The kids involved
Along with McLagan’s keyboards, McMurtry brought a few other guests into the studio. He brought in pat mAcdonald, formerly of Timbuk 3, to add his harmonica to the mix. Jon Dee Graham, who usually shares the Wednesday night Continental Club gig with McMurtry when both are in Austin, adds soaring guitar lines to “Fireline Road”—a story of the twin horrors of incest and meth addiction. 
McMurtry’s teenage son, Curtis McMurtry (who, his father notes, now has a couple of bands of his own) lays down the honkin’ baritone sax on crunchy rocker, “Bayou Tortous.”
Swamp-rock ace C.C. Adcock also adds some blistering six-string to opener “Bayou Tortous.” McMurtry, who’s been producing his own albums in recent years, points to Adcock as a talent he thinks of tapping to helm his next album as producer.
“I am kind of tired of [producing],” said McMurtry. “I think I’ve done a pretty good job of it, but I think I need to go back to school on that now. I have kind of used up all my tricks. It’s good to work with different people because everybody brings something new to the table. All the producers I work with gave me some tools I still use.”

Election highway
But in the meantime, there is an album to sell, and shows to play to help get that done. The first step to getting listeners on board is the release of the single “Cheney’s Toy” as a free download (see http://www.JamesMcMurtry.com for more). Lightening Rod Records is holding a contest for the best homemade video related to the song. The band also played a number of SXSW showcases in March as well, and then in April embarks on an Eastern U.S. tour. Parts West are likely on tap later this year, with talk of a possible overseas leg in the near-future. 
But then, McMurtry is not the only colorful character hitting the highway to sell his vision of America in the coming months. Perhaps Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain will cross paths with a certain vanful of shaggy Bastards out on the lonely highway between gigs—political and otherwise.  Weirder shit has been known to happen out there in an election year. 
As to whom McMurtry would like to see go all the way come time to cast the ballot, he said, “I intend to vote for a Democrat. McCain lost me with the ‘Bomb, bomb Iran’ gaffe.”

Author: Linda East Brady