Bob Amos is best known for fronting the Colorado-based band Front Range that played together during the period from 1988 through to 2004, during which period they released seven albums.
Amos wrote roughly 75% of the songs recorded by Front Range, most prominent among these are One Beautiful Day (the 1991 IBMA Gospel Recording of the Year award winner), Back to Red River, Hills That I Call Home, Kissing the Blues Goodbye, Shady River and Where the Wild River Rolls (also recorded by Hot Rize).
In 1999, while he was still with Front Range, he released his first solo project, Wherever I Go.
In 2004 Amos embarked on a solo career, releasing two other singer-songwriter albums; Reels of Life (2004) and Wide Open Blues (2010).
Returning to a bluegrass music format, he released Borrowed Time (2012), on which his version of Backwards and Forwards can be found. This was followed by Sunrise Blues (2014).
Since 2010 he has led a Vermont-based bluegrass band called Bob Amos & Catamount Crossing, doing a lot of the original material off these two recent projects, plus some older songs.
In all Amos has written over 100 songs during his 35-year career.
In addition to Hot Rize, his songs have also been recorded by The Chapmans; Audie Blaylock & Redline; Special Consensus; Baucum, Bibey, Graham & Haley; and others .. and now….. Junior Sisk!
Bob Amos describes what creative thinking was involved in writing Backwards and Forwards …
“I tend to write in a wide variety of musical styles, from very traditional to pretty modern. Backwards and Forwards is certainly more on the traditional end of the spectrum for me. I’m a huge fan of traditional bluegrass, and the first-generation bluegrass artists are still a major influence and inspiration to me. I was delighted when Junior Sisk wanted to record Backwards and Forwards, since he is one of the finest and most exciting traditional bluegrass musicians on the scene today.
3/4 tempo (waltz) songs are not quite as common today as they were in the early days of bluegrass, but I think it’s a nice and important rhythmic variation in the music. Over the years I’ve written quite a few songs in waltz time. This one is basically a love song about bad timing. Most people at one time or another have had a relationship where it seems that, in the beginning, the fates are against you and everything that can possibly go wrong, does. Relationships are always a bit of a dance, and so the whole vibe of this song was to express the story as a dance (a waltz), going forward a bit, then back, wondering the whole time if you are going to find that solid groove, or if it’s just going to fall apart and end out of step, before it really has a chance to get going. In this case, the story is not resolved at the end, so it’s up to the listener to wonder whether they made it, or not!
I’m a pretty positive person and a very happily married guy (for over 30 years) but, writing and singing sad songs has always been very satisfying somehow. We’ve all had difficult times in our lives, and songs like this give writers and singers a chance to access and then process those other times and feelings when things were not so great. I’ve written a lot of songs over the years, but sad ones like this, or some of my others (like Where the Wild River Rolls), are my favorite ones to sing, because you can really sink your teeth into them. It just feels good to sing them. Hearing two great singers like Junior Sisk and Heather Berry Mabe sing this song as a duet is really a thrill for me. They really brought the story to life!”
Junior Sisk explains why he chose to record Backwards and Forwards and what prompted him to arrange it as a duet ……
“Bob sent a demo tape to me and when I heard this particular song I knew it would work well for me. Then I kept hearing it with a girl singer and thought right away of Heather Berry Mabe. Loved what she has done on it. Always liked Bob’s singing for a long time! Didn’t know he was such a good writer too! Hope to record more of his songs in the future.”
The Junior Sisk recording of Backwards and Forwards is on his album Brand New Shade of Blue (Mountain Fever Records).
Backwards and Forwards
© Robert C. Amos, Stark Brook Music, BMI
Verse 1
Round and around in a circle we go
Where will we wind up, nobody knows
One thinkin’ lover and one thinkin’ friend
It’s backwards and forwards and backwards again
Chorus
We’ll never know what the future will hold if the story’s never told
Everything ending before it begins
Backwards and forwards and backwards again
It’s backwards and forwards and backwards again
Verse 2
You come to see me but I’m down in town
I try to reach you but you’re not around
One’s goin’ crazy while one’s doin’ fine
Day will be comin’ when we’re outta time
Chorus
We’ll never know what the future will hold if the story’s never told
Everything ending before it begins
Backwards and forwards and backwards again
It’s backwards and forwards and backwards again
Verse 3
We seem to find love just when it’s gone
No one can hold on like this for too long
Writing a love song that nobody sings
Playin’ a game where nobody wins
Chorus
We’ll never know what the future will hold if the story’s never told
Everything ending before it begins
Backwards and forwards and backwards again
It’s backwards and forwards and backwards again
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