FADD
The
eleventh album project from Vince Hatfield finds this West Texas
Renaissance man performing his greatest collection of socially
conscious songs thus far. “Songwriter Jeff Jackson, a former Texas
police officer, told a redemption story I couldn’t pass up in the
title track Through That Glass. It is guaranteed to send chills up
your spine,” says Vince. Writer Jeff Jackson delves deeper into his
inspiration. “There are several songs that speak of the consequences
of drunk driving. The twister on the story is that the man in this
story doesn’t see alcohol as his greatest enemy. There is nothing
more horrible than the look of his own reflection.”
This “New Music Weekly Breakthrough Artist of the Year” knew exactly
how to differentiate himself by coming onto the scene with a song
examining a different perspective on an all too frequent tragedy.
Being reared on the tunes of Merle Haggard and Ronnie Milsap, Vince
learned very early in his career the importance of finding songs
with influential messages. Even at age five, he fondly recalls his
uncles, dad and mom sitting around playing music. However, the
musical gene didn’t secure a strong foothold until the age of 18. “I
knew when I recorded my first song in a small Odessa, Texas studio
that I wanted to get on the performance stage.” Vince has
enthusiastically graced stages all across Texas and opened for
chart-toppers including fellow Texas legend George Strait.
When he isn’t in a studio or on stage, you’ll find Vince artfully
balancing family and business. He serves as President and owner of
Sharp Image Energy (SIE). SIE is a successful oil production and
exploration company that has been in business for approximately 20
years. Vince began the corporate climb straight out of high school
when he went to work in the oil fields driving a vacuum truck
cleaning out oil tanks. “The three most important words I live by
are never give up! I always tell my children how important it is to
follow their dreams wherever they take them.” Vince rears three
children (Emily, Zachary & Joshua) with his wife Shawn in Big
Spring, TX. As huge animal lovers, the family’s EZJ Ranch (named
after their three children) hosts a variety of exotic animals
including Elk, Blackbuck Antelope, Oryx, Addax Antelope, Fallow &
Axis Deer, native Whitetail Deer and exotic Audad Sheep. His
schedule begins early in the office and then, in true cowboy style,
the rest of the day is spent working his Black Angus cow and exotic
animal ranch.
On the musical frontier, this year Vince was named “Breakthrough
Artist of the Year” by New Music Weekly. Also, last year he was
nominated for “Song of the Year” with Stuck On You and for “Breakout
Artist of the Year.” He’s charted 5 number ones in a row; 3 on the
New Music Weekly chart from his 2008 project A Little More Time and
2 from his latest album Through That Glass (I’m Gonna Let You Down
and Shoes & Cheese). His new album Through That Glass, produced by
long-time collaborator Grammy nominated Eric Paul, includes an
A-list cast of musicians — Country Music Hall of Famer and harmonica
great Charlie McCoy, Grammy, ACM and CMA award winning guitarist
Brent Mason and Mike Chapman, celebrated bassist/session bandleader
on more than approximately 30 different number one singles. The
album features a variety of traditional country tunes covering the
importance of living each moment to the fullest, falling in and out
of love and the lasting impact one decision can have on the course
of your life. “I dabble in songwriting with my guitar, but there are
so many great writers in Nashville that it’s hard to beat their
compositions. I just want to keep on finding great music and enjoy
singing songs that carry a powerful punch. I think that’s what
you’ll find with a listen to Through that Glass. I am very pleased
with the lyrical reflection that resulted on this project”.
The date was May the 29th
A day that forever changed his life
Too much to drink he crossed the line
Paramedics on their way
At first he though that he was dreaming
Until he heard the sound of a teenager screaming
He played the part of a demon
That stole a life a way
He stumbled through the wreckage on the road
To see inside their window
But the look on her boyfriend’s face said
There was no hope
(CHORUS I)
And through that glass
He saw a life that he wanted back
In the front seat of that Pontiac
Just a memory now in time
Through that glass
He saw his greatest fear come to pass
To the prom queen of her senior class
All her dreams finalized
Through that glass
Behind bars serving time
For a D.U.I and a homicide
Not a day passed him by
He didn’t think about that night
For two hours every Saturday
His wife and kids came religiously
To see the man they still believed
Was good deep inside
His only road back to home
Was through a window pane
And a prison phone
And as they let him in the guard said
Man don’t ever lose hope
(CHORUS II)
‘Cause through that glass
He saw a life that he wanted back
To finally be the husband and the dad
He should have been all along
And through that glass
His daughter put her hand up to his
And she blew him a little kiss
And for a moment he felt home
Through that glass
Out on parole he served his time
An advocate now to never drink and drive
He goes around and tells the story
That changed his life
He said for years, I blamed the whiskey
For causing such a tragedy
But on the side of that road that night
I saw my greatest enemy
In the reflection staring back at me
Through that glass
www.vincehatfield.com
