In 1999 Huelyn Duvall got a phonecall from Jan Svennson in Sweden. Jan Svennson is better known as Wildfire Willie, and is frontman of Wildfire Willie & the Ramblers. They did a tour in 2000 through the US and wanted to meet Huelyn Duvall in Dallas, because they are great fans of Huelyn and have all his 50's records. So they met and had dinner together. Huelyn decided to go to the concert of Wildfire Willie & the Ramblers and was blown away by their real fifties sound! That night Huelyn wanted to perform again...

Later that year Huelyn and his wife made a trip to Canada where he met a young singer named Johnny Vallis. Johnny called a friend who in turn called Willie Jeffrie and Huelyn said to him that he was in the mood to perform again. Willie Jeffrie was promoter for the Hemsby Rock and Roll Weekender and he asked Huelyn to do a performance at Hemsby. Huelyn said yes, if he could pick the backup band: Wildfire Willie & the Ramblers. Willie Jeffrie agreed and Huelyn sent tapes and CD's to Jan Svennson. By the time Huelyn got to Hemsby he said: "They know the new songs better than me..!"

Since then they have made three tours in Europe and one in the US and a number of big festivals, including Viva Las Vegas, USA and Oneida, Italy for, 10.000 fans! About 50 gigs together and 5000 memories. They don't even need to rehearse, what makes it nice sometimes, Huelyn said. They have done three recording sessions with only 1950's equipment.

The recording of Huelyn's latest CD "Get Carried Away" was planned in the same city in Sweden where they recorded before. But due to a city problem, the engineer had lost the lease on the studio. So Jan Svennson moved the session to an old wooden structure where he had always wanted to record. This was in Eskilstuna in Sweden. It had the same atmosphere as the famous "Barn" in Nashville, owned by Owen Bradley, where Huelyn had two recording sessions in the fifties. Jan made the arrangements: piano and all musical instrument to the upper part of the old structure, and therefor it was called "the Loft". Jan also wanted the engineer and recording equipment in the lower part for the best sound effect. A lot of time went in equipment and electronics, and after a couple of days the sound was perfect and they could finally record this CD. Without Wildfire Willie & the Ramblers this session would have never taken place, Huelyn is very grateful to these guys and everyone involved.

Huelyn Duvall, born 18 August 1939 in Garner, Texas, did his first recording session in 1957, in "The Barn" Nashville. He still performs today!!

So let's hear it!
The opening song "Hillbilly Rock" sounds like real fifties Hillbilly with a bit Boogie Woogie influences. The next song "Get Carried Away" is written by Jan Svennson himself and is a very nice Rock 'n' Roll ballad with a steady beat. "Feel Like Rockin'" is a great Rockabilly song, you can almost hear that old wooden structure! Up to the next: "Hurtin' Inside" is a nice ballad with Johnny Cash influence. "Cradle Baby" is just a very fine Rocker to sing along. Then we get a slow country song: "Every Time I'm Kissing You". After a little rest we go on to authentic Rockabilly that's called "Start All Over Again". "What in the World" is yet a great Rockabilly song, which is followed by "No Other Baby", a beautiful ballad. "You got me Shook" sound a bit like a mix of Rockabilly, Country and Doo Wop, very nice! Okay, we go on to some straight forward Rockabilly: "All Fogged Up". "Anything That's Part Of You" is a country ballad, and then last but not least a good old sounding Rock 'n' Roll song: "If Teardrops were Pennies". This CD is well made with 13 tracks and a lot of variety in styles.

Tracklisting:
Hillbilly Rock / Get Carried Away / Feel Like Rockin'/Hurtin' Inside / Cradle Baby / Every Time I'm Kissing You / Start All Over Again / What In The World / No Other Baby/ You Got Me Shook / All Fogged Up / Anything That's Part Of You / If Teardrops Were Pennies

Line-up:
Huelyn Duvall - Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Jyrki Juvonen - Electric Guitar
Per-Erik Jonsson - Piano
Markku Juvonen - Drums
Gustav Bendt - Saxophone
Alf Östlund - Bass on Tracks 2,3,4,8,12,13
Tommy Leidström - Bass on Tracks 1,5,6,7,9,10,11
Jan Svennson - Back-Up Vocals
Magnus Sundin - Back-Up Vocals
Phil Trigwell - Back-Up Vocals

Contact information:
Goofin' Records
Hämeentie 46
0050 Helsinki
http://www.goofinrecords.com 
http://www.huelynduvall.com 

Thanks to Goofin' Records and Huelyn Duvall for the history
Reviewed by Rockin' Kees, 2008