Brent Best - Your Dog, Champ (2015)

2015 release, the highly anticipated solo album from the Denton, Texas-based singer/songwriter Brent Best, who is most recognized as the engaging front man for New West Records' recording artists Slobberbone and The Drams. Your Dog, Champ, which was completely crowd-funded, features 11 original songs. While some of these songs were written years ago, most have never been performed in the live setting. Best is recognized as a literary-influenced, Southern Gothic songwriter, shaped more by Southern authors such as Larry Brown, Harry Crews, William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor than his music contemporaries. Best recorded and mixed at Transient Camp Recordings in Denton, with additional recording by Matt Pence at The Echo Lab. It was mastered by Carl Saff in Chicago. For the recording, Best recruited some of the most highly respected players in the area including: Grady Don Sandlin, drums; Ralph White, fiddle and kalimba; Drew Phelps, bass guitar; Burton Lee, pedal steel; Petra Kelly, violins; Scott Danbom, piano and melodica; Andy Rogers, banjo; and Claude Bernand, accordion.

Accordion – Claude Bernard (2)
Banjo – Andy Rogers (9)
Bass – Brent Best (tracks: 2,9), Drew Phelps
Drums – Grady Don Sandlin*
Fiddle, Kalimba – Ralph White*
Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica, Organ – Brent Best
Pedal Steel Guitar – Burton Lee
Piano, Melodica – Scott Danbom
Violin – Petra Kelly