and recorded. But just why was Ronnie so contagiously entertaining? I really believe it's because he was always the one cat at the gig having more fun than anyone else in the joint!

Ronnie Dawson had some early success and notoriety as a Dallas, Texas, teen sensation in the late 1950s. The history of those early years is readily available elsewhere and will not be addressed here. Why? Because in reality, Ronnie's most prolific years were the last fifteen of his life. By the early 1990s Ronnie had arrived at the top of his game and would remain so until his untimely demise at the young age of 64 in 2003. He was fresh, relevant, and constantly writing, seeking and performing new material. He was in no way agolden oldies or nostalgic act resting on his laurels. The recordings published here for the first time anywhere, offer a glimpse of what is the epitome of Ronnie Dawson during what surely was the most exciting, creative and fruitful times of his life.

On April 29, 1994, Ronnie Dawson was presented with the rare opportunity and honor to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The show, entitled 'Deep In The Heart Of Texas' was a finale in a series of concerts promoted as the 'Carnegie Hall Folk Festival'. Ronnie's back up band for the evening included members of High Noon, a Rockabilly Trio from Austin, Texas, featuring Shaun Young on acoustic guitar, Sean Mencher on electric guitar and Kevin Smith on upright bass. Rounding out the group