Mary Kaye Holt

This is Mary Kaye's latest album. It contains 12 tracks in all: 1) The Prairie Preacher, 2) Solid Gone, 3) Wyoming Woman, Montana Man, 4) Arizona in Her Eyes, 5) Cooley Ranch Road, 6) Jealous of the Moon, 7) Take Me Back to Texas, 8) Git Along Little Dogies, 9) My World, 10) The Golden Thread, 11) Chasin' Down the Sun, 12) The Dawn and The Dusk, 13) The Dreary, Dreary Life

Note: Digitally Remastered in 2017 with New Track Added
 

To Listen & Order CD Click Here

  American Cowboy: Top 20 Cowboy Songs in the Past 20 Years

"We gave cowboy music radio host Charley Engel the daunting task of choosing the Top 20 core cowboy songs of the last 20 years, and he didn't disappoint. Here they are!

by Charley Engel, Host of Calling All Cowboys Radio & The Flying SL Ranch Radio Show
Creating a Top 20 list was a task for Solomon himself. To do so, I had to set some exacting criteria:
1) Only one listing per artist
2) The song had to be written or co-written by the artist (with a few exceptions)
3) The track had to be released by that artist for the first time during that year.

Hopefully, you will remember some old favorites and discover a few new gems.
Note: To hear a special show featuring these songs, log on to Engel's show on The Flying SL Ranch Radio at https://radio.spalding-labs.com
 
2013
 
"Jealous Of The Moon"— Mary Kaye
(The Dawn And The Dusk)
A. How does a mother of 10 still look so gorgeous? B. Where’d she get pipes like that? Be prepared to be blown away. ¡Muy bueno!"
 
To read entire article go to, http://americancowboy.com/culture/cowboycore



Review: Western Horseman
by Jennifer Denison
February 2014, pg.56

The fourth solo release from Utah singer-songwriter Mary Kaye features 11 original songs, plus a fresh, lively arrangement of traditional tune “Git Along Little Doggies.” This album showcases the performer’s diversity as a singer, songwriter, and musician. Track one, “The Prairie Preacher,” is a haunting Old West gospel story song about redemption in a small town. The other tracks are a mix of upbeat two-stepping songs, swing songs, and ballads of love and loss. Latin accompaniment enhances Mary Kaye’s voice and Spanish lyrics in track six, “Jealous of the Moon.” In November, the mother of 10 was named the Western Music Association’s Female Performer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, adding to a long list of honors in the traditional western music genre.


Review: Big Sky Journal
by Matthew P. Mayo  
September 2013

The Dawn and The Dusk (Don’t Fence Me In Records; $17) by multiple-award-winning Western singer Mary Kaye Knaphus, is a bold new musical outing by one of the strongest singers working today. It’s solid in its Western tradition roots, yet refreshing because of Knaphus’s rich, varied voice with a wide range that allows her to sound sultry one moment and angelic the next. From the Latin flair of “Jealous of the Moon,” to the traditional whoop-up of “Git Along Little Dogies,” and a whole lot of excellent terrain in between, The Dawn and The Dusk is unflinching, heartfelt and wholly entertaining. The only way anyone will get the full measure of this talented Western woman’s abilities is to give the disc a spin for themselves. But be warned, one listen won’t be enough …



100 Most Played From Western Albums of 2013:
(by reporting DJ’s to The Western Way magazine)                    

#3. Mary Kaye – The Dawn and The Dusk


Western Music Charts - 4th Quarter 2013:

#2 Western Album: The Dawn and The Dusk
#2 Western Song: "Wyoming Woman, Montana Man" - The Dawn and The Dusk
(The Western Way, pg 43)


Western Music Charts - 3rd Quarter 2013:

#1 Western Album: The Dawn and The Dusk
#2 Western Song: "Take Me Back to Texas" - The Dawn and The Dusk
#2 Western Song: "Git Along Little Dogies" - The Dawn and The Dusk
(The Western Way, pg 51)



2013 Western Music Association Nominations:

The Western Music Association nominated The Dawn & The Dusk for the 2013 WMA "Western Album of the Year and "Wyoming Woman, Montana Man," was nominated as "Song of the Year."



Review: Maverick: The UK's Leading Independent Music Magazine
3 1/2 Stars
by Alan Cacket, Editor
January/Febuary 2014, Page 99

Mary Kaye – THE DAWN AND THE DUSK (Don’t Fence Me In Records MK-005)  Texas born Mary Crawford Knaphus (aka Mary Kaye) now lives in Utah and her music is very much western-styled. On this latest album of self-penned songs she takes the listener through a myriad of experiences, mainly connected with the western life-style, as in Arizona In Her Eyes, a beautiful love story and the selfexplanatory Take Me Back To Texas swing number. She’s accompanied by skilled musicians with plenty of great fiddle, acoustic guitar, Dobro, banjo, piano and steel guitar. There’s just one outside song, the cowboy oldie Git Along Little Doggies which is quite delightful.


Marie Crichton’s Country Show
BBC Radio
Shropshire

“She is absolutely wonderful. Her name is Mary Kaye and I think [The Dawn and The Dusk] is one of the best I’ve heard for a long, long time. It really is a stunning album. [This song is] really beautiful, it’s called ‘Solid Gone,’ my pick of the evening.”

(Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01g4cbg at 1.20 min.)


 

Johnny Western Posted:

THE CD YOU SENT [The Dawn and The Dusk] IS TERRIFIC ! THE WRITING AND VOCALS ARE TOP NOTCH AND THE INSTRUMENTATION IS WONDERFUL. YOU HAVE EVERYTHING IT TAKES TO BE A HUGE STAR ! (Facebook 09/15/13)



Review: American Cowboy
by Charles Engel
October/November, p. 61

Mary Kaye
The Dawn and The Dusk
Don’t Fence Me In Records

"Mary Kaye has Western roots that go six generations deep, and her newest release does that history proud. 'As a Western artist, my wings are these songs; they connect you to all that is best about the West and all that stirs a cowboy’s soul.' "



Review: Country Music People
by Paul Riley
(Great Britian)

MARY KAYE
The Dawn and The Dusk
4 ½ Stars

The Prairie Preacher / Solid Gone / Wyoming Woman, Montana Man / Arizona in Her Eyes / Cooley Ranch Road / Jealous of the Moon / Take Me Back to Texas / Git Along Little Dogies / My World / The Golden Thread / Chasin' Down the Sun / The Dawn and The Dusk

Producers: Mary Kaye and Brad Knaphus
Don’t Fence Me In Records
49.00

"With America now divided by politics, race and Obamacare, perhaps it’s time to think about family, friends and the God-fearing men and women of yesteryear. Let’s listen to some Western music with talented singer/songwriter Mary Kaye. Western music has its roots in folk music from the UK, with songs of old cowboy life at the fore. These days we don’t have enough Western singers, so the ones we do have we need to treasure. Mary Kaye is one of the most talented Western singers, on her new CD, there are 12 songs, she penned 11 of them. With each song Mary Kaye’s powerful voice is a highlight.

A banjo introduces us to 'The Prairie Preacher,' a dark parable partly based on true stories. Mary Kaye’s passionate vocal will keep listeners interested in this song despite its running time of over five minutes. 'Solid Gone' also breaks five minutes, it’s a ballad based on the life of a young Arizona cowboy. Mary Kaye sings this song, as though every word is important to her. As a child I turned on the radio, and heard a song called, 'Git Along Little Dogies,' a traditional song, the version I heard was by Roy Rogers, but the song has been sung since by people as diverse as Holly Golightly and Alvin And The Chipmunks! Mary Kaye’s version stays close to the early ones.

All songs on Mary Kaye’s CD are good, but two need a special mention, the wonderful 'My World,' a glimpse into the singer's rural life, captures the spirit of the old West, and the title song, which closes the disc. 'The Dawn and The Dusk' is a very well written song about life and death. Towards the end of the song it reaches the power of a hymn and is a great way to end a CD.

Very few singers are still embracing the ways of America’s old West, however, singers like Mary Kaye are not ready to let go, and from the old ways comes some wonderful, engaging new music. If any of the old cowboys returned, Mary Kaye’s new disc would form a perfect soundtrack, which they would almost certainly love."

(September 2013, Page 52, Great Britian)



Review: cowboypoetry.com
by Rick Huff

The Dawn and the Dusk by Mary Kaye

"With the deep dimensions of her voice Mary Kaye Knaphus could sing a lunch menu and make us buy in! She offers considerably better material than that in her latest release.

The artists she’s team roped into this one make it exemplary. The award winning youngster Mustang Mikki and Rich O’Brien join Mary Kaye on 'Wyoming Woman, Montana Man'; Belinda Gail 'Gits Along (with some) Little Dogies' on a fresh spin of that classic; and Ryan Shupe adds fiddle and mandolin excellence to 'Cooley Ranch Road' (love the line 'the county line is the only line to cross'). Michael Dowdle’s Spanish guitar haunts 'Jealous Of The Moon' enhancing the song’s own haunting poetry and then there’s Dave Alexander & his Big Texas Swing Band on 'Take Me Back To Texas.'

If we haven’t given you enough to hook you, trust me. There’s plenty more! Twelve tracks total.

CD: $17 plus $3 s/h check or MO from Mary Kaye Knaphus, 95 E. 500, S., Manti, UT 84642 or through www.marykayeknaphus.com"

© 2013, Rick Huff



What Listeners are Saying:

Pat Parsons Posted:

"Mary Kaye is THE BEST!!!! Her voice is like an angel's and she and her husband are the nicest folks you can meet. TAKE ME BACK TO TEXAS and PRAIRIE PREACHER are my faves...love you Mary Kaye!!" (Facebook 10/16/13)

Texas Cowboy Poet Teresa Burleson Commented:

"I got Mary Kaye Knaphus' new CD last weekend. It's really, really good! I have listened to it twice this week. HOWEVER, I have listened to Jealous of the Moon, one of the songs on the CD, about 30 times! Amazing doesn't even come close to describing that song or her voice! It is like a decadent gourmet desert for the ears! I can't get enough of it. Mary Kaye, you [are] not only a wonderful singer but an awesome song writer!." (Facebook 09/12/13)


Devon Dawson, Western Swing Performer Extraordinaire, Posted:

"'Jealous of the Moon' is exquisite, as is 'Arizona In Her Eyes'... in addition to Mary Kaye's radiant performances, the production values are first rate on this CD!!"
          (Facebook 09/12/13)


Western Musicain Rob Wolfskill Posted:

"My dear Mary Kaye, THANK YOU for THE DAWN AND THE DUSK! Music as sweet and beautiful as the scent of a Western Desert Cactus Bloom! Your best yet and the production quality is outstanding! My favorites are 'Wyoming Woman, Montana Man,' 'Arizona In Her Eyes,' 'Jealous Of The Moon,' 'Take Me Back To Texas,' 'My World,' 'The Golden Thread,' 'The Dawn And The Dusk,' and your version of 'Git Along Little Dogies' with Belinda is now my absolute favorite!! So proud to call you my friend and so happy to have this CD! Congratulations on a wonderful album!   - Rob"  (Facebook 06/05/2013)


Cowboy Poet & Musician Mike Moutoux Wrote:

"Howdy! I got your CD and have waited until I could listen to thank you. I know I said it about 'Joy', but if 'Dawn to Dusk' is the only song you ever wrote, it would be enough. The lyrics are Western, evocative, clear and yet leave enough to the imagination to make a poet proud. And it sings, my gosh it sings well. Ride tall, Mary Kaye, ride tall. Would you consider letting me add it to my repertoire? I'd love to share it with folks myself."  (Posted on Facebook 05/10/13)


Western Radio Show Host PJ McCord Wrote:

"Mary Kaye, thank you for sending your new album The Dawn and the Dusk. We featured it on our Mother's Day show yesterday. Love you. Excellent CD. Congratulations."
May 12, 2013 – Featuring: Happy Mother’s Day – Mary Kaye‘s New CD – The Dawn and the Dusk
"The Cowboy Culture Corner" with Dallas and PJ McCord
KNND 1400 – www/.knnd.com (Streaming LIVE), Cottage Grove, OR. Sunday, 1-4 pm.
[(All 12 Tracks were Featured)          (Facebook 05/13/13)]


Western Music & Belinda Gail Expert Bob Lorbeer Posted:

"If you are going to buy 2 CDs this month, one should be George Strait's new CD, and the 2nd should be Mary Kaye's latest, The Dawn and the Dusk, her best one yet.... All of the songs, except one, were written by Mary Kaye... and they all are wonderful... 4 of my favorites: 1) I thought that with all the songs about 'I love Texas' there were no more original ideas, by Mary's 'Take Me Back to Texas' is original and makes you want to get up and dance!; 2) 'The Golden Thread' I first heard this on James' Cowboy Jubilee Radio show... beautiful! a Mother's Day anthem; 3) the title song, 'The Dawn and the Dusk', although she is singing about a horse, the same sentiments apply to a beloved dog or cat, and this will choke you up a little; and 4) who is that stunning voice singing with Mary on 'Get Along Little Dogies'? This song has been performed by almost every Western music singer, but Mary and Belinda Gail have put a new creative version on this CD... this is a fun and enchanting CD, you will want to play it over and over." (Facebook 05/15/13)


"Ronzo" Baughman Radio DJ Shared:

"Hello Mary Kaye, Ronzo here from KHWG 750 AM in Falloon, NV. Love the new CD, your getting air play on my show everyday. Hope to see you and Brad in Winnemucca on the 8th or the 9th." (Facebook 05/22/13)


Western Musician Jerome Campbell Anaylized:

"I've listened to [the new] CD several times...You've got a really good variety of rythms. And who mixed it Knows. Great mix! Producing! I like the twangy electric on #1 [Prarie Preacher] as well as the banjo. Tastefull strings on #2 [Solid Gone]....My favoite song on this CD is #6 [Jealous of the Moon], as well as #9 [My World] and #10 [Golden Thread]....You are a prolific writer. I hope the well is deep." (05/21/13)


WMA Board Member Tom Hawks Wrote:

"Congratulations on the release. Your singing is always beautiful, the instrumentals are excellent and appropriate, and the graphics design is lovely. I particularly like tracks #4 [Arizona in Her Eyes], #7 [Take Me Back to Texas], #8 [Git Along Little Doggies], and #9 [My World]. Your interpretation of 'Little Dogies' on #8 is wonderful. And it still amazes me that you write so many songs." (05/2013)


Cowgirl Darby McWilliams Frank Posted:

"...got Mary Kaye Knaphus' new cd in the mail!! Listened to it all the way to town and home! Mary Kaye had me in tears and in laughter, 'Wyoming Women, Montana Man' has to be my favorite..." (Posted on Facebook 06/10/13)


Cowboy Poet Mag Mawhinney Commented:

"Howdy Ho, Mary Kaye...listened to your CD The Dawn and the Dusk....fabulous!!!! My favs were 'Jealous of the Moon' (I love the Spanish language), 'My World,' and 'The Dawn and the Dusk'...much success, my friend!!!!" (Facebook 06/20/13)


Western Photographer Anita Crane Wrote:

"Mary Kaye, I am enjoying your new CD, The Dawn and The Dusk, so very much. What a masterpiece." (Facebook 06/18/13)
 

• "You've done it again. Beautiful! Your lyrics, music and your choice of musicians and singers, stunning! Your production, flawless." - Gency Brown
• "Everyone needs to buy your new CD! I absolutely love all I've heard so far!! Love you." - Lori Llavina
• "Wow! 'Solid Gone', 'Wyoming Woman, Montana Man', 'My World', and a great rendition of 'Git Along Little Dogies'! My picks right now." - Kathy Figgs
• "I will be using cuts 3, 7, 8 and 11 on my radio shows. I can foresee lots of listener action on “Take Me Back to Texas.” - MG
• "Thanks a ton for sending your latest CD. I've listened to it multiple times...Great lyrics!!! ...Our band would like to learn 'Take me back to Texas' to add to our 'swing' tunes." - DM
• "Well miss MK, you've done it again! Awesome CD! ... Wow! You are amazing! Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent with so many!" - VD
• "Thank you so much for sending me your newly released CD. I am enjoying it so much and play it all the time." - Zia B.
• "It's a wonderful CD and I can't wait to play it on my show!" - Totsie Slover
• "Love the CD! Especially the ballads!" - Patty Wands
• "Received your CD in the mail. If I had to pick one, it would be 'Jealous of the Moon.' Loved the guitar and liked how you incorporated Spanish. I always thought about the moon seeing many things, but never being jealous of the moon. Loved it!" - LP
• "What a thrill to find your CD in our mail yesterday. It is wonderful! I didn't think we would like it better than your others, but we do. Loved the banjo on 'Prairie Preacher'..., 'Solid Gone' made me cry, and the blending of your's and Belinda's voices is superb. The entire CD is great..." - SH
• "...Any of you that have not heard the CD, I hope you will. 'Dawn to Dusk' could be song of the year." - MM
• "...thank you for the CD....we took a day trip...the other day and we listened to it three times. Beautiful, beautiful music!!!! Our favorite (although there are no duds) is 'Jealous of the Moon'." - JB
• "I like 'Dawn to Dusk,' but really like 'Jealous of the Moon' ...." - DP
• "Thank you so much for...your new CD. I just finished listening to it...and I really enjoyed it. You certainly know how to sing ballads. I think you've got a winner, for sure." - KL
• "My favorite is 'Jealous Of The Moon.' I like the Spanish lyrics a lot." - HS
• "Congrats on such a fine reception to the new CD. I concur with many of the thoughts expressed.... I think it should be an 'award winning' CD.... I hope you're proud of this effort. . .you should be." - DR
• "Listened to your new cuts and I must say, 'hats off' good good stuff." - DL
• "Great to see you and Brad in Genoa--loving the new CD!" - SD
• "We love your new CD, hugs." - PP
• "Oh my, The Dawn and the Dusk CD is Wonderful! Your music just gets better and better!" - CR
• "Love your new album!" - TT
• "Mary, The Dawn and The Dusk is simply gorgeous. I loved listening and singing along to it. Great job!" - LK
• "The Dawn and the Dusk is a beautifully perfected musical autobiography. We absolutely love it!!!!!!! Reality is, you were made to sing, such a talented Lady!!!!!" - DS
• "What a beautifull collection of new western songs!" - Joyce Woodson

Liner Notes

1 THE PRAIRIE PREACHER (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) Many scraps of inspiration and true stories wove this tale together. Every time I sing this song I am there with the characters in the hot July sun in this unconventional tale of redemption. The ending was left undone for many months until I found the perfect "twist" for it.
2 SOLID GONE (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) Inspired by a young Arizona cowboy named Sky Sharpe who shared his story with me, I crafted the lyrics of this song so that the last word of the sentence is also the first word of the next sentence. Much like life itself...endings are quite often beginnings.
3 WYOMING WOMAN, MONTANA MAN (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) Recorded in Fort Worth with Mikki Daniels adding the background vocals, this song was inspired by a Wyoming gal I met with a lovely braid like a rope down her back. I matched her up in this song with a quiet Montana cowboy. I just bet that with this fun chord progression they live happily ever after.
4 ARIZONA IN HER EYES (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) Every word of this grown-up love song was penned to honor the wonderful, strong women of the West and the men who are smart enough to see Arizona in their eyes. I know a few people who might think this song is about them…and it is.
5 COOLEY RANCH ROAD (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) On a tour through Arizona we passed a road sign that said, “Cooley Ranch Road,” and in my mind I saw my husband Brad and I on one of our Sunday afternoon adventures driving down a dusty back road, so I made the memories into a song. Ryan Shupe added a great vibe to the tune with his fiddle and mando.
6 JEALOUS OF THE MOON (Mary Kaye & Warren Davidson, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) My sweet mother is Mexican and I have always wanted to write a tune with Latin flair, so I enlisted the help of my guitar teacher, Warren Davidson who wrote the Spanish lyrics. Michael Dowdle really made this oh-so-romantic song come to life with his masterful guitar work.
7 TAKE ME BACK TO TEXAS (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) Inspired by Texas’s beautiful blue bonnets and my early childhood memories of those fields of blue, this song was recorded with Dave Alexander and his Big Texas Swing Band in Fort Worth. The experience awakened my passion for doing more Swing tunes.
8 GIT ALONG LITTLE DOGIES (Traditional, Arranged by Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) America's Western Sweetheart, Belinda Gail, joins me in keeping the old West alive with this traditional cowboy ballad. A weaned calf in the Old West was known as a "dogie” where today it is known as a motherless calf.
9 MY WORLD (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) In my live performances I share stories about our big, crazy family and our life in a small Western town. This song is a peek into the joy of rural life…welcome to my world.
10 THE GOLDEN THREAD (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) I wanted to find a way to let my grown children know how much my love for them remains although they've flown from our nest. I hope that a chord is also struck on the golden threads of your heart.
11 CHASIN' DOWN THE SUN (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) Will James wrote and illustrated a classic book called Cowboys North and South. This song was inspired by his compelling description of the men who were mustang runners and the wild horses they chased "back in the days before the wire was strung."
12 THE DAWN AND THE DUSK (Mary Kaye, Don't Fence Me In Records, BMI) Written after the death of a friend and a beloved family pet, this song explores life's great mysteries through the story of a man, his wife, and the passing of his horse. Really, it is everyone's story...if we are brave enough to not live small.



Mary Kaye's Recent Blog on The Dawn and The Dusk

Two things I can tell you for sure about producing a CD. 1. It always takes longer and costs more than you thought it would. 2. It's completely and totally worth the extra time, money, and effort.

There comes a point in any worthwhile endeavor that you have to buckle down and put in that last effort that pushes a project from "good" to "take-my-breath-away-good." I had to have Brad remind me of this many times these last couple of weeks as we have been wrapping up my new CD, The Dawn and The Dusk. He has been the Yin to my Yang and I'm getting all teary-eyed thinking of how lucky I am to have him by my side.

They say it takes a village to raise a singer and this proves true with the team of talented folks that came together to make The Dawn and The Dusk so special. There is our sound engineer, Mark Stephensen, who has some of the best sound in Western music coming out of his MAS Studio. Rich Dixon, Michael Dowdle, and Ryan Shupe are all top-shelf musicians based in Utah. My friend and photographer, Anita Crane, came to the session that Ryan played in and got some shots of him.

I can't even tell you what a thrill it was to record at Allegro Sound Lab in Fort Worth, Texas with Dave Alexander. When Rich O'Brien walked in to the session to do the guitar work I about wet my pants. And, I wish you all could have heard Mustang Mikki doing her first studio work ever as the background vocals for "Wyoming Woman, Montana Man". I can still hear Dave telling her, "Use your woman voice, honey." And boy, did she.

I won't forget the day I was listening to "Git Along Little Dogies" and I thought, "Belinda Gail would be perfect for this song." At the time I thought it was impossible, but Belinda made it happen and this is now my new favorite song on the CD. Her yodel at the end of the song has me hitting the play button over and over.

So much of the music I wrote for this CD was inspired by the Southwest and there is no better artist to catch the Arizona light than my friend and photographer, Lori Faith Merritt, who battled rain and one of the coldest days in Arizona to create the warm feeling for The Dawn and The Dusk. The beautiful graphic design work is from a very talented artist named John Stevens in Spring City, UT who just might become a permanent member of my "team."

Often I am asked what draws me as an artist to Western music. That's an easy answer; I am drawn to the folks who are drawn to this music which is as real and raw as they are. Western music is the last great frontier in American Roots music. It is as yet a largely undiscovered treasure that has been overshadowed by it's Nashville cousin. I'm proud to create my work on this frontier and see great things on the horizon.

I once read a bumper sticker that said, “I wasn't born in the West, but I got here as fast as I could.” The Dawn and The Dusk brings the West to you in all of it's diversity and depth. Thank you for all of you who already have your orders in. This Utah gal really appreciates your love and support.