Calvin Russell (musician)

Calvin Russell ( Russell Kosler Calvert, born November 1, 1948 in Austin, Texas, † April 3, 2011 in Garfield, Texas) was an American singer-songwriter, a typical representative of Roots Rock, which has its roots in country, folk and blues has. His life experiences in the lowest stratum of society made ​​him a voice of the underdogs and uprooted.

Biography

Calvin Russell, born under the name Cavert Russell Kosler, was claims to be the sixth of nine children. Red Kosler, father, cook, his mother Daisy was a waitress. Both worked in a pub called Sho Nuff café. Russell learned to play guitar with twelve; first band experience as a rhythm guitarist in a garage band called Cavemen, he completed a year later. While he was enthusiastic early to contemporary rock music, he could not do anything with Country & Western, the favorite music of his parents, long time. The law Russell came at an early age in conflict. After the first juvenile sentences, including for trafficking marijuana followed by a steady change from life on the streets, imprisonments and trials, to establish itself as pubs and street musicians. During a stay in prison in 1985 and the first songs emerged.

Due to the musicians competition locally pronounced Russell remained a breakthrough initially denied. His new band The Carakters, an oriented style of the early ZZ Top Formation, 1988 came true for the German independent label line under contract. The debut CD flopped, however. Nevertheless, it managed Russell to make a name for himself in the circle of Austiner alternative country scene. As a musician and singer Russell collaborated over the years with a number of known genre greats such as Blaze Foley, Billy Joe Shaver, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, and - above all - Townes Van Zandt. However, the real breakthrough came a chance encounter - the encounter with Patrick Mathé of the French alt-country label New Rose Records. The experienced New Rose debut album A Crack in Time was especially successful in Europe - an awareness focus, which should not change in subsequent years. Together with the New Roses debut played Calvin Russell 14 more albums one - including Cross Road (2000 ), whose title track was one of Russell's most famous pieces and the highly critically acclaimed publication Rebel Radio from the year 2002.

Center of his life shifted Calvin Russell increasingly to Switzerland. He was married for many years with a Swiss from the Canton of Valais, whom he had met during a concert tour. On April 3, 2011 Calvin Russell died in Garfield, Texas from liver cancer.

Music

Typical of the music of Calvin Russell was the abrupt changes between no-frills, punchy, from Electric blues -influenced roots rock and guitar - dominated, but equally expressive songs in the singer-songwriter and folk - style - a style that occasionally with the the American band Steppenwolf was compared. As an important intention of his musical creation Russell called the struggle for dignity, respect and acceptance. About the way to relieve the pain with success, he spoke against the Neue Zürcher Zeitung pessimistic: "I went through hell on earth, and this pain (...) you can never get by so great a still success." Skeptical he commented in the late 1990s, the success of roots music in the USA: "Our sound is not valid in the United States just as cool. Funny, however, that young rock groups like the Smashing Pumpkins live on the roots and Americana musicians give us a lot of attention. Their CDs are not overproduced, wild and lyrically, I like that "

European media certified Calvin Russell especially an exceptionally high level of authenticity. Another unique feature Russell applies the eye and it is point accuracy of his music. Heinz -Jürgen Rippert wrote in an obituary on the website Suite101.com: " Calvin Russell impressed itself on a fast by his drawn face from life. His voice was hard, rough and his songs seemed authentic. The songs are about life off the layers established in the United States, beyond the glossy pages that are so much presented in the media. They tell of life on the streets, in prisons and the longing for dignity and a little luck. It is no coincidence referred to the singer-songwriter as Charles Bukowski of music " The music website music - base.de wrote on the occasion of the release of the album In Spite Of It All ". Calvin Russell is one of the most authentic songwriters in America. He wears his heart on his sleeve, every angle of his great soul is clearly visible for music fans. Russell's bluesy songs tell of freedom and adventure, of longing and vulnerability, of the undying love and deep disappointments, from the prairie, of never their goal achieved overland trains, and the rugged beauty of the Wild West, as he still always existent is. "

Discography

• The Characters - Act 1 (1987/1988)
• A Crack in Time (1990 )
• Sounds from the Fourth World (1991 )
• Soldier ( 1992)
• Le Voyageur - Live ( 1993)
• Dream of the Dog ( 1995)
• Calvin Russell ( 1997)
• The Story of Calvin Russell - This Is My Life (1998)
• Sam (1999)
• Cross Road (2000)
• Radio Rebel (2002)
• A Man in Full ( 2004)
• In Spite of It All (2005)
• Unrepentant (2007)
• Dawg Eat Dawg (2009)
• Contrabendo (2010)