Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Country Roots Album Released Today on Organic Records

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters New Album
Out June 9 on Organic Records
Country Roots Band from Asheville, North Carolina

Stream or purchase today at all outlets –> https://clg.lnk.to/Lj4Wo

“’Learning How To Love Him’ is a prime example of the new intimacy Platt shares with her audience. Her voice, rising and falling above a simple, spare guitar line, is on display in a way it never has been before.” –Elena See
LISTEN to the song premiere on NPR’s Folk Alley

“A coming-of-age song of sorts, ‘Diamond in the Rough’ is a rock-tinged, rootsy track”–Amy McCarthy
LISTEN to the Song Premiere on The Boot

ASHEVILLE, NC — Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters new self-titled album is out today, June 9, on Organic Records. “We’re switching things up a little. After four albums I’ve decided to step out and start using my own name. It’s something that a lot of people have encouraged me to do over the years, and I guess that 2017 just felt right.” says Amanda. “We’re keeping The Honeycutters too because we don’t want to confuse people… really, we’ve always been Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters. I think I’ve just gotten to a place where I feel comfortable enough to be in the spotlight.”

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

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters will tour extensively in US this year and are traveling to Europe for the first time this summer. Tour dates and more information at www.TheHoneycutters.com.

Critical Acclaim for Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters:

“Writing with a maturity that belies her early thirties age, Amanda pens tunes about a couple with a 40-year relationship, reflections of a spouse with a terminally ill husband, break-up, strangers, leaving, the music industry, and, of course, love. Platt is as good a songwriter as anyone with an Americana label by their name and that includes Isbell and Lucinda to name just two of them… You will need to listen repeatedly as the album is lengthy and Platt’s lyrics are so damn real and relatable on so many levels.”
—Elmore, Jim Hynes

“They… deliver a feisty, witty, hard-knock life realism on their records and this eponymous release, their fifth, is like the continuation of a classic serial novel you just can’t put down… My favorite track is ‘Eden’ and I must have listened to it at least five times because it’s just bloody brilliant, cheeky and slightly heart-wrenching all at once: ‘Don’t keep a TV ’cause the news is always bad and it teaches us to want all the things we’ll never have’ and then the storyteller asks to be let ‘back inside that garden, I won’t eat anything that’s fallen from that goddamn tree.’ —That Mag, Jane Roser

“Platt can find a tune and express it exquisitely with a distinctive voice and a sympathetic band… Her wonderful lyrics seem to be an assessment of the people and circumstances that surround her to find the good bits.”
—Americana Music Show, Tony Ives

“Platt opens with the reflective ‘Birthday Song’, warmed in among other things, tasty piano the album is immediately up and running on greased wheels. Blending country with folk and country pop you have Americana music with a capital ‘A’ and it is good!” —Flying Shoes Review (UK), Maurice Hope

“Platt sings like she means it on this country-tinged folk album, and whether or not her nuanced lyrics are drawn directly from real life, they sure sound as if they are… Platt’s vocals convey joy and tenderness and her band provide amiable backup. At its best, this music is on a par with Lucinda Williams’s, which is saying a lot.” —The Morton Report, Jeff Burger

“There is, as with the two before, an easygoing warmth to the album, and a certain kind of knowing. The kind from that comes from being a keen and empathetic observer. From the upbeat ‘Diamond in the Rough’ to the poetic ‘Eden’ to the solemn ‘Long Ride,’ Platt and her band flesh out all that’s real and been missing in country music for lo these many years.”  —No Depression, Amos Perrine

“a gem of an album… The collection combines sharp and emotive songwriting with crisp production values. A successful blend of country roots and honky-tonk, but with a defining Appalachian twist. Above it all hovers Platt’s voice – laconic, sultry, pitch perfect and ultimately charming.” —Listening Through The Lens, Rob Dickens

“Amanda Anne is one of the best songwriters I have ever heard – and I have been listening carefully to music for about 55 years. She writes with her heart and her brain and her observations on life, love and other matters of importance are sparkling …
Her songs get into your blood and become a part of you.”
—letter from David Whittaker who commissioned the song “Rare Thing” for his wife Holly

“Amanda is so good it’s ridiculous. I don’t even know what words to use. Her singing, songwriting and presence is unmatched in Americana, Country, Pop… Simply breathtaking.” — Saul Davis: producer (Percy Sledge), manager (Gene Clark, Carla Olson, Phil Seymour).

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Track Listing

1. Birthday Song 4:15
2. Long Ride 3:47
3. What We’ve Got 4:46
4. Diamond In The Rough 4:37
5. Eden 5:33
6. The Guitar Case 4:18
7. Learning How To Love Him 4:17
8. Brand New Start 3:14
9. Late Summer’s Child 3:57
10. The Good Guys (Dick Tracy) 4:38
11. Rare Thing 4:43
12. The Things We Call Home 2:39
13. The Road 2:40

Produced by Amanda Anne Platt and Tim Surrett

Mixing and Mastering by Recording Engineer Scott Barnett at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC

Stream or purchase Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters here →  https://clg.lnk.to/Lj4Wo

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

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Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters New Album Out June 9, UK Tour Announced

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters New Album Out June 9
The album is now on pre-sale →  https://clg.lnk.to/Lj4Wo

ASHEVILLE, NC –“We’re switching things up a little. After four albums I’ve decided to step out and start using my own name. It’s something that a lot of people have encouraged me to do over the years, and I guess that 2017 just felt right.” That name, Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, is also the title of the band’s new album, which will be released by Organic Records June 9, 2017. “We’re keeping The Honeycutters too because we don’t want to confuse people… really, we’ve always been Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters. I think I’ve just gotten to a place where I feel comfortable enough to be in the spotlight.”

“Amanda is so good it’s ridiculous. I don’t even know what words to use. Her singing, songwriting and presence is unmatched in Americana, Country, Pop… Simply breathtaking,” said Saul Davis: producer (Percy Sledge), manager (Gene Clark, Carla Olson, Phil Seymour).

Lyrically driven, the songs on Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters blend the band’s old-school country roots attitude with their shared influences of rock and folk. Amanda says of the album, “I think it’s just about life and all that that entails. Including but not limited to death, strangers, birthdays, money, leaving, arriving, seasons, corruption, and love.”

Performing along with Platt, The Honeycutters are Matt Smith on pedal steel and Stratocaster, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums and harmony vocals, and Evan Martin on keys and Telecaster.

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters is the group’s third release on Organic Records, and fifth album. Assembling the same the same team as 2016’s On The Ropes, Balsam Range’s Tim Surrett steps in for the second time to co-produce this album along with Amanda. Its thirteen tracks were recorded, mixed, and mastered by Scott Barnett at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC near the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC.

There is an empathetic and charming wit ingrained in Amanda’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.

“Amanda Platt writes songs on par with Lucinda, Isbell, Lauderdale, Hank Sr. In my opinion, anyway.” said, WNCW’s Music Director Martin Anderson to No Depression.

In the lead off track, “Birthday Song,” Amanda writes with a gentle optimism, “Every time it gets colder I get another year older… I start looking for lines in the bathroom mirror… but when I lay down at night I swear I must have done something right… cause I’m still so damn glad to be here… I’ve been trying to love the questions, and keep on guessing.” Written just before her 30th birthday, Platt calls the song, “a summation of everything I learned in that decade.”

There is an easygoing warmth to the album, enhanced by the its refined arrangement and production; from the upbeat “Diamond in the Rough” to the poetic and observational “Eden” to the very personal, yet universal, “Brand New Start” to “Late Summer’s Child” (an ode to her favorite season) and “Rare Thing” (a song commissioned from Platt from a fan as a love song to his wife that ended up being included on the album. “Your mama said that it would never last… but these years go by so fast… and you’re the song I’m humming to myself as I’m counting the miles… you’re such a rare thing.”) One can feel it even in songs with a more solemn concept behind them like, like “Long Ride,” which speaks of living in the moment in the face of mortality.

Platt wrote “Learning How To Love Him” after hearing an acquaintance of hers talk about learning that her husband of 40+ years was terminally ill. She says, “What really struck me was how she described the tenderness that the news brought back to their relationship.” Amanda sings, “’I woke last night and I felt so afraid, I turned on the light and shook him awake and we stared at the ceiling, listening to the sink drip… I spent my whole life learning how to love him and I never loved him more than I do today.”

The successes of On The Ropes [2016] and Me Oh My [2015] have propelled Amanda Anne Platt and The Honeycutters onto the national scene and they have been featured on NPR’s World Cafe’s Sense of Place, NPR’s Mountain Stage, Nashville’s Music City Roots, and Folk Alley and they have performed at AmericanaFest, MerleFest, and IBMA. On The Ropes debuted at #39 on iTunes Top 40 Country Chart on release day and landed on a plethora of year end lists including placing #35 on the Top 100 Albums played on Americana Radio in 2016 and landing at #1 on Western North Carolina’s WNCW Radio’s Year End Listeners Poll of Top Albums of 2016!

On The Ropes hit #11 on the EuroAmericana Chart and The UK’s Julian Piper with Acoustic Magazine says, “Amanda Platt has one of those gorgeous heartache-drenched voices that brings to mind Loretta Lynn or Sheryl Crow.”

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters plan to tour extensively in US this year and will travel to Europe for the first time in the summer. They are excited to release Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters to the world this spring!

Amanda Anne Platt and The Honeycutters on Tour
5/6 Sat – Green River Adventures – Saluda, NC
5/19 Fri – Birdfest – Pinewood, SC
5/20 Sat – Sunset Fest – Dandridge, TN
6/2 Fri – The Neighborhood Theater – Charlotte, NC ^ w/ Town Mountain
6/9-10 Fri-Sat – The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
6/17 Sat – The Ark – Ann Arbor, MI
6/21 Wed – Abilene Bar and Lounge – Rochester, NY
6/22 Thu – Sportsmen’s Tavern – Buffalo, NY
6/23 Fri – Cathedral Café – Fayetteville, WV
7/14 Fri – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA * w/ Amy Ray Band (of The Indigo Girls)
7/19 Wed – Taos Mesa Brewing – El Prado, NM
7/21 Fri – Telluride Americana Music Fest & Songwriter Showcase at Sheridan Opera House – Telluride, CO
7/22-23 Sat-Sun – Mountain Rails Live – Alamosa, CO

UK DATES
8/4 Fri – Plough Arts Centre – Great Torrington
8/5 Sat – Tumbleweed at Seven Arts – Leeds
8/6 Sun – Saltburn Arts – Saltburn-by-the-Sea
8/8 Tue – Performing Arts Centre – Kilbarchan
8/9 Wed – Private function – Edinburgh
8/10 Thu – Fringe by The Sea – North Berwick
8/11 Fri – Eastgate Theatre – Peebles
8/12 Sat – Jumpin Hot Country Cantina at Acklington Village Hall – Acklington, Northumberland
8/13 Sun – Woodend Gallery – Scarborough
8/16 Wed – Green Note – London
8/17 Thu -Union Music Store at Con Club – Lewes
8/18 Fri – Square & Compass – Worth Matravers
8/19 Sat – Town Hall Live @ Kirton in Lindesy – Lincs
8/20 Sun – American Museum – Bath (afternoon)
More USA dates TBA!

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Track Listing
1. Birthday Song 4:15
2. Long Ride 3:47
3. What We’ve Got 4:46
4. Diamond In The Rough 4:37
5. Eden 5:33
6. The Guitar Case 4:18
7. Learning How To Love Him 4:17
8. Brand New Start 3:14
9. Late Summer’s Child 3:57
10. The Good Guys (Dick Tracy) 4:38
11. Rare Thing 4:43
12. The Things We Call Home 2:39
13. The Road 2:40

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

 

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The Honeycutters Show Their Country Roots In ‘On The Ropes’ – Out Today on Organic Records

The Honeycutters, an Asheville-based American Country Roots Band,
Release 4th Studio Album, On The Ropes, May 20, 2016 on Organic Records

Now available: CD, Vinyl and Digital
iTunes, Amazon, Tower Records, and Select-O-Hits

ASHEVILLE, NC — The Honeycutters have a voice you can’t ignore; a voice of persistence, of struggle and of hope, a voice that leads the new music movement erupting out of Asheville, NC. Their new album On The Ropes is out today, May 20, 2016 on Organic Records. Nashville’s Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst says principal songwriter and frontwoman, Amanda Anne Platt “has a voice that’s complex, sweet and aching. Even more potently, she writes songs that folks are citing as up there with the best of the field, such as Mary Gauthier and Lucinda Williams.” This morning the album hit #38 on the iTunes Top 40 Country Chart and #12 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases on Folk. It is currently at #1 on the Roots Music Report’s Country Chart! and #10 on the The Alternate Root Magazine’s Roots 66 Chart!

Joining Amanda Platt to round out The Honeycutters are Rick Cooper, alternating between upright and electric bass, accentuating the band’s delve deeper into a rock sound blending with their old-school country roots attitude. Along with drummer Josh Milligan the two create a powerful pocket and groove that locks the album together, with Milligan’s vocal harmonies complementing and enhancing Platt’s lead. The pedal steel work of Matt Smith brings unexpected rock licks on an instrument traditionally reserved for a classic country sound in tracks like “Blue Besides” and “Only Eyes”. Smith also shows his prowess on electric guitar with rock, and R&B flavored runs and solos like in “Golden Child”. Tal Taylor’s mandolin cuts through with bitey, bluesy notes and fierce tremolo that pushes the instrument beyond its obvious folk appeal.

On The Ropes was produced by Amanda Anne Platt and Tim Surrett and engineered and mastered by Van Atkins at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC.

What Folks Are Saying about On The Ropes:

Amanda Anne Platt. Photo By Leah Beilhart.

“Their songwriting is first rate, their arrangements and instrumental ability in top form and with a front woman as assertive and impressive as singer Amanda Anne Platt, there’s nothing lacking in presence or execution. The songs may revolve around the need for assurance and affirmation, but clearly, Platt and her colleagues… have every contingency covered.”  ––No Depression, Lee Zimmerman

 

“Pratt is a gifted songwriter and vocalist… She has an authoritative, confident voice that can be sweet, aching, and joyous, sometimes even in the same song. Pratt’s voice and the interplay of the guitar and mandolin give this band their unique complex sound – a clear-sounding mash-up of Americana, bluegrass, folk, and honky-tonk.” ––Elmore, Jim Hynes

“On The Ropes wonderfully showcases Platt’s dazzling songwriting skills with themes of loss, loneliness, nostalgia and getting the shit kicked out of you by love. All thirteen tracks are original material, except for a fascinating cover of Leonard Cohen’s iconic “Hallelujah”, sung in a spellbinding manner and just dripping of honeysuckle and moonshine.” —That Music Mag, Jane Roser

“Amanda Anne Platt is a master songwriter, not because she finds unusual metaphors, creates cute wordplay, or buries deep psychological meaning in her lyrics, but because her songs are so effortlessly conversational. She’s like that old friend at the bar who sidles up to you real close, in your personal space, and grabs your forearm to get your attention because she really really wants to make sure you get what she’s telling you. Her songs command attention because they are so darn human you believe them.” —Americana Music Show, Calvin Powers

“On The Ropes is brimming with affecting, relatable, and on point lyrics… It’s not just Platt’s ability to tap into emotions and experiences so keenly that makes On The Ropes so special, the band’s tight musicianship brings Platt’s lyrics to new heights. Tal Taylor’s mandolin adds something special to every song as does Matt Smith’s pedal steel, dobro, and electric guitar while Rick Cooper (upright and electric bass) and Josh Milligan (drums/harmony vocal) expertly keep a precise beat.” —The Daily Country, Tara Joan

“Make no mistake, The Honeycutters are a country band in every sense of the word. They are the type of ‘country’ that has the ability to save country music radio, in the same way as Sturgill Simpson, Whitey Morgan, and Chris Stapleton. They will probably stay firmly within the Americana charts and radio promotions and do very well there, but each time I put on their album I can’t escape the heavy realization of how much country music radio needs them right now.” —Lonesone Banjo Chronicles, Brian Swenk

“While her country-flavored songs almost always tell a story, The Honeycutters’ musical approach adds a dimension to the tunes that only widens their appeal.”  —Mountain Xpress, Bill Kopp

The Honeycutters. Photo by Leah Beilhart.

“Amanda Anne Platt doesn’t sound like everyone else. Her voice has its own sweet yet strong, recognizable ring, and the songs she writes sound like old friends, yet are new and relevant.” —Asheville Citizen Times, Carol Rifkin

 

“More fans should attach themselves to her brand of poignant songwriting and Lucinda Williams-like singing… The Honeycutters aren’t like anything on today’s country music radio. The group’s music, though, is like the country music that once blared through AM radio, complete with steel guitar and a dash of Western swing.”
—Hendersonville Times News/ GoUpstate, Jason Gilmer

“This here is sawdust floor and longneck honky-tonk. North Carolina’s The Honeycutters swings gentle to and fro, with a knockout punch of steel guitar, and a rhythm section that adheres gloriously to the 2/4. This is the country music you’ve been missing. The genre’s purity gets redefined by songbird Amanda Anne Platt. It’s all around beautiful and timeless.” ––Rochester City Paper, Frank De Blase

“On The Ropes is a worthy successor to Me Oh My. It’s relatable and heart-breaking, buoyant and hopeful. The Honeycutters just keep getting better and it’s thrilling to hear it.” —Popshifter, Melissa Bratcher

“On The Ropes shows more versatility from The Honeycutters with a bit of rock and pop influence in the production, while still keeping the songs firmly planted in country music. The songs and lyrics are richer, exploring more topics, and Platt’s vocals sound as good as ever.” —Country Perspective, Derek Hudgin

“On Ropes, Platt asks the hard questions and avoids easy answers, both lyrically and musically. The pieces are familiar ones from just about any other country bar band, the pedal steel, the mandolin and guitar with touches of ‘grass, gospel and folk. Platt’s writing keeps these in play while raising the Honeycutters above the overly familiar tricks and cliches of the crowded genre. Love lost is hardly new territory, but she writes about it from a novel place.” —KRFC’s Route and Branches, Scott Foley

“All of those sad little pop singers need to get off country radio and let the Honeycutters take it from here. When I heard this album I felt the same way I felt when I first heard Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band. There’s not much of a point to making such comparisons however, because the Honeycutters are their own band… Thank god for bands like the Honeycutters, they give me faith that a group can remain true to their vision while still writing extremely memorable songs.” —Western Free Press, Skyler Miller

“There are a lot of lines that stand out, that ring true, lyrics you can hold onto.”
—Michael Doherty

“One of the best current acts to come out of Asheville is The Honeycutters, a great band ready to be discovered by the rest of America.” —Cincinnati City Beat, Derek Halsey

Song Premiere: LISTEN: The Honeycutters, “On The Ropes“ at Elmore Magazine →
“On The Ropes’ [is] a feel good barn-burner of a song that pairs Platt’s old-school country vocals with a rollicking, danceable melody. The harmonies laced throughout recall the roots tradition the band is steeped in, but the track is a radio-ready hit, dangerously catchy and perfect for when you need a little boost.”

Song Premier: LISTEN: The Honeycutters, “Blue Besides” at The Bluegrass Situation → www.thebluegrasssituation.com/read/listen-honeycutters-blue-besides

Listen in to The Honeycutters’ World Cafe appearance at http://bit.ly/TheHoneycutters_WorldCafe.

More info, tourdates and updates at www.TheHoneycutters.com, www.facebook.com/Honeycutters, and twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

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The Honeycutters Poised to Release 4th Studio Album, On The Ropes, May 20th on Organic Records

The Honeycutters, an Asheville-based American Country Roots Band,
Release 4th Studio Album, On The Ropes,
May 20, 2016 on Organic Records

A Special Vinyl Edition On The Ropes Featured as a National Release
for Record Store Week in partnership with Select-O-Hits
on ‘Vinyl Tuesday’ April 12th

Pre-order starting April 1st at iTunes
Get the vinyl at Tower Records, Select-O-Hits, and Amazon

Tune into NPR’s World Cafe Thursday, March 31st to hear The Honeycutters → www.worldcafe.npr.org

ASHEVILLE, NC — The Honeycutters have a voice you can’t ignore; a voice of persistence, of struggle and of hope, a voice that leads the new music movement erupting out of Asheville, NC. Poised to release their 4th studio album On The Ropes May 20, 2016 on Organic Records, Nashville’s Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst says principal songwriter and frontwoman, Amanda Anne Platt “has a voice that’s complex, sweet and aching. Even more potently, she writes songs that folks are citing as up there with the best of the field, such as Mary Gauthier and Lucinda Williams.” Along with Platt, The Honeycutters are Rick Cooper (electric and upright bass), Josh Milligan (drums and vocal harmonies), Matt Smith (pedal steel and electric guitar), and Tal Taylor (mandolin). On The Ropes was produced by Amanda Anne Platt and Tim Surrett and engineered and mastered by Van Atkins at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC.

“Fitting in at country honky-tonks and hard-scrabble bars alike, the Honeycutters have built a reputation for high energy shows coupled with tight harmonies and wistfully delicate lyrics of longing, heartbreak, and the American experience,” writes Alan Cackett (UK).

In On The Ropes Platt continues to bring songs of heartache, yearning, and comebacks using phrases so relatable you wish you had thought of them yourself, ”Love ain’t ever black and white, it’s pink and gray and blue besides” (“Blue Besides”).

Platt’s writing is always personal. The title track, “On The Ropes,” is a rally song about coming back from hard knocks. “When I’m down for the count there’s a voice I can’t ignore,” like a continuous conversation with herself, pushing her along and encouraging her to make “something out of nothing.”

In a recent interview with David Dye of the World Cafe, Dye pointed out Platt’s string of songs with ‘love gone wrong’ themes. Her response, “Doesn’t everyone have stories of love gone wrong?” Part of Amanda’s significance as a songwriter lies in her ability to write everybody’s story and allow each listener to feel it’s theirs alone. She shares songs of love and loss, songs of struggles and fears; in “The Only Eyes” Amanda writes, “If there were an easier road that wasn’t so crooked, Honey, I hope you know I would have took it.” NPR’s World Cafe, produced by XPN in Philadelphia, brought the show to Asheville’s The Grey Eagle this February for a sold out evening of entertainment including The Honeycutters in their “Sense of Place” series. The airdate for The Honeycutters’ World Cafe segment is Thursday, March 31st during the first hour of the show.

The Honeycutters. Photo by Leah Beilhart

The power of Amanda’s songwriting requires musicianship with the kind of edginess needed to match it, to cohesively surround the lyrics in just the right skin while still shining in their individual performances.

Alternating between upright and, new to this album, electric bass, Rick Cooper accentuates the band’s delve deeper into a rock sound blending with their old-school country roots attitude. Along with drummer Josh Milligan the two create a powerful pocket and groove that locks the album together, with Milligan’s vocal harmonies complementing and enhancing Platt’s lead. The pedal steel work of Matt Smith brings unexpected rock licks on an instrument traditionally reserved for a classic country sound in tracks like “Blue Besides” and “Only Eyes”. Smith also shows his prowess on electric guitar with rock, and R&B flavored runs and solos like in “Golden Child”. Tal Taylor’s mandolin cuts through with bitey, bluesy notes and fierce tremolo that pushes the instrument beyond its obvious folk appeal.

On The Ropes has thirteen tracks of all original material with the exception of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” a song Amanda has been playing since before she moved to Asheville. She says, “We’ve had a number of people ask us to record our version, so here ’tis.”  Special guests on the album include Amanda’s father Mark Platt on harmonica, Jeff Collins on piano, and Jason Webb on Hammond B-3 Organ. “The Handbook” features the lovely ladies of Sweet Claudette on vocals: Dulci Ellenberger, Melissa Hyman, and Amber L. Sims.

A special vinyl edition of On the Ropes will be released April 12, 2016 on Vinyl Tuesday, as a featured national release for Record Store Week. This will include a double album released through Organic Records®’ national distribution partner Select-O-Hits. This vinyl album will be made available to independent record stores throughout the country in time for Record Store Day on April 16th. Vinyl Mastering by Scott Barnett at Crossroads Studios / Arden, NC and Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl, Memphis, TN.

On The Ropes builds on the critical success of The Honeycutters breakout album Me Oh My [Organic Records 2015], which appeared on over twenty “2015 Year End Lists” including nods from No Depression, “It’s the type of country music you’d play on the jukebox and take a spin on a red dirt floor” and Cleveland Scene, “an upbeat symphony of regret, redemption and resurgence.” The album was voted #3 on WNCW’s Top 100 Listeners Poll (Under Jason Isbell and Alabama Shakes), listed in NPR’s Folk Alley’s Top 50, and was one of KBCS’s “Most Played Albums of 2015.”

In their “50 Essential Albums for 2015” list, Saving Country Music writes, “Me Oh My is the 14-song testament that you sense could be the centerpiece of her career when it’s all said and done… This is a band, an album, and a songwriter that both the Americana and country world should pay greater attention to.” Me Oh My launched The Honeycutters onto the national stage, bringing along an army of fans with them. Don’t blink now, they’re coming back for more.

It has been said that overnight success is a result of long time dedication and hard work. Amanda writes, in “Golden Child,” her love letter to the music industry, “Now I don’t mind if it takes a little time, when it comes to waiting I’ve been practicing for years.”

On The Ropes – Track Listing
1. On the Ropes
2. Blue Besides
3. Golden Child
4. The Handbook
5. The Only Eyes
6. Back Row
7. Useless Memories
8. Piece of Heaven
9. Let’s Get Drunk
10. 500 Pieces
11. Ache
12. Hallelujah
13. Barmaid’s Blues

Stay tuned to www.TheHoneycutters.com for tour dates and more news about their upcoming Spring 2016 album release on Organic Records!

For news from the road, please visit www.facebook.com/Honeycutters and twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

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The Honeycutters Debut Music Video for “Jukebox,” A Swingin’ Honky Tonk Anthem

The Honeycutters Debut Music Video for “Jukebox,”
A Swingin’ Honky Tonk Anthem

ASHEVILLE, NC — The Honeycutters recently filmed a music video for their original song “Jukebox” at the historical and eclectic Town Pump Tavern in Black Mountain, NC, just east of their hometown of Asheville. Folk Alley premiered the video and writes of it, “The jolly, honky-tonk rhythm of the song underscores the sweet plaintiveness of Platt’s voice…until it doesn’t. As she steps up on to the stage to join the band, her smile wide, her voice big and bright, she and the other musicians seem to be in perfect sync, swinging, swaying and encouraging the whole of the bar to join in and look ahead to the brighter side of life.”

“Jukebox” is the lead track and perfect introduction to their new album Me Oh My [Organic Records® April 2015], an album which is threaded with themes of love, loss, acceptance and regrowth. “‘Jukebox’ features a woman done with waiting to fully live and imploring her partner to come along and make some magic with her, ‘I’m going dancin’, you comin’ or not? Take a chance on me daddy, this may be all we got,’” writes Front Row Focus’ Beth Baldino. “And in a line that reflects an overarching theme running throughout the album, ‘no use asking why, songbirds just ain’t built to fly, but sooner or later we all have to try.’ In other words, don’t dwell on why it’s taken us this long, it’s about time for us to shine.”

The Honeycutters. Photo by Sandlin Gaither.

The Honeycutters are fueled by the powerful songwriting and vocals of founder Amanda Platt who is also the album producer, band leader, and principal creative force behind the group. With songs that are honest and relatable, part chagrin and part hope, Platt’s voice carries a timeless appeal shaped by a raw honesty that comes straight from the heart and emits a sort of melancholy happiness. Joining Platt in The Honeycutters are Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro.

The Honeycutters set out to visually tell the story of “Jukebox” by calling in a cast of friends and cohorts, as well as a few actors from the area, to spend a day filming in the perfect locale of this well-worn honky-tonk tavern. The video was directed and produced by Ty Gilpin, Senior Director of Marketing at Organic Records.

The visuals lead the viewer through an entire transformation. In this rustic and sleepy bar, Amanda plays the role of the bartender. She drops a quarter in the jukebox and starts washing the bar and dreamily singing while a few desolate souls sit and drink. She has a heart to heart with a couple of them, reminding that the music is on and begins to dance with a lonely man and woman, in turn, as she gets to the lyrics, “It’s only a song, so for heaven’s sake won’t you sing along?”

The band has entered the bar by then, set up, and is playing. An excited fan who peers through the window likes what he sees, so he calls in a whole crowd to come in and dance. As The Honeycutters get to the line, “Sooner or later we all have to try,” Amanda’s character shifts her own energy and the scene flashes to her on the stage performing. The leading male and female, no longer in despair, start dancing. The color is brighter; everyone is there; the bar is full of happy people spinning and cowboy boots kicking. Flash back to the first bar scene and the couple is now slow dancing peacefully with just a few others in the bar. They found their place in the music.

For making the “Jukebox” video possible, The Honeycutters send a special thanks to the Town Pump Tavern and their staff, Ty Gilpin (Producer/Director), John Litschke (Director of Photography/J. Martin Productions, Inc.), Dan Burke (Videographer/Lighting), Michael Hendrix (Videographer/Media Management), Don Talley (Associate Producer), Adam Foster (Jib Operator/Lighting/Production Assistant), Katie Kasben (Makeup/Stylist), singer-songwriter Lance Mills (Male Lead and a friend of band), and female lead Deena Wade (NYS3 – The Meisner Conservatory for the Southeast Graduate).

“Their music is the kind that you’d want to play on a jukebox in a bar, if bars still had jukeboxes.” No Depression’s Amos Perrine writes, “You can sit in a booth with a beer and a tear or stretch out and take a twirl with some like-minded stranger. And their new album is one of the year’s best.”

What Folks Are Saying about “Jukebox”

“From the first track – ‘Jukebox’ – to the closer (‘A Life For You’) this is a perfect album of tunes that – in most cases will have you dancing around the room (or at least tapping your toes)”
—Amazon, Steve Ramm

“Frontwoman Amanda Anne Platt writes potently vivid narratives that mine the underside of hardscrabble rural America: her characters are people we all know…, Jukebox, sets the tone, a swaying midtempo number with a cajoling cynicism: it’s sort of a ‘better enjoy this because this might be all we’ve got’ scenario.” —New York Daily News, Delarue

“When I first heard the opening track ‘Jukebox’, I thought ‘how did my Patsy Cline CD get in there?’… It’s a fun, toe-tapping honky tonk anthem…”
––That Music Mag, Jane Roser

“Not taking things too seriously is the theme of opening track ‘Jukebox,’ which immediately draws you into a place where you’ll remain throughout the record. The title track comments on the state of the modern woman.”
—The Daily Country, Tara Joan

“From the very first track, ‘Jukebox,’ Platt’s words will have listeners hooked on the entire album. ‘Don’t go calling me the angel on your doorstep/Cause I fell just like all the rest/I was too broke down to fly.’ These lyrics in ‘Jukebox’ are sure to grab the hearts of listeners and force them to clear their schedules just to finish the record. If the first track doesn’t leave listeners in tears by the end, the opening lines of the third song, ‘Me Oh My,’ will.”
—The Daily Lobo, Skylar Griego (New Mexico)

“Me Oh My… damn near beats anything coming out of Nashville these days. Singer/songwriter/producer Amanda Anne Platt is an irresistible and irrepressible force of nature. It’s all so authentic, organic, acoustic, sprightly, lively, lyrically profound and catchy that—when buoyed by Tal Taylor on mandolin and Matt Smith on pedal steel, electric guitar and dobro—you can’t get these songs out of your head. ‘Jukebox’ should be the obvious single… Americana comes up aces here.”
—The Aquarian’s Rant N Roll, Mike Greenblatt

“‘Jukebox’ is on a different plane, as country as anything you would have heard on the radio back in the day.”
—Lonesome Road Review, Larry Stephens

“The Honeycutters are a combo of supremely talented and empathetic musicians, fully committed to her vision. Whether driving and seasoning with pedal steel and brass the gently swinging honky-tonk of ‘Jukebox’, or creating the ideal atmosphere for the eye-opening dramatic desolation and stoic acceptance of life’s travails in the title track, they are indispensable. Their vocal harmonies, too, multiply the emotional effect of Amanda’s narratives.”
—No Depression, Amos Perrine

For more information about The Honeycutters & further tour dates, visit: www.thehoneycutters.com. For news from the road, visit www.facebook.com/Honeycutters and twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

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The Honeycutters Announce ‘Me Oh My’ 2015 Summer Tour

The Honeycutters Announce ‘Me Oh My’ 2015 Summer Tour

Asheville-based American Country Roots Band, The Honeycutters,
Released 3rd Studio Album, Me Oh My, With Organic Records

“…Platt’s songwriting could be placed in the exceptional category, at least from the evidence Me Oh My presents in her favor. It’s not just the sorrow and sincerity, it’s the insight and  the resonance. Songs like ‘All You Ever’ and ‘Not That Simple’ exemplify this top shelf quality to her music, while the mood of Me Oh My very much takes on the perspective of a young woman moving ever so closer to middle age, and mindful of not just the changes in herself, but in the world as it reflects back on her.”
—Saving Country Music

ASHEVILLE, NC — The Honeycutters, an Asheville, NC-based original country roots band, released their third studio album, Me Oh My, on April 21, 2015 with Organic Records® and is thrilled to announce their 2015 summer tour.

They kick off the tour in the south and have an appearance on WDVX’s Tennessee Shines in Knoxville on July 1st airing worldwide at 7pm CT at WDVX.com, followed by a show on the 3rd at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC with Greensky Bluegrass. They travel west for a several shows with stops in Kansas City, Colorado’s Front Range, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, Kansas and Arkansas. After a short break, picking back up again for further shows in the southern region including a performance at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, TN in mid August.

Fueled by the powerful songwriting and vocals of founder Amanda Anne Platt, Me Oh My moves her into the spotlight as producer, band leader, and principal creative force behind the band. With songs that are honest and relatable, part chagrin and part hope, Platt’s voice carries a timeless appeal.

Along with Amanda Platt, The Honeycutters include Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith rounds out the band on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro to create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as in a church or a theater. Platt’s songs are shaped by a raw honesty that comes straight from the heart and emits a sort of melancholy happiness.

The Honeycutters on Tour with Me Oh My
6/26 Fri – Transylvania County Library – Brevard, NC
7/1 Wed – WDVX’s Tennessee Shines @ Boyd’s Jig and Reel – Knoxville, TN
7/3 Fri – US National Whitewater Center – Charlotte, NC &
7/9 Thu – Knuckleheads Saloon – Kansas City, MO
7/10 Fri – Tuft Theatre – Denver, CO
7/11 Sat – Peak Performances @ Copper Mountain Resort – Copper Mountain, CO
7/12  Sun – Woody Creek Community Center – Woody Creek, CO
7/14 Tue – Low Spirits Bar & Stage – Albuquerque, NM
7/15 Wed – The Blue Door – Oklahoma City, OK
7/16 Thu – George’s Majestic Lounge – Fayetteville, AR
7/17 Fri – Lakewood House Concerts – Pittsburg, KS
7/18 Sat – Stickyz Rock’N’Roll Chicken Shack – Little Rock, AR < 7/24 Fri – Conundrum Music Hall – West Columbia, SC 7/25 Sat – The Pour House – Charleston, SC >
8/9 Sun – Birthplace of Country Music Museum – Bristol, TN
8/14 Fri – The Crown at the Carolina Theatre – Greensboro, NC
8/21 Fri – Summer Tracks Rogers Park Amphitheater – Tryon, NC
8/22 Sat- Cataloochee Ranch – Maggie Valley, NC
10/1 Thu – The Albino Skunk Festival – Greer, SC
12/4 Fri – Manhattan Arts Center – Manhattan, KS
12/5 Sat – The Stage at KDHX – St Louis, MO

& w/ Greensky Bluegrass
< w/ Mountain Sprout > w/ The High Divers and Avi Jacob

For more information about The Honeycutters and further tour dates to be announced, please visit: www.thehoneycutters.com. For news from the road, please visit www.facebook.com/Honeycutters and twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

What Folks Are Saying about Me Oh My:

“Vocalist Amanda Platt has a voice that’s complex, sweet and aching. Even more potently, she writes songs that folks are citing as up there with the best of the field, such as Mary Gauthier and Lucinda Williams.” —Craig Havighurst, Music City Roots

“There are a lot of worthy and compelling Americana singer-songsters and bands out there right now, it’s a rich landscape. But The Honeycutters, fronted by Amanda Platt is surely a wonder to behold. The band just sounds so darn good and makes a style of country music that always makes me feel good, even when it’s so melancholy. I think Amanda has something to teach us about the economy of words, the magic of a good melody and the satisfaction of an aching and honest vocal.” —Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls

“With singer/songwriter — and, now, producer — Amanda Anne Platt at the helm, the group puts their own spin on an old form. Sure, there’s a timeless quality to honest songs done up by a bunch of great players… there’s also a freshness to it.” —Folk Alley First Listen, Kelly McCartney

“It’s easy to think of Mags Bennett, the character played by Margo Martindale on TV’s Justified, when listening to Amanda Anne Platt front North Carolina quartet the Honeycutters. Steadfast, independent and all woman…” –-Pop Matters, Eric Risch

“Me Oh My, an extremely balanced album in terms of tempo and theme, merges Americana, roots, country and even honky tonk into a delightfully unique combination. It’s a highly recommended, refreshing and enjoyable listen from the first track to the last.” —The Daily Country, Tara Joan

“Me Oh My… is a like a time machine on a shiny disc; classic, old-timey country and folk tunes with catchy melodies and lyrics that drip in poetry.”  ––That Music Mag, Jane Roser

“Platt’s rootsy sense of melody and strong lyrical instincts are heard throughout Me Oh My, with the inviting southern swing of ‘Jukebox’ and the ballad title track serving as particular stand-outs.” —Alex Biese, Asbury Park Press

 

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Watch The Honeycutters Live from WNCW’s Studio B – Songs From New Album ‘ Me Oh My’

The Honeycutters, an Asheville, NC-based original country roots band, released their third studio album, Me Oh My, on April 21, 2015 with Organic Records®. Fueled by the powerful songwriting and vocals of founder Amanda Platt, Me Oh My moves her into the spotlight as producer, band leader, and principal creative force behind the band. With songs that are honest and relatable, part chagrin and part hope, Platt’s voice carries a timeless appeal. Led by songwriter Amanda Anne Platt, The Honeycutters include Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith rounds out the band on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro.

“Amanda Anne Platt is easily one of the best songwriters coming out of Western NC these days, and she really needs to be discovered by the national Americana world.” Martin Anderson, the Music Director at WNCW goes on to say, “You can’t get much more Asheville than … Appalachian honkytonk band The Honeycutters … they recorded at Echo Mountain and Mixtown Studios there, and mixed and mastered Me Oh My at Crossroads Studios in Arden, where their label Organic Records is based.

The Honeycutters were recently in Studio B for a radio session around the new album, and WNCW got it all on video. Check them out below.

WNCW – Jukebox

WNCW – Interview following Jukebox:

WNCW – Texas 81:

WNCW – Interview following Texas 81

WNCW – All You Ever:

WNCW – Interview following All You Ever:

WNCW – Lucky:

For more information about The Honeycutters and tour dates, please visit: www.thehoneycutters.com. For news from the road, please visit www.facebook.com/Honeycutters and twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

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Donna the Buffalo, The Honeycutters, and Savannah Smith at MerleFest This Weekend!

We’re so excited about MerleFest this year!
Dreamspider Publicity’s Erin Scholze will be on site all weekend representing a few fine acts including
Donna the Buffalo, The Honeycutters, and Savannah Smith.
All three acts are available for onsite interviews, pending timing.
We hope you are able to catch their sets!
Times and stages, as well as a bit more about each are posted below.
Cheers & see you at the fest!

Donna the Buffalo

Donna the Buffalo

MERLEFEST APPEARANCES
Dance Tent
Thursday 10pm-11:30pm
Americana Stage
Friday 12:15pm- 1pm
Watson Stage
Friday 3:15pm-4:15pm
Hillside Stage
Saturday 11am- 11:45am
Dance Tent
Saturday 5pm-6pm

Donna the Buffalo just passed the marker as their 25th year as a band and have proven to be a consistent purveyor of American music. What’s the recipe? To be sure, it’s infused with more spices than you’ll find at a Cajun cookout by way of a southern-fried, rockin’ country old-time jamboree. “For the dizzying array of styles and genres with which they work, Donna The Buffalo maintain a surprising level of consistency. The New York-based band has played around with folk, zydeco, and many other musical ideas over the course of their 25-year career, but they retain a sharp focus that has helped them create some truly lasting music,” writes Elmore Magazine.

Donna the Buffalo is Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard) joined by David McCracken (Hammond organ, Honer Clavinet & piano), Kyle Spark (bass) and Mark Raudabaugh (drums). “It’s been really fun with this lineup,” Puryear says. “You get to the point where you’re playing on a really high level, things are clicking and it’s like turning on the key to a really good car. It just goes.”

“Donna The Buffalo is from central New York state, not Louisiana, but this widely loved quintet has woven that joyful, hip-shaking zydeco pulse into the DNA of its sound, and leaders Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins have wrapped that core vibe with hopeful, mellow lyrics.” –Craig Havighurst, Music City Roots

The Honeycutters

The Honeycutters

MERLEFEST APPEARANCES
Creekside Stage
Friday 10:45am- 11:30am
Americana Stage
Friday 2:45pm- 3:30pm
Austin Stage in Alumni Hall
Friday 9:15pm-9:30pm
Songwriter’s Coffeehouse with Amanda Platt

The Honeycutters, an Asheville, NC-based original country roots band, is set to release their third studio album, Me Oh My, on April 21, 2015 with Organic Records®. Fueled by the powerful songwriting and vocals of founder Amanda Platt, Me Oh My moves her into the spotlight as producer, band leader, and principal creative force behind the band. With songs that are honest and relatable, part chagrin and part hope, Platt’s voice carries a timeless appeal.

Led by songwriter Amanda Anne Platt, The Honeycutters include Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith rounds out the band on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro to create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as in a church or a theater. Platt’s songs are shaped by a raw honesty that comes straight from the heart and emits a sort of melancholy happiness.

“Vocalist Amanda Platt has a voice that’s complex, sweet and aching. Even more potently, she writes songs that folks are citing as up there with the best of the field, such as Mary Gauthier and Lucinda Williams.”
–Craig Havighurst, Music City Root

Savannah Smith

Savannah Smith
MERLEFEST APPEARANCE
Friday at 2pm for the contest on the Austin Stage in Alumni Hall

Newcomer Savannah Smith, originally from Tupelo, brings North Mississippi soul to whatever stage she graces. Her original songs and their heartfelt melodies evoke emotions usually associated with more seasoned writers. Savannah is poised and ready to be the next important female singer/songwriter to come from the talent rich region of Western North Carolina!

Be on the lookout for Savannah’s new project, recorded at the prestigious Echo Mountain studios in Asheville, NC. You don’t wanna miss this talented young artist perform!

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The Honeycutters Release ‘Me Oh My’ on April 21 Through Organic Records

Asheville-based American Country Roots Band, The Honeycutters,
Set to Release 3rd Studio Album, Me Oh My, on Tue, April 21, 2015
With Organic Record Company

Me Oh My Pre-sales Begin Tuesday, February 17th on iTunes
Pre-sale orders include two immediate tracks for download

The Honeycutters, an Asheville, NC-based original country roots band, is set to release their third studio album, Me Oh My, on April 21, 2015 with Organic Records®. Led by songwriter Amanda Anne Platt, The Honeycutters include Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith rounds out the band on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro to create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as in a church or a theater. Fueled by the powerful songwriting and vocals of founder Amanda Platt, Me Oh My moves her into the spotlight as producer, band leader, and principal creative force behind the band. With songs that are honest and relatable, part chagrin and part hope, Platt’s voice carries a timeless appeal. Pre-sales for the album start Tuesday, February 17th on iTunes and includes two immediate tracks to download.

The Honeycutters are (right to left)
Matt Smith, Josh Milligan, Rick Cooper,
Amanda Anne Platt & Tal Taylor.
Photo by Sandlin Gaither.

“The new album is the one I’m most proud of to date.” Platt says, “I took much more of a driver’s seat in it’s making, and the process has forced me to do a lot of growing up… I feel like I’ve really found my voice. I’m very excited about the line up of the band, and the songwriting includes some of my very favorites.” Platt self produced the album along with the help of engineer and assistant producer Jon Ashley. They laid down the all original 14-track album in Echo Mountain Recording Studio and Mixtown Studio in Asheville, NC and it was mixed and mastered just down the road at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC.

Me Oh My is threaded with themes of love, loss, acceptance and regrowth. It kicks off with an engaging southern swingin’ song, “Jukebox,” that is about taking life one day at a time and not taking yourself too seriously saying “it’s only a song, so for heaven’s sake won’t you sing along?” The title cut is an inspirational anthem about the state of the modern woman, stating, “Some girls marry and some girls wait.” Me Oh My brings more of what fans love about The Honeycutters, honestly written songs sung in Platt’s authentic voice. The up-tempo, beer-raising, danceable “Ain’t It The Truth” is one that will fuel audiences at live shows while melancholy ballads like “Texas ’81” balance the album both in meter and mood. The upbeat “I’ll Be Lovin’ You” as a whole speaks to holding someone up until they are strong enough to stand on their own. Me Oh My delves deeper into the darker realms of love with “Little Bird” which gained Platt notoriety as it was chosen as a finalist at MerleFest’s prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (2011).

Special guests on the album include Phil Cook on piano and organ, Aaron Wood on Telecaster, Peter James on Telecaster, Will Straughan (Red June) on harmony vocals and resonator guitar, Mica Hanks electric guitar, Evan Bradford on trumpet, and Amanda’s father Mark Platt on harmonica.

Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst calls The Honeycutters “… just superb, with a sweet toned and melodious aura… Today’s Smoky Mountain area modern folk thing does have a certain vibe, and these guys are among its finest purveyors.” Folk Music About.com’s Kim Ruehl wrote, “Their music embodies a very catchy, accessible, optimistic sort of spirit so frequently lacking in folk circles (where brooding, hyper-analytical music reigns supreme). What’s more, like Carolina Story, they’re a great band replete with tasty harmonies.”

They’ll celebrate Me Oh My with an album release tour which is soon to be announced as well as a hometown album release party at Isis Music Hall in Asheville on April 17th. They are also set to perform at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC the weekend of the release date.

In both her simple composition and honest delivery it’s easy to hear the influence of country legends such as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, or Loretta Lynn, and with this Miss Platt credits growing up listening to her Father’s extensive record collection every Saturday morning. Despite her love for classic country, Platt cites Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty as major influences and her songwriting carries a wit and an edge that plants her firmly in her generation.

The Honeycutters formed in 2007 in Asheville, NC, the town they still call home, and had quick success with their first release Irene (2009). Me Oh My is the highly anticipated follow up to the 2012’s When Bitter Met Sweet. Each album has helped to grow grow their audience and expand their tours to include notable appearances at MerleFest, Suwannee Springfest, Strawberry Music Festival, Vancouver Island Music Fest, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Folk Alliance, Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Fest and the Nelsonville Music Festival. They have also performed alongside esteemed musicians Guy Clark, Tony Rice, The Seldom Scene, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Amy Ray, Donna the Buffalo, Jill Andrews, and The Steep Canyon Rangers.

For more information about The Honeycutters and their tour dates, please visit: www.thehoneycutters.com. For news from the road, please visit www.facebook.com/Honeycutters and twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

The Honeycutters on Tour
2/12 Thu – Willie’s Locally Known – Lexington, KY
2/18 Wed – Music City Roots – Nashville, TN
2/19 Thu – Old Rock House – St. Louis, MO
3/13 Fri-  Mudville Music Room – Jacksonville, FL
3/14 Sat – Music Under the Moss – Panama City, FL
4/2 Thu – Robert Ferst Center For The Arts – Atlanta, GA
4/3 Fri – Mars Theatre – Springfield, GA
4/17 Fri – Isis Music Hall – Asheville, NC
4/18 Sat – Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival – Silk Hope, NC
4/24 Fri – MerleFest – Wilkesboro, NC
More dates TBA

Organic Records® is an eclectic home for a variety of artists that are singularly unique and defy categorization. In a time when music is becoming less defined by genre, Organic artists are developing their own  musical identity outside the confines of traditional classifications. Organic Records® is their natural habitat. Organic Records® is a division of Crossroads® Entertainment & Marketing and is located in Arden, North Carolina. More information can be found at www.organic-records.com.

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The Honeycutters Sign with Organic Records; New Album Slated for Spring 2015

The Honeycutters Sign with Organic Records Front to back & left to right: Ty Gilpin (Organic Records), Amanada Anne Platt, Erin Scholze (Dreamspider Publicity), Tal Taylor, Josh Milligan, Rick Cooper, Matt Smith

The Honeycutters Sign with Organic Records
New Album Slated for Spring 2015
www.thehoneycutters.com

The Honeycutters, an Asheville, NC based original country roots band, has signed an exclusive recording contract with Organic Records®. The band led a successful Kickstarter campaign raising $31,317 to help fund their third studio album. They have laid down the tracks in Echo Mountain Recording Studio in Asheville and are mastering it over at Crossroads Studios in Arden. The album is slated for release in the spring of 2015.

Led by songwriter Amanda Anne Platt, The Honeycutters include Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith rounding out Platt’s songs on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro to create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as in a church or a theater. Platt’s songs are shaped by a raw honesty that comes straight from the heart and emits a sort of melancholy happiness.

“We’re very excited to be joining the Organic family!” says Platt. “We’ve been considering going with a label to help us grow, and it feels right to team up with one that is based in Asheville. Keepin’ it local. We want to keep the music coming, and believe the Organic folks are just the guys to help us do that.”

“The Honeycutters fit perfectly with Organic, where we love to support and promote great original music,” said Organic Records Marketing Director Ty Gilpin. “They are super talented players and Amanda is a songwriting and singing tour de force. They are hard-working, dedicated to the music and great people to boot!”

The band is frequently mentioned along with the movement to “Take country music back to it’s roots.” The Honeycutters are just doing what they know how to do: making music that feels as good to hear as it does to play.

“The new album is the one I’m most proud of to date.” Platt goes on to say, “I took much more of a driver’s seat in it’s making, and the process has forced me to do a lot of growing up… I feel like I’ve really found my voice. I’m very excited about the line up of the band, and the songwriting includes some of my very favorites.”

The soon-to-be-titled release is slated to drop in April with an album release party in Asheville along with a release tour to be announced. They are also scheduled to appear at MerleFest that same month.

The Honeycutters formed in 2007 in Asheville, the town they still call home, and had quick success with their first release Irene (2009). That release and their sophomore effort When Bitter Met Sweet (2012) grew their audience to help expand their tours to include notable appearances at MerleFest, Suwannee Springfest, Strawberry Music Festival, Vancouver Island Music Fest, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Fest and the Nelsonville Music Festival. They have also performed alongside esteemed musicians Guy Clark, Tony Rice, The Seldom Scene, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Amy Ray, Donna The Buffalo, Jill Andrews, and The Steep Canyon Rangers.

Amanda Anne Platt has been hailed as “easily one of the best songwriters coming out of WNC these days” by WNCW programming director Martin Anderson, who goes on to state, “and she really needs to be discovered by the national Americana world.” In both her simple composition and honest delivery it’s easy to hear the influence of country legends such as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, or Loretta Lynn, and with this Miss Platt credits growing up listening to her Father’s extensive record collection every Saturday morning. Despite her love for classic country, she cites Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty as major influences and her songwriting carries a wit and an edge that plants her firmly in her generation.

For a sampling of The Honeycutters’ previous releases and some live mixes, visit: http://noisetrade.com/thehoneycutters/noisetrade-mixtape.

For more information about the Honeycutters and their tour dates, please visit: www.thehoneycutters.com.

 

The Good Word About The Honeycutters:

“I recommend the Honeycutters not only because they’re some of the best my hometown of Asheville, NC, has to offer. Their music embodies a very catchy, accessible, optimistic sort of spirit so frequently lacking in folk circles (where brooding, hyper-analytical music reigns supreme). What’s more, like Carolina Story, they’re a great band replete with tasty harmonies.”
—Kim Ruehl, Folk Music About.com

“They’ve got a sound as classic as grits… I thought of those country songs that play on those diner jukeboxes you see in movies.”
—Charlotte’s Creative Loafing

“… just superb, with a sweet toned and melodious aura that put me in mind of the erstwhile everybodyfields. Today’s Smoky Mountain area modern folk thing does have a certain vibe, and these guys are among its finest purveyors. Happily, after three floaty and beautiful songs the band shifted into a hard Memphis vibe with ‘Fancy Car.’ It was a car song disguised as a train song, with a rolling rock beat.. Great stuff.” —Craig Havighurst, Senior Producer, Music City Roots

***************************************************

Label: Ty Gilpin, Senior Director of Marketing for Organic Records ty.gilpin@crossroadsmusic.com
Booking: John Everhart, KCA Artists john@keithcase.com
Publicity: Erin Scholze, Dreamspider Publicity dreamspider@gmail.com

Organic Records® is an eclectic home for a variety of artists that are singularly unique and defy categorization. In a time when music is becoming less defined by genre, Organic artists are developing their own  musical identity outside the confines of traditional classifications. Organic Records® is their natural habitat. Organic Records® is a division of Crossroads® Entertainment & Marketing and is located in Arden, North Carolina. More information can be found at www.organic-records.com.

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