The Traveling Photographer
aka "Whiskers and Whiskey"
♪
If a songwriter lives long enough, he or she might wind up with multiple renditions of the same song...
♫
1
🦅 Eagles-Inspired Studio Recording
The Original Eagles Sound
🎵 The Trading Musicians
Mikey Canon - Drums
(Traded music school photography)
Cliff Hugo - Bass
(Traded live show assistance)
Dave Aguilar - Slide & Electric Guitar, Vocal Arrangements
(Traded sound gear setup)
Greg had joked with Dave that he didn't have any songs that sounded like the Eagles - a band they all loved. Dave arranged the background vocals with the Eagles in mind and mixed the recording in his studio.
Here's your Eagles song.
- Dave Aguilar, upon delivering the final mix
2
⚔️ Civil War Era Recording
Living Room Sessions & Historical Discovery
🏠 The Home Recording Crew
Rod Leeburg - Drums (Live)
Mary Sue - Keyboard (Greg's wife)
Greg Rank - Banjo & Bass (added in post)
🔍 The Historical Connection
While researching 1865 for a short story about Pierre and Emma Columbus for "Highway 152," Greg discovered President Grant's second term scandal. Grant appointed cronies who used their positions to fleece taxpayer money in what became known as "The Whiskey Scandal."
Sound familiar? This version now fit perfectly with a Civil War theme and was used in the video short "The Slave Across the River" - a true story from Shelby Foote's "The Beleaguered City" about the Battle of Vicksburg.
3
🎸 Solo Acoustic Performance
Just Me and the Guitar
🎤 The Solo Artist (Search: The Traveling Photographer)
Greg Rank - Acoustic Guitar & Vocals
Released so anyone hiring Greg for live gigs could hear how the song sounded when performed solo. This stripped-down version has been performed at several live shows, proving that great songs work in any arrangement.
Sometimes the most powerful version of a song is the simplest - just the songwriter, the guitar, and the story that started it all.