Comments on: Review: Doug Stone, “Don’t Tell Mama”

By: Alt Country

Alt Country — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:50:46 +0000

Doug Stone George Jones Randy Travis Vince Gill don’t get their new music on the air cause they can sing and their music is better than what radio and Nashville wants people to buy.

By: Alt Country

Alt Country — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:39:00 +0000

I vote for Doug Stone. It’s bullshit radio doesn’t give his new music a chance.

By: Betty Shepherd

Betty Shepherd — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:27:18 +0000

I heard Doug sing this song at the Opry and thought it was beautiful. Months later I happened to buy Gary’s CD Smoke Rings In The Dark…Gary’s version blew me away. His gritty vocals and the emotion he put into it made me cry. Awesome job..Personally I don’t know who the Steeledrivers are and I may feel different if I heard them but DDW happens to be one of my favs of Gary. Love it in concert.
And a big WELCOME BACK to Doug Stone..

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:05:23 +0000

The thing about Doug is that he’s often too syruppy, balad happy. I liked him a long time ago, but it’s not the same when I revisit his music now. After I discount all of the slow, sappy stuff, there’s not much left for me to work with. I do think he has a very nice voice and I did not realize he was such a good guitar player, but I’m always going to associate him with “Too Busy Being In Love”, even though he has great songs like “I’d Be Better Off In A Pine Box.” So, I might just be prejudiced, I’ll admit. I think a song like this one calls for a less syruppy reading than Doug Stone gives it, though he does it rather nicely.

By: Paul W Dennis

Paul W Dennis — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:23:41 +0000

I guess I’m the lone dissent in preferring Doug Stone’s version of the song. If Doug had recorded it as an acoustic effort, just him and his guitar (as he often performs it in concert), then you’d be asking Gary Who ??????. Doug is simply that much better as a vocalist. Unknown to most, Doug Stone is almost up there with Brad Paisley and Keith Urban as a guitar player, particularly on acoustic

I am a big fan of Gary Allan but there are any number of songs he’s performed that I could hear others doing better. On the other hand songs like “Smoke Rings In The Dark” belong to Gary Allan

By: Hollerin' Ben

Hollerin' Ben — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:56:35 +0000

I like your modification Dan, and I think I should say that I’m by and large against the idea that songs shouldn’t be covered for fear of second-bestness.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:18:38 +0000

I agree Dan. Once Gary has interpreted a song, it should be left alone. I hope history treats Gary more kindly than the current award shows do.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:44:51 +0000

The most exciting thing about this to me is that Doug Stone has a new single. I, too, like Gary’s version better but I’m thrilled to know that Doug is back at it again. I always liked him and his voice.

By: Dan Milliken

Dan Milliken — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:25:51 +0000

Don’t get me wrong; I don’t think every time Gary Allan records any song it’ll become the definitive version. I don’t think I could say that about any vocalist, not even the others mentioned in the review. But I do think it’s generally a bad idea to sing something he’s cut, because he’s definitely grown into a different interpretive league than most of his contemporaries (although I don’t think he’s always been there, especially on earlier stuff pre-Smoke Rings). As to whether or not his skills can stand up against those of the all-time greats, I guess we’ll have to see how history treats him. I think he’s one of the best interpretive male singers the genre has ever seen, personally, but perhaps I’d feel differently if some of the greats had been recorded with the same ultra-clear technology that he has.

And I think the Steeldrivers’ version of “Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey” can stand up comfortably against Gary’s because a) the arrangement is significantly different, unlike with Stone’s take on “Don’t Tell Mama” and b) let’s face it: Chris Stapleton is also an unusually awesome singer.

But anyway, I see how the review did make it sound like all of the singers I listed can retire a song every single time, which I guess I did for dramatic effect more than anything. So I’ve tweaked it bit to reflect my actual opinion, haha. Now it says “generally”

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:17:02 +0000

I do agree that The SteelDrivers stole “Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey” from Gary Allan. Gary’s still got a lot to prove, but he’s definitely leagues better than Doug Stone.