Vince Herman Band on Tour This Fall – Enjoy the Ride

Vince Herman Band Live. Photo by Jen Haselhorst

Riding High From the Success of his Debut Solo Album, Enjoy The Ride
Longtime Co-leader of the Popular & Pioneering Jamgrass Band Leftover Salmon
Vince Herman dives into his idea of what country music is all about

Vince Herman Band on Tour This Fall
www.vinceherman.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn —  Vince Herman is out to have some fun. 33 years after founding Leftover Salmon, Vince released an album of his own and hit the road to play a batch of songs developed in his new Nashville home. It’s a bit of a departure from the “Salmon sound” as he digs into his idea of what country music is. There’s some bluegrass and Cajun influences and honky tonk ballads all piled atop great players taking the tunes for a ride.

Vince formed a hot band consisting of some of Nashville’s finest musicians, all also vocalists, to take on the road! Joining him in the Vince Herman Band for their Fall tour dates are Nathan Graham (upright bass), Dakota Holden (pedal steel), Ian Cory (banjo/fiddle), his son Silas Herman (mandolin/guitar), Alex Johnson (drums) [Sept], and Lawrence Nemenz (drums) [October/November].

The Vince Herman Band Tour kicks off with a free show in Vince’s sometime home state of Colorado, at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre on Sunday, September 10. They then hit up a few points in California before venturing back to the midwest, then a bit of the south, the east, and the southeast. Basically, they’re covering as much as they can in 3 months.

“With his immersion into Nashville, Herman’s also peeling back the pages of Music City history, harkening back to the early days of country music, where the genre lines were blurred or not yet defined by record labels and marketing teams,” writes Rolling Stone’s Garret K. Woodward.

“I’m gonna try to keep my solo repertoire separate from Leftover Salmon so people can expect something different than they would see at a Salmon show,” says Vince to Relix Magazine’s Mike Greenhaus. “I want them to live in different worlds, but one of the reasons I made this record is that I’m a fan of country music. And I’ve always thought of Salmon as a country band. You can look at the Grateful Dead as a country band—to me, bluegrass, cajun music, ballads and all that stuff is what makes up country music… But, though I’ve always seen Salmon as somewhat of a country band, the country and jamband worlds are absolutely miles apart—not so much musically, but culturally. And at this point, so much of this country needs to come together, with all the walls between the different sides and all the perceived little niches that we’re supposed to stay in, man. We need to come together as a country. And music can play a big role in that. So I guess you can say that I want to bring the hippies to country. I want to say, ‘We’re kind of doing the same thing here, folks. Can we talk?’”

Vince Herman Band on Tour:

SEPTEMBER
9/10 Sun – Bellevue, CO – Mishawaka Amphitheater 
9/14 Thu – Arcata, CA – Humbrews / Humboldt Brews
9/15 Fri – Grass Valley, CA – The Center for the Arts
9/16 Sat – Mill Valley, CA –  Sweetwater Music Hall
9/17 Sun – Felton, CA – Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival
9/19 Tue – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
9/20 Wed – Teton Village, WY – Mangy Moose Restaurant & Saloon

OCTOBER
10/8 Sun – Makanda, IL – Little Grassy Get Down
10/12 Thu – Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House*
10/13 Fri – Roanoke, VA – 5 Points Music Sanctuary*
10/14 Sat – Huntington, WV – THE LOUD*
10/15 Sun – Morgantown, WV – Mountain Stage Radio Show
10/23 Mon – Tulsa, OK – The Shrine 
10/25 Wed – Wichita, KS – Wave
10/26 Thu – Edwardsville, IL – Wildey Theatre
10/27 Fri – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
10/28 Sat – Evanston, IL – Evanston SPACE
10/29 Sun – Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall
*w/ Airshow

NOVEMBER^
11/1 Wed – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
11/2 Thu – Charleston, SC – Charleston Pour House
11/3 Fri  – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
11/4 Sat – Knoxville, TN – Open Chord Stage
11/5 Sun – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall
11/7 Tue – Lexington, NC – High Rock Outfitters
11/8 Wed – Atlanta, GA – Smith’s Olde Bar
11/9 Thu – Tupelo, MS – Blue Canoe
11/10 Fri – Memphis, TN – Hi Tone
11/11 Sat – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley Nashville
11/12 Sun – Louisville, KY – Whirling Tiger
11/14 Tue – Newport, KY – The Southgate House Revival
11/15 Wed – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
11/16 Thu- Wayne, PA – 118 North
11/17 Fri – Blairstown, NJ – Roy’s Hall
11/18 Sat – Thomas, WV – The Purple Fiddle
11/19 Sun – York, PA – Appell Center for the Performing Arts
^All November dates w/ Airshow!

Vince Herman Other Appearances:

9/22 Fri – Vince Herman + Drew Emmit – Billy Strings Renewal Fest – Buena Vista, CO

10/10 Tue – Handle With Care: A Tribute to Tom Petty – Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN
Benefit for Backline: All Star Band led by Derek Wells w/ songs performed by Wynonna Judd, Brittney Spencer, Charles Wesly Godwin, Sierra Hull, Vince Herman & more

Leftover Salmon Tour Dates: www.leftoversalmon.com/tour

Hear Vince sing about the VHB Fall Tour “I’ve Been Everywhere”

MORE ABOUT THE ALBUM:

Enjoy The Ride, Vince Herman’s first solo record, was released in November 2022 on LoHi Records. During the height of the pandemic, Vince hit the road in his RV for five months and ended up spending half his time in Nashville where he bumped into old friends—Donnie and Chris Davisson of the Davisson Brothers Band. 

Vince Herman
Photo by Michael Weintrob

“I came to Nashville and ran into the Davisson brothers, old buddies from West Virginia I’ve known for a long time,” Herman says. “I connected with the writer community here in town through the Davissons and just ended up writing more in the last year and a half than I probably have the rest of my life. It’s been a really creative boon for me to be in Nashville, so much that I bought a house here, and I’ve got chickens, fruit trees and a garden in my yard. I’m in for the long haul.”

Through the Davissons, Herman met Erv Woolsey, who probably is best known as George Strait’s manager. Woolsey became his manager and publisher, and like the Davissons, helped facilitate writing sessions for him. It wasn’t long before Herman had “a big pile of songs.”

Then he knew it was time. The Davissons introduced Vince to their producer, David Ferguson [Johnny Cash, John Prine], and a couple of month’s later they took to the Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa—the studio made famous by the late Cowboy Jack Clement— to record. They tracked all the songs live over 3 days with a myriad of A-list Nashville musicians assembled by Ferguson.

The studio band features guitarist Pat McLaughlin, multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott (acoustic guitar, 12-string baritone guitar, banjo), bassist Dave Roe, drummer Pete Abbott, keyboardist Mike Rojas, guitarist and pedal steel player Russ Paul, fiddlers Jason Carter and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, and Herman’s son Silas on mandolin. Tim O’Brien stopped by the studio during that time to add some harmony vocals.

Herman says. “And boy, I’d never made a record like that before. I’ve always had a band that was together, touring, and, you know, developing the material. To go into the studio with a bunch of folks I didn’t know was a big leap of faith for me and a whole new way of making records. It’s been a real eye opener to see how it’s done here in Nashville. I’m really pleased with the results.”

Enjoy the Ride features a dozen memorable songs, eleven of which came out of Herman’s writing sessions in his new hometown. In addition, to the Davisson brothers, Donnie’s son Nick Davisson, Levi Lowrey, Aaron Raitiere, Phillip Lammonds, Ronnie Bowman, Adam Hood, Rob Snyder, Benny “Burle” Galloway, Channing Wilson, William Paul McDonald, and Dave Pahanish are Herman’s co-writers on the album. He also wrote a pair of songs with Ferguson and Pat McLaughlin.

The material is an Americana travelogue that takes the listener from Prine-ish country-folk rock (“Lost Lover’s Eyes”), funky swamp rock (“Rattlesnake”) and jazzy Dixieland polka (“Any Other Way”) to straight-up bluegrass (“Enjoy The Ride”), classic Cajun country (“Coraleen”), and traditional country (“Drinking Alone”).

The one song on the record not cowritten by Herman is the country blues “Flying,” which was penned by Hood, Kyle Tuttle and Roxanne Handley. “That came out of one of the sessions where we had a bunch of guys writing and we’d break into different groups,” Herman explains. “Adam Hood was kind of the main cat behind that one, and I just love that song so much, I had to put it on the record.”

After laying down the initial tracks at the Cowboy Arms, additional overdubbing and mixing took place at the Butcher Shack, Ferguson’s post-production facility in Goodlettsville. The overdubbing included some lead vocals by Herman and vocal harmony parts by Bowman, who is best-known as a member of the Lonesome River Band, and Mike Armistead of the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. Rob McCoury from the Del McCoury Band and Tuttle also overdubbed banjo parts, and George Harper added a trombone part to “Any Other Way.” Additional recording for that song was done in engineer Jake Eckert’s Rhythm Shack Studio in New Orleans, where Tom Fisher and Kevin Louis added clarinet and trumpet respectively.

It may have taken Herman nearly three decades to get around to making his first solo record, but it was certainly worth the wait. “Enjoy the Ride represents what country music is to me,” he says. “Rooted in tradition but wide open and ready for a good ride.”

“Enjoy the Ride” Lyrics video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKFoX9Oxj3o

“Lost Lovers Eyes” (Song art):  www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSzaI889v98

www.vinceherman.com
www.facebook.com/VinceHermanBand
www.instagram.com/vincehermanband
www.youtube.com/@vincehermanband 

Stream/Buy Enjoy the Ride: https://vinceherman.hearnow.com/enjoy-the-ride

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Randy Steele Delivers Clever & Quick Bluegrass EP, High Cold Wind – Out Today

Firefighter by Profession / Songwriter & Banjo Picker by Nature,
Randy Steele Independently Releases Bluegrass EP with High Cold Wind

Available Now to Stream/Buy→ 
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/randysteele/high-cold-wind

Randy Steele is an award winning banjo pickin’ singer/songwriter from Chattanooga, Tennessee. A career firefighter who picked up the banjo to decompress and pass the time at the fire station, Randy’s creative music ranges from clever character based narratives to deeply personal and revelatory. Emotionally powerful, Steele can wake you up with a hard-drivin’ song, draw you in with profound lyrics, and have you laughing (or crying) with a compelling confession. 

Randy’s high-energy bluegrass band, High Cold Wind, brings out the best in his charisma and superb storytelling. Joining Steele in High Cold Wind is Fiddlin’ Faye Petree, regional fiddle legend of the North Carolina and Georgia music scene; flat pick wizard and member of Americana favorites Strung Like a Horse, Tyler Martelli, on acoustic guitar; multiple state, multiple instrumental contest champion and well known teacher John Boulware on mandolin; and Justin Hupp holding it down on the upright bass.

Randy says, “For a while now I’ve been wanting to do more bluegrass. I love bluegrass. It is a great example of simplicity and complexity combined,” says Randy. “Every time I hear the simple 1 & 3 low thump of an upright bass contrasted by the 2 & 4 hard chop of a mandolin, I am immediately reminded of a thousand great evenings playing with friends. Memories of a million banjo breaks on standards, just trying to find where the banjo fits, come flooding back to me each time. Usually I had a smile on my face and maybe a little whiskey on my breath. I wanted to convey that feeling with this group of songs.”  

Their self-titled debut EP is a collection of 5 songs, running at 14 minutes. Self-produced by Randy the new music was recorded and engineered at The Soundry Studios in Soddy-Daisy, TN by Brett Nolan and mastered by Adam Brown.

“Nashville Drinking Song” is a fun fast paced tune about leaving the big city and moving back to the country. “There’s a Part of Me” is a good old heartache song about growth; Randy says, “Some of the stories from the song are symbolic, some are reflections from growing up Pentecostal. I really love Faye’s vocal work on this one, she’s a blessing.”

The quick tempo, “It Happened” is a fun bluegrass song about life in the country, maybe robbing some banks, and lying to the police! The minimalistic “A Golden Smile” is based on his own memories of self doubt and worry when first dating his wife; they are now going on 22 years.

Exploring many emotions and vantage points, “Eight Thirty Eighteen,” was named for the date it was written as a direct response to current events—it is a song born out of frustration and channeled into a super fast, major key, knee slappin’ bluegrass number.

Previous solo work includes Songs From the Suck (2016) and Moccasin Bender EP (2018). In his various musical formats over the years (solo, trio, with High Cold Wind, and with Slims Pickins Bluegrass) Randy has played with and opened for a number of incredible performers including Sam Bush, Darrell Scott, Steep Canyon Rangers, Kitchen Dwellers, Infamous Stringdusters, Nick Lutsko, IIIrd Tyme Out, Little River Band, Jack Pearson, Malcolm Holcomb, Roger Alan Wade, Nicholas Edward Williams, Lew Card and The Deer, and more.

Kind Words About Randy Steele + High Cold Wind

“He has that unmistakable authoritative voice that was born to people like Ralph Stanley & Roy Clark. All five tunes are worthy but ‘Nashville Drinking Song,’ featuring Emmylou Harris-style backup vocals by the dependable fiddle sawing Faye Petree (absolutely wonderful). This song smokes with Randy’s Levon Helm-tinged vocal had Levon stayed in Arkansas.”
—Americana Highways, John Apice

“Randy Steele Cuts Loose with Fast Picked Bluegrass on ‘Nashville Drinking Song’… Bringing to mind 90s purveyors of bluegrass and country-folk like Split Lip Rayfield and the Meat Purveyors, this is a lively tune that showcases freewheeling lyrics and damn fine picking. You don’t need to think to hard to picture this song getting boots kicking up dust when played at a music festival.”
—Glide Magazine
VIDEO PREMIERE: “Nashville Drinking Song”

“It’s a song that sounds as traditional as heck, but take a careful listen to the lyrics and you’ll find very modern sensibilities and concerns being thought about. Not too many Bluegrass songs include scenes like: “I remember that Christmas / When you got a neck tattoo / And your momma cried and / Spent the holidays holed up inside her room / She said that you can’t be buried / With your family anymore.”
—Americana UK, Jonathan Aird
TRACK PREMIERE: “There’s A Part Of Me”

“… the nostalgia is washed with the benefit of hindsight [in ‘There’s a Part of Me’], with the maturity of well wishes, and it’s a prime example of the unique offerings that Steele presents to modern bluegrass. Take the second verse: ‘I remember that Christmas, when you got a neck tattoo, and your momma cried and spent the holidays holed up in her room, she said that you can’t be buried with your family anymore.’ You couldn’t name enough bluegrass songs on one hand that cover that much ground emotionally. Then add the depth of the looming chorus, that Steele’s heart ‘heals a little every day, that I spend away from you.’ It’s the kind of break up song that we all wish were true to our own lives.”
—Nicholas Edward Williams of American Songcatcher

“Bright banjo tones and Randy’s smiling vocals and a poppy click track set the tone for this tale of woe.”
—Americana Highways, Melissa Clarke
SONG PREMIERE: “A Golden Smile”

“clever music video that mixes animation and live action on this story of heartbreak and recovery” —Bluegrass Today, John Lawless
VIDEO PREMIERE: “There’s a Part of Me”

“Randy Steele offers a musical journey and masterful storytelling through his original banjo music, melding the best elements of Bluegrass and Country music.”
—Outdoor Chattanooga

“Randy Steele writes with such lyricism about the hard truths and the poetry of living a real life, that his songs feel exactly as noble and important as that life itself. He knows, and you sure as hell know he knows. People throw ‘real deal’ around a lot. Randy is the ‘real REAL.’” —Nathan Bell

Find out more at www.randysteelemusic.com & www.highcoldwind.com, facebook.com/randysteelemusic, instagram.com/randysteelemusic, twitter.com/steelesteele, youtube.com/@randysteelemusic, and hear more from his catalog on Spotify

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Annapolis Baygrass Daily Lineups! Yonder, Railroad, Keller & The Keels, Melvin Seals & JGB, Fruition

Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival 
Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, MD • Sept. 30 & Oct. 1, 2023

Music • Food • Drinks • Beachfront Venue • Family Friendly * MORE! 

Daily Lineup and Single Day Tickets Announced!

Click Here For Tickets
Two-day VIP & GA Passes Available Now, Single Day Tickets Available Aug 16 

Saturday, Sept 30
Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, Keller & The Keels 
Jon Stickley Trio, Lindsay Lou (band & artist-at-large)
The Dirty Grass Players, Geraldine

Sunday, October 1
Melvin Seals & JGB 
Fruition, Cabinet, Cris Jacobs & Smooth Kentucky
Arkansauce, Wicked Sycamore, The High & Wides
Lindsay Lou (artist-at-large)

www.baygrassfestival.com

www.facebook.com/annapolisbaygrassfestival – www.instagram.com/annapolisbaygrassfestival 

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival takes place Saturday, Sept 30 & Sunday, Oct 1 on the gorgeous beach at Sandy Point State Park along Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, MD. Highlighting the best in regional and national bluegrass, jamgrass, and Americana music, this conservation-focused musical event was listed as a “Don’t-Miss Bay Music Festival” by Chesapeake Bay Magazine. A family friendly festival, Annapolis Baygrass anticipates drawing people from all over the country and the region to enjoy the unique beachfront destination, scrumptious local foods, and delightful cocktails and mocktails. 

The event will host 14 bands across two alternating stages over two days, and Annapolis Baygrass is thrilled to announce the daily lineups! 

Saturday headliners are Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, and Keller & The Keels. These three legendary bands have joined together in camaraderie for a unique tour, presented by Relix, and Annapolis Baygrass is their final stop! There will be a set by each, followed by a big jam to close out the night. Saturday daytime is full of flavor with the cinematic Jon Stickley Trio and Baltimore’s own high energy The Dirty Grass Players and Baygrass House Stringband, Geraldine. 

Sunday headliner, Melvin Seals and JGB, will be serving up a tasty mix that spans from blues to funk to rock to jazz, with a little R&B and gospel thrown in to spice things up. A powerful presence in the music industry for over 30 years, Seals is most revered for his high-spirited playing in the Jerry Garcia Band for 18 years. Melvin and JGB bring an intuitive, expressive style, soul, spontaneity, and remarkable chops to the table with John Kadlecik on lead guitar and vocals, John-Paul McLean‘s savory bass, Jeremy Hoenig on the drums and, of course, a heapin’ helpin’ of the wizard’s magic on Hammond B-3 Organ and keyboards. 

Sunday offers an eclectic assortment of bands to rock out and dance to—each adding their own stories, harmonious vocals, and fiery fingerpickin’ to the mix—including Fruition, Cabinet, Cris Jacobs & Smooth Kentucky, Arkansauce, and the Chesapeake Bay area’s Wicked Sycamore and The High & Wides.  

Lindsay Lou will sweep you off your feet with her incredible vocals and beautiful lyrics—both with her band on Saturday, and as artist-at-large throughout the event. 

“The Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival was born out of our team’s love of progressive bluegrass music, the desire to generate a fun community-oriented vibe, and a passion for protecting the Chesapeake Bay,” says festival co-founder Ron Peremel. “We created a unique music festival where just by having fun you’re helping the Bay. As we like to say: ‘Every Jam Saves the Bay!’”

More than a music festival, Annapolis Baygrass maintains its mission to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. 10% of all proceeds from ticket, food, beverage, and merchandise sales will go to Maryland-based non-profit organizations including Watershed Stewards Academy, Oyster Recovery Partnership, and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

Sandy Point State Park, a 786-acre Maryland State Park located along the northwestern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, provides a perfect backdrop for this one-of-a-kind festival with stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay and ample space to spread out and enjoy themselves in comfort and style on the sandy beaches. Annapolis Baygrass has plenty of offerings for all ages including interactive artist and conservation workshops, yoga classes, beach and yard games, a Kidzone, a craft vendor village, and other activities. 

Fresh lump crab cakes, roasted and raw oysters, gourmet BBQ, Asian food, tacos, wood-fired pizzas, vegan and vegetarian delicacies, and other locally curated culinary options will be available at the festival. Attendees will enjoy tasty microbrews by our partners Pherm Brewing Company and Idiom Brewing Co. at the Baytoberfest Beer Garden, as well as fresh craft cocktails from Gray Wolf Spirits, The Wine Collective wines, and delicious non-alcoholic beverages, including mocktails, from Sobar at the waterfront Blue Crab Beach Bar.

An exceptional VIP option is available for those wishing to upgrade their experience with the beach-front VIP pavilion, exclusive viewing areas as well as a hot, gourmet meal hosted by our partners at Chesapeake Chef Service. Perks include chef-prepared hot meals, fresh-shucked oysters, snacks, free beverages, VIP parking, private entrance, as well as VIP Gift Bag with Annapolis Baygrass branded reusable steel cups and other merch. Learn more at www.baygrassfestival.com/VIP.

Heavily discounted nearby lodging partners, camping options (first serve basis and fit options for all budgets) and shuttle service make it an enjoyable and hassle-free weekend! Please note the deadline to reserve your camping spot at KOA is August 25. Shuttles will be serving the partnering lodging locations from 10am to post show Saturday and Sunday. Shuttle Passes are on sale now at the ticketing link. More information on lodging at www.baygrassfestival.com/lodging.

Baygrass’ environmental ethos is evidenced in its adoption of the sustainability model, making it one of the only green festivals in Maryland. Actions to reduce the festival’s environmental footprint include using local food vendors and ingredients, compostable plates and utensils, reusable steel cups, refillable water stations, and a “no single-use plastic water bottles” policy. Learn more at: www.baygrassfestival.com/green-initiatives.

Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival was founded in 2022 by Ron Peremel, John Way, and Ron Katz, who share a passion for music, a love of the local region, and a desire to give back to the community by creating a music festival with a purpose. They brought in industry veterans to join the team: Executive Director Thom Bloom,  Marketing Director Ellen Crawford, and Green/Sustainability Director Walter Wright.

Baygrass also draws attention to mental health education and recognizes that music is often an excellent  vehicle to building and growing a healthy, strong community. To connect the public to wellness resources, the festival has partnered with non-profits VA Way, the music-industry centric Backline, and our beverage partner Sobar whose mission envisions “an environment where the stigma of alcoholism, addiction, mental illness, and not drinking alcohol is eliminated.”

Baygrass co-founder and founder of VA WAY, John Way—an Army Veteran and a Certified Veteran MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) Instructor—says, “I have attended hundreds of shows and festivals for over 20 years and have seen firsthand how music has the power to heal the mind. We have a rare opportunity with Baygrass to bring important mental health information to a large audience in an incredibly positive and supportive setting. We’ve just partnered with Anne Arundel County Health Department to bring narcan training to the event as a harm reduction workshop for the community.” 

Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival has a theme song, “In The Water,” by Geraldine with special guest Cris Jacobs! The song was written by singer/songwriter/guitarist John Bolten, PhD, who is not only Geraldine’s bandleader, but also the Chief of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Hydrological Sciences Lab—this man understands the water and why all of our actions have such a significant impact on the Chesapeake Bay. Listen here → https://linktr.ee/geraldineband. 

Hear a bit from all of the Annapolis Baygrass artists on our Annapolis Baygrass Spotify Playlist. 

By celebrating the local region, giving back to the community, and curating a fantastic lineup of musicians, Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival aims to be a pillar in the local music scene and an annual music festival tradition for years to come!

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Pert Near Sandstone 1st Single From New Album “Waiting Days” + Tour Dates Announced

Pert Near Sandstone Releases Single “All Waves Break”

Listen and sing along with this Lyric Video Premiered By JamBase

Listen to “All Waves Break” on all streaming platforms Friday, Aug 11 → https://li.sten.to/t2sthw1c

8th Studio Album, Waiting Days, Independently Released Oct 20

Pre-save Waiting Days on Spotify → https://show.co/kHU93US

Summer and Fall Tour Dates Announced!

Performances in South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, 
Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado, and Illinois

ST. PAUL/ MINNEAPOLIS, Minn — “Our waiting days are finally over,” the title track from Pert Near Sandstone’s new album decries, echoing the sentiment of a community recently pent up and beyond longing. What can develop from the turbulence of a still dwindling global pandemic and also respond to the noise of prattling politics? Art has its purpose in this exact hour. 

It’s a strikingly different world than when Pert Near Sandstone first began nearly two decades ago near the sandstone river bluffs of St. Paul. The former latchkey kids who grew up together a few Mississippi-miles upstream have been out on a spree, through the thicket, and have been performing and recording this past year in earnest, which has culminated in their eighth studio album. Waiting Days is set for independent release on October 20.

“Out of Time,” the album’s heaviest hitting song, is a gazette of concerns that we face in troubled times. The explicit itemization is an alarm for movement; the singer’s vocals singe of desperation is motivation to confront the things most feared and to hold on to what is most dear. Lest we get lost in despair, we can find rejuvenation in one of the strongest songs, “All Waves Break,” which gestures with surrealism to offset the bleakness of a just-as-wacky reality. 

They are releasing the first glimpse of the new tunes with “All Waves Break” as the album’s first single. Watch the lyric video for the song here → https://youtu.be/M_eB5cJyZ64 

Waiting Days has all the merit of maturity and the strengths of its four songwriters (all of whom are vocalists)—Justin Bruhn (bass), Kevin Kniebel (banjo), J Lenz (guitar), and Nate Sipe (mandolin, steel guitars, fiddle)—offering responses to each other’s compositions through a long camaraderie. Sipe says, “After almost twenty years together, our bond has grown to reflect more of a family, a band of brothers.”

Pert Near Sandstone.
Photo by Tony Nelson

As longtime stewards of the modern stringband revival, Pert Near has a songcraft informed by the American folk tradition in a delivery of acoustic instrumentation. The songs themselves tell a different tale, straying from the reliquary of common stringband selections, lightly veiled as bluegrass while sneakily appeasing their inner desire for a more modern musical timbre. Pert Near delivers another full album of original songs that meditates on this exact present, rich with context and reference.   

There are songs that reach into a field that isn’t always aglow with sunlight, while finding beauty in the tenderness of relationships. There are traveling songs sung by a band that has hit the pavement hard over their time, simultaneously creating a soundtrack for those all night drives that music festival devotees well know.  This isn’t music reaching for the banality of pop hits—this is fresh air for blades of new grass to grow in. At times there is an almost symphonic string section that lifts the melody, while other times the simplicity of banjo and pedal steel indeed helps us believe the genuine intentions of Pert Near Sandstone’s creative resolve. 

Chris Forsberg, a recent inclusion to the outfit, puts his fiddle stamp on the overall sound with turnbuckle solos and harmonious response to the melodies. The interplay of mandolin and fiddle carries much of the music across the songs, but it’s the mixture of guest instrumentalists that gives this album a unique tapestry of sounds and texture, opening a deeper space that has become standard in production for Pert Near Sandstone projects. 

Trampled By Turtles’ fiddler and original Pert Near member, Ryan Young, recorded and mixed the album—the fourth he has gifted his audio wizardry to— and added his fiddle and other accouterments to bolster the energy of the songs. The intimacy of collaboration is at the heart of this new project, after all, which spanned several of the harshest weeks of a midwestern winter in Ryan’s NeonBrown Recording Studio in Crystal, Minnesota. 

Ryan says, “I’ve been recording Pert Near Sandstone since 2004 when I’d set up some mics to record our practices. I feel like we know each other really well and I know what kind of sounds they are going for. Some songs call for a stripped down feel of friends playing folk music together in a living room, and others are more elaborate with influences from metal to electronic music to rock and more.” 

The railroad laden album cover looks as though it could be an illustration for the song, “End of The Line,” wherein a conversation between a hobo and railroad brakeman confront the possible obsolescence of their livelihoods. We can now hear that distant whistle as a token of hope. An electric steel guitar slides into the conversation and nods to early country music, played by the band’s train hopper and mandolinist. Several other songs also feature Sipe’s work on pedal steel guitar.

In an ever-changing terrain, digitally enhanced and quickly refreshed, only an album like this could be harvested. By contrast to tik tocs, reels, and tweets, this album was formed from the wilderness and carved from the heartwood. The band would say their music and sound come about organically, but under the tall oak trees of the Twin Cities, those wooden instruments may have been antennas drawn to the marrow, like a divination wand used to scratch an itch or soothe a wound, they tapped into this latest collection of songs.  

Anyone that knows this band is aware of their humor and levity, and that charm is never far from the surface. It is a central component of their expression and shared experience. The connectedness to community is at the core of Pert Near’s music and philosophy. Nobody on earth is having a singular experience, as these songs shine a light upon. We are all here together. As the title track declares, “… I want to take you with me when I go.” Let’s get ready. Now is our time. The waiting days are over. 

Pre-save Waiting Days on Spotify: https://show.co/kHU93US.

Pert Near Sandstone on Tour

08.17 | Sioux Falls, SD – Icon Lounge
08.18 | Custer, SD – Beacon 
08.19 | Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge
09.16 | St. Paul, MN – Dual Citizen Brewing
09.21 | Appleton, WI – Poplar Hall
09.22 | Winona, MN – Boats and Bluegrass Festival
10.04 | Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads 
10.05 | Columbia, MO – Blue Rose Music Hall
10.07 | Pelham, TN – Cave Fest
10.19 | Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pu
10.20 | Portland, OR – Good Foot 
10.21 | Centralia, WA – Juice Box 
10.22 | Seattle, WA – High Dive 
11.03 | LaCrosse, WI – Midwest Music Fest 
11.08 | Lincoln, NE – Zoo Bar 
11.09 | Ft Collins, CO – 830 N
11.10 | Boulder, CO – Velvet Elk Lounge 
11.11 | Denver, CO – Ophelia’s 
11.30 | Ames, IA – Alluvial Brewing
12.01 | Mankato, MN – Mankato Brewery 
12.02 | Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue 

Stay up to date with Pert Near Sandstone news and tours at www.pertnearsandstone.com, www.facebook.com/pertnearsandstone, and www.instagram.com/pertnearsandstone.

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Folk Phenom Stella Prince Releases Alluring New Single, ‘Two Faced,’ Today

Stella Prince Independently Releases New Single “Two-Faced”
Recorded at the Legendary Sound Stage Studios in Nashville 

Featuring Steve Fishell on Steel Guitar

Out Now → https://ffm.to/62wmn0q 

“With the release of her eighth ethereal single ‘Two Faced,’ folk phenom Stella Prince has solidified her place among the genre’s rising stars… the tune’s soul-stirring lyrics coupled with Prince’s shimmering vocals aim for the heart.” —MusicFestNews Song Premiere, Dalia Jakubauskas

“Prince’s airy and enchanting vocal delivery reaffirms a true sense of authenticity and soul ever-present in her releases thus far; a characteristic that will surely have her beyond up-and-coming status in no time.” —SA Examiner, Sandra Cruz

“The urgency of Prince’s lyrics is nearly palpable in her singular voice, which effortlessly recalls the measured melodies of classic folk. Even on the highest notes, Prince’s voice holds a softness and lightness. Over careful and striking guitar lines, she all but lulls you into a trance. It’s a unique and memorable sound that’s led her to critical acclaim.”  —NYS Music, Hattie Lindert

NASHVILLE, Tenn. —  Authentic and from-the-heart, Stella Prince’s melodies delve deep into your spirit with her evocative and relatable songs. Her poetic lyrics, in tandem with the atmospheric sounds of her vocals, acoustic guitar, and musical compositions, appeal to a diverse, multi-generational audience. Born and raised in Woodstock, NY, Stella, who is nearing the end of her teenage years, is now living in Nashville. 

Stella Prince’s musical influences span decades—from country and folk music’s renowned voices of Judy Garland, Karen Carpenter, Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, and Dolly Parton; to the pop icon Taylor Swift. Think Country Press says, “Imagine the perfect mixture of Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Judy Collins all packed into one young musician.”

Stella independently released her 8th single, “Two Faced,” on August 4. For this newest single, Stella had the pleasure of working with Steve Fishell, a Nashville-based pedal steel guitarist, Grammy-winning record producer, and educator [Dolly Parton, John Prine, Mavis Staples, Emmylou Harris]. 

“No one sings like Stella Prince,” says Fishell. “I was transported the first time I heard her and I bet you will be too.”

Emotionally moving from the start, accentuated by Fishell’s pedal steel, with the harrowing opening lines, “You got her right where you wanted… Lonely enough so she’d take the bait… Blinded by words that were only an empty promise… Desperation paves way for mistakes.” The heart of the song is in the chorus: ‘There’s all kinds of empty… but the hardest one to take… is lies that seem tempting… Loneliness is two faced.’ 

Stella says, “My big goal is for someone to play my song and think, ‘That’s exactly how I feel…’ I want my songs to resonate with everyone, every generation, every issue: loneliness, fear, all of that.”

MusicFestNews premiered the track and writes, “[‘Two Faced’] is a song that plays on universal themes such as heartache, isolation and loneliness. With Prince’s emotive vocals floating over Fishell’s guitar, the track’s lyrics hit listeners square in the heart.” 

Self produced, “Two Faced” was recorded at the legendary Sound Stage Studios on Music Row in Nashville [Est. 1970. Johnny Cash, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Buddy Guy] with Sound Engineer Kameron Luchterhand [Carrie Underwood, Devon Allman, Luke Combs].

Stella says, “It was an amazing experience—my first time ever recording with a full band. Actually this song specifically is the first ever song I recorded with more than just me. It was wild and incredible.” Joining her at SoundStage, along with Fishell, for the “live recording” feel are Nashville players: Ben Garrett (keys, guitar), PJ Schreiner (drums), Mike Dunton (electric guitar), and Father Phillip (bass).

MORE ABOUT STELLA:

Stella Prince. Photos by Lily Prince

Born and raised in Woodstock, NY, Stella is the only child of creative parents (a painter/photographer and a writer). She was immersed in music from an early age thanks to her parents’ extensive all-genre CD collection and her frequent attendance at concerts where she first encountered artists like Levon Helm, Amy Helm, Pete Seeger, Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary), Tracy Bonham, and Natalie Merchant. 

Growing up, Stella was also heavily influenced by pop and oldies music. She began taking voice lessons at the age of four, piano lessons at the age of six, guitar lessons at the age of nine, and she wrote her first song at the age of ten. From the age of 12 to 14, she hosted her own 1930s–1940s oldies radio show.

Stella graduated highschool at age 15 (during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020) and earned her two-year associates degree—with a focus on music—at age 16. She says in an interview with Stereotype Co, “I think the pandemic actually pushed me positively to focus entirely on my career, and nothing else but my career.”

In 2021, she began to release music and play live, travel to Nashville and Los Angeles, and she released four singles that year: “The Rain Might Fall,” “Scared,” “Before You Leave,” and “Alone for the Holidays.”

2022 was groundbreaking with her first international run in the UK and an 18-city tour of the Southwest. Her first single that went to radio, “Crying on a Saturday Night,” charted on the Americana Singles Chart. The follow up single “Eighteen” was released that July—debuting on the Folk Alliance International Charts at #46 on the Alternative Country Charts. 

Stella’s song “Closing Doors,” produced by famed Professor Louie [The Band] was released November 2022 and debuted at #15 on NACC. Her music video for the song was released May 2023 and has received over 118,000 views on YouTube alone, and gained support from well-known outlets including CMT, Ditty TV, Heartland, The Country Network, and Discover Music Videos. Professor Louie wrote in Mix Magazine, “Stella has a voice and sensibility well beyond her years, and can draw listeners in with her vulnerable lyrics and captivating vocals.” 

Stella Prince on Tour:
8/10 Thu – Bozeman Taproom – Bozeman, MT
8/14 Mon –  Paris West  – Cheyenne, WY 
8/15 Tue – Little Bear Inn – Cheyenne, WY
8/30 Wed – Parlour – Providence RI
8/31 Thu – Galactic Theatre – Warren RI
9/1 Fri – The Lily Pad – Boston MA
9/2 Sat – Daryl’s House (3-5pm) – Pawling, NY
9/3 Sun – Club Passim – Boston, MA
9/22 Fri – The Falcon – Marlboro, NY *w/ Professor Louie
9/23 Sat – Silvana – New York, NY
9/24 Sun – Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 1) – New York, NY
9/25 Mon – The Bitter End – New York, NY

Nashville Shows:
8/20 Sun – All-female Folk/Americana showcase hosted by Stella – The Underdog – Nashville, TN
9/19 Tue – Special Folk/Americana Showcase as part of AmericanaFest – The Underdog – Nashville, TN
9/21 Thu – One Big Love Fest @ The Coliseum – Nashville, TN
10/4 Wed – The Bowery Vault – Nashville, TN 
10/15 Sun – All-female Folk/Americana showcase hosted by Stella – The Underdog – Nashville, TN

For more information, music, and updates, please visit, www.stellaprincemusic.com, www.facebook.com/stellaprincemusicofficial, www.instagram.com/stellaprincemusic, and www.youtube.com/@stellaprincemusic.

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