See The Big Man Cry Robert Rex Waller Jr.

• 1The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore04:06
• 2Girl Of My Dreams03:56
• 3There's No Living Without Your Loving04:07
• 4I'll Never Dance Again03:21
• 5Let Her Go Down03:50
• 6Easy Loving03:23
• 7Tougher Than The Rest04:50
• 8A Woman's Touch04:09
• 9Amanda Ruth03:16
• 10My Favorite Loneliness03:54
• 11See The Big Man Cry03:26
• 12Reconsider Me04:30
• 13Gypsy Rider04:13
• Total Runtime51:01

Info for See The Big Man Cry

Robert Rex Waller Jr. and Carla Olson have been collaborating on stage and in the studio for years. Their duet of “Bossier City” appeared on I See Hawks in L.A.’s Shoulda Been Gold in 2010, Waller was a featured artist on two songs on Olson’s Have Harmony, Will Travel (2013), and the two have long enjoyed singing together at shows around L.A. See The Big Man Cry is the culmination of their collaboration, and the second time Waller has recorded an album under his own name. In his solo work, Waller enjoys experimenting with new genres and exploring the work of songwriters and vocalists he admires. For STBMC, Carla and A&R man Saul Davis pulled tunes from across the musical landscape to feature Waller’s vocal range from deep baritone to upper tenor.

On See The Big Man Cry Waller delivers covers of pop and rock from Bobby Rydell and the Walker Brothers to Bram Tchaikovsky and Bruce Springsteen. It also includes country and Americana songs from Charlie Louvin and Freddie Hart to Gene Clark and Rank & File. There’s even an original by Waller and Hawks bassist Paul Marshall penned to meld with the style of the covers.

Olson and Davis assembled an all-star cast of L.A.’s finest Americana musicians to bring these songs to life. The musicians on this album include Waller’s Hawks cohorts Paul Lacques and Paul Marshall as well as John York (The Byrds, Doug Sahm), Benjamin Lecourt (The Wallflowers), Skip Edwards (Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakham), Stephen McCarthy (The Long Ryders, The Jayhawks), Mike Clinco, Matt Von Roderick and Kaitlin Wolfberg. Freddie Hart’s original pedal steel player JD Walter adds his signature sound. Harmony vocals were sung by Gia Ciambotti (Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen) and Gregg Sutton (Joe Cocker, Barry Goldberg) as well as by Carla Olson.

In describing the concept behind the album Davis says, “If you like Raul Malo, Gene Pitney, or Randy Travis you will love this album. If you like the Cactus Blossoms, Jamestown Revival or the Milk Carton Kids you will love this album.” Other inspirational records include: Bryan Ferry’s These Foolish Things, Another Time ~ Another Place, and As Time Goes Time, Sandie Shaw’s Reviewing The Situation, BJ Thomas’s Nightlife, and David Bowie’s Pin~Ups.

See The Big Man Cry is designed and sequenced like The Rolling Stones album Tattoo You or Rod Stewart’s Atlantic Crossing. Here we have a pop and rock “side” and an Americana and country “side.” Thematically the record navigates the sadness and pain of love and loss but with hopeful acknowledgment of the healing power of music.

This latest solo effort comes on the heels of Waller’s two well received contributions to the BMG multi-artist and Olson-producedAmericana Railroad (2021). Olson has also produced albums by Jake Andrews, Barry Goldberg, Paul Jones, Phil Upchurch, Joe Louis Walker, and Mare Winningham as well as individual tracks by artists ranging from Otis Rush to Billy Joe Royal to Dave Alvin.

“Any fear of how some songs would fit are soon dispelled as Waller, JR ups his game to deliver an album I will be playing for a long, long time. He doesn’t just cover the songs but in a number of cases it will be his I reach for first in days to come as the definitive version.” (Maurice Hope, Americana UK)

Robert Rex Waller Jr., vocals, guitar
Mike Clinco, guitar
Mikal Reid, guitar
Carla Olson, guitar, vocals
Paul Lacques, guitar
Stephen McCarthy, guitar, lap steel guitar
John York, 12 string guitar, guitar
JD Walters, pedal steel guitar
Marty Rifkin, pedal steel guitar
Skip Edwards, piano, accordion
Paul Marshall, bass
Benjamin Lecourt, drums, percussion
Skip Edwards, piano
Kaitlin Wolfberg, violin, viola, cello
Matt Von Roderick, trumpet
Gia Ciambotti, harmony vocals
Gregg Sutton, harmony vocals

Robert Rex Waller Jr.
Robert Rex Waller Jr. is a singer, songwriter, performer and professor living in Los Angeles, CA. Over the last 20+ years Waller has been the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters with the critically acclaimed country rock band, I See Hawks in L.A.

The Hawks have released ten studio albums and toured the US and Europe multiple times. Their songs have charted in independent Americana radio in US and Europe and have been placed in TV and films including Cobra Kai, Roswell, and True Blood.

Dave Alvin has called the Hawks “one of California’s unique treasures” and MOJO magazine named them “the finest country rock band on the planet.”

Waller has written, recorded, or performed with artists including but not limited to Phoebe Bridgers, Lucinda Williams, Carla Olson, Eddie Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Cheech Marin, Jackson Browne, Justin Townes Earle, Tom Petty, Chris Hillman, Herb Peterson, John York, David Jackson, Gabe Witcher, Rick Shea, Dave Alvin, James Intveld, Gregg Sutton, Tony Gilkyson, Raul Pacheco, Peter Case, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Bernie Leadon, and The Meat Puppets.

Waller and the Hawks have performed at some of the most legendary venues and festivals in Americana music including: McCabe’s Guitar Shop, Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, Slim’s (SF), and Joe’s Pub (NYC). His festival appearances include: Kerrville Folk Fest, Stagecoach, Strawberry Festival (CA), Down On The Farm (Halden, Norway), Maverick Fest (UK), Belladrum Tartan Heart (UK), Hempfest (Seattle), French Broad River Fest (NC), Albino Skunk Fest (SC), and showcases at Folk Alliance.

In addition to his performing career, Waller is also a professor at the University of Southern California. Alumni from hiss legendary Writing for Visual and Performing Artists course are professionally active in all genres of the arts from TV and film to Broadway to popular and classical music to visual arts, architecture and video games.

Waller released Fancy Free, his first solo album of cover songs, in 2016. Waller’s second solo album, See The Big Man Cry, was produced by Carla Olson and is set to be released on BFD records on October 20th, 2023.

Waller lives in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles with his wise and understanding wife, three well-behaved children, and two adoring cats.

This album contains no booklet.