John Bush Shinn III was born in 1935 in an "unforgiving land north of the bayou" called Kashmere Gardens in Houston, Texas. With a stained memory that still lingers in his blood, "Kashmere Gardens Mud" is the musical accompaniment to Johnny Bush's biography. The song make reference to his parents' divorce when he was just seventeen, and in 1952 he began his musical career at the Texas Star Inn in San Antonio. While the salvo written by Bush seems weak for the album's opener, it sets the stage for some grooving music that taps his honky - tonk, blues, western swing, big band, Cajun and even mariachi influences. The album shows that Bush's setbacks in life haven't slowed him down. About the time of this album's release, Johnny's autobiography ("Whiskey River (Take My Mind): The True Story of Texas Honky Tonk" co - written with Rick Mitchell) is scheduled for publication by the Univ. of Texas Press. 

While Bush may not have the vocal range he used to, the album serves as a powerful "tribute to Houston's country soul" by tapping classic country standards like Moon Mulligan's "I'll Sail My Ship Alone" and Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho and Lefty" with a stellar cast of Texas musicians such Bobby Flores, Johnny Gimble, Bert Wills, Jesse Dayton, Calvin Owens Blues Orchestra, Frenchie Burke, Buddy Emmons, Brian Thomas, Floyd Domino and others. There's plenty of steel guitar and fiddle throughout, shining with luster over the rhythm foundation of guitar, bass and drums. I especially enjoyed the orchestral arrangements of "Free Soul" and "Born to Lose," both recorded at SugarHill Studios in Houston. Bobby Flores and Shane Pitsch provide a mariachi intro to Dale Watson's "Tequilla and Teardrops," that also includes Watson's vocalizing. Two songs (Pancho and Lefty, Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On) include Johnny's friend Willie Nelson. Coming off more like a front porch jam among a couple good ol' boys, the latter is a rawboned arrangement with just acoustic guitars and vocals.

Johnny's affiliation with Willie goes back to the early - 1960s when Bush played drums in Willie's band, The Record Men. Then, both guys worked in Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys. The late Floyd Tillman also sings on his own composition, "They Took the Stars Out of Heaven." A few more background and harmony vocals would've enhanced the set. Eddie Noack's "These Hands" begins with an excerpt of the original 1955 recording by Smilin' Jerry Jericho. Johnny's hands may be getting calloused and aged, but his music still wins our hearts. Track 13, Johnny's self - penned "I Want a Drink of that Water" includes some unison singing with his brother, Rev. Gene Shinn. Track 14 is a reprise with instrumental snippets from all the songs on the album. Track 15, a 3 - minute bluesy number, is a bonus that isn't even mentioned in the CD jacket. 

Once dubbed "The Country Caruso," Bush's biggest challenge in life first hit him in 1972 when he started to experience a tightness and raspiness in his voice. Being dropped by the RCA label and an addiction to Valium followed. Six years would pass before he was properly diagnosed with a rare condition called spasmodic dysphonia that causes the vocal cords to have uncontrollable spasms. His hit song "Whiskey River" (covered by Willie Nelson) brought regular income, and Bush also continued to perform. Radical exercise techniques helped him make a comeback with music. After a western swing project in 1994, he released a number of albums from 1998 - 2001. In more recent years, botox injections into the vocal cords have also helped him cope with spasmodic dysphonia. 

Like a chapter in a Steinbeck novel, the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame legend's life was changed forever years ago as a kid when he was first bitten by the bug to be a singer and performer. I get the impression that he's a fighter and refuses to throw in the towel…the type of affable guy who loves to be entertaining on stage. In fact, he's become a role model and inspiring mentor to younger musicians who can relate to his strong affinity for singing and performing. This album will only serve to reinforce his solid place in Texas' classic country music history. (Joe Ross)