Without looking at the album cover, people might assume Big Daddy ‘O’ is maybe the newest Cash Money Records hip-hop star. One look at his thick salt & pepper handlebar mustache, the long hair parted in the middle, and the undeniably white complexion will quell any mistaken identity. Big Daddy ‘O’ does share one characteristic with hip-hop artists; they both mine the past for their musical inspiration. That’s How Strong My Love Is is a strong collection of familiar country blues and old R&B tunes fleshed out with love from guitarist/singer Owen Tufts a.k.a. Big Daddy ‘O’. Bolstered by a stripped-down production and a sympathetic cast of accompanying musicians, Big Daddy manages to inject a warmth and emotion to these tunes with an interpretive approach that is more reverential than radical. None of the songs are altered much, but are given subtle nuances of texture. Theresa Andersson’s violin adds sweet earthy tones to Taj Mahal’s “Lovin In My Baby’s Eyes,” and Cherie Mannino’s vocal harmony adds an emotive depth to the gentle Lennon/McCartney ballad “I Will,” but it is Big Daddy’s no frills guitar work and brawny vocals that standout. Nothing on That’s How Strong My Love Is will bowl one over with blistering solos or hair-raising blues howls, but that is not its purpose. It’s Sunday afternoon music that’s mellow and fine with a maybe a shade of melancholy. While Owen Tufts may not be a prolific songwriter (of the 19 songs, only one is an original), his knack for interpretation makes for a surprisingly impressive record.

–Christopher Blagg
OffBeat Magazine, March 2002