With today’s single release, “It Could Have Been Me” [feat. Michael Cleveland & Smokin’ Brett Resnick], California-based Country Music vocalist DEAN M. COLLINS pays tribute to a past relationship. Bluegrass fiddle virtuoso Michael Cleveland again joins him as a guest on this slightly melancholy song, along with award-winning pedal steel guitar specialist Smokin’ Brett Resnick. DEAN M. COLLINS also weaves a dense, constant web of memories and impressions in this single, in which he lets the listener participate. The accompanying music video features his charming goddaughter Isabella Pappas, leading actress in the Disney series ‘The Villains Of Valley View’. She brings the lines of the lyrics to life in front of a beach landscape. Once again, DEAN M. COLLINS sparks interest in his upcoming album “Land Where The Wishes Come True”, featuring an exciting and entertaining blend of Country Music, Americana and Bluegrass and a retrospective of his eventful life as a Kentucky farmer’s son, Delta Air Lines captain and former U.S. Navy pilot, as well as a family man and musician. On the Country Music masterpiece, due out June 16, 2023, via Dr. Music Records, he is supported by renowned guest musicians who altogether have received more than 60 Grammy Awards. “It Could Have Been Me” [feat. Michael Cleveland & Smokin’ Brett Resnick] is a thinking man’s drinking song with an unexpected twist at the end dedicated to a past relationship with a whiskey-tinged hint of sadness. Not every relationship is meant to last forever, and sometimes, one party knows before the other. And even though the end of a relationship is for the best, that doesn’t mean it can’t still hurt years later, in the candlelit glow of a cozy bar where the alcohol brings those lost moments back to life. These thoughts come to life in the music video, produced in collaboration with Arroyo Filmworks, thanks to the atmospheric performance of Isabella Pappas in a vintage look: youtu.be/DUlbilsDQfA
On the album “Land Where The Wishes Come True”, Kenny Aronoff’s (e.g. Johnny Cash, John Mellencamp, Lady Gaga) dynamic drumming provides the foundation along with bassist James LoMenzo (e.g. White Lion, Black Label Society, Megadeth), while Smokin’ Brett Resnick (e.g. Kacey Musgraves, Brookes & Dunn) gives the songs his own accents with the pedal steel guitar. The same applies to Justin Moses’ (e.g. Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton) harmonic dobro, mandolin and banjo playing, as well as Michael Cleveland’s (e.g. Béla Fleck, Flamekeeper, Alison Kraus) filigree playing of the bluegrass fiddle and Jimmy Zavala’s (e.g. Eurythmics, Bon Jovi, Tom Petty, Jeff Beck) brilliant harmonica playing. Through this project’s broad experience and musical class, the album unfolds a detailed sound cosmos of Country Music, Americana and Bluegrass, which also features Pop accents and references to musical greats such as R.E.M. and Paul McCartney. Recorded by Dave Jenkins and Ralph Cacciurri (e.g. Glenn Frey, Coldplay, Ludacris) at Uncommon Studios LA and Parhelion Studios, several of the 13 songs were mixed and produced with DEAN M. COLLINS’ longtime friend and musical companion Thom Russo (e.g. Michael Jackson, Johnny Cash, Macy Gray) in Los Angeles, whose skillful production brought together the manifold inspirations and influences. Gavin Lurssen, who has already refined albums by the Foo Fighters, Robert Plant or the Game Of Thrones soundtrack, is responsible for the mastering. Together with DEAN M. COLLINS’ vocals, they all provide a clear and inviting sound that turns the album, digitally penned by Richard Touzimsky, with meaningful lyrics into an extraordinary Country Music masterpiece. Often, DEAN M. COLLINS’ memories lead back to his birthplace of Bardstown, Kentucky, where his family once sold their distillery to James and Joseph Beam and where, as the son of a farmer, he experienced hard and debilitating moments but also great solidarity. “Land Where The Wishes Come True” expresses the solid connections and friendships the musician has made throughout his varied life. These are precisely the bonds he deals with on his album with great sensitivity and acumen, whether between lovers, parents and their children, or the cohesion among farm workers. DEAN M. COLLINS’ new songs invite on a journey of past loves, missed opportunities, precious bonds and experiences, all gathered along his life’s path. Thereby, an incomparable squad of world-class musicians recorded the beautifully scored, earthy Americana and Country Music songs. “Land Where The Wishes Come True” is an idealized America for DEAN M. COLLINS, where dreams become tangible, and deprivation and respect come first.
Those who want now to discover more about DEAN M. COLLINS and the multifaceted backstory of his songs are encouraged to check out www.dr-music-promotion.de, the Pasadena-based musical pilot’s website at www.deanmcollins.com and his social media profiles on www.facebook.com/deanmcollinsmusic
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