Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield Release Reckless Saints
Available Now On All Outlets → https://schneidermayfield.hearnow.com
What Folks Are Saying:
“This husband and wife team runs the gamut from engaging acoustic folk to driving bluesy tunes, with hints of twang sprinkled in… The ringing impression from this offering is the seamless blending of so many forms of roots music, combined with meaningful and often insightful lyrics. It works beautifully.”
—Making A Scene, Jim Hynes
“Enlisting Blaze Foley’s old musical partner Gurf Morlix for help, Schneider and Mayfield cover Foley’s classic ‘Election Day’ with rough passion, but the beautifully rendered ‘If I Die Tomorrow’ and ‘Poison Arrow’ swoon in their arms. All who cry out for salvation from Reckless Saints might experience the same effect.”
—Elmore Magazine, Peter Lindblad
“a bluesy-folk vibe and smooth harmonies”
—The Daily Country Song Premiere: Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield “Election Day
“This duo is invariably fun and heartwarming and all their music reflects a musically celebratory cheer. ‘Jump In’ is infectious with contagious fun-loving vibes, and nimble, expert, fast-paced instrumentation. We guarantee a listen to this is just exactly what the doctor ordered, today and every day.”
—Americana Highways Video Premiere of “Jump In”
“a harmonic convergence of fine songcraft” —Tallahassee Democrat, Kati Schardl
FORT MYERS, FL — Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Roy Schneider has been touring and performing full-time with musical partner Kim Mayfield since 2008. The duo is slowly working toward a new band name, with a collection of original songs on what will become an eponymous title, Reckless Saints. Released November 2, the 11-track album features songs by both Schneider and Mayfield.
The sole cover on the album was written by the late folk-singer, Blaze Foley entitled “Election Day” and with midterm elections just four days after this album’s release, the title seemed appropriate. Their gritty version features Blaze’s close friend and co-conspirator, Gurf Morlix, on lead guitar and contributing vocals.
Morlix says of them, “Their ‘Blue Twangled Folk ‘n’ Roll’ sound rides like a V8, firing on all cylinders.”
Along with Morlix, Reckless Saints features other specials guests including some stellar harmonica by GRAMMY-winner and Country Music Hall-of-Famer, Charlie McCoy, and great bass lines from Freebo [Bonnie Raitt] on the song “Walkin’ on a Wire.” Freebo also plays bass on the energetic kickoff for the record, “Jump In,” a fast-paced “day-in-the-life” of the duo as full-time traveling musicians.
This truly is a wonderful record. It is one of the finest singer/songwriter records to come across my mastering desk in a long time!” says esteemed producer, songwriter, and engineer, Mark Hallman [Carole King, Ani DiFranco and Eliza Gilkyson]. Self-produced, Reckless Saints was mostly recorded at Schneider’s studio, Shiny Gnu Records, in Fort Myers, FL.
Roy began playing and writing songs as a seventeen year old while recovering from a horrific, year-long incarceration in 1985 at the now defunct Straight, Inc. “No freedom, no dignity and no way to contact anyone, nobody even knows where you are,” says Schneider, “I didn’t talk about my experience at Straight for 30 years, I’m ready now.” “Angels Along the Road” tells the true story of his hard-knock survival.
Elmore Magazine’s Peter Lindblad calls the song, “a dramatic tale of survival with a brisk gait and a rolling topography of twirling mandolin and acoustic guitar strum that only serves to enhance Schneider’s gripping storytelling. Steve Earle couldn’t have done it better, and like the rest of Reckless Saints, the song’s well-oiled gears of traditional instrumentation turn with the precision of a fine clock.”
The experience has influenced his songwriting in surprising ways, resulting in a generally positive outlook in his lyrics, and gratitude for those who gave him shelter or other support after his escape from the facility. He’s been honing his craft ever since, and was making his living playing music when he met Kim Mayfield in 2003. Kim brought harmony vocals, and accompaniment on rhythm guitar, mandolin, and keyboard, as well as the idea to take the music on the road.
On Reckless Saints, Mayfield takes the lead on vocals on the haunting and contemplative “If I Die Tomorrow” and her harmonies with Schneider on “Poison Arrow” tug on the listeners heartstrings. Mayfield also sings lead on the two songs that she penned: the pensive ballad “Ring Around The Moon” and “Buddha Baby,” the story of her adopted baby boy.
Other tracks on the album include the Dylan-inspired, “Subjugated Love,” which is a fun little ditty about love gone wrong, “Runaway Train,” a song that addresses the frustrations and lack of peace of mind resulting from living in a society that – were it a train – might appear to be running rapidly off the rails without a knowledgeable engineer, and “After The Storm,” written in the aftermath of hurricane Irma in September 2017, touching on the coming-together of neighbors and friends in challenging times.
Schneider and Mayfield are excited to bring Reckless Saints into the world… Jump In and hang on!
Reckless Saints Track Listing:
1. Jump In (3:00)
2. Walkin’ On A Wire (3:21)
3. If I Die Tomorrow (4:05)
4. Subjugated Love (3:27)
5. Poison Arrow (4:00)
6. Ring Around The Moon (3:27)
7. Angels Along the Road (4:47)
8. Buddha Baby (3:40)
9. Runaway Train (3:37)
10. After the Storm (3:56)
11. Election Day (3:41)
Roy Schneider – Vocals, resonator, acoustic, and electric guitars, harmonica, percussion, drums, banjo, bass
Kim Mayfield – Vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, baritone ukulele, mandolin
Freebo – Bass (1,2)
Charlie McCoy – Harmonica (2)
Keven Aland – Violin (2,3,7,10)
Dan Fidanze – Piano (4)
J. Robert Houghtaling – Violin (6,9)
Thomas Callahan – Bass (7)
Rob Pastore – Pedal steel guitar (8)
Tim Coletti – Bass (10,11)
Gurf Morlix – Vocals, electric lead guitar (11)
For more information and tour dates, please visit:
www.RecklessSaints.com, www.facebook.com/RecklessSaintsMusic, and www.twitter.com/2RecklessSaints