Dreamspider Publicity Year in Review

‘Tis the Season and the end of the year! Here’s a rundown of the albums that Dreamspider Publicity publicized in 2018 in order of release date. Please do keep listening to and supporting live and recorded music! THANK YOU to all the artists, writers, DJs, listeners, and concert goers!!

Cheers and have a fantastic Holiday Season!

~Erin Scholze, Dreamspider Publicity
These Things Just Don’t Happen By Themselves… 

Love Canon – Cover Story
Released on Organic Records: July 13
www.lovecanonmusic.com

“Charlottesville, VA’s Love Canon have established themselves as prodigious interpreters of others’ songs. Their latest is chock full of circa 1980’s classics, each imbued with an acoustic charm. In some ways it speaks to the flexibility of the underlying song… In others it speaks the group’s ability to transform the song.” —Twangville, Mayer Danzig

“A guest-filled ride through familiar old favorites, interpreted not as party reboots but as thoughtful reimaginations. Songs from an era known for indulgent electric sheen get broken down and rebuilt with serious bluegrass chops… Throughout the record, the band dips into its deep rolodex of musical friends, tapping quirky troubadour Keller Williams to sing lead on R.E.M.’s ‘Driver 8,’ which features blazing solos and an extended reggae breakdown. Ace fiddler Michael Cleveland and singer Aoife O’Donovan also show up for one of the album’s best tracks, a mountain-hop version of Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland.’ Bluegrass has always been about passing songs down the line and sharing them with friends; Love Canon is toying with that tradition in a good way.” ––Blue Ridge Outdoors, Jedd Ferris

“Stripped of its slick ’70s country production and replaced with upbeat horns and killer harmonies, ‘Islands in the Stream’ is a perfect laid-back love ballad when performed by Love Canon. The band’s friend Lauren Balthrop evokes Parton in the high harmonies, and Bobby Read and John D’Earth provide a little bit of funk on the saxophone and trumpet, respectively.” –The Boot, Amy McCarthy

Hot Buttered Rum – Lonesome Panoramic
Independently Released: July 20
www.hotbutteredrum.net

“Tight Tunes and Whispers of Tom Petty: Lurking behind each song is a rhythmic urgency that’s less prog-bluegrass and more rock oriented… Over its 15-plus-year career, the band has proven itself capable of pulling together strands of country, folk, bluegrass, and jam music into an energetic, good-time experience. But with the batch of well-crafted, sharply performed tunes they cooked up on Lonesome Panoramic, Hot Buttered Rum has managed to blend its ragged charms with that of a well-oiled musical machine.” —No Depression, Jim Shahen

“Ultimately, Lonesome Panoramic reflects the work of a talented group of close-knit colleagues who know how to share their skills and play in sync, with no one individual eager to overshadow the others. The band emphasize subtlety over sizzle, finesse as opposed to frenzy, and a confidence and assurance that makes melody the primary focus. It’s a decided skill set to be sure…” —Bluegrass Today, Lee Zimmerman

“Probably best described as a tangling of jam, country, folk, and bluegrass that results in a timeless energy and easily enjoyable spirit, this is a criminally underappreciated outfit and a fantastic album.” —The Daily Vault, Tom Haugen

Chicago Farmer – Quarter Past Tonight  – Live Double Disc Album
Independently Released: August 3
www.chicagofarmer.com

“I’d never heard of transplanted son of the soil Cody Diekhoff and you probably haven’t either. But this tenth-anniversary double-live, 24 songs and eight spoken bits that include a tribute to his heroically supportive wife entitled ‘Benefits’… he’s funny, he’s kind, and he’s preparing an instructional video about ‘how do you get that drawl that you do—it’s kind of a mix between a small-town big-city kind of a northernly southernly easterly westerly stuck-in-the-middle type of a drawl.’”  —Noisey, Robert Christgau

“You don’t hear many albums these days like this two-CD set, which hearkens back to a time when solo folk artists like Tom Paxton and Arlo Guthrie strode onstage offering nothing but their voices, guitars, harmonicas, visions, and wit.”  —The Morton Report, Jeff Burger

“A great example of his songwriting and performing chops is ‘I Need a Hit,’ the first song off disc one. It’s about a road-worn troubadour dreaming about a John Hartford scenario — meaning he’d have a money-maker like ‘Gentle on My Mind’ funding his traveling circus.” —Wide Open Country, Bobby Moore

Chad Elliott & The Redemptions – Rest Heavy: The Sun Studio Sessions
Independently Released: August 10
www.chadelliott.net

“Iowa suggests such names as Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey, and Pieta Brown among others but now singer-songwriter, artist and author, Chad Elliott can join their esteemed company with Rest Heavy. Even if you didn’t know that these tracks were recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis, you’d still sense a bit of that Elvis Presley style in Elliot’s mix of roots-rock, soul, blues and modern gospel… This album just oozes soul, truth, and seems rather timeless as it could have been recorded almost any time in the last fifty-sixty years.” ––Elmore, Jim Hynes

“Rest Heavy… opens with an arpeggiated piano riff and cymbal crash before launching into a leaned-back, eyes-closed, soulful-howl gospel-blues tune of which Sam Cooke would have approved… As he croon-wails his way through tracks that range from hardscrabble stories and ain’t-life-like-that tunes to songs of somber reflection, his constellation of influences is clear, with stylized moments and melodic arrangements that evoke the likes of Tom Waits, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen and Doc Watson.”
—Little Village Magazine, Lucas Benson

“ … there is a timeless feel all along the tracks that tell his talent.. roots rock, gospel, soul, blues in a perfect spirit… I would even say this album is the perfect tribute to the spirit of the Sun Studios. I already listened at least 10 times to it and these songs take me with them…” —ISA Radio, Mike Penard, France

Rudi Ekstein – Carolina Chimes: Rudi Ekstein’s All Original Bluegrass Instrumental Showcase Featuring Stuart Duncan, Jeff Autry, Mark Schatz
Independently Released on Foxfire Recording: October 5
www.carolinachimes.com

“The bulk of [the songs] are flat-out, hold-on-to-your-hat wild rides that he takes you on… The entire album brings back many great memories to me of John Hartford’s many musical excursions through the years, jam sessions with Mike Marshall down in Florida back in the ’70’s and all sorts of good stuff... I would suggest the best way to listen to this CD is on a nice drive through the country or anywhere.” —Elmore, Ken Spooner

“These twelve original numbers flow brilliantly, a set of mandolin-based bluegrass the likes we haven’t experienced in a number of years. I’ve hit ‘repeat’ more than once listening to the set, the minutes passing by much too quickly…. An absolute stunner of a bluegrass album.” –-Fervor Coulee, Donald Teplyske

“This is some serious, hard core bluegrass played with a lot of fire… Good stuff.” —Mandolin Cafe

Edward David Anderson – Chasing Butterflies
Independently Released on Black Dirt Records: October 18
www.edwarddavidanderson.com

“Key tracks are the disturbing epic tale of race and injustice (with majestic, swirling fiddle) in ‘The Ballad of Lemuel Penn’, the brutally honest ‘Bad Tattoos’ (‘The story of my life’s written on my skin’) and the hypnotic ‘Crosses’ with its rousing and extended instrumental section closing out the track… On Chasing Butterflies, Edward David Anderson commands our attention with his accomplished songwriting and sublime presentation. He certainly has mine. It’s a triumph.” —Listening Through The Lens, No Depression, Rob Dickens

“…nothing here is overplayed: the sound is light, mainly acoustic and upbeat… Judging by his self-penned songs, Anderson observes his world and writes what comes to mind. On his second solo release he covers family, misspent youth (tattoos), dogs, inspirational friends, bleak Montana landscapes and injustices… All in all an interesting outing that explains his wide fanbase.” –Americana Music Show, Tony Ives

“The quality of songwriting here is exemplary. Without exception we are treated to consistently strong melodies with memorable hooky choruses that will live with you after only a few listens. There is a very strong and diverse lyrical theme to these songs while the musicianship on the record is outstanding throughout.” —AmericanaUK, Mark Hegarty

Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield – Reckless Saints
Independently Released on Shiny Gnu Records: Nov 2
www.RecklessSaints.com

“This husband and wife team runs the gamut from engaging acoustic folk to driving bluesy tunes, with hints of twang sprinkled in… The ringing impression from this offering is the seamless blending of so many forms of roots music, combined with meaningful and often insightful lyrics. It works beautifully.”
—Making A Scene, Jim Hynes

“Reckless Saints is an acoustic duo comprised of Roy Schneider Music on guitar, harmonica, dobro, drums, banjo and bass with wife Kim Mayfield on guitar, baritone ukulele, mandolin and piano. They both sing and they both write. Their self-titled debut only has one cover: “Election Day” by the late Blaze Foley (the subject of Ethan Hawke’s new movie, Blaze.) Bonnie Raitt bassist Freebo is on hand as is the legendary Nashville harmonica player Charlie McCoy and fiddler Keven Aland. It all amounts to an Americana gem that fans of real pure mountain-stream country will love.” —The Aquarian Weekly, Mike Greenblatt

“Enlisting Blaze Foley’s old musical partner Gurf Morlix for help, Schneider and Mayfield cover Foley’s classic ‘Election Day’ with rough passion, but the beautifully rendered ‘If I Die Tomorrow’ and ‘Poison Arrow’ swoon in their arms. All who cry out for salvation from Reckless Saints might experience the same effect.”
—Elmore Magazine, Peter Lindblad

Taylor Martin – Song Dogs
Released on Little King Records: Nov 16
www.taylormartin.org

“Indeed, Martin, an Asheville, NC resident, delivers a stunning work of eight original and three covers all done in a sometimes rock, sometimes blues, sometime ballad and sometimes folk style. His cover of Neil Young’s ‘Music Arcade’ is definitely a Cajun themed sound. Martin’s voice is rather gravelly sounding and is surprisingly easy to listen to for an entire CD… All in all, Song Dogs is an excellent release of music to which almost any listener can relate. Lets face it, maybe some of us can’t relate to love lost or being on the highway. But seriously, who among us can’t claim overuse of a cell phone, at least at some point in time. This is just great music. Highly recommended.” —Audiophile Voice, Paul Wilson

“The piano driven, haunting title song comes last, inspired in part by coyotes howling (per cover art) to find each other at night… It may seem that it stands apart from the others in tone and style, but several listens to Martin will have you hearing an array of styles and influences. That’s what makes it so infectious. Each song stands apart.” —Country Standard Times, Jim Hynes

“The song [‘Little Pictures’] rings instantly familiar and simplifies a complex message in clear lyrical fashion, over catchy, punchy, piano-prominent rhythms.” —Americana Highways, Melissa Clarke

NEW FOR 2019!

Be on the lookout for a new book about Leftover Salmon in February entitled Leftover Salmon: Thirty Years of Festival! Written by Tim Newby

New albums in early 2019:
Amy McCarley
MECO  – (Feb 8, 2019)

Reed Foehl
Lucky Enough – (Feb 1, 2019)

 

Read Full Post »

Taylor Martin’s ‘Song Dogs,’ OUT TODAY – Ft. Members of The Honeycutters, Mountain Heart & More

Taylor Martin’s Song Dogs Out Today, November 16, on Little King Records
Produced by Amanda Anne Platt at Sound Temple Studios in Asheville, NC
Featuring Members of Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Mountain Heart, and more

Available Now To Stream and Purchase → https://taylormartin.hearnow.com
(Please note that this link takes you to the correct album on Spotify; however, it currently
attributes the album to the wrong Taylor Martin, working with Spotify to correct this)

More about Taylor Martin at https://about.me/songdogs

ASHEVILLE, NC — Taylor Martin’s Song Dogs is out now on Little King Records (11/16/18). Spinning tales of the highway, homes, lost love, love regained, redemption, and the overuse of cell phones, Martin’s soulful, relatable lyrics and raspy, emotion filled voice is instantly recognizable. The Honeycutters’ Amanda Anne Platt took the lead as Music Producer (along with adding harmony vocals on a handful of songs) with the help of Co-Producer and Engineer, Robert George, and Martin’s visions for the album. The album was recorded at Sound Temple Studios in Asheville, North Carolina.

“Taylor Martin is a killer songwriter,” declares Platt. “He’s got a great sense of melody and an ability to write classic, accessible songs about things we all take for granted. It’s also to his credit that he hits all sides of the spectrum– there are toe tappers and tear jerkers on this album and everything in between. I’m a big fan of the saying, ‘Great songs produce themselves,’ I certainly found that to be true in working with Taylor.”

The album features a number of special guests including Platt, Mountain Heart’s Aaron Ramsey and Josh Shilling, GRAMMY winning Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s Debrissa McKinney, and Jon Stickley Trio’s Lyndsay Pruett on fiddle, among others.

To celebrate the album’s release, Martin shares a video for the album’s title track “Song Dogs which is full of stunning imagery. Taylor says, ”when I heard that the filmmaker Aladin Aathmani, was heading to Morocco, I jumped at the opportunity to have my musical vision put in a distant landscape. His emotional video interpretation of ‘Song Dogs’ is very moving and like nothing I imagined (in a great way).”

The piano driven, haunting title song comes last, inspired in part by coyotes howling (per cover art) to find each other at night,” writes Country Standard Times’ Jim Hynes of the song. He continues, “It may seem that it stands apart from the others in tone and style, but several listens to Martin will have you hearing an array of styles and influences. That’s what makes it so infectious. Each song stands apart.”

A resident of Asheville since 2004, Martin has been creating music since 1994. He blends musical styles: the approach to music he grew up with in Richmond, Virginia; the western spirit he experienced living five years in Paradise, Utah; and the sounds of southern rock, country, and rhythm n’ blues.

Jeff Burger writes, “The North Carolina–based Taylor Martin, whose raspy vocals recall Levon Helm and, occasionally, Dr. John, features eight originals on this third album, along with three well-chosen covers: Bob Dylan’s ‘Sign on the Window,’ Neil Young’s ‘Music Arcade,’ and Merle Haggard’s ‘Kern River.’ Martin’s own lyrical subjects are all over the map: ‘Little Pictures,’ the funky opener, is about excessive cellphone use, for example, while ‘Hollywood’ references Marilyn Monroe, and the melancholy ‘Eden Colorado’ is about looking for a friend, a dream, and some hope. The music—sometimes funky, sometimes folky, sometimes poppy—is just as varied.”

Martin previously released a video for the album’s bluesy opener “Little Pictures,” which is a song that tips the brim to artists like Professor Longhair while having a contemporary social commentary. The song is what Martin calls his, “observation of people being lost to reality and the death of empathy and the human experience. People being on cell phones too much are missing out on the beauty of the world.” It also invites the listener to put down their electronics and sink further into the experience of the album. Americana Highways premiered the video and wrote “The song rings instantly familiar and simplifies a complex message in clear lyrical fashion, over catchy, punchy, piano-prominent rhythms.”

“Taylor Martin is a singer-songwriter who will remind you of everything good from Tom Waits to the Everly Brothers or the Avett Brothers with some surf rock thrown in. Well-sung, well-played, well-written and relevant…” writes Asheville Citizen Times.

Asheville’s veteran songwriter is just below the forty mark with a bright future as a songwriter and performer ahead of him. Although as jaded and bitter as some road worned heroes, Martin finds refuge in a good sense of humor. “I would have been a terrible dentist,” he laughs. “I’m here, music is why, this is Earth, let’s make more music.”

Taylor Martin – Song Dogs Track Listing

1. Little Pictures   3:34
2. Here Comes the Flood    2:59
3. Eden Colorado   3:17
4. Music Arcade [Neil Young] copyright Silver Fiddle Music   4:25
5. Second Sight   3:41
6. Hollywood   3:41
7. Our Memories   3:49
8. Kern River [Merle Haggard] copyright Mt. Shasta Music   4:00
9. Milk and Honey   3:22
10. Sign on the Window [Bob Dylan] copyright Big Sky Music   3:39
11. Song Dogs   4:49
     

     

MUSICIAN CREDITS
Taylor Martin – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar (all)
Richie Jones – Drums, Aux Percussion (all)
Matthew Dufon – Bass (all) Harmony Vocals (2,10)
Aaron “Woody” Wood – Acoustic Guitar (3,8), Electric Guitar (5, 6,10)
Matthew Smith – Electric Guitar (1, 2), Pedal Steel (3,7,8,11)
Aaron Ramsey – Acoustic Guitar (2,4,7,9,10), Mandolin (9)
Josh Shilling – Piano (1,2, 6,7, 8,10,11), B3 (1,2,5,6,7,10), Wurlitzer (5)
Phil Alley – Telecaster (7)
Lyndsay Pruett – fiddle (4,5,7,8)
Amanda Anne Platt – harmony  vocals (2,4,7,9,10)
Debrissa McKinney – harmony vocals (6)

Recorded @ Sound Temple Studios in Asheville, NC
Recorded & Mixed by Robert George
Produced by Amanda Anne Platt
Co-Produced by Robert George & Taylor Martin

For more information and tour dates, please visit www.TaylorMartin.org and www.facebook.com/taylormartin.org and www.twitter.com/song_dogs.

 

Read Full Post »

LIVE ALBUM RECORDING: Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Two Nights at The Grey Eagle Fri-Sat, Nov 2-3

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters
Two Nights at The Grey Eagle
185 Clingman Ave., Asheville, NC

Amanda Anne Platt and her Honeycutters are excited to be making a
LIVE RECORDING of their upcoming shows at the Grey Eagle
Both nights will be recorded and the best cuts selected from the two sets,
to create an album that will be released in 2019

“We’ve never made a live album and I’m looking forward to putting something out that will capture our on stage energy and the spontaneity of a live show. The Grey Eagle is one of my all time favorite venues, and this is a homecoming show for us, so it makes that this is the weekend we do the recording”
—Amanda Anne Platt

NIGHT ONE: AMANDA ANNE PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS (SEATED SHOW)
FRIDAY · NOV 2, 2018
doors: 7:00 pm / show: 8:00 pm; All Ages; $15-$18
Bob Sumner Opens

NIGHT TWO: AMANDA ANNE PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS (STANDING ROOM ONLY)
SATURDAY · NOV 3, 2018
doors: 8:00 pm / show: 9:00 pm; All Ages; $15-$18
Oliver Bates Craven Opens

ASHEVILLE, NC —  After a whirlwind of a summer, Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters are excited to return home from overseas and play two nights at The Grey Eagle, Friday and Saturday, November 2 and 3 as a homecoming! Amanda says, “This has been one of the craziest summers of my life… possibly the craziest year. There’s so much going on in the world, and my own small world has seen its share of changes, from babies being born, illness, our tour van burning to a crisp on the side of the Texas highway, getting married…and this tour has been a wonderful way to encapsulate all the madness. It’s an incredible feeling to be so far from home and hear people singing along with every word of one of my songs. We’ve been in so many different places and met so many new people, and where I might have expected to feel lost and scattered, there has been an overwhelming sense of connectedness and camaraderie at every turn.”

Lyrically driven, the songs of Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters blend the band’s old-school country roots attitude with their shared influences of rock and folk. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Amanda Anne Platt is a storyteller by nature with an incredible band backing her. Performing along Platt, The Honeycutters are Matt Smith on pedal steel and guitar, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums and harmony vocals, and Evan Martin on keys and guitar.

The band is thrilled to have returned from their overseas tour which will led them back to England and Scotland as well as to Ireland, Spain, and The Netherlands from late August through the end of September! To some wonderful International reviews:

Jump In Hot’s Juan Fitzgerald writes, ““Amanda Platt and her band The Honeycutters from Asheville, North Carolina brought over a warm country glow … and provided top class songs and musicianship throughout the evening… for me her solo spot was another high spot and the song ‘Americas Blues’  about the dreadful state of American politics at this present time again hit the spot.”

Americana UK’s Jim Finnie writes of them, “Great songwriting, an incredibly tight sound with very high-quality musicianship from the whole band and it all gets brought together with Amanda’s glorious voice,” and Rootstime in Belgium says, “Amanda’s singing heartbreakingly beautiful.”

A homegrown entity, the band is critically acclaimed locally, regionally, nationally, as well as overseas. Their most recent album Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters [Organic Records 2017] placed #2 (sandwiched between Jason Isbell and Gregg Allman) in their regional radio station WNCW’s year end listeners poll for 2017! The station’s Music Director Martin Anderson said to No Depression, “Amanda Platt writes songs on par with Lucinda, Isbell, Lauderdale, Hank Sr. In my opinion, anyway.”

Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst writes, “She’s soothing (even in the hurtin’ songs) and sobering (except for the drinkin’ songs) and nuanced in a way that I think tops even those rather famous ladies of the moment named Margo and Kacey… I’d be hard pressed to find a finer string of recordings from any band working in the classic country/mountain tradition in these last five years.”

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters are a diamond in the rough, and through their music, travels, the friendships they make along the way, they will continue to bring music straight from the heart to the world.

Watch the official music video for “Birthday Song” → https://youtu.be/K168ib7ltTc

Watch the official music video for “Jukebox” → https://youtu.be/T87FD97QNRU

More information at www.TheHoneycutters.com, www.facebook.com/Honeycutters, and www.twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

 

Read Full Post »

Taylor Martin’s ‘Song Dogs,’ Produced by Amanda Anne Platt, Out 11/16 on Little King Records

Taylor Martin Releases Song Dogs on November 16 on Little King Records
Produced by Amanda Anne Platt at Sound Temple Studios in Asheville, NC
Featuring Members of Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Mountain Heart, and more

First Single: “Little Pictures” Available Now →  https://taylormartin.hearnow.com/little-pictures

More about Taylor Martin at https://about.me/songdogs

ASHEVILLE, NC — Taylor Martin brings you music with a beating heart; his raspy, emotion filled voice is instantly recognizable and his lyrics have an unflinching sincerity. Martin releases his third album, Song Dogs November 16, 2018 on Little King Records. On it, he spins tales of the highway, homes, lost love, love regained, redemption, and the overuse of cell phones. The Honeycutters’ Amanda Anne Platt took the lead as Music Producer (along with adding harmony vocals on a handful of songs) with the help of Co-Producer and Engineer, Robert George, and Martin’s visions for the album. The album was recorded at Sound Temple Studios in Asheville, North Carolina.

“Taylor Martin is a killer songwriter,” declares Platt. “He’s got a great sense of melody and an ability to write classic, accessible songs about things we all take for granted. It’s also to his credit that he hits all sides of the spectrum– there are toe tappers and tear jerkers on this album and everything in between. I’m a big fan of the saying, ‘Great songs produce themselves,’ I certainly found that to be true in working with Taylor.”

The album’s bluesy opener “Little Pictures” tips the brim to people like Professor Longhair while having a contemporary social commentary. The song is what Martin calls his, “observation of people being lost to reality and the death of empathy and the human experience. People being on cell phones too much are missing out on the beauty of the world.” It also invites the listener to put down their electronics and sink further into the experience of the album. Americana Highways premieres the official music video for “Little Pictures” and write, “The song rings instantly familiar and simplifies a complex message in clear lyrical fashion, over catchy, punchy, piano-prominent rhythms.”

A resident of Asheville, North Carolina since 2004, Martin has been creating music since 1994. He blends musical styles: the approach to music he grew up with in Richmond, Virginia; the western spirit he experienced living five years in Paradise, Utah; and the sounds of southern rock, country, and rhythm n’ blues.

The album features some of the finest, most innovative musicians in acoustic music today including, not only The Honeycutters’ Amanda Anne Platt, but also their guitarist and pedal steel player, Matthew Smith. Mountain Heart’s Aaron Ramsey (mandolin, acoustic guitar) and Josh Shilling (Piano, B3, Wurlitzer) perform on much of the album along with Jon Stickley Trio’s Lyndsay Pruett on fiddle. Drummer Richie Jones [Ralph Roddenbery, Donna Hopkins Band] and bassist Matt Dufon perform on all eleven tracks. Asheville guitar legend, Aaron “Woody” Wood, takes the lead on acoustic and electric guitars on a handful of tracks, GRAMMY winner Debrissa McKinney (Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Empire Strikes Brass) lends harmony vocals on a song and Phil Alley adds some texture with his Telecaster on a track.

“I was supported by mostly local musicians for Song Dogs, says Martin. “Josh came in from Nashville and Richie came from Atlanta, but other than that it’s all friends from Asheville. There’s a lot of love on this record. Having close friends record with you really helps the album go deeper.”

“Working on Taylor’s albums has always been an awesome process,” says Josh Shilling.  “His distinct melodies, chord progressions, and organic recording approach create a unique and extremely vibey song and sound. His ability to pull the perfect band together makes the recording sessions feel amazing, and I love that he’s seeking emotional, human performances more than perfect performances. There’s some grit and soul on this record that feels like it came from another time and place… perhaps an Allman Brothers or Leon Russell time and place.”

“I’ve always tried to write from the heart and to do that there just has to be a story underneath,” says Martin. From the catchy “Here Comes The Flood” to the mellow and rolling “Eden Colorado” (with Wood’s expansive guitar solo and the delicate interplay of Smith’s pedal steel) to the dreamlike “Second Sight” (with it’s lucid surf tones and Pruett’s orchestral string arrangement) to the more pop-oriented “Hollywood” (featuring McKinney on harmony vocals), the album will have you hooked.

“Our Memories” is a lonesome duet that reflects on remaining in a home after the love has moved out and the remnants are left behind; Martin and Platt’s vocals intermingle with the sultry fiddle and pedal steel melodies of Pruett and Smith. Another duet with Platt, “Milk and Honey” features Aaron Ramsey on mandolin and is a love song that written over the course of many years to express that even in this numbing technological age people can still be in love in the land of milk and honey.

There are three covers on the album including Bob Dylan’s nostalgic “Sign on the Window” [New Morning], an upbeat and slightly cajun version of Neil Young’s poignant “Music Arcade” [Broken Arrow], and Merle Haggard’s song of tragic loss, “Kern River.”

The album’s title track, “Song Dogs,” lands as the final track and features Shilling on piano paired with Smith’s pedal steel. Martin says, “I spend a ridiculous amount of time in the woods alone. Usually right before dark the coyotes will begin to howl to find each other for the nights hunt. One such evening I wrote these lyrics about the loneliness of the modern age and how difficult it is to ‘stay’ when your heart is restless. And the remorse after you’ve gone too far… I sure do identify with those animals at dusk.”

“Taylor Martin is a singer-songwriter who will remind you of everything good from Tom Waits to the Everly Brothers or the Avett Brothers with some surf rock thrown in. Well-sung, well-played, well-written and relevant…” writes Asheville Citizen Times.

Asheville’s veteran songwriter is just below the forty mark with a bright future as a songwriter and performer ahead of him. Although as jaded and bitter as some road worned heroes, Martin finds refuge in a good sense of humor. “I would have been a terrible dentist,” he laughs. “I’m here, music is why, this is Earth, let’s make more music.”

Taylor Martin – Song Dogs Track Listing

1. Little Pictures   3:34
2. Here Comes the Flood    2:59
3. Eden Colorado   3:17
4. Music Arcade [Neil Young] copyright Silver Fiddle Music   4:25
5. Second Sight   3:41
6. Hollywood   3:41
7. Our Memories   3:49
8. Kern River [Merle Haggard] copyright Mt. Shasta Music   4:00
9. Milk and Honey   3:22
10. Sign on the Window [Bob Dylan] copyright Big Sky Music   3:39
11. Song Dogs   4:49
    
    MUSICIAN CREDITS
    Taylor Martin – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar (all)
    Richie Jones – Drums, Aux Percussion (all)
    Matthew Dufon – Bass (all) Harmony Vocals (2,10)
    Aaron Woody Wood – Acoustic Guitar (3,8), Electric Guitar (5, 6,10)
    Matthew Smith – Electric Guitar (1, 2), Pedal Steel (3,7,8,11)
    Aaron Ramsey – Acoustic Guitar (2,4,7,9,10), Mandolin (9)
    Josh Shilling – Piano (1,2, 6,7, 8,10,11), B3 (1,2,5,6,7,10), Wurlitzer (5)
    Phil Alley – Telecaster (7)
    Lyndsay Pruett – fiddle (4,5,7,8)
    Amanda Anne Platt – harmony  vocals (2,4,7,9,10)
    Debrissa McKinney – harmony vocals (6)
    
    Recorded @ Sound Temple Studios in Asheville, NC
    Recorded & Mixed by Robert George
    Produced by Amanda Anne Platt
    Co-Produced by Robert George & Taylor Martin
    
    For more information and tour dates, please visit www.TaylorMartin.org and www.facebook.com/taylormartin.org and www.twitter.com/song_dogs.

 

Read Full Post »

OUT TODAY: Carolina Chimes: Rudi Ekstein’s Bluegrass Showcase w. Stuart Duncan, Jeff Autry, Mark Schatz

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

OUT TODAY: October 5, 2018 on Foxfire Recording

Available Now On All Outlets→ 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, released October 5, on Foxfire Recording, 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.”

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.

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. 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 as a trick rider on a galloping horse in his youth.

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 Constable’s memory including, “‘Bacon in the Pan,’ Rudi’s version of an old-time fiddle tune done in the bluegrass style as, Rudi recalls, “Billy often spoke endlessly on the phone about the fine points of cooking a good breakfast, and ‘All Night in Kentucky’ is a tune I wrote after jamming all night long at the IBMA convention in Louisville, KY, with Billy. 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.”

Kind Words about Carolina Chimes:

“The bulk of [the songs] are flat-out, hold-on-to-your-hat wild rides that he takes you on… The entire album brings back many great memories to me of John Hartford’s many musical excursions through the years, jam sessions with Mike Marshall down in Florida back in the ’70’s and all sorts of good stuff... I would suggest the best way to listen to this CD is on a nice drive through the country or anywhere.” —Elmore, Ken Spooner

““Here is good, pure music… ‘Carolina Chimes,’ the disc’s title track, is one that completely delights me, certainly another of the disc’s highlights. There is something incredibly catchy and even pretty about it. It’s happiness in the form of music.” —Michael’s Music Log, Michael Doherty

“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

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.

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

 

 

Read Full Post »

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.

###

 

Read Full Post »

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Play Salvage Station Fri 7/20

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Play Salvage Station on Friday, July 20
opener tba
$15 adv/ $18 dos
468 Riverside Drive, Asheville, NC
www.salvagestation.com/events2/2018/7/21/amanda-anne-platt-and-the-honeycutters

ASHEVILLE, NC —  Lyrically driven, the songs of Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters blend the band’s old-school country roots attitude with their shared influences of rock and folk. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Amanda Anne Platt is a storyteller by nature with an incredible band backing her. Performing along Platt, The Honeycutters are Matt Smith on pedal steel and guitar, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums and harmony vocals, and Evan Martin on keys and guitar.

There is an empathetic and charming wit ingrained in Platt’s songwriting. She has a knack for accessing a deep well of emotion and applying it to her story-telling, whether she is writing from her own experiences or immersing herself into the melody of emotions in another person’s life.

Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst writes, “She’s soothing (even in the hurtin’ songs) and sobering (except for the drinkin’ songs) and nuanced in a way that I think tops even those rather famous ladies of the moment named Margo and Kacey… I’d be hard pressed to find a finer string of recordings from any band working in the classic country/mountain tradition in these last five years.”

A homegrown entity, the band is critically acclaimed locally, regionally, nationally, as well as overseas. Their most recent album Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters [Organic Records 2017] placed #2 (sandwiched between Jason Isbell and Gregg Allman) in their regional radio station WNCW’s year end listeners poll for 2017! The station’s Music Director Martin Anderson said to No Depression, “Amanda Platt writes songs on par with Lucinda, Isbell, Lauderdale, Hank Sr. In my opinion, anyway.”

“This is a band that does everything right,” says Goldmine’s Mike Greenblatt. “Platt deserves all that might come to her over this, her fifth (and best) album. Backed by pedal steel, electric guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, and vocal harmony, it’s Platt’s show as she writes, sings and co-produces. Complete with lyrics of introspection with the kind of words you can chew on long after the album ends, it also works on a lighter level by dint of the fact that it just sounds so damn good. Go as deep as you want. It’s all good, as they say.”

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters received a shout out from Fodor’s Travel Magazine in a write-up about the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC, and a couple of years back they were also featured on XPN World Cafe’s Sense of Place series. In 2017, their music also placed into the Americana Music Association Year End Top 100 list of Americana Airplay for the second year in a row!

For the past ten years Amanda Anne Platt has been singing her original songs with her band The Honeycutters. In that time they have toured all over the United States and (parts of) Canada, as well as making their first trip overseas last summer, playing shows in England and Scotland garnering much praise and many sold out shows, and they made a lot of new friends and fans that they are excited to see again!

The UK’s American Roots’ Magazine Mike Morrison writes, “This is a band whose back catalogue is a match for anyone’s and yet still they’re improving. Modern country music really doesn’t get much better than the highly individual style of Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters.”  

The band is thrilled to have another overseas tour booked for this summer which will take them back to England and Scotland as well as to Ireland, Spain, and The Netherlands from late August through the end of September! They have an Indiegogo campaign currently running to help raise funds to cover the travel costs associated with the trip including round trip airfare to Dublin from the US for 5, internal flights, van and backline (amps, drums) rental, lodging (travelodges, tents, etc), and fuel with a goal aiming to raise $9000 by June 25 which they just surpassed today!

Everyone who donates will gain access to an exclusive (ooo!) tour blog (ahh!) featuring updates and anecdotes from Amanda, as well as photo and video documentation of the band as they experience some inevitable culture shock. Other perks include limited edition tee shirts, handwritten lyrics to an AAP song of your choice, pet portraits (Amanda says, “I don’t claim to be good at drawing, but it will be unique. I can guarantee that.”), CD packages, stickers, drink koozies, and a private House Concert.

Amanda says, “In these crazy days we live in it’s easy to forget that when a song comes on the radio and makes your day a little easier, there were a lot of people involved in getting that song there. However you support the arts, you are making it possible for working artists to keep creating. And when you do that, you are ensuring that this world will continue to have a thriving stream of original art and music. And we all need that!”

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters are a diamond in the rough, and through their music, travels, the friendships they make along the way, they will continue to bring music straight from the heart to the world.

Watch the official music video for “Birthday Song” → https://youtu.be/K168ib7ltTc

Watch the official music video for “Jukebox” → https://youtu.be/T87FD97QNRU

More information at www.TheHoneycutters.com, www.facebook.com/Honeycutters, and www.twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

 

 

Read Full Post »

Innovative and Cinematic, Jon Stickley Trio Continues Onward – Tour Dates Announced

Jon Stickley Trio is a genre-defying and cinematic instrumental trio, which combines Stickley’s innovative flatpicking guitar with the sultry-spacy melodies of Lyndsay Pruett on violin along with classically trained and heavily jazz influenced drummer Hunter Deacon to create textural soundscapes.

“It’s not your father’s acoustic-guitar music—although Stickley’s pop showed him his first chords when he was 12 years old. Instead, Stickley’s Martin churns out a mixture of bluegrass, Chuck Berry, metal, prog, grunge, and assorted other genres—all thoroughly integrated into a personal style,” writes Guitar Player Magazine.

“Stickley is a super-resourceful acoustic guitarist who uses the instrument in many surprising ways and whose timing is just flawless. Fiddler Lyndsay Pruett puts deep thought into her flowing solos, plus she adds little flourishes and sudden stops that elevate the music,” proclaims Nashville’s Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst.

Watch Jon Stickley Trio Perform “Echolocation” Live on eTown →

Stickley says of Deacon, the newest member of the Trio since January, “we’re really excited to have Hunter’s vibe in the mix, his creativity and willingness to experiment are two things that drew us to him. He has a lot of personality, and sensitivity in his playing which makes our dynamic range even wider. Lyndsay and I are inspired by what he brings to the table.”

“My time with the Jon Stickley Trio has been great so far,” says Deacon. “The two things I love are music and travel. With this group, I get to play music and travel, and as a huge bonus, I get to do it with two people that I really like and respect musically. I am also new to the jamgrass scene and I’ve got to say that it is about the most welcoming group of folks I’ve come across. It’s been an exciting few months and I can’t wait to burn up some more miles and make some more noise.”

Pruett says, “JS3 continues onward! Hunter brings a lightness and intricacy to the table that opens up the musical conversation to something a little deeper than it was before. It was a smooth transition to begin with, but the more we play, the more I realize our potential for improvisation and a continuing creativity.”

With inspiration ranging from from Green Day to Duran Duran to Tony Rice to Nirvana, Grateful Dead, David Grisman and beyond, the Trio is making waves with their unique sound. In the past few years, along with releasing two full length albums (2017’s Maybe Believe and 2015’s Lost At Last, both produced by The Bad Plus’ Dave King at Echo Mountain Studios in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC) and one EP (2016’s Triangular), the Trio has zig-zagged the nation, playing over 120 dates a year. They are road tested and band geek approved!

 

Jon Stickley Trio. Photo by Heather Hambor

Premier Guitar says, “Stickley’s trio… is not a traditional bluegrass group by any means… they are just nimble and ambitious enough to navigate EDM-style breakbeats as effortlessly as the old timey standard ‘Blackberry Blossom.’”

Stickley says, “The Trio feels fresher and hotter than ever, we’ve hit our stride in terms of creating tunes that are uniquely us and that’s a really exciting place to be musically. Not to mention we are so stoked to get back to many of our favorite festivals and clubs, and even more excited to play some the ones we’ve always dreamed of. 2018 will, without a doubt, be our best year yet!”

They recently appeared on eTown, had several sets at the inaugural Bender Jamboree (where Stickley had a fun jam with Leftover Salmon and were joined by Sam Bush and Billy Strings), performed at WinterWondergrass, Cumberland Caverns, Savannah Stopover Festival, Suwannee Spring Reunion, Old Settler’s Music Festival among others. Others festivals on the tour this year include DelFest, Strangecreek Campout, John Hartford Music Festival, Duck Creek Log Jam, Homegrown Music & Mountain Sports Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, and Northwest String Summit.

Looking further out they are thrilled to play Bluegrass Underground at The Caverns in Pehlam, TN this November with Jeff Austin Band and Larry Keel and also have announced that they will be on Jam Cruise 2019!

 

Jon Stickley Trio On Tour
5/24 – The Clementine – Harrisonburg, VA
5/25-26 Fri-Sat – DelFest – Cumberland, MD
5/27 Sun – Strangecreek Campout – Greenfield, MA
5/31-6/1 Thu-Fri – John Hartford Music Festival – Bean Blossom, IN
6/2 Sat – Barley’s – Knoxville, TN *w/ A1Hundo
6/7 Thu – The Hunt House – Marietta, GA
6/8 Fri – Cold Mountain Festival – Canton, NC
6/15 Fri – Purple Fiddle – Thomas, WV
6/16 Sat – Duck Creek Log Jam – Logan, OH
6/22 Fri – Homegrown Music & Mountain Sports Festival – Fayetteville, AR
7/5-6 – Thu-Fri – High Sierra Music Festival – Quincy, CA
7/7 Sat – Pickin’ On Picknic – St. Clair, MO
7/12 Thu –  Central Penn Festival for the Arts – University Park, PA
7/13 Fri – Stable Studio House Concert – Chambersburg, PA
7/14 Sat – Red Wing Roots – Mount Solon, VA
7/18 Wed – Parilla Grill West Side – Bend, OR *w/ Cascade Crescendo
7/19 Thu – 7 Devils Brewing Co – Coos Bay, OR
7/20-22 Fri-Sun – Northwest String Summit – North Plains, OR
7/24 Tue – Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA *w/ Front Country
7/25 Wed – The Bartlett – Spokane, WA *w/ Front Country
7/26 Thu – Great Northern Bar and Grill – Whitefish, MT  *w/ Front Country
7/27 Fri – Sawtooth Valley Gathering – Stanley, ID
8/4 Sat – Wild Leap Brewing Co. – LaGrange, GA
8/16 Thu – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH *w/ The Trainjumpers
8/17 Fri – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH *w/ Larry Keel Experience
8/18 Sat – Hoxeyville Music Festival – Wellston, MI
8/19 Sun – The Hideout – Chicago, IL
8/20 Mon – The Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
8/22 Wed – Spread the Tunes Benefit – Spearfish, SD
8/24 Fri – Live From The Divide – Bozeman, MT
8/25 Sat – River City Roots Festival – Missoula, MT
8/28 Tue – Wind River Brewing Co. – Pinedale, WY
8/30 Thu – Globe Hall – Denver, CO
8/31-9/2 Fri-Sun – Four Corners Folk Festival – Pagosa Springs, CO
9/28 Fri – Groovin with the Grove – Philippi, WV
10/19-20 Fri-Sat – Bass & Grass – Fort Valley, GA
11/30 Fri Cave Jam at the Caverns – Pelham, TN *w/ Jeff Austin Band and Larry Keel

2019
1/15-21 Tue-Mon – Jam Cruise – Takes off from Miami

Jon Stickley was recently live with Premier Guitar for a Q&A and to play some tunes;
Check out the video here→ www.premierguitar.com/articles/27074-jon-stickley-live-at-pg

Js3 released a behind-the-scenes video from live shows of “Almost with You” → https://youtu.be/QRlKya9nZi8

For more information and updates from the road, please visit www.jonstickley.com, www.facebook.com/JonStickleyTrio, www.instagram.com/jonstickleytrio, and www.twitter.com/jonstickleytrio

Read Full Post »

Jon Stickley Trio Announces New Drummer, Unleashes Further Tour Dates

 

Jon Stickley Trio. Photo by Heather Hambor

Jon Stickley Trio Announces New Drummer and Further Tour Dates
“Pure Joy Through Music”

 

ASHEVILLE — Jon Stickley Trio is a genre-defying and cinematic instrumental trio, who’s deep grooves, innovative flatpicking, and sultry-spacy violin moves the listener’s head, heart, and feet. “It’s not your father’s acoustic-guitar music—although Stickley’s pop showed him his first chords when he was 12 years old. Instead, Stickley’s Martin churns out a mixture of bluegrass, Chuck Berry, metal, prog, grunge, and assorted other genres—all thoroughly integrated into a personal style,” writes Guitar Player Magazine.

Premier Guitar says, “Stickley’s trio… is not a traditional bluegrass group by any means… they are just nimble and ambitious enough to navigate EDM-style breakbeats as effortlessly as the old timey standard ‘Blackberry Blossom.’”

“Stickley is a super-resourceful acoustic guitarist who uses the instrument in many surprising ways and whose timing is just flawless. Fiddler Lyndsay Pruett puts deep thought into her flowing solos, plus she adds little flourishes and sudden stops that elevate the music,” proclaims Nashville’s Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst.

Jon Stickley Trio announces a change in lineup beginning in January 2018 with new drummer, Hunter Deacon, who is both classically trained and boasts heavy jazz influences. Hailing from the ever-hip Knoxville, Tennessee, Hunter studied with drummer Keith Brown and received a BM in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Tennessee. Deacon then went on to complete a six month residency at a jazz club in Hangzhou, China where he performed seven nights a week. Since his return, he’s played with Scott Miller and the Commonwealth, toured the country with Sam Lewis, and performs with guitarist Mike Baggetta.

Stickley says about the seemingly sudden lineup change, “we’re really excited to add Hunter’s vibe to the mix, his creativity and willingness to experiment were two things that drew us to him, and Lyndsay and I were quickly surprised and inspired by what he’ll bring to the table.”

With inspiration ranging from from Green Day to Duran Duran to Tony Rice to Nirvana, Grateful Dead, David Grisman and beyond, the Trio is making waves with their unique sound. Along with releasing two full length albums and one EP in the past few years, the Trio has zig-zagged the nation, playing over 120 dates in 2017 alone. They are road tested and band geek approved!

Dave King (of The Bad Plus) joined forces with Jon Stickley Trio to produce 2017’s Maybe Believe and 2015’s Lost At Last (which The New York Times called “both respectful and free”) in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC at the esteemed Echo Mountain Recording Studio. The Trio slipped a self-produced 5-track EP, Triangular, into the mix in December of 2016.

“In a time when a lot of instrumental music feels more like math than art, Jon Stickley Trio reminds us of the pure joy that can be created and shared through music,” says Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck.

Stickley says, “The Trio feels fresher and hotter than ever, we’ve hit our stride in terms of creating tunes that are uniquely us and that’s a really exciting place to be musically. Not to mention we are so stoked to get back to many of our favorite festivals and clubs, and even more excited to play some the ones we’ve always dreamed of. 2018 will, without a doubt, be our best year yet!”

Jon Stickley Trio On Tour

1/18 Thu – Capital Ale House – Richmond, VA *w/ Town Mountain
1/19 Fri – The Clementine Cafe – Harrisonburg, VA *w/ Town Mountain
1/20 Sat – House Concert – Chambersburg, PA
1/21 Sun – Boathouse Live – Newport News, VA  *w/ Town Mountain
2/3 Sat – Cumberland Caverns Live Volcano Room – McMinnville, TN *w/ Front Country
2/8 Thu – The Mansion at Strathmore – Bethesda, MD 
2/9-10 Fri-Sat – 5 Points Music Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA *w/ Jenni Lyn & TBA
2/14 Wed – Tennessee Shines Radio Show at Boyd’s Jig and Reel – Knoxville, TN
2/15 Thu – The Station Inn – Nashville, TN
2/16 Fri – Atomic Cowboy – St. Louis, MO
2/17 Sat – Mike Kelly’s Westsider – Kansas City, MO
2/20 Tue – eTown – Boulder, CO *w/ Billy Strings
2/22 Thu – Cervantes Other Side – Denver, CO *w/ Old Salt Union & The Deer
2/23-24 Fri-Sat – WinterWondergrass CO – Steamboat Springs, CO
2/25 Sun – Steve’s Guitars – Carbondale, CO
2/28 Wed – Lefty’s Live Music – Des Moines, IA
3/1 Thu – The Famous Mockingbird – Marion, IA
3/2 Fri – Redstone Room at River Music Experience – Davenport, IA
3/3 Sat – Bourbon On Division – Chicago, IL
3/8 Thu – Gottrocks – Greenville, SC
3/9 Fri – Savannah Stopover Festival – Savannah, GA
3/22-25 Thu-Sun Suwannee Spring Reunion – Live Oak, FL
3/29 Thu – Zanzabar – Louisville, KY
3/31 Sat – Music at Murdock’s – Manhattan, KS
4/5-8 Thu-Sun – WinterWonderGrass – Olympic Park – North Lake Tahoe, CO
4/12-13 Thu-Fri – Bender Jamboree – Las Vegas, NV
4/17 Tue – Taos Mesa Brewing – El Prado, NM
4/20 Fri – Magnolia Motor Lounge – Fort Worth, TX
4/21 Sat – Old Settler’s Music Festival – Dale, TX
4/28 Sat – Some Kind Of Jam 13 – Schuylkill Haven, PA
5/25-26 Fri-Sat – DelFest – Cumberland, MD
5/31-6/1 Thu-Fri – John Hartford Music Festival – Bean Blossom, IN
7/20-22 Fri-Sun – Northwest String Summit – North Plains, OR

For more information and updates from the road, please visit www.jonstickley.com, www.facebook.com/JonStickleyTrio, www.instagram.com/jonstickleytrio, and www.twitter.com/jonstickleytrio

###

Read Full Post »

Jon Stickley Trio Announces Winter Tour 2018 – “Pure Joy Through Music”

Genre-defying, Explosive Instrumental Group, Jon Stickley Trio, Winter Tour 2018

ASHEVILLE — Jon Stickley Trio is a genre-defying, explosive instrumental trio, who’s deep grooves, innovative flatpicking, and sultry-spacy violin moves the listener’s head, heart, and feet. “Stickley’s Martin churns out a mixture of bluegrass, Chuck Berry, metal, prog, grunge, and assorted other genres – all thoroughly integrated into a personal style,” writes Guitar Player Magazine.

Premier Guitar says, “Stickley’s trio with violinist Lyndsay Pruett and drummer Patrick Armitage is not a traditional bluegrass group by any means… they are just nimble and ambitious enough to navigate EDM-style breakbeats as effortlessly as the old timey standard ‘Blackberry Blossom.’”

Dave King (of The Bad Plus) joined forces with the Trio to produce 2017’s Maybe Believe and 2015’s Lost At Last in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC at the esteemed Echo Mountain Recording Studio. The Trio slipped a self-produced 5-track EP, Triangular, into the mix in December of 2016. Dave says, “The group retains its place as a modern-thinking acoustic ensemble with one foot in tradition and the other in a bluegrass honored future that allows for the avant garde, punk, and be bop to mix in freely and tastefully.”

With inspiration ranging from from Green Day to Duran Duran to Tony Rice to Nirvana, Grateful Dead, David Grisman and beyond, over the past few years they have zig-zagged the nation, playing over 120 dates in 2017 alone, they are road tested and band geek approved!

“In a time when a lot of instrumental music feels more like math than art, Jon Stickley Trio reminds us of the pure joy that can be created and shared through music,” says Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck.

Stickley says, “The Trio feels fresher and hotter than ever, we’ve hit our stride in terms of creating tunes that are uniquely us and that’s a really exciting place to be musically. Not to mention we are so stoked to get back to many of our favorite festivals and clubs, and even more excited to play some the ones we’ve always dreamed of. 2018 will, without a doubt, be our best year yet!”

Jon Stickley Trio celebrates a successful year having just returned from Strings and Sol in Puerto Morelos, Mexico where they performed an intensely captivating late night set which included collaborations with Jacob Joliff (Yonder Mountain String Band) and Andy Thorn (Leftover Salmon). The result was an unstoppable wowing musical moment in time that was described as a highlight of the weekend for many festival goers. The weekend also included numerous sit-ins for Stickley including those with Railroad Earth, Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon. Other notable shows in 2017 included The String Cheese Incident’s Suwannee Hulaween, Joshua Tree Music Festival, WinterWonderGrass, Mountain Stage, Rooster Walk, Suwannee Clusterpluck, Red Wing Roots Music Festival, and FloydFest among others.

To close out the year and ring in 2018, Jon Stickley Trio is performing a special New Year’s Eve celebration in their hometown of Asheville at Isis Music Hall with The Digs & Josh Phillips. Keeping with the local community spirit, they travel with fellow Asheville band and good friends, Town Mountain, for a few shows in Virginia in mid-January. In early February they link up with Front Country to play Cumberland Caverns in Tennessee before they travel back towards DC for a show at The Mansion at Strathmore and a two night run in Roanoke, Virginia.

Mid-February brings them back to Tennessee to perform at WDVX’s Tennessee Shines in Knoxville on Valentine’s Day and the the historic Station Inn in Nashville the following day.

Upcoming festivals for the Trio in the coming year include Delfest, WinterWonderGrass (California and Colorado), Old Settler’s Music Festival, John Hartford Memorial Fest, and many more to be announced in the coming months.

Stay tuned to Jon Stickley Trio’s website and social networks for more dates to be announced and updates from the road.

Jon Stickley Trio Winter Tour 2018
12/31 Sun – NYE Celebration at Isis Music Hall – Asheville, NC *w/ The Digs & Josh Phillips
1/18 Thu – Capital Ale House – Richmond, VA *w/ Town Mountain
1/19 Fri – The Clementine Cafe – Harrisonburg, VA *w/ Town Mountain
1/21 Sun – Boathouse Live – Newport News, VA  *w/ Town Mountain
2/3 Sat – Cumberland Caverns – Live at the Volcano Room – McMinnville, TN *w/ Front Country
2/8 Thu – The Mansion at Strathmore – Bethesda, MD (Near DC)
2/9-10 Fri-Sat – 5 Points Music Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA *w/ Jenni Lyn & TBA
2/14 Wed – Tennessee Shines @ Jig and Reel – Knoxville, TN
2/15 Thu – The Station Inn – Nashville, TN
2/16 Fri – Atomic Cowboy – St. Louis, MO
2/17 Sat – Mike Kelly’s Westsider – Kansas City, MO
2/20 Tue – eTown – Boulder, CO *w/ Billy Strings
2/22 Thu – Cervantes Other Side – Denver, CO *w/ Old Salt Union & The Deer
2/23-24 Fri-Sat – WinterWondergrass CO – Steamboat Springs, CO
2/25 Sun – Steve’s Guitars – Carbondale, CO
2/28 Wed – Lefty’s Live Music – Des Moines, IA
3/1 Thu – The Famous Mockingbird – Marion, IA
3/2 Fri – Redstone Room at River Music Experience – Davenport, IA
3/3 Sat – Bourbon On Division – Chicago, IL
3/8-9 Thu-Fri – Savannah Stopover Festival – Savannah, GA
3/29 Thu – Zanzabar – Louisville, KY
3/31 Sat – Music at Murdock’s – Manhattan, KS
4/5-8 Thu-Sun – WinterWonderGrass – Olympic Park – North Lake Tahoe, CO
4/17 Tue – Taos Mesa Brewing – El Prado, NM
4/20 Fri – Magnolia Motor Lounge – Fort Worth, TX
4/21 Sat – Old Settler’s Music Festival – Dale, TX
5/31-6/1 Thu-Fri – John Hartford Music Festival – Bean Blossom, IN

For more information, further tour dates and updates from the road, please visit www.jonstickley.com, www.facebook.com/JonStickleyTrio, www.instagram.com/jonstickleytrio, and www.twitter.com/JonStickleyTrio.

 

Read Full Post »