To Be With You Tonight

Comet CD002

Living in the small Yorkshire village of Harden just outside of Bingley, Jo-Ann and Becky Haley started out singing together back in 1990. I first remember them as two teenaged girls singing in a local club with a young man and calling themselves Applejack. Just a few months later with a complete change in appearance and presentation, the same two girls returned alone to the club as The Haley Sisters. 1992 saw them performing in theatres in the company of Daniel O'Donnell on his two sell-out tours. During 1993 they formed their own band The Haleys with Brian Smith playing guitar. A multi-talented musician, Brian has played on the road with Crystal Gayle and also in the studio for her Three Good Reasons album.

With a host of club and association awards, including the British Country Music Awards behind them, the Haleys have continued performing in that same inimitable fashion that has long drawn many thousands of country music fans towards them from all around the country.

Now married to Brian, Becky has collaborated with him in writing all the songs on To Be With You Tonight, creating a catalogue of breathtaking songs that offer teasing glimpses of brilliance. In the mist of time The Haley Sisters have matured into two favourably skilful performers, whose close-knit harmonies are their accredited trademark. Complimenting Jo-Ann, Becky and Brian are two other highly skilful musicians in the form of keyboard player Sara Curran and the gifted British steel guitarist Barry Dixon.

The slow title cut starts the album off with shadows of littered hopeless love fortified by the whine of the pedal steel creating that atmospheric sound of mournful longing. Songs of love, songs of wanting, of broken hearts are all to be found here. The flat resignation that she's lost him can be heard on "Sometimes" as our heroine surveys the past relationship and just prays that one day that lost love may be regained. The gutsy "Can't Walk Away From The Blues" kicks in with a powerful song that dances through the flames of passion and lost love.

Since those early beginnings back in the 1990, these two girls have fine brushed their talents into a crisp sound. With the elevated musical strength of Brian performing exquisite lead-work and fill-ins on guitars and harmonica, To Be With You Tonight offers a never-ending supply of bright glittering gems that needs to be savoured one by one.