Dustin Perkins releases “Words” to capacity crowd at Smitty’s

Mary Jane Farmer | August 19, 2013

Dustin Perkins

For a video and photos, click on the links below.

“Words” — after about 10 months in production — showed up and showed itself up proud Saturday night (Aug. 17).

“Words” is the third CD that Dustin Perkins has recorded in just about as many years. Previously, he recorded with his full-time band, but this time D.P. took a giant step, without even asking, “May I?” by using studio musicians. He returned again to SG Studios in Fort Worth, practically living with Greg White (owner) and his family while they collaborated on “Words.” During those months, he, Greg, and the studio musicians developed binding working and friendship relationships.

It was some of those studio musicians who backed Perkins at his CD Release Party Saturday night, held at Smitty’s Bar & Grill in Denison. Chance Cody & Spur 503 opened up, delivering a high-powered semi-acoustic performance. SG Studios’ Ben, Greg, and families helped out, Ben holding down the merch table “fort,” which let Dustin move around and greet all his supporters and even the new fans who packed the place.

D.P. and the band performed every song off of “Words.” The first release, “One Chance,” was released a month or so ago, and is getting considerable radio airplay around Texas and beyond.

A highlight of this new CD is that Dustin included the last recording his grandfather, Howard Strause, who was a musician in Iowa, and who

Howard Strause and his grandson, Dustin Perkins

began recording when he was 24 years old. Perkins is now just slightly older than that, as he stretches into the next phase of his musicial career. For his grandfather’s song, “Mr. Dream Man,” Dustin said he tweaked the lyrics a bit, recorded it himself, then finished the slow folksong out with Howard Strause’s voice singing his own song, recorded not long before his 2012 death.

Next on Dustin’s full-time schedule is to go on his Bag of Bones tour. This will begin Thursday night (Aug. 22) after completing a show (with Gary Kyle and Matt Dunn) at Hat Tricks in Lewisville. That should be over about 11 p.m., and from there Dustin will climb into his Dustin Perkins Band van and head out to travel and, hopefully sing, his way through 15 states, returning Oct.5. What makes this trek considerably different is that he’s taking only what he’s packing in the van, including his guitar, some CDs, and $100. The destination is basically a circle to and through California, on up to Washington, and then slowly meander back to Texas.

The tricky part is that Dustin hopes to meet people, get to play, spur of the minute, at gigs not scheduled ahead, and sell a few CDs and other merchandise along the way. There’s special treats for those who purchase “Words” on the tour. In his words, he wants to “see if it is possible for a man to survive off nothing but his music.”

His Website — DustinPerkinsMusic.com — offers ways for anyone either from his home base or new friends along the way, can go online and help him make this Woody-Guthrie-style trip. Guthrie in that he’s taking his music to the people, without a definite destination in mind.

That Website will also be the resource to watch Dustin on this tour, as he will be making a few videos along the way, and sending those back home to SG Studios for posting.

Back to the CD release party/event — and it was truly an event — it also showed, again, just how Dustin Perkins takes care of so many more details than so many musicians do. The party was made more personal with special gifts for those who backed the CD, with new merchandise include T-shirts and koozies, and with Dustin himself out front, visiting with folks, rather than sitting in a green room. He and those with SG Studios created a looping video with photos, previous videos, and kalaidoscope-type graphics that kept moving behind the drummer.

It was also a showcase for Dustin’s ever-evolving music style. He’s moved away from the more conventional Texas music sound, recording and delivering a variety of soul songs spiced with some rock, some bluesy licks, and showcased that raspy voice that balances excitement and emotion in every song. His stage presence shows how much more comfortable he’s become over the years. His moves, his smile, his overall demeanor mark growth, mark confidence, mark talent!

Bookmark that Website — DustinPerkinsMusic.com — and follow our friend on his folk journey.

Video by Marla Sellers of “Guy” — click here — Thanks, Marla!

For photos of Dustin Perkins CD Release night, click here — by Mary Jane Farmer