Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of Dan Whitaker’s song “Please Tell My Baby,” from his forthcoming album One More Story Told. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Todd Rittmann;
produced by Todd Rittmann and Dan Whitaker; with photographs by Jacob Hand and design by Gene Skala.
“Please Tell My Baby” is Dan Whitaker on vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, pedal steel, banjo, dulcimer, Misanthrope guitar, piano, and Wurlitzer piano; Earl Powers on upright bass; and Eric Niffenegger on cajon, drums, and percussion. The choice between love and freedom is a difficult one to say the least, and is something everyone among us should take seriously. Dan Whitaker tackles the dilemma of choosing freedom in hopes that love will follow with an easy musical grace and style.
This song, originally from the Great Plains Gypsies album Ride The Blinds, is kind of a fictional story from another age before modern messaging. The main character struggles with the pros and cons of marriage, and ultimately chooses his freedom over commitment. He opts to relay his feelings to his beloved via another person and regrets the parting, which he sees as ultimately unavoidable. In reality this is a common theme I explored in song for this period of my life while I faced major decisions concerning my lifelong commitment as an artist versus my ability to continue serious partner relationships. I’ve always been a fan of Stax artists like Otis Redding or Booker T & the MGs and I was probably in a phase where I was listening to this type of music when I wrote the tune. — Dan Whitaker
Order link: https://danwhitaker.bandcamp.com/album/one-more-story-told