When Charles Ecker set out to form The C.R. Ecker Band in the Summer of 2011, his goal was to move his music from Traditional Country on to a new sound, which evolved within two years into “Heartland Country.”
Reaction was instant to his new kind of music, with Buck McCoy of Independent Music Network telling his audience, when the group was named IMN Country Band of the Year, that Ecker had “shot up like a rocket” with his groups style and substance.
He said that when Charlie and Company were named Country Band of the Year at IMN, the same time The C.R. Ecker Band was accorded the same honor at Starliner's Europe.
So now, one of the newest members of The Recording Academy, fresh off his L.A. Music Awards “Career Country Songwriter” honor spanning the 25--year history of that organization, Ecker pushes the envelope even further, in this case with co-writer Michael Stanton (and lead singer) on hard-edges country-rocker "Duty Country Honor" for a tribute to all who love freedom and the men and women who defend it.
The key line: "Kick Up the Good, Knock Down the Bad."
With “Emma-Jean,’ because while on the surface you might think it is a “Modern Country” song like so many heard on the radio these days, it is very different. Written by Ecker, it is a unique, real-time marraige proposal, complete with repeated "millenial whoops" first launching the song. And listen behind Mike Lusk's vocal lead, and you will hear a breezy rock underlay from the Jackson Browne playbook. Even a George Harrison-style riff!
"You're the Reason" is another Ecker-Stanton co-write. It is all about enduring love, heavy on the Dobro, with a key phrase, about how things that once were touched turned to gold, and years later, "now we are just touching stone." Still the love continues.
Lastly, "Our Good Ole' Days" is an Ecker composition. In this case, he had to think hard about how a woman would reflect on a long lost lover never to be reclaimed. This tender and touching soft love ballad was perfomed by a regular contributor to The C.R. Ecker Band, Amber Rose.
FOR RELEASE: May 20, 2017
"Duty Country Honor" by The C.R. Ecker Band, Takes Summer Center Stage
Patriotic country-rocker for freedom lovers and its defenders
This up-tempo anthem, from Charles Ecker and Michael Stanton of Los Angeles, is one of only a few Patriotic songs to come out of the Country Music genre since 9-11, and its message in support of all nation's willing to uphold freedom here and abroad is clear, with the key line, "Kick Up the Good, Knock Down the Bad," anchoring the song.
Based on Ecker's four year service in the U.S. Air Force and ten-year volunteer commitment to Team Coast Guard as a Flotilla Commander assigned to shore patrols off LAX, the song celebrates not just America, which is never mentioned in the song, but all Allied forces.
"Duty Country Honor" was co-written by Michael Stanton, who also sang lead. The latter, formerly head of The Ladies' Night Band, donated 78,000 copies of his rock album, "Ladies' Night" to troops here and abroad through the Soldiers Angels charity organization.
The C.R. Ecker Band was formed in 2011 and since then, has won 21 achievement awards, including "Best Song" at The Los Angeles Music Awards, Hollywood Music in Media Awards and Starliner's Europe. In November, 2016, Ecker received LAMA's "Career Country Songwriter" Award which spanned the 25-year history of the organization and was inducted into The Recording Academy two short weeks later.
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