Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield Release Reckless Saints 11/2 – Blue Twangled Folk & Roll

Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield Release Reckless Saints November 2, 2018
Blue Twangled Folk & Rollers Firing on All Cylinders!

Reckless Saints is available to pre-order now, with some additional fun perks, through Indiegogo:
https://igg.me/at/reckless-saints

FORT MYERS, FL — Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Roy Schneider has been touring and performing full-time with musical partner Kim Mayfield since 2008. The duo is slowly working toward a new band name, with a collection of original songs on what will become an eponymous title, Reckless Saints. Slated to be released November 2, the 11-track album features songs by both Schneider and Mayfield, as well as a gritty cover of Blaze Foley’s “Election Day,” which features Gurf Morlix on lead guitar and contributing vocals.

Morlix says, “Their ‘Blue Twangled Folk ‘n’ Roll’ sound rides like a V8, firing on all cylinders.”

Along with Morlix, Reckless Saints features other specials guests including some stellar harmonica by GRAMMY-winner and Country Music Hall-of-Famer, Charlie McCoy, and great bass lines from Freebo [Bonnie Raitt] on the song “Walkin’ on a Wire.” Freebo also plays bass on the energetic kickoff for the record, “Jump In,” a fast-paced “day-in-the-life” of the duo as full-time traveling musicians.

“This truly is a wonderful record. It is one of the finest singer/songwriter records to come across my mastering desk in a long time!” says esteemed producer, songwriter, and engineer, Mark Hallman [Carole King, Ani DiFranco and Eliza Gilkyson]. Self-produced, Reckless Saints was mostly recorded at Schneider’s studio, Shiny Gnu Records, in Fort Myers, FL.

Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield

Roy began playing and writing songs as a seventeen year old while recovering from a horrific, year-long incarceration in 1985 at the now defunct Straight, Inc. “No freedom, no dignity and no way to contact anyone, nobody even knows where you are,” says Schneider, “I didn’t talk about my experience at Straight for 30 years, I’m ready now.”

“Angels Along the Road” tells the true story of his hard-knock survival following a challenging escape from a year of institutional confinement and attempted psychological reprogramming, under the guise of drug rehabilitation. Schneider, who became a touring Deadhead in the late 80s/early 90s, says the song was “written as a thank-you card for some very kind people who took a risk to help a well-intended, aimless waif find some direction.”

The experience has influenced his songwriting in surprising ways, resulting in a generally positive outlook in his lyrics, and gratitude for those who gave him shelter or other support after his escape from the facility. He’s been honing his craft ever since, and was making his living playing music when he met Kim Mayfield in 2003. Kim brought harmony vocals, and accompaniment on rhythm guitar, mandolin, and keyboard, as well as the idea to take the music on the road.

On Reckless Saints, Mayfield takes the lead on vocals on the haunting and contemplative “If I Die Tomorrow” and her harmonies with Schneider on “Poison Arrow” tug on the listeners heartstrings. Mayfield also sings lead on the two songs that she penned: the pensive ballad “Ring Around The Moon” and “Buddha Baby,” the story of her adopted baby boy… “ Siberia is harsh and cold… You won’t remember it I’m told… We both know the place we call home… It’s deep inside us wherever we roam.”

Other tracks on the album include the Dylan-inspired, “Subjugated Love,” which is a fun little ditty about love gone wrong, “Runaway Train,” a song that addresses the frustrations and lack of peace of mind resulting from living in a society that – were it a train – might appear to be running rapidly off the rails without a knowledgeable engineer, and “After The Storm,” written in the aftermath of hurricane Irma in September 2017, amidst downed trees and debris, flooding, unbearable heat and humidity, no power, mobs of the unprepared getting cranky and scary… touching on the coming-together of neighbors and friends in challenging times.

In their ten years of touring, the duo has played in 40 states, Canada, England, Belgium, and The Netherlands at hundreds of venues and festivals including 30A Songwriters Festival, Telluride Blues & Brews, the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk competition, Nashville’s Bluebird Café, and Roy’s appearance on NBC’s The Voice in 2013. Prior to 2008, Schneider wrote and drew a syndicated comic strip that ran for over 3 years in newspapers (still in reruns on Comics.com), as well as working a corporate job in the 1990’s designing Happy Meal toys. Music, though, remains his true calling.

Schneider has raised over $20k through fan funding to produce and successfully promote his most recent albums (which also featured Mayfield): 2012’s Walls That Talk and 2015’s Ten From the Pen. Both received generous airplay and accolades from respected reviewers including No Depression calling him, “a singer-songwriter in the grandest tradition of Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Guy Clark and Lyle Lovett… His gift for blending Southern-influenced folk, blues, country, and rock into a seamless genre with his own signature sound demonstrates his connection to the best in the tradition of fine wake-me-up and kick-me-in-the-ass roots music”. The UK’s Maverick magazine wrote, “Sometimes he sounds like he’s auditioning for Little Feat (he’d get in, too), sometimes he’s light and jazzy and sometimes he’s a proper acoustic rocker. All the time he’s interesting, with the changes of pace keeping the listener on their toes…”

Schneider and Mayfield are excited to bring Reckless Saints into the world… Jump In and hang on!

Reckless Saints Track Listing:

 

1. Jump In   (3:00)
2. Walkin’ On A Wire   (3:21)
3. If I Die Tomorrow  (4:05)
4. Subjugated Love   (3:27)
5. Poison Arrow  (4:00)
6. Ring Around The Moon (3:27)
7. Angels Along the Road (4:47)
8. Buddha Baby   (3:40)
9. Runaway Train (3:37)
10. After the Storm (3:56)
11. Election Day  (3:41)

Roy Schneider – Vocals, resonator, acoustic, and electric guitars, harmonica, percussion, drums, banjo, bass
Kim Mayfield – Vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, baritone ukulele, mandolin
Freebo – Bass (1,2)
Charlie McCoy – Harmonica (2)
Keven Aland – Violin (2,3,7,10)
Dan Fidanze – Piano (4)
Robert Houghtaling – Violin (6,9)
Thomas Callahan – Bass (7)
Rob Pastore – Pedal steel guitar (8)
Tim Coletti – Bass (10,11)
Gurf Morlix – Vocals, electric lead guitar (11)

For more information and tour dates, please visit:
www.RecklessSaints.com,  www.facebook.com/RecklessSaintsMusic, and www.twitter.com/2RecklessSaints

 

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Edward David Anderson Shares Title Track Of New Muscle Shoals Recording ‘Chasing Butterflies’ – Out 10/19

Edward David Anderson Releases Chasing Butterflies
Out October 19 on Black Dirt Records
Recorded at The NuttHouse in Muscle Shoals with Producer Jimmy Nutt

“EDA has always been one of my favorite songwriters and singers, and on this record he has beautifully managed to capture the elusive dichotomy that is the American South- a combination of mystery, darkness and relaxed geniality. Great album.”
—Steve Berlin (Los Lobos)

“Ed has the rare ability to open his soul and unfold his stories in a natural style that is simultaneously guileless and universal, a direct hit to the heart.”
—Johnny Hickman (Cracker)

“An artist to the bone who is raw, open, gritty…a portal into the human condition.”
—Seth Walker

BLOOMINGTON, IL —  “The story of my life’s written on my skin,” sings Edward David Anderson on the devilishly sardonic “Bad Tattoos” from his soon to be released Chasing Butterflies (Black Dirt Records – Oct. 19, 2018). The song, like the artist, is brutally honest and has a worn feel; like it’s coming from someone that has been around and put in the miles. “I don’t think I could have written these tunes when I was 25,” Anderson explains. “Everything I’ve done, the people I’ve met, all the places I’ve been, have brought me to this moment.”

Americana Highways premieres the title track “Chasing Butterflies”, a song based on an old songwriter pal of EDAs, and writes of it, “With the clear vocals highlighted front and center on this song, and the music sustaining the suspense, we’re carried along in the tale of ‘chasing butterflies in the wind,’ a story on the run, in and out of relationships, in and out of prison, and in and out of sobriety, following life’s veering, restless paths just as butterflies do.”

Edward David Anderson

The gifted songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who spent a decade fronting the revered Midwest rock band Backyard Tire Fire, broke away and released his ambitious debut Lies & Wishes in 2014. The album was lauded “a superb solo effort” by No Depression and David Dye (NPR World Cafe) praised the follow-up Lower Alabama: The Loxley Sessions as “a wonderfully soulful record.”

Both releases were significant steps forward for EDA, but on Chasing Butterflies there is a feeling of arrival. Absorbing and learning and growing through life experience has clearly refined his ability to write about the human condition. In “The Best Part,” he sings to his wife “You help me to understand/you make me a better man/I’m gonna do the best I can/to love you,” and you believe him. This kind of sincerity and honesty along with a candidly dry sense of humor recur throughout the album.

It was through a tip from a friend that Anderson connected with GRAMMY Award winner Jimmy Nutt (SteelDrivers) from the iconic Shoals region of north Alabama. During their first conversation it was clear the two had a natural rapport and he quickly set a course for Jimmy’s NuttHouse Recording Studio in Sheffield. Diverging from past albums EDA used local session musicians for his backing band. “I felt the way to get the most authentic Shoals sound was to play with people who live and work there,” he said. Nutt played bass and brought in Jon Davis (Dylan LeBlanc) on drums, Brad Kuhn on keys, Todd Beene (Lucero) on pedal steel and Kimi Samson on violin, and the chemistry was instant.

The core of the 10-track album was cut live in just a few short days with minimal overdubbing, making it feel both cohesive and human. “We brought in strings on a few and pedal steel on one, but didn’t want to get too carried away,” Anderson recalls. The result is a stunningly sublime, less-is-more snapshot of a writer in his prime.

The songs on Chasing Butterflies are as diverse as they are hooky. As thought-provoking as they are heartbreaking. They are simple yet complex and were thoughtfully produced and recorded. From the hopeful opening lyric, “It’s a beautiful thing/when two people sing/in harmony,” to the haunting title track’s “There’s a restlessness I guess/I’m uneasy I confess,” EDA takes you on a vast & colorful musical journey. You get the feeling he’s lived these songs. That the sleepless nights, the long drives, and the never ending search fuel the fire that keeps Edward David Anderson out there “Chasing Butterflies.”

Chasing Butterflies Track Listing:

1. Harmony (3:19)
2. The Ballad of Lemuel Penn (4:02)
3. The Best Part (3:23)
4. Bad Tattoos (4:19)
5. Crosses (4:03)
6. Only in My Dreams (4:49)
7. Dog Days (2:32)
8. Chasing Butterflies (4:19)
9. Sittin’ ‘Round at Home (2:23)
10. Seasons Turn (5:45)

Edward David Anderson – vocals, acoustic, electric & baritone guitars, banjo
Jimmy Nutt – Bass, Percussion
Jon Davis – Drums, Percussion
Brad Kuhn – Keys (Wurlitzer, Hammond A100, Yamaha C7 Grand, Rhodes)
Kimi Samson – Violin (2,6,9)
Todd Beene – Pedal Steel (8)

For more information, please visit www.edwarddavidanderson.com, facebook.com/edwarddavidandersonmusic, twitter.com/edanderson72, and instagram.com/edwarddavidanderson.

 

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Suwannee Roots Revival Announces Schedule: Oteil & Friends, Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams’ PettyGrass Ft. The HillBenders

 

Suwannee Roots Revival 2018 Art Poster by Artist Marci Davis 

The 3rd Annual Suwannee Roots Revival
October 11-14, 2018 at Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL

Oteil & Friends, Leftover Salmon,
Keller Williams‘ PettyGrass Featuring The HillBenders,
Donna the Buffalo, Peter Rowan Free Mexican Airforce,
Bruce Cockburn, The Seldom Scene
and much more!

Tickets→ www.suwanneerootsrevival.com/tickets/

 

LIVE OAK, FL — The 3rd Annual Suwannee Roots Revival takes place Thursday, October 11 – Sunday, October 14 at the magical Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, Florida. With multiple stages throughout the weekend (Amphitheater Stage, Porch Stage, Dance Tent, Music Hall, and Music Farmer’s Stage) Suwannee Roots Revival is jam-packed with stellar music and dance and many bands will perform multiple sets. This family-friendly festival includes four days of music, camping, yoga, music workshops, a Kids Tent, as well as campground pickin’ sessions. Set in the midst of 800 acres of Spanish moss-draped oak and cypress trees along the Suwannee River, the venue is a playground for endless activities such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking, disc golf, and biking. We are thrilled to announce the daily schedules of music here → www.suwanneerootsrevival.com/schedule.

Oteil Burbridge will lead an all-star cast as Oteil & Friends as the Thursday night headliners featuring John Kadlecik, Weedie Braimah, Alfreda Gerald, Jay Lane, Scott Metzger [JRAD], and Jason Crosby [Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band]. Peter Rowan Free Mexican Airforce is also on Thursday and Rowan will be doing a workshop as well. Others set to appear on Thursday are Jon Stickley Trio, The Grass Is Dead, The Dustbowl Revival, Joe Craven & The Sometimers, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Sloppy Joe, Sauce Boss, Jeff Bradley, Contra Dance Instruction & Contra Dance with The Dunehoppers, LPT, and more!

Keller Williams’ Pettygrass featuring The HillBenders headlines Friday along with The Seldom Scene, and the first of three festival appearance by Donna the Buffalo. Friday hosts a plethora of stellar music including Rev Jeff Mosier, The Lee Boys, The HillBenders, a second appearance by Joe Craven & The Sometimers, The Lonely Heartstring Band, Katie Skene & The Cosmic Kind, Brett Bass & Melted Plectrum, Whetherman, Belle and the Band, second sets by The Grass Is Dead and Sauce Boss, Tornado Rider, Syzygy much more including, in the Dance Tent, Waltz Instruction & Waltz with The Walker Family Band, and Contra Dance Instruction & Contra Dance with The Dunehoppers.

Leftover Salmon makes their first appearance of the weekend as the Saturday night headliners. The day is jam-packed with music by Donna the Buffalo, Bruce Cockburn, Samantha Fish, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, Jim Lauderdale, Verlon Thompson, David Gans will be hosting a workshop and is also an artist at large, Nikki Talley, The Corbitt Brothers, and Rushadicus as well as further sets with Tornado Rider and Rev Jeff Mosier, Joe Craven & The Sometimers, Whetherman, The Lee Boys, LPT, Brett Bass and Melted Plectrum, Waltz with The Walker Family Band, and Contra Dance Instruction with The Dunehoppers.

Sunday is always a special day closing out the festival with music and is “Vassar Day”, the day of remembrance for those lost that were dear to us. Donna the Buffalo will close out the festival with a a set and also will be bringing up guests artist that are still around for a fun-filled evening. Sunday sets include Leftover Salmon, Rev Jeff Mosier with The Grass Is Dead, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, Jim Lauderdale, Verlon Thompson and more. David Gans will be broadcasting his SiriusXM Radio show “Tales from the Golden Road” live from the park.

Other special items to keep an eye out for are Yoga with Rhonda Bell on Friday, Saturday & Sunday at 9am at Dance Tent, Kids Tent Activities Daily with Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus along with a with Kids Talent Show on Sat Night, Bean Spence Paint Class, Kids Yoga and more. There will also be various workshops in Music Hall with many artist such as Seldom Scene, Bruce Cockburn, and more throughout the weekend.

Hosted by long time friends of SOSMP, Randy Judy and Beth Judy, Suwannee Roots Revival focuses on amazing roots music that ties together a weekend laced with community based fun, growing friendships, laughing families, and that feel good feeling you get from hanging out in such a beautiful natural setting.

SOSMP offers guest comforts including a general store, full service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms, and water stations. Upgraded camping, including RV hook ups and cabin rentals, as well as golf cart rentals are currently on sale. Reservations may be made by calling the Park office at (386) 364­-1683. SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com for further information.

Suwannee Roots Revival Full Lineup 2018
Oteil & Friends
Leftover Salmon
Donna the Buffalo
Keller Williams’ PettyGrass Featuring The HillBenders
Peter Rowan Free Mexican Airforce
Bruce Cockburn
The Seldom Scene
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Samantha Fish
Shinyribs
Dustbowl Revival
Jim Lauderdale
Verlon Thompson
Rev. Jeff Mosier
Jon Stickley Trio
The Grass Is Dead
Joe Craven & The Sometimers
The Lonely Heartstring Band
Jonathan Scales Fourchestra
The Lee Boys
Katie Skene and The Cosmic Kind
Tornado Rider
Sauce Boss
Belle and The Band
Whetherman
Sloppy Joe
Quartermoon
The Adventures of Annabelle Lyn
Brett Bass and Melted Plectrum
The Corbitt Brothers
Nikki Talley
SYZYGY
The Dunehoppers
LPT
The Walker Family Band
David Gans – Artist-at-Large
Jeff Bradley – Comedy + Cool Stuff
Suwannee Spirit Kids
Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus

The Suwannee Roots Revival 2018 Art Poster by Artist Marci Davis will be available for purchase at Festival Merchandise.

Further information at www.SuwanneeRootsRevival.com. Also visit us on at www.facebook.com/suwanneeroots, Twitter & Instagram: @SuwanneeRoots (#SuwanneeRoots)

 

 

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Carolina Chimes: Rudi Ekstein’s Bluegrass Showcase w. Stuart Duncan, Jeff Autry, Mark Schatz. Out 10/5

Carolina Chimes: Rudi Ekstein’s All Original Bluegrass Instrumental Showcase
Ekstein Collaborates with All-star Musicians Stuart Duncan, Jeff Autry, Mark Schatz & more

Released October 5, 2018 on Foxfire Recording

New single “Spikebuck”out now to stream and purchase → https://rudiekstein.hearnow.com
The album is also available to pre-order → http://smarturl.it/2pryj6   

Asheville, NC – Rudi Ekstein has been in the music business for many years as a performer, producer, and studio owner. Now, on his album Carolina Chimes: Rudi Ekstein’s All Original Bluegrass Instrumental Showcase, to be independently released October 5, Ekstein showcases his mandolin prowess on 12 original instrumental tunes featuring an all-star cast of world-class talent. Some of the artists brought into the studio for this project include multi-GRAMMY Award Winner Stuart Duncan on fiddle and renowned guitarist Jeff Autry for the entire album, two time IBMA Bass Player of the Year Mark Schatz performs on all but one tune, long-time collaborator John Plotnik plays banjo on the majority of the album and steps in on Dobro on four tracks while GRAMMY nominated multi instrumentalist, Patrick Sauber takes the lead on banjo. Bluegrass Today premiered the first single off the album, “Spikebuck.”

Throughout bluegrass music’s 70-plus year history, albums of all-instrumental tunes have been recorded and released, showcasing the amazing level of artistry found in the genre. While singers tend to write songs that require lyrics brought to life by vocalists, instrumentalists of all stripes are prone to write tunes and melodies that let them cut loose and have some fun.

That is the case with Carolina Chimes as Ekstein has put together an upbeat collection of bluegrass barn burners performed with great pickers who help to bring these unique cuts to life. Unselfish and smart, Ekstein lets his collaborators do what they do best here. The result is a fast-paced recording that will remind you of the power of bluegrass music.

Rudi Ekstein. Photo by Sandlin Gaither.

“The most obvious parts of everyone’s life have been depicted in a bluegrass song,” says Ekstein. “The bluegrass tunes I’ve written for my records over the past 30 or so years are mostly named after people, events, or something important that happened in my life. That’s just part of my love for bluegrass.”

As the son of an Austrian immigrant to America his surname, Ekstein, translates, literally, to “Cornerstone,” which is the aptly titled opening track to the album, symbolizing his heritage and love of the genre. Another song on Carolina Chimes that reflects that philosophy is “Jessy’s Fancy,” named for Ekstein’s daughter who finally noticed his mandolin playing in a different way. “My daughter Jessy heard me working out this tune in my backyard one day,” says Ekstein. “She said, ‘What’s that Dad? It’s beautiful.’ It was the first time I ever got my daughter’s attention while playing the mandolin, so this one is dedicated to her. She still loves to hear it.”

Many of the tunes on Carolina Chimes reflect Ekstein’s travels in this world, from his early years living in California and exploring the American West, to settling down in the western North Carolina mountain town of Asheville.

“Hoot Owl Hop” was written from his days of living in California when the warm summer nights brought hoot owls to the eucalyptus trees every year, which he often heard and occasionally saw. The perfect title for a wild ride of a tune, ‘Spikebuck,’ refers to the name of some rapids on the Arkansas River in Colorado where his family, barely hanging on, took a fast-moving whitewater rafting trip one year. “Back Drag” was named after an insane stunt Ekstein once attempted for the first and last time. He says,”I was an accomplished trick rider in my youth and I tried a crazy stunt with my ankles strapped to the back of the saddle while dangling behind a galloping horse. I was nervous at first as I coaxed my horse to a full gallop. I threw myself back, with rocks flying, the wind in my ears and my head and hands now dragging within reach of the ground. After rounding the corner of the arena at full speed, my horse abruptly stopped, throwing me off to fall flat on my face in the mud.”

About a decade ago, Ekstein relocated to Asheville, where he continues to run the Foxfire Recording Studio (started in 1990), so he could play more bluegrass with western North Carolina roots musician, Billy Constable, for whom this album is dedicated. Constable, who passed away in 2015 of cancer, was best known for his three-finger-picking banjo technique and his vigorous acoustic guitar leads. A couple of songs on this project were written in his memory.

“‘Bacon in the Pan’ is my version of an old-time fiddle tune done in the bluegrass style,” says Ekstein. “It is named after my beloved friend of a lifetime and band mate Billy Constable. He often spoke endlessly on the phone about the fine points of cooking a good breakfast. ‘All Night in Kentucky’ is a tune I wrote after jamming all night long at the IBMA convention in Louisville, KY, with Billy, who was an instrumental wizard. Inspired by that experience, I just couldn’t stop pickin’ on that early morning and I spontaneously ended up playing this tune.”

Rock ‘n’ roll music and bluegrass music from the Appalachian Mountains have had a big influence in Ekstein’s musical life. Within weeks of arriving in the area, Constable introduced Ekstein to many players in the WNC pickin’ scene. Both were in the band Blue Wheel Drive, along with bassist Rob Parks, and all three went on to perform for two years with The Bobby Hicks Band. Parks makes an appearance on Carolina Chimes playing “Rockalachia,” a tune BWD performed live that is reminiscent of the boogie-woogie style of bluegrass played on the mandolin in the 1940’s by the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. Another bluegrass buddy from those days, Seth Rhinehart, also steps in on banjo on that ditty as well as “Dixie Sunset,” of which Ekstein says, “I wanted to see how close I could write a ¾-time tune within the style of bluegrass, but still make it unique in its own way. Playing music on the deck of my North Carolina mountain home while overlooking the woods and watching the sunset inspired me to write this twisty waltz.”

Other cuts on Carolina Chimes reflect Ekstein’s many musical influences. “I always thought ‘Indian Rain’ would be a good song for an old fashioned western movie. Too bad it was 60 years too late. Turned out to be a better bluegrass fiddle tune, especially with Stuart Duncan at the Helm. In the late 1980’s, I recorded my song ‘Flapjack’ while playing Dobro for a band project,” says Ekstein. “I originally wrote it on the Dobro as a tune for the mandolin. I finally made it a reality here on this album. And, that brings me to the album’s title cut, ‘Carolina Chimes.’ I’ve always loved the classic banjo tunes that featured the sound of arpeggio chimes created by banjo and mandolin duets. It reminds me of bells ringing at an old Carolina country church house.”

As producer of his own album, Ekstein had the pleasure of deciding who he would bring in to play on the project. Fortunately, he chose to collaborate with some of the best pickers in the business.

When it comes to musicians respected by music fans and professional peers alike, few receive the accolades that are routinely given to fiddler Stuart Duncan. From his work in the Nashville Bluegrass Band to his contribution to the 8-million copy selling “O Brother, Where Art Thou” movie soundtrack album, from his annual run in the all-star Telluride Bluegrass Festival House Band to his playing on countless recording sessions, and with multiple IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year Awards and also nominated for 2018, Duncan is considered one of the best fiddlers on the planet.

Guitarist Jeff Autry is also widely appreciated as a solid axe man who has played with everyone from the Ricky Skaggs to Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, and others. He also held down the guitar chair for a decade-and-a-half with the John Cowan Band. His latest gig finds him as a member of The Edgar Loudermilk Band featuring Jeff Autry.

Mark Schatz has played the bass with living legends for most of his career, anchoring historical jams with folks like Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, and so many more. Currently he is the bassist for the Claire Lynch Band and is one of the best in the business and is a two time winner of IBMA Bass Player of the Year and is currently nominated 2018.

The same can be said for Patrick Sauber, a GRAMMY nominated banjo picker, who is currently kicking up the five-string for many well known national acts like Tim O’Brien, the Peter Rowan Band, John Reishmann and the Jaybirds, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, and others.

Rudi has owned and operated his own commercial recording studio business Foxfire Recording since 1990, and since then has played for, or produced and/or engineered numerous albums for CMH, Rounder, Sugar Hill Records, as well as artists like Tony Rice, Larry Rice, Chris Hillman, Josh Graves, David Grisman, Richard Greene, Bill Keith, David Grier, Herb Pedersen, Bill Bryson, and other notables. His array of recording and live performance credits include many internationally known bluegrass musicians like fiddle players Byron Berline and Gabe Witcher; banjo hotshots John Hickman, Dennis Caplinger, and Craig Smith; gifted Dobro player, Rob Ickes, The Nashville Bluegrass Band’s GRAMMY award winning bass player, Gene Libbea; an original Bluegrass Cardinal bass player Bill Bryson; as well as three members of the Country Boys (later the Kentucky Colonels), bass man Eric White, banjo player, Billy Ray Lathum, and Dobro player, Leroy Mack among many others.

Kind Words:

“Rudi Ekstein has written a great collection of new bluegrass instrumentals and as writer, producer, engineer and musician, recorded this album and maintained a very high degree of quality at every step of the production process! The mix is wonderful and Rudi’s cast of musicians is stellar!” —Gene Libbea (Nashville Bluegrass Band)

“Rudi’s original tunes are sure to become classics. The musicians on this project are fantastic – every tune is a gem.” –Dennis Caplinger

“Rudi has put together a nice mixture of tunes that take us from up tempo fiddle numbers to sad mountain laments with a gypsy jazz feel thrown in for good measure. I am honored to be included in this stellar lineup of world class acoustic players from around the country. This project is superbly crafted using the finest instruments, played through the finest microphones by virtuoso musicians. Great job Rudi!” —Jeff Autry

“I have known Rudi for a long time. Having lived in California for several years we used to cross paths alot. Rudi, like me, as we have grown older, seems to have a calling to write tunes. Bill Monroe did the same thing. The 12 tunes that Rudi has put together are winners. These musicians that Rudi picked to play on his project are top notch. Surrounding yourself with good musicians is the key, and Rudi, you found the right key.”  —Byron Berline

Carolina Chimes Track Listing
1. Cornerstone   (2:41)
2. Indian Rain   (3:21)
3. All Night in Kentucky  (2:48)
4. Hoot Owl Hop   (2:52)
5. Jessy’s Fancy   (3:54)
6. Spikebuck   (2:04)
7. Flapjack   (3:31)
8. Bacon in the Pan   (2:28)
9. Rockalachia   (2:35)
10. Carolina Chimes   (2:26)
11. Dixie Sunset   (2:39 )
12. Back Drag   (1:50)

The Musicians on Carolina Chimes include:
Stuart Duncan – Fiddle (all tracks)
Jeff Autry – Guitar (all tracks)
Mark Schatz – Upright Bass (all tracks except 9)
Rob Parks – Upright Bass (9)
John Plotnik – Banjo (1,2,3,7,10,12), Dobro (4,5,6,8)
Patrick Sauber – Banjo (4,5,6,8)
Seth Rhinehart – Banjo (9,11)
Rudi Ekstein – Mandolin (all tracks)

All tunes written by Rudi Ekstein, BMI, Carolina Chimes Music, P & C 2018
Produced by Rudi Ekstein.  Recorded and Mixed by Rudi Ekstein

 

For more information, please visit the album website: www.carolinachimes.com and www.facebook.com/rudieksteinbluegrass.

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