Write songs, sing songs, record songs, and sell CDs. Joe Bray mastered the first and second of these a long time ago. Recently, he's done a fabulous job on the third of these, and now with your help, he'll do plenty of the fourth item. Joe Bray's 2001 offering is "GIVE IT TIME," an eight-cut demonstration packed with Texas talent like Johnny Gimble, Floyd Domino, and co-producer Larry Nye (who also produced Mike Blakely, Steve Fromholz, and Rusty Wier). From the outset, as Gimble's fiddle sets the tone on the opening cut, you'll hear Joe Bray's classic country music sound. Bray captures true traditionalism in his songs, crooning tales of love, loss, and betrayal. Joe Bray's writing is timeless and the arrangements are complimentary to each cut. John Ely's steel guitar is a poignant signature of the title cut and his dobro work is perfectly placed. This slim-cased eight-cutter is a dandy, showing off Bray's talents in a big way. Bray's latest release, "CONVICTED BY WASTED LOVE" is a treasure of traditional country sounds. From swing, to sad songs, to great two-stepping tunes, this is a very pleasant disc. Bray pens all eleven cuts and uses his charming honky-tonk voice with velvet accuracy to present each song as a Texas music gem. This Steve Mendell, Joe Bray production is full of great pickers including Stuart Duncan and Flaco Jimenez. Bray's performance is at times a little Waylon, and at times he can be a little Hank Snow, but he's always Texas... to the last note.