My Name Is Deke

Guitar slinger Deke Dickerson can pick vintage country, rockabilly, or swing like nobody's business, and he's a fine singer, shrewd judge of a good tune, and good songwriter to boot. In a better civilization, this would be the key to fame, wealth, and countless chicken dinners with beautiful women, but sadly we live in a fallen world where Dickerson's talents are embraced by only a handful of folks with properly tuned ears. If you're unaware of Dickerson's gifts, My Name Is Deke is a fine way to get yourself introduced properly; compiled by Dickerson himself, it consists of 20 songs from his three albums for the Hightone label, with one bonus track never before released in the United States added for good measure. The set is consistently fine listening, with Deke afforded plenty of opportunities to show what he can do with a fretboard, but without getting in the way of his many gifted accompanists (who include X axeman Billy Zoom and doo wop legends the Calvanes). Whether he's confounded by women, coveting fine automobiles, or simply celebrating his own monumental coolness, Deke Dickerson is one seriously underappreciated talent, and My Name Is Deke will get you up to speed on the guy with style and efficiency.