Released: March, 1974
Billboard Chart Peak: # 37
Weeks Charted: 28

1. A NEW LIFE                                                 5. ANOTHER CRUEL LOVE
2. SOUTHERN WOMAN                                6. YOU AIN'T FOOLIN' ME
3. BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN SKY               7. 24 HOURS AT A TIME
4. TOO STUBBORN                                        8. FLY EAGLE FLY

    As with the first release, all songs from "A New Life" were written by Toy Caldwell.  If anyone had any doubt he was not the real deal then this collection should have dispelled any such notion.  The album begins with "A New Life" - a meandering, mournful tune about an ex-con returning home.  It begins in understated fashions and builds to a hopeful climax.  It's followed by "Southern Woman", a slow, lustful number makes me think of Daisy from Hee Haw.... hm, hm, hm!  What more to say... except "I wish!" 

    "Blue Ridge Mountain Sky" has long been a fan favorite.  It's up tempo and infectious.  It includes all that is best about MTB, soulful singing from Doug Gray, empowering lead guitar from Toy and enthralling sax work from Jerry Eubanks - all held together by their rhythm section of Tommy Caldwell on bass, Paul Riddle on drums and George McCorkle on rhythm guitar.  The song reflects back on an old man and the object of his desires - his beautiful mountains, hunting and his faithful companion - man's best friend.

    A slow, bluesy song in the country mold follows.  "Too Stubborn" is a tale of woman's heard-headed ways and her man's inability (imagine that!) to change her..  This song was covered by Kitty Wells, who was on Capricorn Records at the time, on her 1974 release "Forever Young" (Toy did a guest appearance, playing steel).  Toy was a multi-talented songwriter and this song underscores that.  He could write hard core country, blues or flat out rock and roll tunes.  The song makes me thing of a hot sweltering day down on the Mississippi.

    "Another Cruel Love" changes the musical direction entirely, though lyrically it could be the sequel to "Too Stubborn."  It kicks off with an incredible brass section going 90 miles an hour - and the song never slows down.  "You Ain't Foolin' Me" is similar musically and lyrically and just as fun.  Both are incredible cuts... but that's redundant when it comes to MTB, huh???

    Next up is "24 Hours at a Time".  Though many fans know the bands music thanks to "Can't You See" or "Heard It In a Love Song" fame, for most Tuckerheads this is the definitive MTB song.  The original album version is slower than the live version we have all come to know and lacks the extended solos, but I think this could have made a great country hit.

    The record closes with "Fly Eagle Fly" - an ode to the battle of nature against man.  Toy had a keen awareness of many things and ecology was one of them.  While the song points out the battles Mother Nature is losing, it leaves us with hope that the issues can be resolved. 

    "A New Life" is a highly underrated album but it is incredible from beginning to end... and gave us promise of all the great things that lay ahead for MTB.

    In November of 2003, "A New Life" was remastered.  The result is unblieveable - the CD sounds like it was recorded yesterday and you were there in the studio to hear it!  A live bonus track, Another Cruel Love, was added.  

                                                                          - Craig Cumberland

To Read Rolling Stone's Original Review, click here!

Guest Musicians
Charlie Daniels: Fiddle, Violin
Earl Ford: Horn
Paul Hornsby: Keyboards
Oscar Jackson: Horn
Jaimoe: Conga
Jaimoe Jai Johanny: Conductor
Todd Logan: Horn
Harold Williams: Horn

Production Credits
Paul Hornsby: Producer

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