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download my songs!

itunes
rhapsody
emusic
napster
sony connect

and from what i'm told a number of other places

or you can buy the print copy of the 12-song album "you will never know what hit you"....


1. I Will Always Love You
2. Suburban Pipedream
3. Wish
4. Honky Tonk Angel
5. Another Song
6. I Can't Make You Happy
7. House Out By The Lake
8. The Basement
9. Roller Derby Queen
10. Redneck Woman
11. I'm In Love With Your Mother
12. Just Another Tuesday
13. Suburban Pipedream - DANCE REMIX

... by clicking here:

"you wouldn't be the first" at opening bell coffee in january 2008.

"the night before the war" at opening bell coffee in january 2008.

here is a version of god made chicken, re-written for a chick-fil-a fan contest. daughter phoebe is the star of this one. video production by el mol.

here is a 1-minute snippet of me singing "god made chicken" at a church picnic in east dallas, texas in spring 2007. (props to wilmar for the video)

singing "god made chicken" with full band at Pursuant jam session in summer 2007. big ups to gary on bass, ross on lead, and the dude who played drums. (video by placematt)

So there's this face. This haggard, beat-down, I've-had-too-much-to-drink face. This is not the face of any casual drunken bum you might find in the dark, criss-crossing alleys of downtown Dallas. This is not the face of the lonely, unshaven, suburbanite republican husband who has finally woken up to the fact that his life is in shambles. No, this is the face of East Dallas Alt-Country Legend Ronnie Fauss.

His third and most recent album, You Will Never Know What Hit You, is like screwing the top off of his skull and feeding off the sardonically depraved mind pulsing with life inside. With nods to old time country, modern day roots rock, and solo acoustic ballads, the stories are set to a classic Americana background. Ronnie's second album, Texicana, forged ahead into a brave new world of sadistically soulful lyrics and haunting harmonies (a tradition he continues with the third release), while moving in a sonic tradition of Jerry Jeff Walker’s brand of Texas Country & Western. Almost gone are the directly folky, philosophical glances at love lost and love found that were so prevalent on Better for the Wear, Fauss’ debut album, which is now out of print.

Instead, in his most recent two albums, we see a consortium of mentally-challenged love stories and humorous glances into the mirror of life itself. One of the best features of Fauss' albums is that they don't take themselves too seriously. And while his offbeat take on the world around him may lead you to think that comedic hyperbole is the main course here, deep in our hearts we know songs such as Texicana's lead track "Sally and Roy" or YWNKWHY's "Roller Derby Queen" are probably more common than the fluff Hollywood throws at us once a week. It hurts to hear it, but it’s good to laugh.

Ultimately, this quality makes not only the best songs, but the best stories as well. Ronnie delivers...with a side-order of deep-south parody. But this relative newcomer continues to weave the magical threads of hard-core truth and borderline insanity throughout the fabric of his CDs with the ease and grace of a savvy veteran.

Ronnie continues to build confidence in his voice. He's not afraid to let loose anymore - "if the song invokes passion, then passion is what you should get" appears to be the motto. And he'll be damned if he lets a high octave note or an untuned guitar or a crack in his voice slow him down. Truth be told, that's exactly what we all want from his songs. Some part of reality that isn't cluttered with the litter of a Las Vegas Celine Dion performance, but rather the everyman stoking up the flames of comedy and melodrama inside the smoky confines of your neighborhood bar.

YWNKNWY dives fresh into a world of instability with the lead track "I Will Always Love You." Following is the fan-favorite "Suburban Pipedream", and one begins to wonder if you will listen to the entire album with a bit of a smirk on your face. "Wish" begins the true heart of the album, however, and it closes with "The Basement." This is where you are carried away. This is where you close your eyes. This is where work seems far away and the seldom used ranch-house is only a five-minute drive.

Ronnie Fauss continues to put out solid music. But don't take my word for it. Scan the venues in East Dallas each week and see if you can find a rare but special performance from this talented artist. As with any good songwriter, listening with headphones is never better than listening live with a brew in hand.

Pedro Able
Waco, Texas
November, 2007