Just a note here to mention that I’ve (finally!) added some new promotional photography to the “press kits, photos and posters page of the website.  Many thanks to Emily Griffith for taking these photos on a recent tour stop in Minnesota.

Earlier this year, while I was touring right after the release of The Conjurer, I visited the studios of KUT in Austin and performed a couple of songs from the album. Here are the in-studio, solo acoustic recordings of “Enough” and “I’m Gonna Give it Away.”

01 Enough – Live on KUT by cohesionarts

02 I’m Gonna Give It Away – Live on KUT by cohesionarts

…or iPad or iPhone or iGizmo?  Then download the latest edition of the Freight Train Boogie Podcast. It’s got music by yours truly as well as a band called “Yarn,” The Infamous Stringdusters and Sally Spring.

A nice write up this morning in the Rochester (MN) Post Bulletin, as Dana prepares for his appearance with Saturday Night’s “American Showcase” concert at the Rochester Civic Theater:

In the past decade, Cooper has developed a reputation as a man of literate lyrics and tastefully produced songs. “I probably write a lot less about the attraction phase of love than I did in my 20s,” he said. “I’ve always had this recurring theme: Seize the day, make the most of the time you’ve got. Most of what I write about sort of hovers around that theme. Musically, it’s a bit of a challenge to take a different approach.”

After 40 years in the music business, Cooper has seen it all. “I’ve been trying to find the niche I’ve carved out for myself now,” he said. “I’m in a good place.

Read the whole article here.

The video of “Enough” is playing on CMT.com:

"Enough" on CMT.com

Click here to visit the CMT.com site.. if we can send them some traffic, maybe they’ll put the video on the TeeVee.

Jason Wheeler at WeAreAustin.com NAILS it:

Imagine doing something day in and day out for 40 years…and then changing your tune to do it different and better than ever before.  That's what the critics say Dana Cooper has done with his new CD The Conjurer. 

On the new compilation, Cooper says he aspired to a "rawer, more organic sound than on past recordings".  He's also done trying to fit into any neat descriptions, saying his new works draw on "folk, blues, rock, reggae, pop, and country".

That quick review accompanies the video of Dana's appearance yesterday on the "Austin Live" TV show, just prior to his CD release show at the Cactus Cafe.  Click the image above to see Dana's segment form Austin Live:

Today is Thursday, March 25 – the long-awaited day when The Conjurer finally goes on sale "on desktops everywhere" from the "music store" link at the top of this website.  It is also available via iTunes and should be available from CDBaby later today.

But wait, there's more!  In addition to today's official release of The Conjurer, we've also restored Dana's 2001 release –Harry Truman Built A Road — to the catalog.  The actual CD is still out of print, but thanks to the miracle of modern technology, Harry Truman is now available in the music store via digital deiivery (aka (download).  This is the only place where Harry Truman is available in any form.

But that's not all! In addition to The Conjurer, in addition to the digital release of Harry Truman Built A Road, we've assembled "The 21st Century Collection."  The compilation includes all three of the CDs Dana Cooper has released since the turn of the millennium:  Harry Truman, Made of Mud, and, yes, The Conjurer — all downloadable with a single click for just $21.00.  If you're not familiar with Dana's earlier work, stop by the music store, where you can listen to 8 tracks from The 21st Century Collection in their entirety (no 30 second clips around here!).

Dana celebrates the release of The Conjurer with three shows in Austin, Houston, and Dalls Texas this weekend . Check the schedule in the sidebar on the right for details, and by all means stop by and say hello if you can make it to a show.

Janet Goodman at Music News Nashville thinks so:

Do lyrics matter? You bet they do. Lyrics connect with listeners’ hopes, fears and everyday lives. They tell stories and entertain us. They illuminate our flaws, as well as our better choices. Veteran singer/songwriter Dana Cooper is a masterful lyric craftsman, whose abilities are well-respected in the songwriting community, reflected in other gifted writers recording his material, such as Claire Lynch and Pierce Pettis. This Nashville recording artist has a new collection of Americana songs titled “The Conjurer”, self-produced along with Thomm Jutz. Having a hand at writing all thirteen tracks, Cooper digs deep and delivers emotionally felt performances all the way through this album.

Click the banner to read the full review:

This just in from the San Antonio Express:

Dana Cooper at Scenic Loop Café Nashville-based, Texas-tempered songwriter is touring with his new CD, "The Conjurer." Cooper's songs are not tricks. They're gems created by a mixture of talent and the high pressure finishing that comes from making a living working in front of fans and the uninitiated. If Cooper makes it looks easy, that's because he's a fine craftsman.