Here's a collection of what folks are saying about my new release Slide-Ville. Let's start with the crown jewel penned by Rick Anderson from Decauter AL...

5 out of 5 stars
Reviewer: Rick Anderson
Let me begin with how I came to know Cole's music. It was one of those blind forays on CD-Baby, and the title caught me "Out Of The Blue". I ordered it, and was totally flabbergasted at how good the music was, and how well written, produced, and recorded the entire album was. I immediately emailed Cole, and have enjoyed many a good quip with him over the past few years.

OK, now to business. "Slide-Ville", is honestly the flip side of "Out Of The Blue". Instead of the acoustic licks I have come to know and appreciate so much, this is an offering of electric slide blues. The word "flabbergasted" comes up again…..I had no idea Cole was such a great slide guitar player! Well, I'm here to tell everyone, he can smoke the strings on just about anything he lays his hands on; and he does….all throughout this album.

An interesting part of this all, is the fact that there's almost no drum tracks to be found on the album. I know, I said "interesting" - but that's because omitting that customary part of the music opens your ears to just how wonderful the guitar work is…..and I can't say it enough, the guitar work on this album will drag you off into places your imagination rarely has the opportunity to go. Close your eyes, and the music and lyrics easily come to life in each song. Cole, and his band mate for 28 years, Mike Butler, do a fabulous job all through the album.

Lyrically, this is such a great listen. Each of the 11 tracks is an original, and you can tell Cole has not only a great sense of the world around him, but he has a unique character and great sense of humor. I can't listen to "Land Of Plenty" without about falling out of my chair! There's a lot of Cole's life threaded in the lyrics, and if you listen folks, this is what blues is all about…..telling the story, while keeping your feet and hips moving without your realization that it's even happening.

Cole is also a socially conscious man, and that shows in Willy Peter Blues, and Dirty Little War. I'm glad he wrote and recorded both, as they are spot-on to current events, and will still be a legacy long after our presence in Iraq is simply pages in a history book. That, folks, is daring, considering the fragility of the Blues industry, and I think it's great to see someone, regardless of genre, have the courage to get it done.

Let me pick on one more song before I wrap this up. "County Boy" is one of my favorites. This is a self portrait of Cole's life, and again, this is what the Blues is all about. It has a little country flair to it, and although Cole probably wont' admit it, this is a solid Blues tune…..just because it says "Country" in the title, don't let it fool you!

You can find Cole and his music here on myspace and you can purchase "Slide-Ville" at www.cdbaby.com/colepriorstevens. Blues, is the backbone of Rock and Country, and "Slide-Ville", to me, is one of those albums destined to be the backbone of electric slide blues. If you really enjoy great Blues……."Slide-Ville" is a must have for your collection!
5 out of 5 stars "Slide-ville" Slides In Safe At Home for a Grand Slam!
Reviewer: OutThereMan
Slide-ville has more than 29 dimentions of Blues compatibility. Cole Prior Stevens effortlessly cuts to the bone in a montage of emotional projections from the first strains of Tell Me, to our generation's new soul-searching Blues anthem: Blues Is My Religion. Down to the last song, Impatient Blues; Slide-ville is a two outs, bases-loaded, home run offering. No doubt this effort is from the heart, and loaded with new, inspiring Blues guitar riffs. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Cole does it again
Reviewer: BluesforJesus
If you know anything about Slide guitar then Cole Prior Stevens should be no stranger to you. He Strikes a winning blow again with Slide-Ville.There is no weak tracks on this disk.Many artists try and copy the greats of slide guitar, but Cole has carved out his own style with originality and finesse. This Cd should appeal to anybody with a love of the blues, a love of the slide guitar. or just a love of some very original music. A must have for any collection.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing sound! Recommend blues lovers take a listen!
Reviewer: Cindy from California
Slide-ville by Cole Prior Stevens is a huge 'jump up' from his original music 6 years ago. This fellow has done nothing but grow into 'his blues skin'! Highly suggest all Blues lovers take a listen!

4 out of 5 stars It works, and works WELL,,,what more can I say :-)
Reviewer: Tom Condé

5 out of 5 stars
Reviewer: Al Lundy- Blues Highway Show KZUM 89.3
If you are unfamiliar with the work of Cole Stevens, "Slide-Ville" is a great place to hear the versatility of this incredible writer and musician. Through his trademark slide work, the sound of the delta just seems to drip from Cole's guitar. Slide-Ville takes you to a place where you just want to buy a piece of property and retire.

5 out of 5 stars
Reviewer: Tom
From listening to this CD release it's obvious that nobody ever told Cole Prior Stevens that he isn't from the delta. It's also fairly easy from his style to guess who his heroes and influences were. His vocals and guitar tone compliment one another well, making for a great sound. If you like great slide guitar in the Mississippi Delta style, this release is a must have for your collection.

Okay folks the moment you've all waited for... my new CD is released and is available for sampling and purchase here... read what listeners & critics are saying:

CDbaby

Go here to hear 8 of the 11 songs on the CD in their entirety:

Myspace Artist Page
Myspace Band Page

Questions? Holler...

Cole

Yeah... more new songs! Check 'em out!

Cole

Go here to hear: Willy Peter Blues

Thanks & Enjoy...

Cole

Well folks I'm working on a new acoustic/electric solo CD and I've posted some unmastered rough cuts for you to preview at: this here page

The songs will rotate as I they become somewhat finished... enjoy!

Cole

Alrighty then… let's put it on the table here…

I'm putting the universe on notice that I'm open and willing to take my musical career and ideas to the next level… whatever that is! My desire is to play my music fulltime, touring, playing festivals, clubs and a variety of venues fronting my own band. My desire is to connect with those of like mind and to be professionally represented. Playing for nearly 4 decades, I deserve to make a great living at it!

Go here to stream my music & read my bio: Cole Prior Stevens

I believe that the next logical step for me is to work with an individual(s) in an artist management/representation capacity that knows the music industry well, that has good connections and that has great networking skills. I believe there is that someone out there that can get excited and excite others about my music and ideas. I know there is someone out there that has wonderful marketings skills, grounded business sense and that is principle & ethically centered.

So far, I've done everything myself, booking, self produced, with limited success, now it's time to include others.

Sooo… if that resonates something within you, I believe it's time to have a little chat eh?

Where the heck are you? I'm ready… ready as any man can be!

Cole Prior Stevens
Cole's Officiall website
Cole's MySpace

This is an email excerpt I was sharing with another devoted blues and JLH fan. So I thought I would share with all... because you never know where your next healing experience will  come from:
 
I'm sure you would appreciate my spiritual experience of that night I opened for John Lee Hooker. I was the hometown (Bakersfield CA) boy opening for John, Coco Montoya another one of my lefthanded heroes opened after me. The concert was a sold out show in a 3,000 seat art deco era movie theatre that I grew up watching movies in all my life. In fact my dad worked there as an usher when he was in high school.

At the time, speaking of my dad, we hadn't spoken to each other in many months because of the resentment he and I still needed to attend to, which we did before he died. He never really supported my music, so he was the last person in the world I ever expected to attend this event. Right before I went on I was supposed to meet a friend out front at the box office and instead I met my dad there standing in line to pick up his ticket. We spoke briefly, but most importantly I hit the stage knowing my father was there to support me.

At the end of my show, the entire audience gave me a lovely standing ovation. This of course was a golden moment for me on many levels, but the best part was that my father was a witness to all this… to me, that meant more than anything.

By the time John Lee did his set, Coco & I were standing shoulder to shoulder in absolute amazement at the side of the stage watching John Lee do his magical healing work! He played his whole set (which was only about 6 tunes) sitting down. At the end of his show, he set his guitar down, stood up grabbed the mic and walked to the edge of the stage.

Everyone was standing by then and many folks came forward to the edge of the stage as if to receive communion from him. I was like church, everyone had their hands raised high in the air… it was electrifying! His band was grinding out a beautiful sensual groove in the background while this frigile old man touched the hands & hearts of so many devoted fans!

John Lee walked back and forth at the front of the stage raising his hand and shouting HEAL! Every so often… my skin was crawling from head to toe, I felt waves of pure energy and love pouring over me! I looked at Coco speechless, he had tears running down his cheeks.

As all this was going on, I recalled a moving interview I read years previous that John gave in a guitar magazine, he spoke about how blues is healing music. And like Muddy said too, John spoke about the responsibility of the bluesman to bring healing to their audiences, listeners & fans. In that moment, I realized the gift for me of this divine moment as a validation that my music and my role was heading the right direction.

I'll never forget the moment I shook hands with him, he never spoke to me, but just looked me in the eye knowingly and gave me an angelic smile and nod. He had the softess hands of any human I have every met. So there you go… that's my story. To my knowledge, he may have made other appearances, but no big concerts like this one in Nov of '97 since his passing in June of '98.

Go here to listen: Moj Bey


Enjoy! ~Cole

Don's Boy

we take the garbage out every Wednesday
with eggs & toast we marched to old battlefields
it was a nasty mire made from lies, hurt & fear
it sucked us down down into scary places
Where we often saved one another
but never kept score

he coughs and wheezes
and I fan smoke away from my face
I feel his labor to breathe
fifty years of cigerettes
draws him closer to his grave

we turn over all the stones
we had to... he was running
out of time... and I was
running out of reasons
any wasted effort could
finish us both off

We took turns crying
while sipping watered down coffee
we took turns being the priest
while the other played the sinner
we scrubbed each others soul clean

this was the sacred alley where
he taught me how to play the game
he told me I was his dreamer
he said I should never stop because
dreamers give hope to the world

I followed him out the door
as looked back at the lone bowler
among the empty lanes
I wondered if he ate breakfast yet
and washed his soul with his father

then a man shook my father's hand
turning to me saying...
"you must be Don's boy?"
Contently I nodded as if
I were in a dream