At the time, he only performed solo acoustic and mostly did his comedy songs...even opening for Rodney Carrington. Yet, after the shows or when we were hanging out at the infamous "Compound" at River Road Icehouse, Doug would play these hauntingly beautiful straight-up honky-tonk songs like "Not Afraid to Fall" and "Prayers and Wishes" that would blow everyone away. Slowly, with the encouragement of his lovely wife Suzan and folks like Cody Canada, Doug began to dabble in his "serious" music full-time. A road-dog that has played all over the United States and Europe for a decade now, Doug somehow manages to fly under the radar. He's released several solid albums and returns with his recently released latest, Barnstormer.

This album, as with the past couple efforts from Doug, features a strong Bob Wills influence and is perfect for any Texas Music fan who enjoys a little traditional country and western in their mix. One notable difference from most music you hear these days is that there is a prominent steel guitar in the mix. Combined with Moreland's own fiddle playing, this is what your grandad's country would sound like if it was made today. This record never sounds dated. It is rather a contempoary homage to western Swing/country music, much like Asleep at the Wheel. Doug's sly and able voice wraps itself around self-penned lyrics detailing vast west Texas landscapes ("Windmill") and desires to return to country music's glory years ("Play Me Back in Time"). "Fly On" finds Moreland trading vocal melody licks with Dan Johnson's steel guitar to great effect. Doug's always been a noted entertainer and that energy comes through in this throwback collection of honky-tonk jams. This is an album that never takes it self too seriously, but in a good and refreshing way. Doug Moreland clearly gives notice that when Ray Benson is ready to hang up his cowboy hat, there is a successor already in our midst.