Man From Out Of State

country heroes Cary Hudson, Slobberbone, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Marah, The Yayhoos, Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash, I See Hawks In LA and Lucero; garage rock kings Reigning Sound, and his longtime compadre (and one time employer) Ben Vaughn. His date book is even that much more filled with release of his new album entitled Man From Out Of State.

Man From Out Of State (Fantastic Yes Records) was recorded both in Memphis, TN. at Easley McCain Studios (White Stripes, Wilco, Townes Van Zandt) and at the studio of Ben Vaughn (That 70's Show, Third Rock From The Sun, Ween, Arlo) in Venice, California. The album is a chamber-folk travelogue across the miles, the mind, and the heart. Man From Out of State contains a song cycle that spans a ten year period, an album of restless hunger for what's next and a somber look at what's been left behind. Montgomery mixes accordion, violin, and viola with acoustic bass and steel guitar to chronicle ten years, three thousand miles, and almost as many sleepless nights. Musicians on Man From Out Of State include Amy Farris (Dave Alvin, Alejandro Escovedo), Gus Cordovox (Ben Vaughn Combo), John McDuffie (Rita Coolidge, I See Hawks in LA)as well as Neil Arot and Ben Vaughn. It was mixed by Ben Vaughn and mastered by Mark Linett (Brian Wilson, Dave Alvin).

Born in Philadelphia and raised in New Jersey, Montgomery was known there as the man behind the scenes with The Ben Vaughn Combo. As road manager/sound man and occasional bass singer on The Combo's doo-wop numbers, Dan looks back at those years on the road as "the puberty I never really had!" On his own, Dan has played in such Philly bands as The Crackers, The Fumblers, Drugs Before Breakfast, and Del Pez who, in March 2000, released Hope I Had A Good Time (King of Rock Records). In addition to being a musician, Dan Montgomery has been a meat cutter, teamster, garbage man, dishwasher, mental health worker, and held many other jobs that no right thinking person would claim!With the new album's release, Montgomery is gigging. Always an engaging performer and spinner of yarns true and sometimes less so, Montgomery plays constantly. "It's about the connection," he says, "and you need to be out there if you expect to connect! That's the job." As noted music journalist Andria Lisle (Mojo, Oxford American, Memphis Flyer) put it: Montgomery claims his job is "just to entertain", but with his subtle musicianship and flair for storytelling, he's clearly raised the bar for performers.