Mike Bella is our area’s own version of Dale Watson, a traditional country singer who is known and awarded for his music overseas while still largely unknown stateside. Both are too country and too independent to make major radio airplay in the U. S., but Europe in particular embraces them. Bella’s fans both in and out of the U. S. will no doubt enjoy his latest release Lost in the Shuffle on the 5 Star Entertainment label.

Strongly influenced by the Bakersfield sound and Buck Owens in particular, Bella will not be mistaken for, say, Kenny Chesney anytime soon. Twang and steel and fiddle abound on this record, like its predecessor Forever and Ever. The Logan County native has won numerous European country music awards and tours overseas consistently.

Lost in the Shuffle was recorded at the Mission and mastered at Starplex Sound. The musicians include Jim Brown (piano, acoustic guitar), Hoot Hester (fiddle), Steve Hinson (steel guitar), Kerry Marx (electric guitar), Greg Herrington (drums), and David Smith (bass). Background vocals were by Mike Bella, Ken Isham, Barbie Isham, and Adam Tilford.

Leading off with a Wynn Stewart/Tommy Collins song “I Won’t Live That Long,” Bella shows off his classic phrasing and bold yet warm voice. The 12-song disc takes a large number of its songs, like “I Won’t Live That Long,” from classic country artist/writers. Merle Haggard’s “White Line Fever” fits Bella to a T. Bella puts a shuffle on Buck Owens’ “Over and Over” and also puts his spin on Buck’s “Love’s Gonna Live Here.” Bella reaches back to Flatt & Scruggs for their “Give Me Flowers” and to the ‘80s for Dan Seals’ “Wild Side of Me.”

Bella picked new songs that fit in just fine with the older ones he covered. Best examples are the two Slugger Morrissette penned songs n the infectious “Love Lives On” and “Might As Well Stayed at Home” where Bella laments the new features at his old watering hole in classic country language — and “What We Don’t Have,” an appearances-are-deceiving song co-written by Billy Yates that would have been a good Alan Jackson track. Title track “Lost in the Shuffle” by Barbie Isham and Monty Holmes is a great dance tempo track about, well, letting two hearts go while dancing.

Bella is currently touring in Australia March 2-14 beginning in Melbourne and ending in Brisbane. He has dates in Europe between May and August, including Switzerland, Germany, Holland, France, Norway, and Sweden. So right now Lost in the Shuffle is one’s best chance to listen to Bella’s straight country music. The disc is available for $10 at Bella’s website http://www.mikebella.com