{"product_id":"hanna-mceuen-1","title":"Hanna-McEuen","description":"Amazon.com\n\nPlenty of rock influence informs this sparking debut by cousins Jaime Hanna and Jonathan McEuen, whose fathers were founding members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and married the twin sisters who mothered this duo. With the twang of dual guitars and the blood ties of tight harmonies, Hanna-McEuen put their artistic imprint on consistently solid material that evokes the bittersweet balladry of the Eagles (\"Read Between the Lines\"), the romantic ache of Bruce Springsteen (\"Something Like a Broken Heart\"), the sing-song purity of Buddy Holly (\"End of Me\"), and the bittersweet buoyancy of the Everly Brothers (\"Rock and a Heartache\"). Though the rootsier, banjo-driven \"Wild Eyes of Love\" sounds closer in spirit to their dads' band, Hanna-McEuen suggests that the gap between classic rock and contemporary country has never been narrower. --Don McLeese\n\nReview\n\n\"Hanna-McEuen\" plays like a 43-minute retrospective of roots rock. -- Washington Post - 8\/25\/05\n\nAnyone seeking a smoother, less geographically defined throwback to the Mavericks will find this bow a euphonic, often euphoric alternative. -- Entertainment Weekly B+ - 8\/26\/05\n\nHands down, best debut album of the year. -- Music Row\n\nIf you don't think you like today's country music, Hanna-McEuen will change your mind. -- Performing Songwriters\n\nPlays like an old jukebox filled with stellar yet diverse songs. Gorgeous retro sound with just enough modern-day sheen. -- Dallas Morning News (Hip New Country Acts)\n\nPromising debut suggests they have inherited some of their dads' musical virtuosity and carved out some turf of their own. -- People Magazine - 9\/5\/2005 - 3 out of 4 Stars!\n\nAbout the Artist\n\nvery once in a while a group is discovered for their natural talent. Duo Hanna-McEuen couldn't be described any better.\nJaime Hanna and Jonathan McEuen are first cousins and sons of identical twin sisters, Rae and Kae. Spending so much time together growing up and always living near each other lent itself to strengthening the bond between the two. In addition, their fathers are Jeff Hanna and John McEuen who have been playing music together for nearly 40 years as founding members of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Natural talent is a given here.\nWhile their vocals are equally effective no matter who is singing lead, their voices transcend melody lines and harmonies with a blend that is unmistakably linked to acts like the Everly Brothers, whose overall sound can only be explained by shared bloodlines.\nThe unique nature of this duo is further proven by their musicianship. Both are accomplished guitarists whose work is featured throughout their debut album.\nJonathan McEuen first got his family’s attention when they heard him singing along to a song on the radio at the age of two. By the time he was seven, he was performing onstage at his Dad’s annual Rocky Mountain Opry show at the famous Colorado venue, Red Rocks. He was soon acting in plays which led to him landing the lead role in a high school production of The King and I, although he was still attending elementary school.\nBut he sure could play guitar, as evidenced by countless shows with his dad, which included bluegrass festivals and playing with the likes of Sam Bush and Vassar Clements. At the same time, McEuen was front man for a series of bands.\nFor Hanna, the path to guitar playing was a bit less direct. His earliest experiences were playing drums, but that all changed for him when he saw Steve Vai playing guitar in the movie Crossroads.\nAfter high school Hanna relocated to Nashville. \"I was with my dad listening to Dwight Yoakam records when I heard Pete Anderson's distinctive guitar sound. I was intrigued with his playing and before I knew it, Dwight’s songs started sticking in my head.\" This led to a real interest in songwriting. It was around this time that Hanna met Raul Malo, lead singer of the Mavericks, who were just about to break through in country music. Eventually I played Raul one of my songs and we wound up writing together.\" Among other things, this led to Hanna’s first publishing deal. \"One night Raul asked me to sit in with him for a couple of songs at the Bluebird Café, and a week later The Mavericks hired me as their harmony, rhythm guitar and percussion guy.\"\nWhile Hanna and McEuen were both out pursuing their individual musical paths, they would get together as often as they could make those paths cross. \"Every chance we had, we would play together,\" Hanna says.\nLate in 2001, the cousins each received a call from their dads. The 30th anniversary of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s release of Will The Circle Be Unbroken was to be marked by a third album in the series, Circle III. Their idea was to bring Jaime and Jonathan in to record \"Lowlands\" for the album. As record label interest grew, Hanna and McEuen realized they already had the core of an album.\nBy combining songs Hanna had written, and both had performed, with songs McEuen had written and played, they were well on their way., ISBN13:B0009NCQIM ISBN10:B0009NCQIM Material Type:audioCD","brand":"CheapBookDepot","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53521218044211,"sku":"B10.19.4 STR CH_05-20-26_UBD_H000211D","price":14.93,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0748\/5086\/1363\/files\/61ZifOSYf3L_f1faead4-d664-4a2b-ab86-a84967461000.jpg?v=1781949515","url":"https:\/\/cheapbookdepot.com\/products\/hanna-mceuen-1","provider":"Cheap Book Depot","version":"1.0","type":"link"}