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.

 

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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.

 

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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

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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

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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.

 

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Jon Stickley Trio On Tour With New Album, Maybe Believe – “Clear, Present, and Slightly Dangerous”

Jon Stickley Trio On Tour With New Album, Maybe Believe
Produced by Dave King (The Bad Plus) at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville NC

“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.”
— Guitar Player Magazine, Michael Ross

“Clear, Present, and Slightly Dangerous”
—Musoscribe, Bill Kopp

“Stickley and his mates play a guitar-focused instrumental music that blends bluegrass/newgrass with a jazz trio vibe… this is a must-listen.”
—Jambase, Aaron Stein

“A learned, cohesive and stylistically daring acoustic sound all their own”
—Lexington Herald-Leader, Walter Tunis

“A force of musical exploration and innovation”
—Live For Live Music, Rex Thomson

“A compelling soundtrack you never knew you needed”
–The Poke Around, Tom Cunningham

“Thoughtful & energetic” —Bryan Sutton

“a damn genius, a musical mastermind, and one of the most unique, creative,
and inventive guitar players I’ve ever heard…”
—Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck

ASHEVILLE — Jon Stickley Trio is on tour with Maybe Believe, their 3rd independently released full length album [May 12, 2017]. Jon Stickley Trio combines Jon Stickley’s rapid-fire flatpicking guitar with the sultry and wild, yet refined, melodies of Lyndsay Pruett on violin set over the deep groove of Patrick Armitage on drums.

Jon Stickley Trio has been touring the States extensively this year and kicks off September at the Jackpine Jamboree in Wisconsin and then they’ll spend a week at Sisters Folk Fest in Oregon with workshops and performances. Mid-month brings them around to the northeast before playing out the rest of September back in midwest. After a quick break in their hometown of Asheville, NC, they head  west with a stop in Colorado before a handful of shows in California, including the Joshua Tree Music Festival. Then the road brings them up through Utah and Wyoming before a few more Colorado shows. They close out October by joining in on the Halloween fun at String Cheese Incident’s Suwannee Hulaween down in northern Florida at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park.

In early November the Trio heads into Virginia for a couple of shows before traveling back into Florida for the Riverhawk Fest and more performances throughout the state. The end of the month brings the Trio back up towards their home-state for a scattering of shows and to rest up a bit before heading out in early December to Strings and Sol in Puerto Morelos, a Mexican port town on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula where they join in on Cloud 9’s annual 4-night all-inclusive Tropical Bluegrass Adventure with Yonder Mountain String Band, Greensky Bluegrass, Railroad Earth, Leftover Salmon, The Infamous Stringdusters, Fruition, and Bryan Sutton. To close out the year they have a special New Year’s Eve Celebration in their hometown of Asheville at Isis Music Hall with The Digs!

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 ‘Dream Vision’ Tour
9/2-3 Sat-Sun – Jackpine Jamboree – Birnamwood, WI
9/5-10 Tue-Sun – Sisters Folk Fest – Sisters, OR
9/13 Wed – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC * w/ The Last Revel
9/14 Thu – World Cafe Live – Philadelphia, PA * w/ The Last Revel, Jeremiah Tall
9/15-16 Fri-Sat – Wormtown Music Festival – Greenfield, MA
9/17 Sun – Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY * w/ The Last Revel
9/20 Wed – The Raccoon Motel – Davenport, IA
9/21 Thu – Tonic Room – Chicago, IL
9/22 Fri – The Source Public House – Menasha, WI * w/ Head For The Hills
9/23 Sat – Boats and Bluegrass – Winona, MN
9/24 Sun – Carnahan Hall – Lafayette, IN
10/3 Tue – Dolores River Brewery – Dolores, CO
10/5 Thu – Winston’s – San Diego, CA *w/ The Ghost of Paul Revere
10/6 Fri – Boulevard Music – Culver City, CA *w/ The Ghost of Paul Revere
10/7 Sat – Joshua Tree Music Festival – Joshua Tree, CA
10/10 Tue – Don Quixote’s – Felton, CA
10/12 Thu – Throckmorton Theatre – Mill Valley, CA
10/13 Fri – Old Ironsides – Sacramento, CA
10/14 Sat – Moe’s Original BBQ – Tahoe City, CA * W/ Brad Parsons
10/17 Tue – Piper Down – Salt Lake City, UT
10/18 Wed – Pinedale Fine Arts – Pinedale, WY
10/20 Fri – Wildflower Concert Series – Lyons, CO * Monacle Band Album Release Show
10/21 Sat – Cervantes’ Other Side – Denver, CO
10/22 Sun – 4th and Main Grill – Wray, CO
10/27-28 Fri-Sat – Suwannee Hulaween – Live Oak, FL
11/2 Thu – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC * w/ Larry Keel
11/3 Fri – 5 Points Music Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA * w/ Larry Keel
11/4 Sat – Bright Box Theater – Winchester, VA
11/11-12 Sat-Sun – Riverhawk Fest – Brooksville, FL
11/14 Tue – Terra Fermata – Stuart, FL * w/ The Nouveaux Honkies
11/16 Thu – Point Ybel Brewing Co. – Fort Myers, FL
11/17 Fri – Wynwood Yard – Miami, FL
11/18 Sat – Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center – Sarasota, FL
11/19 Sun – Iron Oak Post – Melbourne, FL
11/20 Mon – Beaches History Museum – Jacksonville Beach, FL
11/30 Thu – The Grove at Upcountry Provisions – Travelers Rest, SC
12/1 Fri – The Spinning Jenny – Greer, SC
12/2 Sat – House Concert – Walkertown, NC
12/8-12 Fri-Tue – Strings and Sol – Puerto Morelos, Mexico
12/31 Sun – NYE Celebration at Isis Music Hall – Asheville, NC * w/ The Digs

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.

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Jon Stickley Trio Featured on NPR’s Folk Alley & Mountain Stage- New Album Out Now

Jon Stickley Trio. Photo by Heather Hambor

Jon Stickley Trio Featured on NPR’s Folk Alley & Mountain Stage

New Album, Maybe Believe, Produced by Dave King (The Bad Plus)
at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville NC

Out now on Amazon, iTunes, cdbaby, Bandcamp
www.jonstickley.com/product/maybe-believe/

ASHEVILLE —  Jon Stickley Trio independently released their 3rd full length album, Maybe Believe, on May 12, 2017. Jon Stickley Trio create textural soundscapes combining Jon Stickley’s rapid-fire flatpicking guitar with the sultry and wild, yet refined, melodies of Lyndsay Pruett on violin set over the deep groove of Patrick Armitage on drums. Produced by Dave King (Of The Bad Plus) at Echo Mountain Recording Studio in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC.

On release week, NPR’s Folk Alley posted the world premiere of a stream of the entire album → www.folkalley.com/archives/001565.php.

In April, Jon Stickley Trio performed on NPR’s Mountain Stage and their episode is scheduled for broadcast this Friday, May 20 and begins feeding to 200+ NPR stations. Airtimes and stations can be found here: http://goo.gl/7p4Y7J.

They will also be touring the States extensively with Maybe Believe. See the full list of tour dates below.

What people are saying about Jon Stickley Trio:

“The latest record from the Jon Stickley Trio flexes new and strong muscles, utilizing more progressive structures and deeper pockets than ever before. All the while, 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.”
—Dave King

“Clear, Present, and Slightly Dangerous”
—Musoscribe, Bill Kopp

“The Trio… flex some seriously creative musical muscles on the twelve-track project which contains nine originals and three covers that beguile with the trio’s skillful, energetic musicianship.”
—The Daily Country, No Depression, Tara Joan

“With this eclectic instrumentation, their melodies wander between cultures and rhythms, pulling you in and making you want to dance… With instrumental only tracks, the Jon Stickley Trio’s diverse musicality is the star.” —Scenes Media, Christie Hudon

“In an age of music where it can be difficult to find something new, Jon Stickley Trio is a consistent breath of fresh air. Their infectious and irresistible energy can be felt through each note, providing a compelling soundtrack you never knew you needed.” — The Poke Around, Tom Cunningham

“Sure, comparisons to previous musicians are a good way to explain a new artist to the masses, but to do so is to cheat Stickley of what he really is: a damn genius, a musical mastermind, and one of the most unique, creative, and inventive guitar players I’ve ever heard…  Stickley’s guitar playing shares as much in common with the flow of the greatest rappers of all time as it does with his flatpicking heroes…” —Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck

“The majority of the songs on the new album were written by Stickley, using his talents to layer different grooves and play with polyrhythms. Lyndsay Pruett contributed a couple of jazzier numbers including ‘The Price of Being Nice”’ and a short solo, ‘Lady Time,’ that closes out the album with her distinctive pizzicato playing and violin improvisation.” —AXS, Renee Wright, Renee Wright

“A new generation of bluegrass-reared instrumental explorers is coming into its own, and the Stickley Trio is in the vanguard.” — Music City Roots, Craig Havighurst

“Thoughtful & energetic” —Bryan Sutton

Find out more about Maybe Believe in this behind-the-scenes video with the band recorded at Echo Mountain during their recording sessions →

Jon Stickley Trio On Tour
5/19 Fri – Lower Town Arts & Music Festival – Paducah, KY
5/20 Sat – Forest Fest – Louisville, KY (11am show)
5/20 Sat – Moonshiner’s Ball – Berea, KY
5/26 Fri – Rooster Walk – Martinsville, VA
5/27 Sat – Big Wesser BBZ at Nantahala Outdoor Center – Bryson City, NC
6/8 Thu – Founders Brewing Co – Grand Rapids, MI
6/9 Fri – Parliament Room at Otus Supply – Ferndale, MI
6/10-11 Sat-Sun – NorEastr Festival @ County Fairgrounds – Mio, MI
6/12 Mon – WNMC House Concert Series @ The Moon Tower – Traverse City, MI
6/14 Wed – B Side Ballroom – Oneonta, NY
6/15 Thu – Abilene Bar – Rochester, NY
6/17 Sat – Skunk Funk Music Festival – Cazenovia, NY
6/18 Sun – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington DC
6/19 Mon – Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD
6/20 Tue – Motorco Music Hall – Durham, NC
6/21 Wed – Muddy Creek Music Hall – Winston-Salem, NC
6/22 Thu – River Jam at US Whitewater Center – Charlotte, NC
6/23-24 Fri-Sat – Clusterpluck @ Spirit of Suwannee Music Park – Live Oak, FL
7/7-8 Fri-Sat – Breckenridge Brewery – Littleton, CO
7/15 Sat – Red Wing Roots Music Festival – Mount Solon, VA
7/22 Sat – Burning Can @ Oskar Blues – Brevard, NC
7/29-30 Sat-Sun – FloydFest – Floyd, VA
8/2 Wed – The High Watt – Nashville, TN
8/3 Thu – Hi Tone – Memphis, TN
8/4 Fri – Homegrown on the River – Ozark, AR
8/6 Sun – Rhythms on the Rio – South Fork, CO
8/9 Wed – The Bishop – Bloomington, IN
8/10 Thu – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH
8/11 Fri – Bright Box Theater – Winchester, VA
8/12 Sat – Musikfest – Bethlehem, PA
8/16 Wed – The Ark – Ann Arbor, MI
8/17 Thu – Albert S. George Youth Center – Barnesville, OH
8/18 Fri – Ignition Music Garage – Goshen, IN
8/19 Sat – Short’s Brewing Co – Bellaire, MI
8/20 Sun – Hoxyville Music Festival – Wellston, MI
9/5-10 Fri-Sun – Sisters Folk Fest – Sisters, OR
9/14 Thu – World Cafe Live – Philadelphia, PA
9/15-16 Fri-Sat – Wormtown Music Festival – Greenfield, MA
9/17 Sun – The Knitting Factory – New York, NY
10/7 Sat – Joshua Tree Music Festival – Joshua Tree, CA

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.

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Jon Stickley Trio Tours With New Album Produced By Dave King (The Bad Plus) – ‘Maybe Believe’ Out 5/12

Jon Stickley Trio. Photo By Heather Hambor

 

Jon Stickley Trio Releases Maybe Believe on May 12, 2017
Produced by Dave King (The Bad Plus) at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville NC

“Thoughtful & energetic” —Bryan Sutton

Watch a behind-the-scenes video from the recording session → www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccQB75r3Vww

ASHEVILLE —  Riding the wave of their critically acclaimed 2015 album, Lost at Last, Jon Stickley Trio independently releases their 3rd full length album, Maybe Believe, on May 12, 2017. Jon Stickley Trio combines Jon Stickley’s rapid-fire flatpicking guitar with the sultry and wild, yet refined, melodies of Lyndsay Pruett on violin set over the deep groove of Patrick Armitage on drums.

“The latest record from the Jon Stickley Trio flexes new and strong muscles, utilizing more progressive structures and deeper pockets than ever before,” says Producer Dave King (Of The Bad Plus). “All the while, 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.”

Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck says of Jon, “Sure, comparisons to previous musicians are a good way to explain a new artist to the masses, but to do so is to cheat Stickley of what he really is: a damn genius, a musical mastermind, and one of the most unique, creative, and inventive guitar players I’ve ever heard…  Stickley’s guitar playing shares as much in common with the flow of the greatest rappers of all time as it does with his flatpicking heroes…”

The album title, Maybe Believe, is a continuation of the theme from Lost at Last. With Lost at Last, the band was stepping away from their collective musical past, into new territory that was somewhat uncomfortable, but also inspiring and free. With Maybe Believe, they have become more comfortable in their own skin yet retain an element of vulnerability while continuing to move into uncharted territory. This album marks the next step in the band’s evolution, and takes the listener to original and unexpected new places that still embody the familiarity of the Jon Stickley Trio’s signature style.

 

Dave says, “I was honored to be a part of this evolution and I think we made a very compelling album for music fans and musicians of all kinds.” This is his second time joining forces with the Trio at Echo Mountain Recording Studio in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC, once again working with Engineer Julian Dryer. Both were also on board for Lost at Last which garnered praise from The New York Times, NPR’s Heavy Rotation, NPR’s World Cafe, Folk Alley, Premier Guitar Magazine, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Performer Magazine, and many others.

Stickley says, “We had just gotten to know Dave last time and had such a good time. Bringing him in again takes the whole thing up a notch. It was a completely different experience, after traveling all over the place touring [in 2016 the Trio drove over 50,000 miles], over time we’ve developed a cohesion as a band where we intimately know each other and can feel where each other is wanting to go and respond. It’s developed into a tight musical relationship.”

The album’s opening track, “Jewels,” is a short, mellow, piece which serves as the album’s prologue, setting the tone of the record, quieting the mind of the listener. It’s a cleansing of the palette before the full course, and features the delicate harmonics of Jon and Lyndsay along with and Patrick’s textural brushwork.

Then they go full throttle with “Playpeople,” an eclectic piece that draws inspiration from Green Day, Duran Duran, Grateful Dead, and David Grisman Quintet, but in the end, is ultimately pure Jon Stickley Trio. This track’s title is a gender-neutral term for someone who likes to have a good time, and does so despite all external obstacles and displays the Trio’s fun-loving energy and virtuosity, as well as their controlled intensity.

“Almost With You” and “Mt. Sandia Swing” highlight the Jon Stickley Trio’s ability and inclination to play with polyrhythms and layer different grooves on top of each other. Dave King described “Sandia” as “The Violent Femmes… playing Jazz.”

Jon Stickley’s music brings forth mental imagery from the soundscapes the band has created in songs like “Slow Burn,” which is a like simmering pot of stew that occasionally boils over, while “Microbruise” embraces the fun-loving nature of Asheville’s beer brewers and drinkers, and “Cecil” is the Trio’s heaviest song yet featuring seamless interplay between guitar and violin with a sludgy, old school, John Bonham style drumbeat.

The aforementioned songs were all penned by Stickley, while Lyndsay Pruett’s hand brings forth a couple of jazzier numbers. A highlight of the record, “The Price of Being Nice” has a quirky, infectious theme that is explored throughout the song with a somewhat deconstructed treatment that allows the Trio to shine. Pruett also wrote “Lady Time,” a short solo song that closes out the album that features her distinctive pizzicato playing and improvisations.

The album contains three covers, “Jerusalem Ridge” (a Bill Monroe tune with a twist that has become a staple at live shows), “Avril 14th’ (a piece by Richard James a.k.a. Aphex Twin), and “Birdland Breakdown” (a tune by mandolinist John Reischman which also appeared on Tony Rice’s jazz-grass album Still Inside).

Jon Stickley Trio On Tour
3/10 Fri – The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
3/15 Wed – The Station Inn – Nashville, TN *w/ The Dustbowl Revival
3/16 Thu – The Earl – Atlanta, GA w/ The Dustbowl Revival
3/17-18 Fri-Sat – Anastasia Music Festival @ St. Augustine Amphitheater – St. Augustine, FL
3/21 Tue – Taos Mesa Brewing – El Prado, NM
3/22 Wed – House Concert – Albuquerque, NM
3/23 Thu – Last Exit Live – Phoenix, AZ
3/24 Fri – Coconino Center For The Arts – Flagstaff, AZ
3/25 Sat – Seven Grand – San Diego, CA
3/29 Wed – Throckmorton Theatre – Mill Valley, CA
3/30 Thu – Neck of the Woods – San Francisco, CA
3/31-4/1 Fri-Sat – WinterWonderGrass – North Lake Tahoe, CA
4/6 Thu – The Stage at KDHX – St. Louis, MO
4/7 Fri – Rhythm and Blooms Festival – Knoxville, TN
4/8 Sat – Albino Skunk Festival – Greer, SC
4/12 Wed – Willie’s Locally Known – Lexington, KY
4/13 Thu – The Fire Pit’s Side Bar – Milwaukee, WI
4/14 Fri – Mid West Music Festival – LaCrosse, WI
4/15 Sat – Two Brothers Roundhouse – Aurora, IL
4/29 Sat – WV Craft Brew Fest – Lewisburg, WV
5/12-13 – Fri-Sat – LEAF – Black Mountain, NC
5/19 Fri – Lower Town Arts & Music Festival – Paducah, KY
5/20 Sat – Moonshiner’s Ball – Berea, KY
5/26 Fri – Rooster Walk – Martinsville, VA
6/8 Thu – Founders Brewing – Grand Rapids, MI
6/9 Fri – Parliament Room at Otus Supply – Ferndale, MI
6/10-11 Sat-Sun – NorEastr Festival @ County Fairgrounds – Mio, MI
7/15 Sat – Red Wing Roots Music Festival – Mount Solon, VA
7/29-30 Sat-Sun – FloydFest – Floyd, VA
More dates TBA!

Maybe Believe Track Listing*

1. Jewels 2:03
2. Playpeople 4:36
3.  Almost With You 3:39
4.  Slow Burn 4:47
5. Jerusalem Ridge (Bill Monroe) 5:36
6.  Avril 14th (Richard James a.k.a. Aphex Twin) 1:59
7. Cecil 4:36
8.  Microbruise 3:19
9. The Price of Being Nice (Lyndsay Pruett) 3:39
10.  Mt. Sandia Swing 4:23
11.  Birdland Breakdown (John Reischman) 3:54
12. Lady Time (Lyndsay Pruett) 3:44

* All songs written by Jon Stickley unless otherwise noted

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/StickleyMusic.

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Jon Stickley Trio’s New EP ‘Triangular’ Out Now! “Pure Joy Through Music”

Jon Stickley Trio’s New EP, Triangular, Out Now!
“Pure Joy Through Music”

Get Triangular now on iTunes, Amazon, and CDbaby

Js3 Announces Plans to Record Next Full Length Album, Produced by Dave King (The Bad Plus) at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville NC after Successful Kickstarter Campaign

ASHEVILLE — On the tail of their critically acclaimed 2015 album, Lost at Last, Jon Stickley Trio independently releases a brand new 5-song EP, Triangular, on December 2,2016. With roots in gypsy jazz, bluegrass, and hip-hop in an “exhilarating all-acoustic swirl” (Acoustic Guitar Magazine), Jon Stickley Trio combines Jon Stickley’s rapid-fire flatpicking guitar with the sultry and wild, yet refined, melodies of Lyndsay Pruett on violin set over the deep groove of Patrick Armitage on drums.

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

Jon Stickley Trio is on tour this winter with shows in the southeast this December in Knoxville, Kingsport and Charlotte. Jon also has a couple of shows booked with Andy Thorn (Leftover Salmon) and Travis Book (The Infamous Stringdusters) in North Carolina mid-month. On December 30th, the Trio pops up north to Richmond, Virginia to open for The Infamous Stringdusters before heading home to Asheville for a special New Year’s Eve Celebration with The Honeycutters on Dec 31st. In early January, Jon Stickley travels to Denver to play two nights as a part of the Bluegrass Generals featuring members of The Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, and more. The Trio joins up again in Wray, Colorado on the 21st with some surprise mystery dates out west TBA. There’s a scattering of other dates announced including WinterWonderGrass in California in the spring and FloydFest in the summer in Virginia. More to come!

The EP, Triangular, was recorded at Blue Sprocket Sound in Harrisonburg, VA this summer and was sent early to anyone that donated $10 or more to their recent successful Kickstarter Campaign to help them head back into Echo Mountain Recording Studio this winter with Producer Dave King (Of The Bad Plus) to record a yet un-named new full length album due out in 2017. The band surpassed their goal and reached $29,120 and is currently in studio recording..

“I like to think of music as a two way street, a reciprocal experience between musician and audience,” says Lyndsay Pruett. “The Kickstarter campaign really affirms my view on that. And it truly becomes about more than the money. Money is the thing we all know we need to make the world go around, but this process allows people to have an extra level of personal involvement. We have conversations with people we’ve met at shows from all over the country, and they become involved in the next record. Then when we go back to those places to play the music for them the experience is more substantial, and more fun, of course.”

Triangular features five songs leading out with with “Blackburn Brothers”, of which Beck says, “While the opening notes remind the listener of Tony Rice’s Manzanita (one of the greatest acoustic guitar albums of all time), one is suddenly catapulted into Jackson 5 territory a few minutes later in the same song. Sure, comparisons to previous musicians are a good way to explain a new artist to the masses, but to do so is to cheat Stickley of what he really is: a damn genius, a musical mastermind, and one of the most unique, creative, and inventive guitar players I’ve ever heard.”

“Plain Sight” was penned by Jon after the mass shooting at a concert in Paris. ”It’s as much an angry response to the perpetrators as it is a mournful tribute to the victims,” says Stickley. The music features Lyndsay’s delicate pizzicato violin plucking, Patrick’s breakbeat drum vibes, and Stickley’s signature high speed shredding. The third phase of the tune breaks down to a gentle trading of melodic lines by Jon and Lyndsay.

“Palm Tree” is a tropically themed dance tune has become a staple of the band’s live shows. It changes time signatures between 5/4 and 6/8, but remains danceable and accessible. The purpose of “Palm Tree” is to jam out and have fun, and that’s what the Trio does on this track. You can hear Jon and Lyndsay pushing each other while Patrick “cooks” underneath, heating up the skillet till its HOT.

“Echolocation”’ is a tribute to whales and the beautiful songs they sing underwater. The most evocative of the songs on the record, it features the cello-like longbows of Lyndsay’s violin that mimic the whales’ songs. Patrick’s epic drum solo over Lyndsay and Jon’s unison arpeggios is a climactic moment that is one of the band’s most dazzling recorded moments to date.

“Manzanita” is a classic composition by Jon’s hero, guitarist Tony Rice, is arguably one of the most important pieces of music in Newgrass history. The Trio recorded this song as a tribute to those who came before and took musical risks that changes the history of music.

“Since bluegrass players started delving into jazz, they’ve been composing progressive acoustic music, but so much of it has lacked the comfort in its own skin that Stickley’s songs possess.” Anders Beck says of Stickley’s style,“I could go on and on about how amazing it is that his twisty and turny songs don’t feel forced, and always bob and weave at the right time; or how Stickley’s guitar playing shares as much in common with the flow of the greatest rappers of all time as it does with his flatpicking heroes... I think you get my point. Stop reading this and go listen to his new EP.”

With the success of Lost At Last making it into rotation on radio stations both nationally and internationally, the Trio has traveled over 50,000 miles, performing at over 100 festivals and venues across the country in 2016 (Including the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC), attracted attention of thousands of new fans, and teamed up with a national booking agency. Jon Stickley Trio heads into the studio in early December to record the yet unnamed full length album with Dave King, who also produced Lost At Last which garnered praise from The New York Times, NPR’s Heavy Rotation, NPR’s World Cafe, Premier Guitar Magazine, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and many others.

Jon Stickley Trio has evolved into a fully formed, musical identity that was just beginning to take shape on the first record. Stickley realizes, “Our musicality has matured individually, and collectively to the extent that we can read each other, and respond to each other in a completely intuitive and natural way. We can’t wait to take our matured sound back into Echo Mountain with our mentor and producer, Dave King.”

All of this interlocks, and is propelling the band into the future. Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst says “A new generation of bluegrass-reared instrumental explorers is coming into its own, and the Stickley Trio is in the vanguard.” While the group does their thing in the studio, they are happy to share Triangular with the world now!

Jon Stickley On Tour
12/7 Wed – Knoxville, TN – WDVX Tennessee Shines @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel
12/8 Thu – Kingsport, TN – Sleepy Owl Brewery
12/10 Sat – Charlotte, NC – The Rabbit Hole *co-Bill with Billy Strings
12/15-16 Thu-Fri – Asheville, NC – Isis Music Hall *Stickley / Thorn / Book support for Travelin’ McCourys
12/17 Sat – Morganton, NC – Winter Music Fest *Stickley / Thorn / Book
12/30 Fri – Richmond, VA – The National  *support for The Infamous Stringdusters12/31/16 Sat – Asheville, NC – Isis Music Hall *w/ The Honeycutters

1/6-7/17 Fri-Sat – Denver, CO – Cervantes *Jon Stickley as a part of the Bluegrass Generals feat. members of The Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, etc.
1/20 Fri – Abilene, KS – Great Plains Theatre
1/21 Sat – Wray, CO – 4th and Main Grille
3/30 Thu – San Francisco, CA – Neck of the Woods
3/31 Fri – Squaw Valley, CA – WinterWonderGrass
7/26-30 – Floyd, VA – FloydFest

* All dates are Jon Stickley Trio unless otherwise noted.

WATCH Jon Stickley Trio Perform ‘Echolocation’ on Music City Roots →

Head on over to Live For Live Music to listen to the World Premiere of “Blackburn Brothers.” →  http://bit.ly/JS3_L4LM_BlackburnBrothersPremiere.

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

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Jon Stickley Trio Releases New EP, Announces Kickstarter for Next Full Length, Song Premiere

Jon Stickley Trio. Photo by Heather Hambor

Jon Stickley Trio Releases New EP, Announces Kickstarter for Next Full Length Album to be Produced by Dave King (The Bad Plus) at Echo Mountain Studios

Pre-Order the New Album Now & Receive the New EP, Triangular, the day the goal is reached!

KICKSTARTER → http://kck.st/2e0lTzL  

Live For Live World Premiere of  “Blackburn Brothers” from Triangular →
http://bit.ly/JS3_L4LM_BlackburnBrothersPremiere

Donate over $5 and get that song immediately

ASHEVILLE, NC – It’s been a whirlwind year for the Jon Stickley Trio! On the tail of their 2015 fan funded and independent release, Lost at Last, they have just announced a brand new 5-song EP, Triangular, and a Kickstarter Campaign to help them head back into Echo Mountain Recording Studio with Producer Dave King (Of The Bad Plus) to record a new full length album. King also produced Lost At Last which garnered praise from The New York Times, NPR’s Heavy Rotation, NPR’s World Cafe, Premier Guitar Magazine, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and many others.

Lost At Last made it into rotation on radio stations both nationally and internationally, the Trio performed at over 100 festivals and venues across the country (Including the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC), attracted attention of thousands of new fans, and landed a top notch booking agent. All of this interlocks, proving that the release of a recording can translate directly into touring traction and financial returns that propel the band into the future. Jon Stickley Trio heads into the studio in early December to record the yet unnamed full length album.

“Asheville, NC’s Jon Stickley has been playing in bluegrass bands for years, and is known as a progressive and adventurous flatpicker, but his musical roots and influences range widely to include rap, grunge, punk and more.” Linda Fahey with FolkAlley says for NPR’s Heavy Rotation. “When he teamed up with fiddler Lyndsay Pruett and drummer Patrick Armitage — originally as a lighthearted side project — the end result is a wonderfully unique sound that defies easy categorization.”

Jon Stickley Trio is looking to raise $28,000 and launched the Kickstarter campaign on 10/10; Folks can get involved until it ends on 11/11. They say, “We’ve set our goal at $28,000 which is substantially less than what the realistic costs add up to, because we understand that this is a group effort, and we are a part of that group!”

Anyone that donates $5 or more toward the new full length album will get one song from the new 5-song EP, Triangular, as an immediate download. The track is called “Blackburn Brothers” and it is a funky trio version of a tune Jon originally wrote with his brother Jeff while down at the Carolina coast. It features expressive solos by Jon and Lyndsay, that sync up with their signature, on point unison melody playing at the end. The song also highlights a danceable, somewhat latin drum beat.

Head on over to Live For Live Music to listen to the World Premiere of “Blackburn Brothers.” →  http://bit.ly/JS3_L4LM_BlackburnBrothersPremiere.

Anyone that donates $10 or more will get Triangular as soon as the goal is reached. The EP was recorded at Blue Sprocket Sound in Harrisonburg, VA this summer. Other packages include private house concerts, a day at the studio with the band when they record the new album, music lessons with each member, limited edition “Individual Person” t-shirts of each member of the band (only available through the Kickstarter campaign), the new yet un-named album,  an ultra-special limited Vinyl edition of Triangular (only available through the Kickstarter campaign), previous recordings, and more!

This budget figures in the recording, mixing, mastering and pressing of the new full length album. A portion of the budget is also dedicated to promotion of the new album as well as the EP, this includes print and radio. Jon Says, “This was such a huge part of the success of Lost at Last and since we didn’t plan for it last time we added it in this time around.” They’ve also budgeted in album art, photos and graphic designs that will all be a part of the new album as well.

Who is this Dave King character?
Dave King is the drummer of The Bad Plus, also a trio, whose music combines elements of modern avant-garde jazz with rock and pop influences. “The Bad Plus, also a mainly instrumental group, has had an influence on our band since the start.” Jon Stickley continues, “We all loved Dave King independently and when we found out one day he used to be Patrick’s drum teacher we freaked out. Dave’s presence on the last album was unmistakable. His sometimes subtle guidance, and other times obvious counsel made Lost at Last what it was. We’re so excited about going into the studio with him for a second time around, now that we’ve gotten to know him and are less fan-girly.”

Jon Stickley Trio with Dave King

The band’s drummer, Patrick Armitage, has deep roots to Minneapolis, where King is from. He says, “I was lucky enough to study under Dave King for 6 years. Now I get to work with him professionally. That’s an honor. With Dave producing our last record and my drumming it’s nice to know there is a little bit of Minneapolis sneaking it’s way into The Jon Stickley Trio.”

The rest of the band first met King the evening before hitting the studio to make Lost at Last. In a way, that session was a “getting to know you” experience for all of them. They became fast friends, and clicked musically in the studio, but in the end it left the band wondering what they could accomplish if they were to have the same opportunity again. The exciting prospects led them to decide to work with him on this upcoming record in the same studio.

“Echo Mountain was the perfect fit for us because the setting of the old church, the creakiness of the wood, the vintage hum of the gear, and the discerning ear of Julian Dryer added an audible realness and character to the recording that was totally complimentary to our improvisational, original instrumental music, “ says Jon Stickley.

Since the recording and release of Lost at Last, Jon Stickley Trio has traveled over 50,000 miles, played shows in new territories all over the country, and evolved into a fully formed, musical identity that was just beginning to take shape on the first record. Stickley realizes, “Our musicality has matured individually, and collectively to the extent that we can read each other, and respond to each other in a completely intuitive and natural way. We can’t wait to take our matured sound back into Echo Mountain with our mentor and producer, Dave King.”

Jon Stickley Trio On Tour 2016
10/8 Sat – The Festy – Arrington, VA
10/14 Fri – PLC Land Jam @ Carolina Theatre – Greensboro, NC*
10/15-16 Sat-Sun – Suwannee Roots Revival – Live Oak, FL
10/17 Mon – Beaches Museum History Park Chapel – Jacksonville, Fl
10/20 Thu – NC State Fair – Raleigh, NC
10/21 Fri – House Concert – Durham, NC
10/22 – Cat’s Cradle- Carrboro, NC
11/2 Wed – 1904 Music Hall – Jacksonville, FL
11/3 Thu – The Ale & The Witch – St. Petersburg, FL
11/4 Fri – Fogarty Community Media and Arts Center – Sarasota, FL
11/5 Sat – Arts Garage – Delray Beach, FL
11/9 Wed – Guanabanas – Jupiter, FL
11/10 Thu – Terra Fermata – Stuart, FL
11/11 Fri – Point Ybel Brewing – Fort Myers, FL
11/12 Sat – The Funky Buddha – Boca Raton, FL
11/13 Sun – Fifth and Thomas Kitchen – Tallahassee, FL
12/7 Wed – WDVX Tennessee Shines @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel – Knoxville, TN
12/30 Fri – The National – Richmond, VA ^
12/31 Sat – Isis Music Hall – Asheville, NC #

* w. Ricky Skaggs
^ w. The Infamous Stringdusters
# w. The Honeycutters

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

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