“I bared it all on this record. I opened my heart, exposed my family’s tragedies, and when it was done, I had nothing else to give.” HEARTWORN TRAGEDY is Bart Crow’s latest chapter in a story that bodes the finest quality of the human spirit; resilience. Slated for release on October 27, 2009 on Smith Entertainment Records, HEARTWORN TRAGEDY is a portrait of Bart Crow as he is now, after coming out the other side of a year that intended to knock him out in the first round. In the liner notes this record is dedicated to our soldiers and their families, an undaunted band of warriors with who Crow shares the fraternal blood. Yet, the inspiration that pervades this entire collection stems from his mother who bravely rushed the battle lines of her own personal war and ended up the last one standing after the smoke finally cleared. These 10 superlative tracks plod a course through a landscape of heartbreak, fear, anger, faith, forgiveness, love, and the miracle of surrender. It is a testimony to the enduring soldier in us all and the innate wisdom that beckons us through another storm because we know the sun will shine again on another beautiful day. HEARTWORN TRAGEDY was produced by Dexter Green who has become a most promising producer/composer/writer in the industry having worked with a slew of major label artists and one of the top commercial music houses in Nashville. His most recent writing and production credits can be found on Youth, the latest album from Atlanta’s Collective Soul. Green co-wrote and produced the album’s biggest single, “Better Now,” which broke the Top 10 on the Billboard chart. Crow’s election of Green as producer proved yet another breakthrough to his evolving sound that is instantly recognizable on this third studio release. The strong friendship that became of their meeting earlier this year developed into the ideal artist/producer relationship, and Green’s lack of familiarity with the Texas sound provided an unbiased infrastructure enabling the songs to come into their full individual identities. The title track breaks the seal coming in with a meaty bass line and stinging guitars. It’s the perfect intro into the quintessential Bart Crow flavor wearing ass-kickin’ boots and a grin. It continues on with the record’s first single “Saying Goodbye,” a song Crow describes as a “bobbing your head diddy that doesn’t play on your emotions.” And there are several other breaks in the storm with songs like “Traded It All For Love” and “Shadow Dancer,” a boy-meets-girl twist of fate jounced along in a jazzy wagon.” There are plenty of tunes on this record that wear emotional armor in an attempt to cordon off the sounds of heartache you know is sure to come, but in order to fully understand the brilliance of this record you have to “Surrender.” This song is a direct result of the Crow family struggle and stands as the final word that represents the sentiment of this record. After laying down his angst in “Broken,” a song that comes up like the start of an emotional eruption running towards the light of day, and sending out a prayer to his family in “Run With The Devil,” it is the poignant words “surrender, give up…just don’t let go” that Crow leaves us with; a courageous truth that makes HEARTWORN TARDEDY a journey well worth taking.