Personnel include: Bobby Pinson (vocals, acoustic guitar); Billy Panda (acoustic guitar, mandocello, mandolin); David Grissom, Troy Lancaster (electric guitar); Russ Pahl (steel guitar, dobro); Glenn Duncan (fiddle); John Catchings (cello); Mike Rojas (keyboards); Mark Hill (bass instrument); Brian Pruitt (drums, percussion); Eric Darken (percussion); Bart Busch (background vocals).
Recording information: The Sound Kitchen, Franklin, Tennessee.
He may sport a cowboy hat on the cover of MAN LIKE ME and bear his share of twang in his sound, but Bobby Pinson is clearly a rocker at heart. MAN LIKE ME runs on thick layers of distorted guitars and Pinson's own rough-hewn vocals. While the anthemic feel of some of the tunes might connect with contemporary country fans, Pinson's approach is a blend of ragged-but-right, Steve Earle-influenced country rock and the "heartland rock" sound of John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Bryan Adams, et al. While the Nashville-based performer is full of passion on the detailed narratives of "I Thought That's Who I Was" and "I'm Fine Either Way," such tracks as "Started a Band" show that he's got a well developed sense of humor about himself. Closing the album with a poignant solo acoustic rendering of a spiritual tune, Pinson reveals the sensitivity lurking beneath his brashness and vigor, fleshing out the emotional landscape of MAN LIKE ME.
