Award-Winning Austin Songwriter Recording Long-Awaited Solo CD, Funded Entirely by Fan Base

    MARBLE FALLS, TX, June 27, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kevin Higgins, award-winning Austin singer/songwriter and founding member of the popular Southern Rock band, The Dust Devils, is currently in the studio recording his upcoming indie solo CD, (working title: "Find Your Shine").

It has been ten years since Higgins, a native of El Paso, released his first solo CD, "Dark Side of the Barn." During those years, Higgins had focused his attention on writing, recording and promoting The Dust Devils, releasing five CDs in that time period. "I thought it was time for Kevin to step out from behind The Dust Devils and do some writing just for himself," says Higgins' wife and bandmate, Barbara Malteze. "Kevin has an extensive collection of singer/songwriter material about the desert southwest that the public doesn't get to hear very often. When we'd play some of those songs, our fans would say 'Wow...why haven't we heard these songs before?' So, I asked our fan base if they'd like to invest some money into Kevin's solo CD. In ten days, we had raised enough money to book the studio and pay for the whole project. That speaks volumes about people's belief in his talent. I'm very proud of him."

Higgins and respected Austin producer Stephen Doster, (Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovette, the late James Honeyman-Scott of The Pretenders), have begun working at Doster's new analog studio, EAR Studio, (East Austin Recording). When Higgins initially approached Doster about producing the project, Doster came aboard immediately. "When I first heard Kevin Higgins' new songs I was absolutely knocked out," he said. "Kevin's exceptional writing is rich with imagery and meaning, with characters so real you feel like you can touch them. I believe this is an important record that needed to be made."

"Find Your Shine" is expected to be completed by mid-August, with JJ Johnson (John Mayer) playing drums; Malteze adding piano, synths and backup vocals; and Doster contributing guitar and backing vocals. Other guest performers include Warren Hood on violin and mandolin, (The Waybacks); John Leon adding pedal steel (Summer Wardrobe); and Chip Dolan (Cyril Neville, Marcia Ball) on organ and accordion.

Higgins and Malteze, performing as a duo (guitar/keys), are planning a 5-week national tour later this fall to promote the CD. One of the highlight events on the tour will be when the duo hosts a 3-day river rafting trip on the Rio Grand River through Big Bend National Park, which ties-in the "West Texas" theme of the CD.

For more information, or to schedule an interview contact:

Imaginery Friend Productions
27615 Turner Ranch Road
Marble Falls, TX 78654
512.525.1493
[email protected]
www.myspace.com/kevinhigginssolo

# # #