Denny’s first CD is titled “Cut Loose and Let Go” (not yet released).

The title track, Cut Loose and Let Go (Copyright 1998 by Dennis Ballinger) is a song about security vs. freedom. That freedom is having fun and adventure. People give up a lot for security, they also maybe losing a lot.

This song was written when I was working on a sailboat. I was on vacation (yes from the sailboat). I was growing tired of the sailboat adventure and I need a different adventure.

• All instruments and vocals were preformed by Dennis Ballinger.
• Recording Engineer: Dennis Ballinger at WhatDog Studio.
• Producer/Mix/Master Engineer: Kevin King at Blind Dog Audio.

When Angels Cry (Copyright 1993 by Dennis Ballinger) is about the horrors some kids face when parents are abusive. The abuse does not have to be physical and it can be from lack of care, love, leadership, and in contrast to the title, track security. This is interesting because kids do need love, security, rules, training, and leadership to reign in their sense of adventure, hopefully to keep them somewhat safe without killing the child’s inquisitiveness.

I wrote this song when I lived on Maui. Where I was renting a room I was sitting on the back porch playing my guitar. I started with the tune and like it. The words basically came out. The first time I recorded it was in Maui. I then rerecorded it after I added a little to the song in 2002. This is a new and better recording of the song.

I originally had written drums and bass for the song but I never like the drums so Kevin King from Blind Dog Audio rewrote the drums and bass part. The base part I wrote did not go blend well with the Organ that Troy Denning wrote for the song so Kevin wrote a new bass line for the song. Mike Lockett wrote and recorded the lead guitar. I have to thank Kevin, Troy, and Mike because with their skills they brought this song alive. Thanks guys. Kevin recorded the drums, bass, and my vocals, mixed mastered, and produced the song.

• Acoustic Guitar preformed by Dennis Ballinger and recorded at WhatDog studios with Dennis Ballinger as the Recording Engineer.
• Vocals preformed by Dennis Ballinger and recorded at Blind Dog Audio with Kevin King as the Recording Engineer.
• Organ preformed and recorded by Troy Denning.
• Bass Guitar and Drums preformed by Kevin King and recorded at Blind Dog Audio with Kevin King as the Recording Engineer.
• Lead Guitar preformed and recorded by Mick Lockett
• Producer/Mix/Master Engineer: Kevin King at Blind Dog Audio.

Freedom (Copyright 1995 by Dennis Ballinger) is about the erosion of freedoms. This song was originally written in 1984. I felt we were losing our freedoms then but now in 2007 we have lost much and continue to lose more. We are being lead by people blinded by money and power.

I rewrote this song (and recorded it for the 1st time) back in 1995. The end of 2002 I started to rework it and decided to include it on the Cut Loose CD.

• All instruments and vocals were preformed by Dennis Ballinger.
• Recording Engineer: Dennis Ballinger at WhatDog Studio.
• Producer/Mix/Master Engineer: Kevin King at Blind Dog Audio.

Rain (Copyright 2003 by Dennis Ballinger) is a quaint guitar piece. I like to think of it as “semi” classical and it reminds me of rain falling.

• Acoustic Guitar performance by Dennis Ballinger.
• Recording Engineer: Dennis Ballinger at WhatDog Studio.
• Producer/Mix/Master Engineer: Kevin King at Blind Dog Audio.

Confused (Copyright 2003 by Dennis Ballinger) is about a person not knowing what to do and how not to do it.

I was having trouble completing a few songs (mainly drum parts on the track When Angels Cry, which got rewritten anyway by Kevin). I got my notebook of song ideas/unfinished songs and browsed through it. When I saw Confused (originally started back in 1988) it fit how I felt then. I had to redo a bit of wording in the verses and I wrote the chorus, last verse, and the ending and here it is.

I took the tracks to Confused to Kevin at Blind Dog Audio and he was mixing the song. We decided it needed a bass track so Kevin added the bass guitar part. My original idea was to have just an acoustic song but the bass track really rounds out the song. As happens many times with Kevin he comes up with this neat idea for a percussion track. We set a mic up and he records the percussion track as he is beating the rhythm on the top of one of the amps in the studio. I loved the sound. Except for the bass track all of the other tracks on Confused are acoustic.

• Acoustic Guitar and Vocals preformed by Dennis Ballinger and recorded at WhatDog Studios with Dennis Ballinger as the Recording Engineer.
• Bass Guitar and Percussions performed by Kevin King and recorded at Blind Dog Audio with Kevin King as the Recording Engineer.
• Producer/Mix/Master Engineer: Kevin King at Blind Dog Audio.

Troy Denning is the best keyboardist I know. His skilled arrangements helped make the songs he contributed to on this CD great. Again many thanks to Troy for his guidance and skills.

Mike Lockett is an amazing and creative guitarist. Many thanks to Mike for his help on this CD.

I have to give BIG TIME THANKS to Kevin King for all his skill, dedication and work. He has been a driving force behind making this CD a successful project. Kevin is an up and coming talented producer that gives every project he works on a new life. His leadership and knowledge about music and life, in general, are invaluable. I am lucky to have Kevin as one of my very good friends and my producer. THANKS KEVIN.

If your project needs an EXCELLENT Producer/Engineer/ Arranger/Instrumentalist you CANNOT go wrong with Kevin at Blind Dog Audio. You can see other projects Kevin has produced and learn more about Kevin and Blind Dog Audio here.