“I love to rock one minute, dig my boot heels down into the muck the next, then let the emotions fly with a simple, pure ballad,” Adamson smiles.

Such is the listening experience of I've Got Lonesome. Ranging from honky-tonk, grab-a-beer-and-your-favorite-girl two-steps to romantic cowboy, soul and groove songs, I've Got Lonesome includes original material as well as three covers.

In his originals, Adamson's lyrics are both witty and fun. He will lead you onto the dance floor with the catchy chuggin' cowboy rhythm of “Cold One” and tug at your heartstrings with songs like “One Car in the Driveway”.

There's one car in the driveway
And one heart on the mend
Too many bad memories
To let him come back again
And I can swear I don't need him
But it's so hard to let it end
There's one car in the driveway
And one heart on the mend

Credit the full-band production to East Side Flash; each track is clean, and masterfully mixed. Peppered with gutsy, rich guitar sound that is both tasteful and aggressive, the CD features the world-class musicianship of Lloyd Maines , Marvin Dykhuis , Paul Pearcy and Glen Fukanaga . Hillary Tompkins contributes lilting harmonies that stand out especially on Chris Gage 's (Albert & Gage) ballad “I Don't Want to Own You”. Stand out tracks like Jon Ims ' “Move On” and the title track demonstrate Adamson's versatility as a performer. Whatever the rhythm or subject matter of the song, his delivery is smooth and genuine.

Adamson's 2001 release, Weekends Were Made for Living, is very much in this same two-steppin' spirit of having fun, and of feeling the down-home heartache of a good ballad. Raised near San Antonio on a steady diet of Texas Music, Stuart Adamson has been paying attention. His voice is pure and expressive, not unlike a Texas cousin of Jackson Browne. Of writing music and songs, Adamson says “[in the beginning] it gave me a great way to talk to girls.”

Influenced by a range of folks including Hank Williams, Conway Twitty, Radney Foster, and even Ray Charles, Adamson has a way of inviting an audience to participate with him in the music. Maybe you'll just tap your foot at first; but next thing you know, you're out on the dance floor.

Tompkins joins Adamson in a newly formed side-project, Tompkins and Adamson. The group is currently gigging regularly in the Austin and San Antonio areas; look for a studio release from them later this year. Stuart Adamson can be reached through his web site at www.stuartadamson.com.

Stuart Adamson's new CD, I've Got Lonesome , is filled with that great, classic, Texas honky-tonk sound - as sure to be a hit on the dance floor as the living room.

Bill Groll, Country Roots Music, Austin, TX