The Smokey Lonesome kicks out tunes with the twang of country and the propulsive power of rock ‘n’ roll. Their stripped-down sound is made by Dave Porter on lead and rhythm guitar and Natalie Fratino on percussively played standup bass. They both sing and drive the rhythm with the interplay forged in performing together for 16 years.
During hundreds of gigs on streets all around Southern California, The Smokey Lonesome mastered the art of grabbing an audience’s attention and having fun doing it anywhere. This has led to collecting a large supply of covers of rootsy rock ‘n’ roll and the hard country sounds of the mid to late-mid 20th century. The duo have evolved from working farmers markets, lodges, bars, and parties, to performing their original music in clubs.
Porter grew up as a rock ‘n’ roll fan but after graduating school, he took a break from L.A. and traveled to different horse racing tracks across the country. During his travels as a thoroughbred horse exercise rider, he was reintroduced to country music, particularly the honky-tonk and outlaw country that his dad frequently listened to when Dave was a child. If not the form exactly, the spirit and some sounds of this music goes into the original songs of the Smokey Lonesome. Having played accordion as a child and studied Afro-Cuban percussion styles as an adult, Fratino adds to the Smokey Lonesome other types of roots music traditions.
Five of these Smoky Lonesome tunes are freshly captured on an EP titled “Desert Run”. The songs are recorded by Kevin Jarvis at his studio, the “Sonic Boom Room“, in Venice, California. The sound is fleshed out with kit drums on one cut by Kevin Jarvis himself, and a variety of hand percussion, Wurlitzer and accordion by Fratino. There’s also fiddle, inspiringly played by Dennis Fetchet, a many decade veteran of the daily bluegrass performances at Knotts Berry Farm and Disneyland, and a member of the band of late American singer-songwriter Hoyt Axton.
The Smokey Lonesome performs to entertain people, and the audience can feel the Smokey Lonesome’s love of the Americana music they play.
“Truly original country rock. One can't even begin to guess what the influences might be. Great music!”—Ben Vaughn (American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and composer for television and film, and a syndicated radio show host.)
“I sense steps through a dry and stark landscape - Dali’s clock sliding down a hillside beneath a circling vulture and the wind blows this way and then that way- The steps are inviting and mysterious and sound like maybe the destination isn’t known, but maybe it is, there in small flowers in the brush”—Dan Janisch (Veteran California-based songwriter and performer)
“Really great stuff happening; the songs immediately brought to mind the ‘Van Lear Rose’ album by Jack White and Loretta Lynn, and ‘For Better or Worse’, John Prine’s album of duets”.- Rich Dembowski, Old Californio
The Smokey Lonesome can be contacted at:
Email: daveportergoodtimetunes@yahoo.com
Instagram: @thesmokeylonesome
Facebook: The Smokey Lonesome