By Charlie McGroarty
It is safe to say that there are many people who don't care too much about the Kincasslagh Kid.
Maybe it’s because initially when Daniel appeared on the scene he appealed to the Granny and Granddad market.
The younger ladies loved this clean-cut, single guy who didn't so much kiss the blarney stone as swallow it.
Well time has progressed for this amiable Irishman, he’s not single anymore (I bet a few women shed tears when they heard that news).
He left his record company and had a go at the serious side of country music. He has even been known to write his own songs!
His live shows are always well attended wherever he goes, but its safe to say that his recent record sales have not exactly set the heather on fire or should that be a Shamrock.
However he has tapped into a vein of songs that will surely see him back in the album charts.
His last CD Forever in Blue Jeans, he revisited a collection of songs that he has done in concert.
These were songs dating back to the 50s and 60s including classics as Blueberry Hill, Halfway to Paradise and many more.
Now due to the success of that album, hes back with an album of songs in the same category as before and if I'm being honest far better than the first one.
There are such gems from the 50s as Oh Boy, All Shook Up, leading through to Daydream Believer by the Monkees of course.
You will also hear Daniel’s version of the classic 1971, Is This the Way to Amarillo now made famous again by Paddy and Max the drivers in the Phoenix Nights comedy series.
The biggest surprise on the album is his live version of a song that was last recorded by Chubby Brown!!!!!!!!
Yes you read it correctly.......the last track on this new album is a live rendition of Living Next Door to Alice.
However Daniel does ask the crowd to behave themselves when it comes to the chorus, which they do.
If you want to find out what they do chant back to him at the appropriate moment, well I’m not going to tell you, that you need to find out for yourself
Now its time for me to admit, I am a Daniel O’Donnell fan both of the man and his stage shows.
See I said it and yes I do feel better for it. However in my opinion he has been known to release uninspiring albums in the past (Live Laugh and Love for example).
However, this new CD hopefully will show that The Jukebox Years will be the start of the fun years for Daniel in a recording sense.
There is a vast reservoir of songs for him to dive into and the sleeve notes suggest that were will be Jukebox Years concerts organised as a follow on to these CDS.
If that is the case then you can look for me to be there also...so if there are any single female Daniel fans looking for someone to dance with...give me a shout!!!!!!!!!!!!
Having met the guy, I feel that he's honest and hardworking and who deserves success – and to my mind he has it here.
So make sure you are part of the Jukebox Years
