside, California, where she was immersed in traditional country sounds, along with good doses of bagpipe and ukulele music. Her first instrument was her dad's uke, a stepping stone to the guitar, the bar, and the national stage. Heather soon became and remains a treasure of California's roots music scene, keeping company with friends like Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam and Willie Nelson while touring the globe. Heather likes to joke that she's huge in Belgium, which is true. But she is a serious international ambassador for country, waving it's banner high wherever she goes. Her ability to keep close to the music's roots while offering up fresh, creative lyrical takes on the usual subjects sets Heather apart from the pack. In The Wind is a fun, beautiful, sometimes haunting collection of songs that Heather has been inspired to write, and a few covers close to her heart. It is a warm, revealing look at her life so far and where she is headed next, demonstrating a maturity honed by years on the road, in the studio, and in the company of greatness. Her duet with Willie, Don't Call Me, is richly spiced by Skip Edwards' south-of-the-border accordion, while gems like Broke And Broken Hearted plant her boots firmly in the dusty, smoke-filled honky-tonk tradition. You can crack open a tall one and scoot boots along with Smokin and the red-hot boogie of My Baby's Good To Me. Right Or Wrong and the classic Vaya Con Dios conjure up the spirits of Patsy and Loretta, while Pretty Poison and the bittersweet, mandolin-driven In the Wind offer up a more contemporary take on country. The title song, and the whole album, take a creative look at what is really the heart and soul of country music: the hope and perseverance that come along with hardship and heartache. This is True Country.