Steve Hofmeyr’s country tribute, IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND, is this versatile artist’s 28th album release. It’s not the first time that one of South Africa’s popular sons pays tribute to country greats; in 2008 he released the album HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT comprising the songs of Kris Kristofferson.
Over a career that spans more than 25 years, Steve’s creativity knows no bounds and he is well known for his songwriting, local and international music performances, local film roles (among others Platteland, Pretville and Treurgrond), his acclaimed books and his strong social commentary on many forums.
With the release of IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND, Steve renews himself again as a singer and after seven years he returns to one of the most popular music mediums in the world: country.
The acclaimed Juan “Floors” Oosthuizen, who won a kykNET Ghoema award in 2015 as Best Producer, recorded and produced IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND.
This album comprises 15 of the most beautiful country songs, including a magnificent and moving adaptation of the song Teach Your Children, which Steve recorded with the popular Coleske brothers, Ewald and Arnold.
Hits fans can look forward to are Steve’s versions of The Eagles’ Heartache Tonight, The Gambler (popularised by Kenny Rogers), Creedence Clearwater Revival’s hit Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Steve Perry’s Oh Sherrie, Joe South’s Games People Play, Photograph by Ringo Starr, Hey Mr. Dream-Maker by Cliff Richard, The Bellamy Brothers’ If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body, If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lightfoot, Dobie Gray’s Drift Away, Gypsy Woman by Don Williams, To Make You Feel My Life by Bob Dylan (and later Garth Brooks), Glenn Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy (also a hit for Dolly Parton) and Cry To Me by The Staccatos.
In his own words, Steve excitedly raves about a project clearly close to his heart: “They haunt you, these damn songs. They won’t let you go until you try ’em on for size. We subtly countrified even those that weren’t supposed to be country songs. Ever. Bob Dylan, Steve Perry and Cliff Richard will be asking how they made it on a country album at all. Well, we did it. No one is beyond the charm of country and very few is left untouched by its most sentimental of instincts. In the studio, Juan, Paolo and I smiled at each other through the thick recording-booth glass, shaking our heads in adulation as we rediscovered these old gems, such as Kenny Rogers’ fatherly fables, Dobie Gray’s big soul, The Eagles’ soothing harmonies, Glen Campbell’s classic touch and Gordon Lightfoot’s finely-tuned and tumbling verse. No need to reinvent the wheel here. These regal ladies and gents lay the groundwork when we were still saving up for cheap, second-hand guitars and low-brimmed stetsons. Ours is the dazzling reward of sitting back and taking it all in. Again. And again.” – Steve Hofmeyr
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND is available on 6 November 2015 on iTunes and in music shops countrywide and is distributed by Universal Music SA.
Social Media platforms:
Facebook: /steve.hofmeyr
Twitter: @steve_hofmeyr
Website: http://stevehofmeyr.co.za
YouTube: /SteveHofmeyrTV
Steve Hofmeyr se huldeblyk in country-musiek, IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND, is hierdie veelsydige kunstenaar se 28ste album-uitreiking. Dis nie die eerste keer dat Steve hulde bring aan country-legendes nie; in 2008 het hy die album HELP ME THROUGH THE NIGHT, wat uit Kris Kristoffersen se liedjies bestaan, uitgereik.
Tydens ‘n loopbaan wat meer as 25 jaar strek, ken Steve se kreatiwiteit geen perke nie; ook vir sy kwaliteit en kwantiteit by liedjieskryf, by plaaslike en internasionale musiekoptredes, in filmrolle (onder meer Platteland, Pretville en Treurgrond), in sy bekroonde boeke en by sy sterk sosiale kommentaar op vele forums.
Met die uitreiking van IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND, vernuwe Steve homself weer as sanger en na sewe jaar keer hy terug na een van die gewildste musiekmediums ter wêreld, asook sy eerste liefde: country.
Hierdie album bestaan uit 15 van die mooiste country-liedjies en bevat ook ‘n pragtige en roerende verwerking van die liedjie Teach Your Children wat Steve saam met die gewilde Coleske-broers, Ewald en Arnold, opgeneem het.
Treffers waarna aanhangers kan uitsien, is Steve se weergawes van The Eagles se Heartache Tonight, The Gambler (bekend gemaak deur Kenny Rogers), Creedence Clearwater Revival se treffer Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Steve Perry se Oh Sherrie, Joe South se Games People Play, Photograph deur Ringo Starr, Hey Mr. Dream-Maker deur Cliff Richard, The Bellamy Brothers se If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body, If You Could Read My Mind deur Gordon Lightfoot, Dobie Gray se Drift Away, Gypsy Woman deur Don Williams, To Make You Feel My Life deur Bob Dylan (en later Garth Brooks), Glenn Campbell se Rhinestone Cowboy (ook ‘n groot treffer vir Dolly Parton) en Cry To Me deur The Staccatos.
Die bekroonde Juan “Floors” Oosthuizen, wat in 2015 ‘n kykNET Ghoema-toekenning vir Beste Vervaardiger gewen het, het IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND opgeneem en vervaardig.
In sy eie woorde, is Steve opgewonde oor ‘n projek wat duidelik na aan sy hart lê: “Hierdie liedjies spook by ‘n mens. Hulle laat jou nie sommer gaan. Ook die liedjies wat nie veronderstel was om ooit country te wees nie, het ons subtiel aangepas sodat hulle wel soos dié genre klink. Bob Dylan, Steve Perry en Cliff Richard sal waarskynlik vra hoe hul dit enigsins gemaak het op ‘n country-album. Wel, ons het. Niemand kan die sjarme van country weerstaan nie en baie min mense bly onaangeraak deur country se houvas op ons mees sentimentele instinkte. In die ateljee, het ek, Juan en Paolo deur die dik glas van die opname-stalletjie uit bewondering ons koppe geskud en vir mekaar geglimlag terwyl ons hierdie ou ‘juwele’ weer ontdek het: Kenny Rogers se vaderlike fabels, Dobie Gray se groot siel, The Eagles se strelende harmonieë, Glen Campbell se klassieke aanslag, en Gordon Lightfoot se fyn-ingestelde en tuimelende verse. Ons het nie nodig gehad om weer die wiel te ontdek nie. Hierdie koninklike dames en here het die fondamente gelê terwyl ons nog besig was om te spaar vir goedkoop, tweedehandse kitare en laagrand stetsons. Ons weergawe is die skitterende beloning van rustig terug te sit en dit alles in te neem. Weer. En weer.” – Steve Hofmeyr
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND is vanaf 6 November 2015 op iTunes en landswyd in musiekwinkels beskikbaar en word deur Universal Music SA versprei.
