Danny Epps
Encyclopedia
Danny Epps was a Columbia Records
, Crazy Cajun Records and StarPlay Records artist.
His last album, Rumors Of The Truth, was recorded in 2006 for the indie label StarPlay Records. Mickey Newbury
, writing in the liner notes for Epps' first Columbia album described him as "another Texas songwriter from the mold of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, Dennis Linde, and Gene Thomas" Danny toured with legendary performers Billy Joe Shaver
and Bobby Bare
. He wrote hundreds of songs recorded by many notable performers, including Freddy Fender
, Don Gibson
, Brenda Lee
, Dickey Lee, Johnny Lee, Roger Miller and many others. His style of music has been described as Blues, Folk and Country; at times all three.
Danny Epps served as a Marine
in Vietnam
and after discharge worked for several years with Delta Air Lines
at Houston, Texas. He left that company in 1970 for his number one love, music. He worked as a studio musician, producer, and songwriter for Crazy Cajun Music and recorded one album, Laid Back Country Picker for that company. After fronting several country bands in the late 60s in the Houston area, Danny moved to Nashville where he wrote for several publishing houses and worked as a studio musician, playing guitar and harmonica on several major albums. He recorded his first Columbia album , Danny Epps in 1972. After several years of songwriting and recording in Nashville and touring with his own band Danny gave up music for fifteen years and worked in construction around the country. He returned to Houston (and to music) in 1999. Danny recorded his last album, Rumors of the Truth, for StarPlay Records in 2005.
In a 2008 Epps retrospective for the magazine No Depression, columnist Lloyd Sachs wrote of Epps, "His plainspoken, marginally inflected vocals, reminiscent of Billy Joe Shaver
’s, have an appealing directness. ...Epps comes across as a nowhere man looking for somewhere to ease his hurts."
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, Crazy Cajun Records and StarPlay Records artist.
His last album, Rumors Of The Truth, was recorded in 2006 for the indie label StarPlay Records. Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury was an American songwriter, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
, writing in the liner notes for Epps' first Columbia album described him as "another Texas songwriter from the mold of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, Dennis Linde, and Gene Thomas" Danny toured with legendary performers Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.-Biography:...
and Bobby Bare
Bobby Bare
Robert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:...
. He wrote hundreds of songs recorded by many notable performers, including Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender , born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas, United States, was a Mexican-American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados...
, Don Gibson
Don Gibson
Donald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
, Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee
Brenda Mae Tarpley , known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis...
, Dickey Lee, Johnny Lee, Roger Miller and many others. His style of music has been described as Blues, Folk and Country; at times all three.
Danny Epps served as a Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and after discharge worked for several years with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
at Houston, Texas. He left that company in 1970 for his number one love, music. He worked as a studio musician, producer, and songwriter for Crazy Cajun Music and recorded one album, Laid Back Country Picker for that company. After fronting several country bands in the late 60s in the Houston area, Danny moved to Nashville where he wrote for several publishing houses and worked as a studio musician, playing guitar and harmonica on several major albums. He recorded his first Columbia album , Danny Epps in 1972. After several years of songwriting and recording in Nashville and touring with his own band Danny gave up music for fifteen years and worked in construction around the country. He returned to Houston (and to music) in 1999. Danny recorded his last album, Rumors of the Truth, for StarPlay Records in 2005.
In a 2008 Epps retrospective for the magazine No Depression, columnist Lloyd Sachs wrote of Epps, "His plainspoken, marginally inflected vocals, reminiscent of Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.-Biography:...
’s, have an appealing directness. ...Epps comes across as a nowhere man looking for somewhere to ease his hurts."