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CD Releases

Missy Raines – Royal Traveller

22 Sep, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

With her new studio album, Royal Traveller, award-winning bassist Missy Raines comes into her own as a vocalist and songwriter on a collection of songs that reflect the vast scope of her musical vision.

The album’s title track is a nod to Missy’s many years of dedication to her craft and the challenges she’s encountered pursuing an itinerant musician’s life. Co-written with Ed Snodderly, the idea for the song came to Raines as she was driving alone through a snowstorm. She reached for her trusty travel tote, a vintage makeup case with the words Royal Traveller engraved on the handle, and felt the power — and irony — of those words speaking directly to her. Over the years and miles, Raines has become a true icon in bluegrass music. But her solo projects have found her exploring other musical avenues, delving into indie folk, jam grass and jazz-leaning material. With Royal Traveller, Raines corrals these influences into a project that illustrates the full range of her musicality.

The album’s first single, Swept Away, is a neo-bluegrass affair written by Laurie Lewis that features the “First Ladies of Bluegrass” – Missy, Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Becky Buller, and the album’s producer, Alison Brown. All four women were the first in the history of the International Bluegrass Music Association to win “Instrumentalist of the Year” awards on their respective instruments.

Missy Raines

Other stand-out tracks include a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s song Fearless Love featuring Tim O’Brien on lead and harmony vocals and the legendary Dan Dugmore on lap steel, and Goodbye Virginia penned by Missy’s occasional tour mate Robbie Fulks, which features lead and harmony vocals from The Steel Wheels’ Trent Wagler. The iconic bassist’s instrumental chops are highlighted on the album’s sole instrumental track, a re-working of the classic Flatt and Scruggs-era bass and banjo duet, Little Darlin, Pal of Mine featuring fellow upright bass legends Todd Phillips and Mike Bub. Other guests on the album include Claire Lynch, Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), 10 String Symphony, Stuart Duncan, Ethan Ballinger, Bryan McDowell and many more.

Swept Away also earned two IBMA Award nominations for “Recorded Event of the Year” and “Song of the Year.” The awards take place in Raleigh, NC on September 27th, 2018.

Filed Under: Artists, CD Releases, Headline News Tagged With: Missy Raines

Pinecastle Releases Sister Sadie II

28 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Sister Sadie IIIBMA’s “Emerging Artist of the Year” nominee Sister Sadie is back with their latest album, Sister Sadie II, and now on sale. This new project serves as the all-star female group’s sophomore collection, released on Pinecastle Records. Fans can buy the Sister Sadie II album here.

Sister Sadie features world-renowned musicians Dale Ann Bradley, Tina Adair, Gena Britt, Deanie Richardson, and Beth Lawrence, These women originally got together after playing a sold-out show at Nashville’s Station Inn. Following that hype, the women decided to come together as a band and record music under the name Sister Sadie. They have continued to turn heads in the industry.

Sister Sadie is an inspiring musical collaboration bringing together some of the best women bluegrass music has ever claimed – Alison Krauss.

Sister Sadie II features 12 new recordings. Standout moments on the album include the feel-good song No Smoky Mountains, which features Dale Ann Bradley singing lead. The banjo-driven track talks about how difficult and complicated love can be. Another highlight includes the empowering ballad, I’m Not A Candle in the Wind, which showcases the group’s softer side, with one-of-a-kind harmony vocals.

Fans were treated to the lead single, Losing You Blues earlier this year. The track debuted at No. 14 on the Bluegrass Today Airplay Chart, and continues its upward climb. Written by Tina Adair and Doug Bartlett, Losing You Blues spotlights Adair’s powerhouse vocals, along with the group’s tight harmonies. The official video for the song is set to premiere on The Bluegrass Situation, where fans will be given an exclusive first-look.

Continuing on from their monumental year, Sister Sadie, head to Raleigh in North Carolina at the end of September for the annual IBMA Awards. The powerhouse band are finalists in the category for Emerging Artist of the Year. In addition, Sister Sadie member Dale Ann Bradley is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the year, an award she’s won on five separate occasions. The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame member is also nominated for Recorded Event of the Year with her Vince Gill duet, I’ll Just Fly Away, also released via Pinecastle Records. Raleigh’s Ride (written by Gena Britt) is also being used by IBMA as a soundtrack for marketing and upcoming World of Bluegrass festivities. The IBMA Awards are set to take place on 27th September in Raleigh, N.C. at the Duke Energy Centre for the Performing Arts.

Sister Sadie II Track Listing:

1. Losing You Blues
2. No Smoky Mountains
3. Something To Lose
4. Raleigh’s Ride
5. I’m Not A Candle In The Wind
6. Since I Laid My Burden Down
7. Jay Hugh
8. It’s You Again
9. 900 Miles
10. Morning Sky
11. Love Has No Pride
12. Washed My Face In The Morning Dew

Some More Information about this Amazing Band – Sister Sadie:

Dale Ann Bradley – Five-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, on vocals and guitar. She tours with her namesake the Dale Ann Bradley Band.
Tina Adair – Talented and soulful vocalist and mandolinist who has been a female vocalist nominee and fronted her own touring band the Tina Adair Band for over 20 years. www.tinaadair.net
Deanie Richardson – A charismatic fiddler who has performed with Bob Seger, The Chieftains, Vince Gill, and Patty Loveless. www.deanierichardson.com
Gena Britt – An in-demand banjo player known for playing with several critically acclaimed bands over the years including Alan Bibey & Grasstowne and Lou Reid and Carolina.
Beth Lawrence – A well-known and respected acoustic bass player in demand as a session player. She is also the comedian of the stage show.

Filed Under: CD Releases Tagged With: Sister Sadie

New Town Releases New Album – Old World

24 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

After the release of two successful singles — Naomi Wise, and Heart of Stone — Lexington, Kentucky progressive acoustic outfit NewTown releases their full album, Old World, August 17 on Mountain Home.

The new album is produced by Barry Bales of Alison Krauss and Union Station. NewTown’s Old World is a selection of material that shows how this band is transforming and rejuvenating traditional Southern music for the modern age. It’s a skilled blending of the conventional and the current.

The music is made dynamic by the shared vocals of Kati Penn Williams and husband Jr. Williams each of whom chose material for the release. Kati’s haunting lead vocals on the majority of the tracks are of the same ilk as Krauss,’ as she embodies the style of the modern female Bluegrass lead that is more an update to the genre than a sheer departure.

With songs like Heart of Stone and Long Hard Road from acclaimed Roots/Country/Americana songwriter Tyler Childers, the material of Old World makes a statement about the band’s urgency to push boundaries beyond the expected conventions of Bluegrass.

Upbeat songs like Evangeline and Laura Lee showcase Jr. Williams’ powerful blues-tinged lead and The Harvest, also written by Childers, is delivered low, growly, lonesome and desperate in the most effective way.

Sharing the lead vocal work on Naomi Wise, the two capture the heart of the album with its lean on current material that harkens back to British Isles music where the roots genre finds its undeniable origins.

With their band, ace mandolin player Mitchell Cannon and bass aficionado Travis Anderson, Kati and Jr. are joined on vocals by each of the members and masterfully perform on fiddle and banjo/guitar. Acclaimed guitarist Aaron Ramsey also plays on the album.

About NewTown:

NewTown

Fronted by award-winning vocalist/fiddler Kati Penn Williams and her singer/banjo-picker husband, Jr. Williams, NewTown is one of the most exciting acts in contemporary Bluegrass. Formed in 2009, the Lexington, Kentucky-based group features first-rate vocal and instrumental work of musicians who combine individual virtuosity with a background of formal training.

While Kati’s singing brings to mind Dale Ann Bradley, Alison Krauss or Lee Ann Womack, her voice is all her own, with a power that challenges the band to keep up with her and a passionate subtlety that breathes emotion into the quietest passages. Meanwhile, Jr. has the similar vocal phrasing of Chris Stapleton with a more “rough around the edges” Dan Tyminski, or maybe a grittier version of Larry Sparks.

They are joined by mandolinist Mitchell Cannon and bassist/vocalist Travis Anderson who have college backgrounds in music and collective decades of performing experience. NewTown has gained a strong following by playing at festivals throughout the U.S., sharing bills with such acts as Lonesome River Band, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

The ensemble has also opened shows for the John Cowan Band, whose namesake leader says, “Bands like NewTown are not by any means common; they’re not made every day. It takes sweat equity, passion, patience and vision.”

Filed Under: Artists, CD Releases, Headline News Tagged With: Newtown

New Video by Williamson Branch – Free

11 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Williamson Branch
Williamson Branch

Here’s a new video from a great Bluegrass band called Williamson Branch. It’s for the title track from their latest album called Free.

The video is of the title track from the band’s latest album, Free. It marks the critically acclaimed band’s third full-length LP, and the collection is released via Pinecastle Records. Free is now available to buy and for streaming here, and fans can order and receive a signed copy at williamsonbranch.com.

The award-winning family band is quickly sweeping the nation with their full sound, while turning several new heads in the process. Consisting of 12 all-new tracks, each member is taking their songwriting to a whole new level, self-penning the majority of the album. Included on the project are also cuts previously made famous by Hank Williams (Hey Good Lookin’) and Bill Monroe (Jerusalem Ridge), with a new and invigorating Williamson Branch spin. The Bluegrass community got a first taste of Free earlier this year with the lead single, Till I See You Again, which showcases the group’s unique style and distinguished harmonies.

Filed Under: Artists, CD Releases Tagged With: Williamson Branch

High Fidelity Releases Hills and Home

4 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Rebel Records has released High Fidelity’s debut, Hills And Home. A nod to the rich and vibrant history of bluegrass music, Hills And Home collects 14 rare and lesser-known songs from the repertoire of groundbreaking musicians from two generations ago, including Jim & Jesse and Reno & Smiley, as well as the Louvin Brothers, Charlie Monroe, and more. The album has already received high-praise from Bluegrass Today and The Bluegrass Situation, as well as music blog Fervor Coulee, which calls Hills And Home “an exciting bluegrass release from a group that creates the kind of bluegrass too seldom heard today.”

We are aiming to find good songs with a good message and melody that fit the style that we intend to represent: bands of the late ’50s and early ’60s like Reno & Smiley and Jim & Jesse. We choose obscure songs that these type of groups did or reach further back to get material that we like that we feel fits our style – lead vocalist – Jeremy.

The High Fidelity lineup took shape in 2014, leading up to a competition for new bands at the SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) Convention in Nashville. The group features Jeremy Stephens on banjo and guitar, Corrina Rose Logston Stephens on fiddle, banjo player Kurt Stephenson, bassist Vickie Vaughn and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Amick on mandolin, banjo, guitar. They assembled a list of decades-old songs that they could flawlessly recreate on stage, including some gems from the Stanley Brothers. Before long, the band realised they could put their own stamp on the material without losing the integrity of the original recordings. With that newfound perspective, High Fidelity handily won that year’s contest. Their self-titled, self-released album followed in 2016.

Jeremy and Corrina co-produced Hills And Home with Brad Benge. Nearly half of the songs on the album are duets – a staple of early bluegrass and High Fidelity’s incredibly tight harmonies recall the classic brother duos.

My goal is for someone to hear what we do and for them to think, “that’s a cool traditional bluegrass band,” and maybe later see a photo of us and think, “wow, they have two women in the band – I never would have thought that. Several times people have heard Jeremy and I sing without realising who was singing which part and have referred to me as a man or thought Jeremy and Kurt were singing. That makes me very happy, not because I am trying to sound like a man but because I want to sing so similarly and close to Jeremy that people hear us and think of brother duets – Corrina.

High Fidelity
High Fidelity

Songs such as I Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow, Maple on the Hill, Gotta Get You Near Me Blues, My Saviour’s Train, The Leaf of Love and My Mother’s White Rose feature the vocal pairing of Jeremy and Corrina. In the duo, Jeremy is a strong, passionate lead vocalist and Corrina belts out the tenor.

Stephenson joins in to create some stunning trios on other songs such as I’ve Changed My Mind, I Will Always Be Waiting For You, I Would Not Be Denied, He’s Passing This Way, Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, as well as the disc’s title track.

Gospel music is another cornerstone of Hills And Home, with five sacred numbers – My Saviour’s Train, I’ve Changed My Mind, I Would Not Be Denied, He’s Passing This Way and Will the Circle Be Unbroken? – featured on the collection. Gospel music is very important to all of us in High Fidelity. We believe the words that we sing, and we very carefully choose the gospel songs that we sing for their message. At the same time, we aim to choose secular songs that are wholesome and that don’t contradict the gospel songs. Everyone has struggles and problems in life, so we sing about those kinds of things as well, but we feel that the message in the gospel songs holds the answer to all we deal with in life – Jeremy Stephens.

There are a few surprises throughout the album as well. Jeremy suggested a twin banjo arrangement of Gotta Get You Near Me Blues after hearing Buddy Holly’s recording, an obscure cut written by Bob Montgomery that was released on a compilation after Holly’s untimely death. After hearing a radio transcription of the Carter Sisters singing The Leaf of Love, the band recorded it as a last-minute addition to Hills And Home. The collection concludes with the lesser-known original composition of Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

The High Fidelity labels have since become synonymous with great, classic bluegrass recordings in the bluegrass collective consciousness. High Fidelity is really an archaic term now but I think when people hear it, even if they don’t have a full technical understanding of it, it still evokes connotations of LPs and vintage recordings. Now technically some of what we do is post – high fidelity era – a lot of Jim & Jesse and Reno & Smiley material that we model ourselves after is early stereo recordings. However, we are still drawing from that spirit of the music birthed in the High Fidelity era – Corrina.

Hills And Home is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music or download from iTunes, Amazon or Google Play.

Hills and Home Track List:

1. My Saviour’s Train
2. The Leaf of Love
3. The Hills and Home
4. My Mother’s White Rose
5. Follow the Leader
6. I’ve Changed My Mind
7. I Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow
8. I Will Always Be Waiting For You
9. Maple on the Hill
10. I Would Not Be Denied
11. Gotta Get You Near Me Blues
12. He’s Passing This Way
13. Grey Eagle
14. Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

 

Filed Under: Artists, CD Releases Tagged With: High Fidelity

Rhonda Vincent & The Rage Live at The Ryman

2 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Rhonda Vincent CDRhonda Vincent​ & The Rage have released a new album ​Live at the Ryman​ on July 13th this year.

The new album features bluegrass legends Jesse McReynolds, Mac Wiseman, Bobby Osborne and Sonny Osborne. This new release  was recorded during a live show at the legendary Ryman Auditorium and features 19 songs.

Rhonda Vincent – The Queen of Bluegrass – also released a special edition DVD of the performance, featuring behind the scenes footage and narration by Eddie Stubbs.

Check out Rhonda’s Facebook page .​

Filed Under: Artists, CD Releases Tagged With: Rhonda Vincent

Clay Hess Band – Just Another Story

24 Jul, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Clay Hess BandThe wait is over, as Bluegrass favourites The Clay Hess Band release their brand new album, Just Another Story. Much of the record is inspired from Hess’s time playing with Country/Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs, and the critically acclaimed Kentucky Thunder.

Released via Pinecastle Records, Just Another Story is available now for purchase and streaming at digital retailers nationwide (find it HERE).

This album is a mix of songs I have wanted to record for years, some that I heard recently and rearranged, and some great brand new material. Getting to record great songs is a joy and we got to record some great songs on this project – Clay Hess.

Fans got a first-taste of Just Another Story with the lead single, Cold and Lonely, which premiered earlier this year. The hard-driving Bluegrass track was spotlighted with the official video, which was shot on location in scenic North Carolina by Bonfire Recording Company. The song includes chilling thought-provoking lyrics, and vocals from Hess, son Brennan and his world-class band.

Other standout moments from Just Another Story include the Waylon Jennings cover of Anita You’re Dreaming, which was originally released in 1965. Also included is Blue Yodel #2, a song that Hess credits as his favourite Jimmie Rodgers recording. Fans can also keep an eye out for the video for Yodel, set to premiere the first week of August on Cowboys & Indians.

Just Another Story marks Hess’s follow-up to the debut solo-project Rain, released in 2011. The best place for fans to catch up with Hess and the band is by catching them at a show while they are on the road. To find The Clay Hess Band’s upcoming tour dates, access latest news stories and more, visit clayhess.com.

Just Another Story Track Listing:

1. Cold and Lonely
2. Someplace in France
3. All the Time
4. Blue Yodel #2
5. Next Train To Anywhere
6. Heart of the Morning
7. Tougher Than Nails
8. The Field Behind the Plow
9. Restless
10. Anita, You’re Dreaming

About The Clay Hess Band:
Clay Hess is from Athens, Ohio and is the leader of The Clay Hess Band. Clay’s first introduction to many was as the lead guitarist for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, winning a Grammy award during his tenure there. After departing Skaggs, Hess toured and recorded with several top bands in the genre. With the help of long-time friend and musical comrade Randy Kohrs, Clay recorded his critically-acclaimed solo project Rain, with the title track going to No. 1 on the Bluegrass charts. The success of the project directly led to the formation of The Clay Hess Band in 2012, and the current release of Just Another Story.

Filed Under: Artists, CD Releases Tagged With: Clay Hess Band

Sister Sadie – Losing You Blues

5 Jul, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The highly anticipated new single, Losing You Blues, from one of the hottest bands in bluegrass music today, Sister Sadie, releases today on Pinecastle Records.

Losing You Blues is the new single from the forthcoming album simply called Sister Sadie II. The bluesy song, written by Tina Adair and Doug Bartlett, showcases Adair’s powerful, gritty vocal chops, the family-like harmony of Sister’s Bradley and Britt, the sass of Richardson’s fiddle and tight groove of Lawrence’s bass driving the rhythm section.

Sister Sadie is an inspiring musical collaboration bringing together some of the best women bluegrass music has ever claimed ​​ – Alison Krauss.

The female super-group is comprised of five of the most accomplished women in the industry, who all happen to be the best of friends and have a ball making music together. Dale Ann Bradley, Tina Adair, Gena Britt, Deanie Richardson, and Beth Lawrence agree that even though they have their own projects, walking up on stage together is just a good time waiting to happen.

Losing You Blues is a song I wrote several years ago when I was touring pretty extensively on the road with my family band. I had most of the song written but still needed a bit of tweaking and I asked one of my band members at the time,Doug Bartlett, if he would help me finish it. He agreed and we finished writing it one afternoon in the back of the bus on the road to the next show. I love writing bluegrass songs that have a bit of ‘sassiness’ to them, of which for those of you who know me, know I can be sassy at times….ha, ha! I think this song reflects that. However, this song really didn’t come to life until the rest of the Sadie’s added their spark of flavour to it! As a songwriter, I’m over the moon with how it turned out and hope everyone else loves it as much as we love playing it!l – Tina Adair.

The new song can be previewed on Bandcamp and all popular download distributors. Radio programers can find the track on AirPlay Direct.

Check out their website to catch Sister Sadie on tour this Summer.

“After we performed an impromptu concert at the Station Inn in Nashville, all five of us women knew that there would be more that we would do together. We are all in a very natural state when we perform as a group. No struggle…just in tune with thought, spirit and musical expression. Along with these factors, being on what we feel is one of the most creative and artist friendly labels in the business, Pinecastle Records, we have a sense of excitement that Sister Sadie will be in the perfect musical environment to be who we are and offer our style in the purest way….which is what this band wants. We are pumped and excited to be teaming up with Pinecastle for this project and can’t wait to get it out to our fans!”
~ Sister Sadie

Dale Ann Bradley – Five-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, on vocals and guitar. She tours with her namesake the Dale Ann Bradley Band.
Tina Adair – Talented and soulful vocalist and mandolinist who has been a female vocalist nominee and fronted her own touring band the Tina Adair Band for over 20 years.
Deanie Richardson – A charismatic fiddler who has performed with Bob Seger, The Chieftains, Vince Gill, and Patty Loveless. www.deanierichardson.com
Gena Britt – An in-demand banjo player known for playing with several critically acclaimed bands over the years including Alan Bibey & Grasstowne and Lou Reid and Carolina.
Beth Lawrence – A well-known and respected acoustic bass player in demand as a session player. She is also the comedian of the stage show.

Filed Under: CD Releases Tagged With: Sister Sadie

John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band – From the Crow’s Nest

27 Jun, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

From the Crow’s NestJuly 13th is shaping up to be a big day for true, longtime connoisseurs of high-test bluegrass music. The art that John Jorgenson, Herb Pedersen, Jon Randall and Mark Fain create together is the kind of music that, like a shot of the very best, aged bourbon whiskey, goes down smooth, over seamless vocal harmonies and masterful instrumental work, with a soul-searching perspective. But then you’re hit with a delayed punch to the gut that absolutely breaks your heart lyrically one minute and opens windows of understanding the second. Music lovers can look forward to the release of the highly celebrated J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band) album, From the Crow’s Nest, available individually for the first time on July 13, 2018.

The collection of songs on this soon to be released CD is perfect to listen to during those summer evenings, long road trips and quiet Sunday mornings, offering listeners a 15-track, roots-inspired bluegrass experience unlike anything they’ve ever heard before.

Bluegrass aficionados might be experiencing déjà vu at the mention of From the Crow’s Nest. The album is technically a re-release as a standalone album of a project that originally made up one-third of Jorgenson’s three-CD Divertuoso box set release on Cleopatra Records. This earthy and deeply influenced musical collaboration garnered so much attention, that the label knew this bluegrass album needed to be released on its own.

With modern-day instrumental master John Jorgenson at the helm, From the Crow’s Nest features Jorgenson’s powerful mandolin and acoustic guitar work, as well as lead and harmony vocals. He’s joined by his band mates that include fellow Desert Rose Band co-founder Herb Pedersen (banjo, guitar, vocals); former Nash Rambler and award-winning songwriter Jon Randall (guitar, vocals); and renowned bassist Mark Fain (Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder).

From the Crow’s Nest was recorded at Sheryl Crow’s barn-based studio at her home in Nashville over the course of three days. Drawing on inspiration from a wide range of co-existing styles, the seamlessly interwoven three-pronged harmonies of Jorgenson, Randall and Pedersen send listeners into the harmony nirvana appreciated by music lovers of The Seldom Scene; The Dillards; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; and the Rice/Rice/Hillman/Pedersen albums of the late 1990s.

John Jorgenson is one of my most favourite players. He is incredibly versatile and his solos are unique and melodic, played with amazing technique. My ‘guitarist’s guitarist – Peter Framton.

John Jorgenson is a true artiste. He’s a phenomenal musician – Chris Hillman

This is a display of virtuosity rarely rendered – Fretboard Jlournal

John Jorgenson is one of the most respected guitarists in the world… – Los Angeles Times

Songwriters contributing to the largely original record include Jorgenson, Pedersen, Randall, Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, JD Souther, Mitch Jayne, Rodney Dillard and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member Chris Hillman. The album’s last track, “Whiskey Lullaby,” co-written by Jon Randall and Bill Anderson won 2005’s CMA Song of the Year Award for Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss along with the songwriters. Pedersen’s contemporary bluegrass/country rock standard, Wait a Minute, also included on From the Crow’s Nest, has been previously recorded by The Seldom Scene, among others.

From the Crow’s Nest will be in stores on July 13th, 2018 and is available online worldwide.

Filed Under: CD Releases Tagged With: John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band

High Fidelity – Hills and Home

23 Jun, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

High Fidelity Rebel Records has released the first single from dynamic new band High Fidelity’s forthcoming Rebel Records debut Hills And Home (REB-1864).

The Hills and Home, which premiered on The Bluegrass Situation earlier this week, is available as a free download—along with bonus track I Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow, for folks who pre-order the album now through Apple Music, Amazon or Google Play.

Many folks remember the great bluegrass records from the 1950s and ‘60s. The power and soul of that music has won the hearts of people across the globe. Few bands have come along in recent years that directly draw their influence from that classic era of the music’s history. High Fidelity is a rising group whose love and devotion to that music is unsurpassed. The name alone says it all. How many record albums have you seen from the ‘50s and ‘60s that bear those words? Herein lies the heart of what this group of young performers is all about.

I have loved those sounds since I was a child. The older music always stood out to me. We are aiming to find good songs with a good message and melody that fit the style that we intend to represent: bands of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s like Reno & Smiley and Jim & Jesse. We choose obscure songs that these types of groups did or reach further back to get material that we like that we feel fits this style – Jeremy Stephens, band leader.

 

To all but the most dyed-in-the-wool bluegrass and old-time music devotees, the music on Hills And Home will come as a revelation. The group avoids the well-known war horses associated with the likes of the Flatts & Scruggses, the Stanleys and the Monroes. Well, not quite all of the Monroes. Jeremy exclaims: “No bigger fan of Charlie Monroe than me! I love his singing and guitar playing.” Instead, the band chooses to mine gems from lesser known – but no less worthy – acts such as the Lilly Brothers & Don Stover, Wade Mainer and venerable gospel group The Chuck Wagon Gang (whom Jeremy spent six years with before forming High Fidelity).

The High Fidelity lineup took shape in early 2014, leading up to a competition for new bands at the SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) Convention in Nashville. Jeremy, fiddle player (and now wife) Corrina Rose, Logston Stephens, banjo player, Kurt Stephenson, bassist Vickie Vaughn and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Amick (mandolin, banjo, guitar) assembled a list of decades-old songs that they could flawlessly recreate on stage, including some gems from the Stanley Brothers. Before long, the band realised they could put their own stamp on the material without losing the integrity of the original recordings. With that newfound perspective, High Fidelity handily won that year’s contest.

In 2016, their self-titled, self-produced debut was released to critical acclaim: the album was given a glowing feature by Bluegrass Today’s John Lawless, and Bluegrass Unlimited’s Walt Saunders gave it a celebrated “Highlight” review, even going as far as declaring it his “Album of the Year” for 2017. And, just at the beginning of this year, The Bluegrass Situation listed Hills And Home as one of its most anticipated releases for 2018, long before it even had a title.

 

Individually the band members’ achievements are impressive. Jeremy Stephens cut a well-received banjo and guitar album entitled Scarlet Banjo for Rebel while only a teenager back in the early 2000s and has won banjo contests at MerleFest in 2000 and Renofest in 2003. Stephenson claimed the title of National Bluegrass Banjo Champion at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas in 2010 (the only year he entered), while Corrina picked up the Galax Old Fiddlers’ Convention contest in the Bluegrass Fiddle category in 2012. Vaughn has worked behind Patty Loveless, The David Mayfield Parade, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike and fronts her own group, The Vickie Vaughn Band. Amick recently performed with Kody Norris & The Watauga Mountain Boys as well as Kenny & Amanda Smith.

First single The Hills and Home is a superb rendition of a John Duffey composition originally released by the Country Gentlemen for Starday Records in 1959. High Fidelity’s fresh remake of this semi-obscure cut typifies what the band is all about: interpreting classic-era bluegrass through the fresh, young perspective of today’s generation. Stephenson brought the song to the group. The Country Gentlemen’s Starday cut of The Hills and Home is one of my favourite recordings,” he states. “To me, the song was unique in that it was a trio throughout, with powerful harmonies from Charlie Waller, John Duffey and Eddie Adcock. I was also taken by Eddie’s banjo playing on the recording. His second solo emulated a steel guitar, which I found to be very fascinating. When searching for material to record, ‘he Hills and Home was the first song I thought of. I felt that it would be a good fit for the group. The song lends itself to who we are striving to be as a band, both in style and in the values we hold dear.”

Filed Under: Artists, CD Releases Tagged With: High Fidelity

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