Johnny Rawls - Walking Heart Attack (2023)

Produced by Johnny Rawls, Walking Heart Attack was recorded at the Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, and mixed by Grammy-winner Jim Gaines at Bessie Blue Studio in Stantonville, Tennessee. On the new disc, Johnny Rawls (all vocals and guitar on tracks 7 and 8) is backed by his long-standing recording unit, The Rays: Johnny McGhee – guitar; Bob Trenchard – bass; Richy Puga – drums; Dan Ferguson – keyboards; Andy Roman – sax solos; Mike Middleton – trumpet; Nick Flood – baritone/tenor/alto sax; Frank Otero – trombone; with Jon Olazabal – percussion; and backing vocals by Janelle Thompson and Shakara Weston.

The ten tracks on Walking Heart Attack include a number of original songs either written by Johnny Rawls, record label head Bob Trenchard, or co-written by the two, as well as another song, “Heal Me,” penned by Catfood Records label mate Derrick Procell. Continuing his tradition of recording a song on each album associated with the legendary O.V. Wright (Johnny was his former guitarist and band director), Rawls reprises the Wright classic, “Born All Over;” and also works his magic on a song previously recorded by another soul music great, Otis Clay, with a powerful take on “Trying To Live My Life Without You.” Before Clay’s untimely passing Johnny and Otis recorded an album together, Soul Brothers, released in 2014 on Catfood Records. The wild card in the deck here is Johnny’s soulful reading of the Bruce Springsteen classic, “Hungry Heart,” which transports that song from the Jersey Shore to the Deep South.