Page 100 - ION Indie Magazine SeptOct 2019 Issue

Brad Petersen

Flying High with “Second Chances”

Music by Brad Petersen
“Second Chances”

Album Review by Scott Wikle
Photography by Julie Russo

California native Brad Petersen has had a love for music his entire life.
He grew up in a family where music was always around. He learned to
play guitar at a young age and began his lifelong journey as a musician.
On the inside cover of his CD “Second Chances,” Brad shares many
pictures of his family and talks about their contributions to his music. In
fact, Brad’s “family in music” extended past those genetically linked. As a
teenager, Brad would meet and become friends with Noel Haggard, one
of Merle Haggard’s sons, where he would also come to know the country
music legend himself and spend time with his family.

I guess you could say that music has been Brad’s life. And his passion
has expanded into another realm -- he has even delved into radio and
hosts his own show on Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. PT on KZFR in Chino,
California.

I first became friends with Brad several years ago through social media.
That led to phone conversations and an eventual face-to-face meeting in
Tennessee when Brad came for a country music award show that I was
attending. We have been brothers-in-music ever since. Brad and I have
shared numerous deep conversations about music, many times, talking
in that language that only true music collectors understand. I am proud to
call him my friend and equally honored to present this stellar album to you
that he has created, “Second Chances.”

Brad has a deep love for the history and roots of country music as
evidenced in his debut CD “Second Chances.” Brad selected songs for
this project that not only have deep personal meaning for him, but also
the original artists that first recorded them. He gives a solid rendition of
Merle Haggard’s hit “The Way I Am,” tipping his hat to his musical idol.
But, as with any great artist, Brad gives the song his own personal touch,
picking up the tempo a bit and adding some beautiful steel guitar work
from Boxer Banderas. With “Me and Paul,” a Willie Nelson original and
perpetual fan favorite, Brad simply makes this song his own with his very
tasteful interpretation. I would go so far to say that I prefer it to the original.