Darin & Brooke Aldridge, America’s “Bluegrass Sweethearts”, are proud to announce the release of their new CD, So Much In Between. The sophomore project on Mountain Home Records, a division of Crossroads Music, is being released nationwide today.
Produced by critically acclaimed veteran producer/songwriter Jerry Salley, So Much In Between is a collection of songs sure to tug at the heartstrings of listeners of varied musical tastes. Including a classic cut of Tom T. Hall’s ”Our Little World”, a grassy version of Patsy Montana’s “Cowboy Sweetheart”, and a compelling mix of songs covering topics of love, life, and friendship, this project really does echo its title’s sentiment.
“It is such an honor to be involved in the career of Darin & Brooke Aldridge; not just as their producer, but more importantly as their friend,” states Salley. “It is so refreshing to work with folks who are not only extremely talented, but first-rate people, too. This new CD, So Much In Between, is the latest
project to showcase the beautiful harmonies and wonderful sound of Darin & Brooke Aldridge.”
Darin & Brooke Aldridge are celebrating the release of So Much In Between with a series of radio and television appearances including an in-studio performance earlier this month on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country and a recent taping of WoodSongs, a nationally syndicated show that airs on over 500 radio stations as well as PBS television stations across the country. In addition to promoting their latest CD, Darin & Brooke are also sharing the news of their recent partnership with Choice USA Beverage, a major distributor of Sun Drop.
“We were impressed with not only their talent but with their character and personalities” says Sam Robinson, VP Sales & Marketing of
Choice USA Beverage of Darin and Brooke Aldridge. “Just as Choice is known for the quality and value of our products, we value our reputation as
good citizens in our communities. We are exceptionally happy to have Darin and Brooke join with us to make an even greater impact for good. We love win-win partnerships and that’s exactly what this association is all about.”
The duo will promote their new partnership with Choice USA Beverage and their new CD with a busy schedule of performances at venues
across the country as well as public appearances on behalf of Sun Drop under the touring title of “Sun Drop and Darin and Brooke Aldridge: A
Refreshing Combination with So Much In Between.”
It will be available online through iTunes, Rhapsody, and Amazon, and music retailers nationwide. For more information on Darin & Brooke
Aldridge and their new CD So Much In Between, including a preview of tracks from the project, please visit www.DarinAndBrookeAldridge.com or www.CrossroadsMusic.com. For more information on Sun Drop, please visit www.SunDrop.com.
Tony Rice’s son John Christian passed away while being airlifted to UNC hospital after a head on collision on his mototcycle in Burlington NC today. Please keep Tony and his family in your prayers.
2011 INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS MUSIC AWARDS
BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Del McCoury
George Shuffler
IBMA DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Greg Cahill
Bill Knowlton
Lilly Pavlak
Geoff Stelling
Roland White
NOMINEES
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
The Boxcars
Dailey & Vincent
The Gibson Brothers
The Grascals
Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Blue Highway
Dailey & Vincent
The Gibson Brothers
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Blue Highway
The Boxcars
Sam Bush Band
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
The Infamous Stringdusters
EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Balsam Range
The Boxcars
Sierra Hull & Highway 111
Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jamie Dailey
Leigh Gibson
Russell Moore
Dan Tyminski
Josh Williams
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dale Ann Bradley
Sonya Isaacs
Alison Krauss
Claire Lynch
Rhonda Vincent
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Help My Brother,” The Gibson Brothers (artists), Leigh Gibson (songwriter)
“I Am Strong;” The Grascals featuring Dolly Parton (artists); Jamie Johnson, Susanne Mumpower-Johnson, Janee Fleenor (songwriters)
“I’ll Take Love,” Dale Ann Bradley with Alison Krauss & Steve Gulley (artists), Louisa Branscomb & Dale Ann Bradley (songwriters)
“Trains I Missed;” Balsam Range (artists); Walt Wilkins, Gilles Godard, Nicole Witt (songwriters)
“Walkin’ West to Memphis,” The Gibson Brothers (artists), Chris Henry (songwriter)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The All-Star Jam: Live At Graves Mountain; Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, The Crowe Brothers, Lonesome River Band, Mark Newton, Lou Reid & Carolina, Carl Jackson, Audie Blaylock & Redline, Carrie Hassler with Brand New Strings (artists); Mark Newton & Carl Jackson (producers); Rural Rhythm Records (label)
Almost Home, Larry Sparks (artist), Larry Sparks (producer), Rounder Records (label)
The Boxcars, The Boxcars (artists), The Boxcars (producers), Mountain Home (label)
Help My Brother, The Gibson Brothers (artists), Compass Records (label), Eric & Leigh Gibson and Mike Barber (producers)
Rare Bird Alert, Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers (artists), Tony Trischka (producer), Rounder Records (label)
Trains I Missed, Balsam Range (artists), Balsam Range (producers), Mountain Home (label)
GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“God’s Front Porch,” Lou Reid & Carolina (artists), Dennis Duff (songwriter), Lou Reid (producer), Rural Rhythm Christian (label)
“He Can Be Found,” The Gibson Brothers (artists), Ella Barrett & Faye Cunningham (songwriters), Eric & Leigh Gibson and Mike Barber (producers), Compass Records (label)
“In God’s Hands,” The Boxcars (artists), John Benjamin Rochester (songwriter), The Boxcars (producers), Mountain Home (label)
“Prayer Bells of Heaven;” J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson & Paul Williams (artists); J.F. Lowe & H.W. Ward (songwriters); Ben Isaacs (producer); Mountain Home (label)
“Sailing On,” Russell Moore & Dale Ann Bradley (artists), Rick Lang (songwriter), Jesse Brock & John Miller (producers), Rural Rhythm Christian (label)
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
“Goin’ Up Dry Branch,” Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (artists), Buddy Spicher & Jimmy Martin (songwriters), Jeff White & Michael Cleveland (producers), Rounder Records (label)
“Ground Speed;” Rural Rhythm All-Stars: Sammy Shelor, Carl Jackson, Brandon Rickman, Wayne Benson, Mike Hartgrove, Mike Anglin (artists); Earl Scruggs (songwriter); Mark Newton & Carl Jackson (producers); Rural Rhythm Records (label)
“Jumpin’ the Track,” The Boxcars (artists), Ron Stewart (songwriter), The Boxcars (producers), Mountain Home (label)
“Pretty Little Girl,” Lonesome River Band (artists), Public Domain, Lonesome River Band (producers), Rural Rhythm Records (label)
“Rare Bird Alert,” Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers (artists), Steve Martin (songwriter), Tony Trischka (producer), Rounder Records (label)
RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Graves Mountain Memories;” Rural Rhythm All-Stars featuring Carl Jackson, Mark Newton, Audie Blaylock, Lou Reid, Russell Moore, Carrie Hassler, Sammy Shelor, Mike Hartgrove, Wayne Benson, Mike Anglin (artists); Mark Newton & Carl Jackson (producers); Rural Rhythm Records (label)
“I Am Strong,” The Grascals featuring Dolly Parton (artists), The Grascals (producers), Cracker Barrel/BluGrascal Records (label)
“I’ll Take Love,” Dale Ann Bradley featuring Alison Krauss and Steve Gulley (artists), Louisa Branscomb & Missy Raines (producers), Compass Records (label)
“Lonesome River,” Lou Reid & Carolina featuring Russell Moore (artists), Mark Newton & Carl Jackson (producers), Rural Rhythm Records (label)
“Prayer Bells of Heaven;” J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson & Paul Williams (artists); Ben Isaacs (producer); Mountain Home (label)
INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR
Banjo:
Terry Baucom
Kristin Scott Benson
Ron Block
J.D. Crowe
Sammy Shelor
Ron Stewart
Bass:
Barry Bales
Mike Bub
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
Marshall Wilborn
Fiddle:
Hunter Berry
Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Ron Stewart
Dobro:
Mike Auldridge
Jerry Douglas
Rob Ickes
Randy Kohrs
Phil Leadbetter
Guitar:
Cody Kilby
Tony Rice
Kenny Smith
Bryan Sutton
Josh Williams
Mandolin:
Wayne Benson
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury
Adam Steffey
BLUEGRASS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR
Katy Daley; WAMU’s Bluegrass Country; Washington, D.C.
Chris Jones; Sirius XM Satellite Radio; Nashville, Tenn.
Tim White; Song of the Mountains; Marion, Va.
BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR
The 31st Annual Bluegrass & Chili Festival; September 2010; Claremore, Oklahoma
Silver Dollar City’s Bluegrass & Barbecue Festival; May 2010; Branson, Missouri
Wintergrass Youth Orchestra Gala; February 2011; Bellevue, Washington
BLUEGRASS PRINT MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Ralph Berrier, Jr; author of If Trouble Don’t Kill Me (Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.)
Tim Stafford & Caroline Wright, authors of Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story (Word of Mouth Press)
Juli Thanki; freelance writer for The 9531 and The Washington Post, Senior Editor of District Noise
BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR A RECORDED PROJECT
Ricardo Alessio (designer), City of Refuge, Abigail Washburn (artist), Rounder Records (label)
G. Carr & Salli Ratts (designers), Rare Bird Alert, Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers (artists), Rounder Records (label)
Albert J. Roman (designer), Daybreak, Sierra Hull (artist), Rounder Records (label)
BEST LINER NOTES FOR A RECORDED PROJECT
Colin Escott (writer), A Mother’s Prayer, Ralph Stanley (artist), Rebel Records (label)
Geoffrey Himes (writer), The Rounder Records Story, Various Artists, Rounder Records (label)
Steve Martin (writer), Rare Bird Alert, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers (artists), Rounder Records (label)
Christmas time’s a-coming, and holiday music fans will find a special treat when A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS VOLUME TWO hits stores nationwide on September 27. The new disc comes with a bonus DVD filled with 26 performances of traditional seasonal favorites and new compositions that are sure to become holiday treasures.
For Skaggs, a 14-time Grammy® winner, the FAMILY CHRISTMAS projects are a true labor of love. “We released Volume One back in 2005 because our fans asked us for it,” Ricky recalls. “We didn’t know if we’d ever do another one, but we’ve been hearing from our fans and they’re ready for more Christmas songs, so here’s Volume Two. It was a joy to create and we’re excited to share it.” Ricky, his wife Sharon and their children (Luke and Molly) are joined by Buck and Cheryl White, and Cheryl’s daughter, Rachel Leftwich, part of the Skaggs’ extended family and members of a celebrated musical clan in their own right. Also featured are world-renowned Kentucky Thunder and The Nashville Strings.
The 10-song CD features both studio and live recordings, and the disc kicks off with the upbeat bluegrass arrangement of “Christmas Time’s A Coming,” which segues smoothly to showcase Sharon White Skaggs and her sister, Cheryl, trading lead vocals on the bright, acoustic, “Light of the Stable.” An a capella version of “The First Noel” finds Ricky singing lead, while the signature vocals of the White sisters excel on the high and low harmonies. Heavenly voices rise in praise on the classic seasonal favorite, “Silent Night,” which also features a poignant mandolin and soaring strings. Molly Skaggs shines on “What
Songs Were Sung,” proving she’s more than worthy to carry on the families’ traditions, while brother Luke burns up the fret on his own composition, the intricate instrumental, “Flight To Egypt.” The modern “Reunion Song” featuresa deceptively-simple sing-along melody, and Ricky not only triumphs on the lead vocal, but also plays Guitars, Mandolin, Gut String Solo and Dan Electro. Skaggs’ lightning-fast finger pickin’ guitar lick jump-starts “Children
Go” and the vocal interplay between the family members (Ricky, Buck, Sharon and Cheryl) should leave listeners breathless. A haunting, original arrangement and expressive vocals by Luke, Molly and Rachel highlight “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel,”and the disc closes with a classical instrumental
interpretation of “Joy To The World.”
As a bonus, A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS LIVE (DVD) is included with the purchase of the CD. The DVD features the family’s heartwarming holiday concert, recorded live in Nashville at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The three generations have taken this special show on the road for the last eight years,
and the tradition continues this year, with thetroupe performing at a variety of venues throughout the holiday season, including:
11/28/11 Brooks Ctr. for the Perf. Arts / Clemson, SC
11/30/11 The Paramount Theater / Charlottesville, VA
12/01/11 Music Center at Strathmore / N. Bethesda, MD
12/02/11 Tennessee Theatre / Knoxville, TN
12/10/11 Honeywell Center / Wabash, IN
12/11/11 Niswonger PAC of NW Ohio / Van Wert, OH
12/17/11 Smokey Mtn. Performing Arts Center / Franklin, NC
12/22/11 Schermerhorn Symphony Center / Nashville, TN
“We started singing these songs in our living room all those years ago, with no idea that we would ever take A Skaggs Family Christmas to so many places,” explains Sharon. “We’ve performed everywhere from churches to symphony halls to the National Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington D.C., where we sang for President George W. Bush. The recording process, the performing and traveling has been so much fun! It has been such a blessing to share all of this as a
family.”
Explore the history of the Skaggs Family and more at www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com
Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice and Rebel Records announced their latest Rebel Records album titled “The Heart of a Song” will be available late Summer 2011. The new project will feature the guest vocals of Rhonda Vincent on the duet number “The Sound of Your Name”. The album will also feature the songwriting talents of Tom T. and Dixie Hall. The new release comes on the heels of the chart topping success of their last album “Heartaches and Dreams” which produced a number #1 song in “Train Without a Track” and remained the top album on the Bluegrass Unlimited Charts for the over four months, charting the last ten months.
“We are very proud of this new album. It is the best work we have done to date.” said Junior Sisk. “We feel it has just the right amount of traditional and new music and just like “Heartaches and Dreams“ will feature the great songwriting of Tom T. and Dixie Hall. We were also excited to record with Rhonda Vincent. She has an incredible voice and we blended together very well. I hope everyone will enjoy our efforts with “The Heart of a Song“. We look forward to a stellar year for the band the rest of 2011 and for many years to come.”
Tom T. and Dixie Hall contribute new material to Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice’s “The Heart of Song”with “The Grave Robber“. The song is an interesting tale with a twist at the end that leaves chills on the back of your neck.
“We are very excited to be working Junior and the band for this new release” said Mark Freeman of Rebel Records. “We look forward to his records and really enjoy his music. It fits well with the traditions of Rebel Records”
Sisk has lived most of his life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia an area he still calls home. Growing up he learned to play the music that surrounded him in the mountains. He has had an incredible career in bluegrass music and has been nominated many times for Songwriter and Male Vocalist of the Year through IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) and the SPBGMA. In 2011 the band was nominated in 8 categories at the SPBGMA awards and expects nominations from IBMA for this year’s awards in September. With this success they can expect many more years of nominations and accolades.
The band continues to tour in 2011 with nearly 100 dates planned or in the works through the end of the year. The 2011 tour dates will take them across most of the United States and portions of Canada and a cruise to the Caribbean in October. They will start performing songs from the new CD on their stage shows soon.
Additional details on Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice are available at www.juniorsiskandramblerschoice.com or www.mountainmusicentertainment.com
Mark Newton proudly announced his new band formation today at the offices of Mountain Music Entertainment. The new band will be representation of multi-award winning bluegrass and roots music artist Mark Newton’s styling and will also add to the mix two new members that will round out the regularly touring trio. Banjoist, Bassist, and Vocalist Andrew Blythe and Dobroist, Guitarist, and Vocalist Leah Needham comprise the trio with Newton. Mark is well known for his contributions to the field of bluegrass and acoustic music as an artist, producer, writer, and vocalist.
Collaborating with Grammy-winning producer Carl Jackson, for one of his most successful projects to date, “Hillbilly Hemingway” the title of his last project, Mark searched beyond bluegrass for just the right songs, adding tasteful percussion and raising his already considerable interpretative vocal skills to a new level. The result was an album solidly rooted in bluegrass without being hemmed in by its narrowest conventions for a collection that he calls, without hesitation, “the best album I’ve made to date.” Hillbilly Hemingway was in the top ten bluegrass records for the year of 2007 and won Graphic Design of the Year 2007 at the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Awards. Newton expects to release a new project soon with the new band configuration.
In 1978 Mark became a member of the Knoxville Grass out of Knoxville, TN, and by 1983 Mark, Rickie and Ronnie Simpkins, and Sammy Shelor founded the Virginia Squires. In 1998 Mark released his first solo album for the Rebel Records label called “Living A Dream”. While cutting “Living A Dream” Mark came up with the concept for “Follow Me Back To The Fold” A Tribute To Women in Bluegrass. This project has become one of Mark’s most widely recognized accomplishments. The Album became a landmark project for bluegrass and a personal milestone for Mark Newton, capturing the IBMA Recorded Event of The Year Award in 2001. Mark also participated on “Knee Deep In Bluegrass The Acutab Sessions” and won The IBMA Instrumental Album Of The Year in 2001 as well. Recently Newton was involved with producing and performing on the “The 55th Anniversary Rural Rhythm Graves Mountain Live” project from Rural Rhythm which is a candidate in several categories for the IBMA Awards in 2011.
Newton is growing his musical experimentation by staying solid to acoustic music yet, exploring various musical creations with the vocal talent and styling in various arrangements with Mark Newton’s Stillhouse Band. “I am excited to be working such great young talent like Leah and Andrew, moving forward with a refocused musical product, and continuing my efforts with the Graves Mountain Festival, Lyrics for Lyric, and being able to put my energy into being an artist and producer. I am excited about the future and look forward to seeing many of my fans and friends later this year as we kick off a new tour.” said Newton. “A new website and other information will be coming soon. In the meantime, we hope everyone will visit us on Facebook and learn more about the band.”
Additional details on Mark Newton are available at www.marknewtonband.com or www.mountainmusicentertainment.com
Rural Rhythm recording artist, THE ROYS, are on tour promoting their hot new bluegrass album, LONESOME WHISTLE including their stellar performance this past weekend at the COUNTRY THUNDER festival in Wisconsin. This coming weekend, THE ROYS head to the Blue Moon Mountain Bluegrass Festival in Prestonsburg, Kentucky where they will join fellow Rural Rhythm label mates: Blue Moon Rising, Cumberland River, Carolina Road, and Josh Slone & CoalTown for what is surely to be an exciting event.
Bluegrass music fans will certainly want to tune into SIRIUS XM radio’s Bluegrass Junction this week as host Kyle Cantrell will re-air THE ROYS Track-by-Track interview Wednesday, July 27 at 11:00 AM, Thursday, July 28 at 9:00 PM, Saturday, July 30 8:00 am; and Sunday, July 31 at 11:00 AM (Eastern).
This month, LONESOME WHISTLE hit #1 on Power Source Magazine’s Top 35 Bluegrass Chart; #10 on Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine’s (BU) Top 15 Albums, #14 on Cashbox Magazine’s Top 20; and #13 on last week’s Roots Music Report Top 50 Bluegrass Albums. Their hot single, “Coal Minin’ Man” is #9 on the BU Top 30 Songs and #5 on Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine’s Top 30 Hot Singles charts.
The Roys were chosen as an Official Showcase Artist and will perform during the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass taking place September 26-October 2, 2011 in Nashville, TN. The event includes the popular IBMA Awards Show held at the Ryman Auditorium. IBMA members take part in a three ballot voting system and The Roys were thrilled to appear in the following categories on the second round of voting: Vocal Group of the Year, Song of the Year (Coal Minin’ Man), Album of the Year (Lonesome Whistle); Gospel Performance of the Year (I Wonder What God’s Thinking); Emerging Artists of the Year; and Recorded Event of the Year (That’s What Makes It Love – The Roys featuring Ricky Skaggs and The Whites).
Please visit TheRoysonline.com for a complete tour schedule and learn more about this exciting band and their new album, LONESOME WHISTLE.
PHOTO CREDIT: RICK DIAMOND
Rural Rhythm is proud to announce today’s new album release
THE LIFE WE LIVEby CUMBERLAND RIVER.
“One listen to THE LIFE WE LIVE by Harlan County quintet Cumberland River and you’ll understand but while this young band have embraced the deep rooted traditions of rural American music..Cumberland River can pick with the best of them and these boys can flat out sing but it’s the writing on THE LIFE WE LIVE that brings the album to a modern, progressive level. These boys have a lot to say and you can read a full feature in the upcoming print edition of The Alternate Root magazine.“
The Alternate Root
View new video of the new bluegrass single “Cold & Withered Heart”.
IBMA Entertainers of the Year Dailey & Vincent were thrilled that Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member Vince Gill joined them onstage during Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman on July 21. They treated the near-capacity crowd to a performance of Gill’s “The Hills of Caroline.” Photo courtesy of Ryman Archives.
Pictured (left to right): Dailey & Vincent band members Jeff Parker, Joe Dean, and Christian Davis; Gill; Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent.
Newly signed to Rebel Records, Dehlia Low echoes the sounds of early country with a strong bluegrass flavor, crafting a fresh originality that feels like home in this new album produced by the Infamous Stringdusters’ Travis Book…
Asheville, NC– Dehlia Low pushes bluegrass squarely into the Americana genre, combining their tenacious, authentic vocal style with extraordinary instrumental prowess in original songs that feel at once old and new. Their newest project Ravens and Crows will be their first release on the venerable Rebel Records label (Ralph Stanley, Steep Canyon Rangers) on August 2, 2011.
The vocal harmony and instrumentation on the album reflect a deep connection to traditional music with modern arrangements and relevant, smart songwriting. Fans of Dehlia Low immediately latch onto the compelling, nostalgic vocals of Anya Hinkle, the group’s lead singer and fiddler, uniquely paired with guitarist Stacy Claude’s clear, unyielding singing. Greg Stiglets, on bass, has the edgy country vocals reminiscent of Steve Earle’s early days. Aaron Ballance frames their sound through his virtuosic and expressive resophonic guitar playing that is punctuated and textured by Bryan Clendenin’s inventive and powerful mandolin.
The project, their fourth record to date, was recorded and mixed close to home in Asheville, NC at Echo Mountain Recording. “We were thrilled to get into the studio and get these songs recorded, and grateful to the wonderful folks at Rebel for making the record possible,” said Hinkle. “Each song has a story behind it that is personal for each one of us. For me, it is a privilege to be able to share my thoughts, the melodies that run through my head, and my influences as a reflection of those who inspire me in this record. To stand in front of the incredible mics at Echo thinking about sharing those songs with the world was very emotional for me. After laying down “Living is Easy” at around midnight on a cold March evening with the rest of the band in the booth, I could hardly sleep. I felt like I was already dreaming anyway.”
The album was produced Travis Book, a member of the International Bluegrass Music Association multi-award winners and Grammy-nominated The Infamous Stringdusters. A singer, songwriter, bass player and lifelong “band guy,” Book was the perfect fit. “The stars really aligned to have Travis come out to Asheville and work on this project during a break in the Dusters’ busy touring schedule,” said Claude. “He has a terrific ear and tremendous experience with arranging music in the studio. He was on the same page with us immediately in developing the songs and arrangements we brought to the project. His positive energy made all the details fall into place. The whole experience was a great lesson in faith and fun, and you can really hear that on the album.”
About the record, Book says, “the band and I are traveling the same path, creating music with friends that speaks from our experience, ignoring convention and following our ears. The traditional aesthetic and down-to-earth nature of the music initially drew me to the project, but the raw creativity and uniqueness of the members and the seamless integration of their influences and biases were what made this project really special.”
The record is the latest release on Rebel Records. Rebel’s president Mark Freeman says, “Rebel Records is thrilled to have Dehlia Low as a part of the Rebel family. The Asheville, North Carolina-area has seen the emergence of a number of amazing roots-oriented groups over the last few years and Dehlia Low is certainly one of those bands at the forefront of the scene! They project a highly energetic, contemporary sound that is fresh yet still very much rooted in tradition. I have no doubt their distinctive singing and original material will quickly win over new audiences everywhere.”
The ten original songs are filled with compelling poetry that conveys a sense of time and place wholly familiar yet hard to categorize. Hinkle’s songwriting ranges from a coming-of-age gallop in “State of Jefferson,” to southern sounds and mythology in “Goin’ Down” and “Ravens and Crows,” to the mesmerizing, bluesy “Drifting on a Lonesome Sea.” Stiglets’s wordplay and cadence are Dylanesque in “Thunder,” while his imagery and melody are both intriguing and heartbreaking in “Ride” and “Better Left Unsaid”– all in sharp contrast to the hard-edged, bluegrassy “$40 Chain.” Clendenin’s “Change Up” showcases the instrumental work of the group. Of the two covers on the album, the band swings Willie Nelson’s “What Do You Think Of Her Now” behind Claude’s vocals, while taking “Cannonball Blues” to bare bones.
Ravens and Crows follows two previous studio albums and one live album that have been released since the band formed in 2007. Their inaugural EP Dehlia Low and full-length studio album Tellico both scored in the top 20 of WNCW 88.7FM’s top 100 new releases of 2009 and 2010, respectively, and garnered praise from Bluegrass Unlimited, SingOut!, No Depression and others. The buzz led to an exciting tour in 2010 in support of Tellico, with appearances some of the most prestigious festivals in the U.S., including Merlefest and the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, where they shared the stage with the Stringdusters, Seldom Scene, and Alison Krauss and Union Station. In 2011, Dehlia Low will be taking their “Appalachiagrassicana” sound across the U.S. and Canada in support of the new album.
