Richard Cabesa’s Music Blog

If you desire the sound of Loretta Lynn and Tanya Tucker, and the sensual appeal of Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, then Sunny Sweeney is just what the doctor ordered.  This East Texas beauty is the newest find of Big Machine records, the same record company who’s current roster includes Jack Ingram and Taylor Swift.  Her album “Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame” is

Sweeney’s debut album for Big Machine Records.  Sweeney rocks and twangs throughout the album, sounding a lot like Heather Myles.  Sweeney doesn’t resemble anything on country radio today, but I’m betting she’ll make a breakthough.  She brings an outstanding passion to traditional country music. 

Sweeney kicks the album off with the Jim Lauderdale penned Refresh My Memory.  What a strong way to begin the album.  This song is nontradionally tradional country music if that makes sense.  With a Tanya Tucker-like sound, Sweeney sarcastically pleads to the man who has forgotten how to love her.  “Refresh my memory won’t you please.  Aren’t you the one that means the world to me?”  Sweeney follows this up with a cover of Libbi Bosworth’s East Texas Pines.  I love it when a Texas girl proudly sings about home.  Sweeney has a sound that combines Dwight Yoakam and Delbert McClinton, only she’s not a man.  Those are definitely two good artists to draw comparisons to.  Next Big Nothing is a humorous, self-depreciating song facetiously suggesting that this small town Texas girl will amount to nothing in the music world.  “No one knows my name in Tennessee.”  That’s ok Sunny, Texas is well aware of who you are.  This song reminds me of Buck Owens’ “They’re Gonna Put My In The Movies”.  This song very well could become a radio hit. 

The legendary Jim Lauderdale teams up with Sweeney in Lavender Blue, a Keith Sykes original.  Sweeney’s sound blends beautifully with Lauderdale.  The song is so 80’s sounding, yet it’s fresh and delightful to listen to.  Ten Years Pass is one of the few originals for Sweeney on the album.  The early returns suggest she should consider more of her own work for her next album.  The song talks about returning to her home town to face her past demons.  “Small town smell is creeping in, reminds of what we were back when.  Ten years pass and nothing’s changed, this Texas town is still the same.”  Exellent stuff.  Similarly, Sweeney is still coming to terms with her past and present on Here Lately.  Maybe because it follows Ten Years Pass, I’m not sure, but this one didn’t do it for me.  I think the instrumental work is better than the vocals on this song, but it’s an ok song about getting over a breakup.

Sweeney wrote the title track Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame, which provides an ironic honky tonk twist of induction to the Hall for all men who’ve ever broken a heart.  “Once you get inducted there’s no way out, even if you wanted to leave.  You’re in the Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame now baby, as tonight’s main honoree.”  Sweeney follows Heartbreaker’s up with another of her own songs, Slow Swinging Western Tunes.  It’s a decent song, but not great.  Please Be San Antone is another Jim Lauderdale tune.  It’s a snappy little song about being alone and waiting for her baby to call from San Antone.  Sweeney covers Iris DeMent’s ballad Mama’s Opry brilliantly.  I’ve always kind of liked this song about singing at home in the true “Grandest” Opry.  In a way, it may represent Sweeney’s real life - authentic, traditional, too much for mainstream radio to handle.

Sweeney’s current radio hit, If I Could was previously recorded by John Prine.  This tune has the sound of a small town Saturday night hoedown, party song.  It’s very enjoyable. The song acknowledges that we all have disappointments but it’s how and what we do to get past them that makes us. “Now if I could, then I would, make money doin’ something that I love, I’d thank my lucky stars above, If I could just get by, lovin’ you dear, Then I would just get by, makin’ love to you.”  Sweeney closes the album with a remake of Lacy J. Dalton’s early 1980’s hit 16th Avenue.  I remember this song from when I was a youngster, but it didn’t leave an impression on me, and haven’t thought about it in years.  I think this blue eyed beauty makes it better than the original and could also be a radio single.

There are very few female singers that I rave about - Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Martina McBride, Heather Myles are the few that come to mind.  Sunny Sweeney is on the fast track to join that company.  While Sweeney may be too traditional for Nashville produced country radio, she may have just what it takes to crack the national airways.  After all, she is extremely talented, but also possess the sensuality and good looks that seem to be more of a determining factor in those decisions today than they should be.  She has the talent and you can actually put her in a video.  Unfortunately, it may be her beauty that gets her there, when it should be her unbelievable talent.  She has the spunk, the drawl, the looks, and the honky tonk sound that can pull from all ranges of audiences.  Sweeney is living her dream, and with the elegance with which she sings, her East Texas sound may soon populate the country.  I’m hedging my bets on that.