Reviews of Releases by the Michael Stanton Orchestra
The following review appeared in Musik Magazin in July 2021, translated here into English.
Countless times when you've heard the songs, you've heard his recordings. On TV, on the radio ... in all kinds of public spaces, but you probably don't know the name of the man behind the music: Michael Stanton. Here are well-known songs that span the classic eras of pop and country music. And now Spare Time Records presents Michael's instrumental interpretation of these jewels - songs made famous by the Beatles, Patsy Cline and Garth Brooks, for example.
The following review by Michael Haifl appeared in Streetclip in June 2021, translated here into English.
Michael Stanton's album ´One Steel Guitar And So Much More´ is a real “Greatest Hits” work in the truest sense of the word. The musician sat down at the pedal steel and with the help of a small orchestra – so to speak a string ensemble – set 14 songs from pop and rock history to music.
His settings of the classics are shown on television and radio, in shops and as background music in public places. Everyone knows Neil Diamond's ´I’m a Believer ’, perhaps subconsciously in the instrumental one by Michael Stanton. Everyone knows ´Lady Madonna´ from the BEATLES and ´King of The Road´ from Roger Miller, maybe even unconsciously in Michael Stanton's version. These have a celebratory and heavenly atmosphere, as is also offered here in ´Faded Love´, ´Crazy´, ´Let It Be Me´, ´I Never Knew Lonely´ or ´Mary Did You Know´.
Maybe Christmas is still too far away in our minds, but a CD from the MICHAEL STANTON ORCHESTRA would be high on the wish list as a gift.
The following review appeared in Pro magazine, translated here into English.
This disc is perfect for splashing in the background on mild summer evenings. But pedal steel ace Michael Stanton knows how to make people sit up and take notice again and again with his interpretation of pop and country classics: “Lady Madonna”, “I'm a Believer”, “King of the Road”, “Mary Did You Know”, “Let It Be Me”, “End of the World” or “Wild Side of Life”. It is very tastefully orchestrated and listening to it has its charm – and anyone who has been to the USA has certainly heard Stanton through the loudspeakers in public spaces. Very American, but not covered with schmaltz, but arranged and played with sense and understanding. And here the pedal steel guitar — in addition to a wonderful organ — gets the appropriate appreciation.
The following review is by Patrick Van de Wiele.
At the age of seven, the American Michael Stanton was already a child prodigy on the “pedal steel” guitar. Nine years later, he was already playing in Las Vegas with an orchestra, and a few years later he moved to Nashville, and toured with Bobby Goldsboro. That's how he ended up on TV, where he played with many country stars. During the 1980s, he even became a bandleader for several artists.
In the next decade, Michael began composing and arranging for TV himself. He scored several shows for CBS, and later expanded into film and theater. Over the years he has built up a considerable catalog of songs. His love of big bands, such as those of Nelson Riddle and Quincy Jones, made him link that “pedal steel” guitar on this CD to a large orchestra.
Fourteen tracks are on this, and almost all of them are well-known pop & country songs. "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees opens, followed by "Sweet Dreams" by Patsy Cline. From 1967 comes 'Windy', at the time a hit by The Association, followed by Skeeter Davis's 'End of the World', also from the sixties. You will of course know 'Lady Madonna' from The Fab Four, followed by the Western swing song 'Faded Love'. Patsy Cline put her stamp on the song "Crazy" many years ago, and this is also a nice version of it. 'Wild Side of Life' goes back to Hank Thomspon in 1952, while the beautiful ballad 'Let It Be Me' is actually an English adaptation of the French chanson 'Je t'appartiens' by Gilbert Bécaud. Santo & Johnny Farina (never heard of them) recorded the instrumental track 'Sleep Walk', which I do know in the version by The Shadows, which is the next track. American country star Vince Gill is responsible for the song 'I Never Knew Lonely', followed by Roger Miller's 1965 'King of the Road'. And country star Garth Brooks brought us 'The Dance'. Michael closes with the Christmas song 'Mary Did You Know'.
A calm and beautiful CD by this “unknown” Michael Stanton. And a must if you like “pedal steel guitar”!