In collaboration with Timmion Records, Daptone is proud to present My
Echo, Shadow and Me, the debut album from the soulful Chicano brother,
Jonny Benavidez. Hailing from San Diego (via El Paso, TX), Jonny's
desire to sing was influenced by his grandfather, John Lorenzo Guzman,
who as a teen in the early sixties spent some time harmonizing with
groups in El Paso–most notably Sonny Powell and the Night Dreamers. When
he was 13, Jonny was given a record player and a box filled with
R&B, Doo-Wop, and Soul 45s that he studied obsessively, employing
the harmonies and meloldies therein to cultivate his own unique voice.
After a chance encounter with the legendary Dimas Garza, Jonny's career
began to blossom and soon he would find himself singing alongside stars
like Eugene Pitt and Archie Bell–garnering the interest of Timmion
Records.
Backed by the incomparable Cold Diamond & Mink (Bobby Oroza, Pratt
& Moody) two incredibly successful singles were cut and plans for a
full length were struck, culminating in 11 original songs penned by
Benavidez. From the uplifting bounce of the title track, the doo-wop
dinged "Dedicated to You", the Latin flare of “Uncle Sam,” to the Sweet
Soul masterpiece "Somebody Cares" (licensed and released on a Penrose
Records 45), My Echo, Shadow and Me is not only
an aweinspiring display of Jonny's versatility as an artist but also
serves as a window into the eclectic array of soulful sounds that
inspired him to fall in love with music and become a singer. A must have
for fans of Daptone, Timmion, Penrose, et al.
Tracklist:
1. My Echo, Shadow and Me
2. Playing the Fool
3. Uncle Sam
4. Tell Me That You Love Me
5. Slow Down Girl
6. Dedicated To You
7. Somebody Cares
8. Do What You Wanna Do
9. Your Last Song
10. Let's Get Together
11. Dear Mother and Father