Noted Country and Western Swing sideman Howard Kalish has finally released his own recording, an exciting mix of new and old tunes he calls WHAT THE HEY. Howard admits that he likes being a sideman. He likes to accompany the singer and weave in and out between the words. He likes to rip off a hot solo or play a pretty melody and watch the dancers glide across the floor. For 15 years he played fiddle and guitar with the incomparable and intercontinental Don Walser's Pure Texas Band. He's played fiddle with legendary singers like Hank Thompson, Ray Price,Johnny Bush and Cornell Hurd. He's developed a unique sound but still carries on the tradition. Howard has made a lot of fans during his years of playing fiddle and guitar in Central Texas country bands and many folks have asked him when he was going to put out his own record. That time is now! Howard's new CD starts out with a swinging original called Philco Drive, and the fun doesn't end until the very last tune. The CD is packed with 15 great songs and instrumentals, including the title track, which swings like mad. Howard sings 6 of the songs and features his long-time musical compadre Don Walser on 3 songs, including a lovely waltz written by Howard's wife Kathleen. Howard covers It's Dark All Over the World, a sublime and sad country shuffle by Cornell Hurd and Joe Dickens. Fan favorites such as I Wanna Be A Cajun and Texas Hambone Blues get jubilant performances. Great new originals like the rousing Bonafide Bulldozer Man, the poignant I Just Want You For A Friend and the insightful I Will Never Change So Why Don't You are in good company with fine old tunes like Moon Mullican's I Was Sorta Wonderin', Mel Tillis' hit Too Lonely Too Long, and, from tin pan alley, If You're Cheating on Your Baby. Howard assembled an inspired ensemble of great Austin musicians to appear on his recording, including the Pure Texas Band's Scott Walls on pedal steel guitar, Skinny Don Keeling on bass and Phillip Fajardo on drums. The band also includes Grammy-award winning piano pounder Floyd Domino, the incomparable guitar players Rick McRae and Dave "LeRoy" Biller, the swinging drummers Timmy Campbell and Ernie Durawa, and bass master Lynn Daniel. Howard is proud that his new CD gives him and his friends a chance to stretch out and show that shuffles, swing tunes, waltzes and polkas still have a lot of life in them. Get a copy and put it on and hear why Howard says "What the Hey".