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Het leven van de uit Glasgow afkomstige Stevie Nimmo heeft altijd in het teken van de muziek gestaan. Stevie leerde zichzelf gitaar spelen en bleek ook nog eens goed te kunnen zingen. Als tiener begon hij al te spelen in diverse lokale bandjes. Zo’n vijftien jaar geleden besloten hij en zijn broer Alan om maar eens voor zichzelf te beginnen. Inmiddels hebben zij als ‘The Nimmo Brothers’ een goede reputatie opgebouwd en speelden zij op veel podia in Europa en in Amerika.

In 2009 was Stevie, vanwege een ernstige ziekte, genoodzaakt het toeren met The Nimmo Brothers te onderbreken. Na een zware operatie besloot hij om zich voor het herstel terug te trekken in Frankrijk. Tijdens deze gedwongen rustperiode was er voldoende tijd voor het schrijven van nummers. Het resultaat hiervan is nu terug te vinden op de eerste solo cd van Stevie ‘The Wynds Of Life’.

De opnames van deze cd vonden plaats in ‘The Zone Studios’ te Austin/Texas. De muzikanten op deze cd zijn niet de eerste de beste; wat te denken van bijvoorbeeld Lloyd Maines, die verantwoordelijk is voor de prachtige Pedal Steel gitaar partijen. George Reiff (bas), Michael Ramos (Hammond B30) en Pat Manske (drums) zijn de overige muzikanten in deze gelegenheidsformatie.

De muziek op deze cd is, in tegenstelling tot de Bluesrock van The Nimmo Brothers, het best te omschrijven als Americana, Roots muziek met invloeden uit zowel de Country, Gospel, Soul en de Blues. De cd telt veertien nummers waarvan er tien door Stevie zelf zijn geschreven.

De cd opent met ‘You’d Be On It’ ,een nummer geschreven door Boyd Tonner, dat gaat over allerlei gevaarlijke situaties waarbij één persoon altijd aanwezig is. Ook het volgende nummer, een prachtig gezongen Soul ballade, ‘Lonely Night In Georgia’ is niet van de hand van Stevie, maar is geschreven door Marc Broussard. In ‘Morning Sun, Minight Rain’ laat Lloyd Maines horen waarom hij één van de meest gevraagde sessiemuzikanten van Austin is. ‘Eye Of The Storm’ kenmerkt zich door prachtige gitaarlicks. Er is over elk nummer op deze cd wel iets positiefs te vertellen, want slechte nummers komen er niet op voor. Prachtige ballades afgewisseld met nummers die soms net een iets pittiger randje hebben. Stevie laat op deze cd duidelijk zijn gevoelige kant zien en ik moet zeggen dat deze kant mij zeer goed bevalt.
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Best-known as one half of the Nimmo Brothers, Stevie strikes out with a set of solo material that’s a bit more country and western than you probably expected.  Pedal-steel guitars weep, accordions wheeze, lovesick dreamers endure lonely nights in Georgia... and it all hangs together pretty well, in an undemanding Sunday afternoon sort of way. close

* * * * ½ (out of 5 stars)
Scottish blues man releases a more Americana/country roots album.

Stevie Nimmo from the popular Nimmo Brothers started to write songs of a rootsy country feel after being forced to cut back on his heavy touring following a major operation. This style of writing led him to travel over to Austin, Texas where he recorded this fantastic album with a superb US band comprising Michael Ramos (Hammond B3, Wurlitzer, piano and accordion), Pat Manske (drums), Lloyd Maines (pedal steel, Dobro, mandolin, banjo and slide guitar), George Reiff (bass guitar) and Stevie of course on lead vocals plus acoustic guitar, slide guitar and electric guitar.

This album should attract the Americana fans as well as many blues fans as it incorporates country, blues, roots, gospel and even a little jazz. His voice is at times gritty, other times emotional but all times perfection. In Your Arms At Night is a gorgeous ballad with his clear voice sounding so tender and soft with warming accordion and acoustic guitar solos. Sometimes is a harder hitting track with his voice more punchy and aggressive. You’d Be On It is a bit more funky jazz with the organ playing more of a part.

Stevie also has a special guest appearing on a couple of tracks in David Lee Holt who was the Mavericks guitarist before Nick Kane, he plays lead guitar on the brilliant Lonely Night In Georgia and the rocking Good Day For The Blues.

Great album from one of Scotland’s finest singer/songwriters.
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Glaswegian bluesman Stevie Nimmo (of the Nimmo Brothers) could not have wished for a finer assembly of musicians and producer accompany him on this his solo debut.

With fourteen songs and over an hour of music the listener is well served as he polishes off ten self-penned songs to go with the four well selected covers. Coming into his own as a front man, after playing a less prominent part with his older brother, Alan Nimmo Stevie possesses a great depth to his work. He has come through with an album befitting those lending support and that pretty much says it all. For he has such luminaries as Lloyd Maines, George Reiff, Michael Ramos and Pat Manske (drums, percussion, producer) add power to his strong, unbending blues tones and his own acoustic, electric, slide guitar playing. Plus, you also have David Lee Holt play lead electric guitar on ‘Lonely Night In Georgia’ and share the duties on ‘Good Day For The Blues’ (David Grissom).

Displaying a burning passion to get down and dirty he becomes neck deep in the swampy Louisiana side of things when he comes up with a future blues steeped rock gem as ‘Long Road To Heaven’. Boy, doesn’t he whip up a storm on this one. As slide, keyboards, organ and percussion kick in. Muscle Shoals at its peak would be proud of having recorded this track along (and there are more like it). Plus, we have the soulful ‘Coming Home To You’. It doesn’t get much better than this no matter what it is or where it comes from.

Stevie’s wide embracing charm also extends out from the southern blues as some country blues rears via the instrumental ‘Winter’ plus, when it comes to soul it is delivered in fabulous fashion by way of ‘It’s a Hard Life’. Like with the majority of outstanding songs it was also written by Nimmo and is right up there with ‘Lonely Night In Georgia’ and the all-fired up ‘Good Day For The Blues’ only his I feel comes over a little better! Fresher and sharper in feel and production as Stevie reaches out to the listener.
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Although published by Armadillo Music in the UK, this first solo album by Stevie Nimmo was recorded at the Zone Studios, Dripping Springs, Austin, Texas. Stevie is backed on the album by a fine collection of American musicians: Lloyd Maines on pedal steel, Dobro and slide guitars, mandolin and banjo; George Reiff on bass guitar, bass piano and percussion; Michael Ramos on Hammond B3, Wurlitzer and accordion; and Pat Manske on drums and percussion. In addition, guitarist David Lee Holt guests on two tracks.

The fourteen tracks of the album comprise ten of Stevie Nimmo’s own compositions, two by Boyd Tonner (the drummer and main songwriter of The Stumble) and two cover versions. Stevie is best known as the elder of the hugely popular Nimmo Brothers, who are widely regarded as the leading British exponents of the blues-rock genre. The mood of this album, however, is a far cry from that idiom and largely comprises a mixture of ballads and love songs, many of which have a distinctly country flavour.

Tonner’s “You’d Be On It” provides a lively opening track, which is followed by a splendid rendition of Marc Broussard’s “Lonely Night In Georgia” and the original country ballad, “Morning Sun, Midnight Rain”, complete with a tasty helping of pedal steel guitar. “Dreams” is a tender lullaby, embellished with an effective accordion backing and exuding a middle-eastern ambience. “Eye Of The Storm” is full of poignant and highly emotive lyrics and boasts some lovely guitar riffs. A superb version of David Grissom’s “Good Day For The Blues” makes way for the second Boyd Tonner composition, the remorseful ballad, “Make It Up To You”.

The final seven tracks, all penned by Stevie Nimmo, comprise the blues-tinged “Long Road To Heaven”; “Coming Home To You”, another country ballad imbued with more pedal steel flavouring; the gentle love song, “In Your Arms At Night”; “Winter”, a folksy instrumental; “Sometimes” a ballad with a prominent banjo accompaniment; and a couple of philosophically optimistic numbers: “It’s A hard Life” and “Everything Is Gonna Be Alright”.

It will come as a surprise to the many fans of the Nimmo Brothers that this is not remotely a blues album. If it needs to be categorised, it would fit most comfortably into the Americana classification. Nevertheless, it is a magnificent compilation, which showcases Stevie’s sensitive side, particularly in respect of his vocal delivery and his songwriting skill. It is an absolute must for the Nimmo collection.
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