Tucson, 2011

James Corbin hails from Asheville, NC and used to front a Southeast favorite Dirt Poor Authority. DPA released two albums under the Hero Recording Company label before the band split in 1999. However, he continued to write and recorded a solo album "Dichotomy" in 2002. He took some time off to finish college and shortly after graduation, James joined the Army and is currently on active duty and has three Iraq tours under his belt. The last one was the impetus behind his latest record, "From Baghdad to Bisbee" which feels like a diary about separation, war, loneliness, and stings with the political satire of great folk giants of old.

Recording In Bisbee, 2008

In August 2007, songwriter and Soldier James Corbin made the journey from Tacoma, Washington to meet with friend and producer Stuart Oliver in the idiosyncratic western town of Bisbee, Arizona. Arriving with only a guitar and a collection of songs written during two of his three tours of Iraq, Corbin had few expectations other than reuniting with an old friend and making some music together again. What began with the desire to record the songs for family and posterity became the foundation of a powerful record that offered a rare poetic glimpse into the experience of one of the one percent that sacrifice so much to protect their fellow citizens.

“From Baghdad To Bisbee” runs the emotional gamet, with fourteen southern spun songs “...written out of love, loss, anger, guilt, and out of a need to just laugh.” “Hey America” is a no-nonsense plea to American citizens, posing questions of commitment, accountability and remembrance. “Kenny” is an emotionally evocative memorial to an 18 year old soldier who lost his life in combat. “The Fightin' 9th” details the history of 9^th Infantry Regiment, a unit Corbin went to war with twice . “Better By Far,” “These Arms,” and “Flesh, Blood, and Bone” are songs of longing that speak about home and love in a way that long range truckers, prisoners, and deployed Soldiers assuredly understand. In the vein of folk greats like Todd Snider and John Prine, Corbin brilliantly weaves satirical and humorous songs such as “Z-71”, a tune about a redneck love triangle between a man, his wife, and his beloved pickup truck and follows that up with a back and forth argument song that hilariously details the true distinctions between a man and wife in “You Sure Don't Want Me.”

Corbin, who has released one solo album prior to this called “Dichotomy” in 2002 and “The Awakening of Everyman Jones” with Southeast jam band Dirt Poor Authority in 1999. Corbin wrote all of the songs on “From Baghdad to Bisbee” except “Tradewinds Of Deceit”, penned by his brother Matt Corbin. Multi-instrumentalist Oliver, producer of Tucson, AZ acts Silver Thread Trio, Dusty Buskers and founder of Old Bisbee Records, performs the supporting instruments and mixed the record. Contributing musicians on “The Fightin' 9th” are Ryan Janac, drums, and Barbara Freishlad, tympani.

Releases

"From Baghdad To Bisbee" (2011)

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