Town Mountain & Vocalist Robert Greer Win Two IBMA Momentum Awards

Town Mountain & Lead Vocalist Robert Greer
Win Two IBMA Momentum Awards
Performance, Vocalist – Robert Greer, Town Mountain
Performance, Band – Town Mountain

“A stone gem” –Mike Greenblatt, Aquarian Weekly

“Rollicking straight-ahead fare, proto-rock, neo-trad country and jaunty boho picking” –Jewly Hight, Nashville Scene

Congratulations to Town Mountain and their lead vocalist Robert Greer on winning 2013 IBMA Momentum Awards. Robert Greer brings home the Momentum Award for “Vocalist of the Year” and Town Mountain is awarded the honor for “Performance Band of the Year.”  The awards cap off a year of fantastic growth for the band which began with the release of their sophomore Pinecastle Records album, Leave the Bottle. The band is pumped for next year and kicks off festival season with performances at Mountain Song at Sea, Wintergrass, Suwannee Springfest, MerleFest and others to be announced.

Based in Asheville, NC, Town Mountain is Robert Greer on vocals and guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, and Jake Hopping on upright bass.

One listen to their instantly memorable songs, and it’s plain to see why Grammy-winner Mike Bub would align with the group to produce Leave the Bottle as well as Steady Operator [2011]. Leave the Bottle effortlessly covers a wide array of styles in the string band spectrum featuring the stellar in-house songwriting that has become the band’s trademark. There’s the barroom swagger and honky tonk edge of tracks like “Up the Ladder” and the title track “Leave the Bottle”, the Jimmy Martin style bounce and confidence of “Lawdog” and “Lookin’ in the Mirror”, the Irish flavor of Bobby Britt’s “Four Miles”, and the laid back John Hartford style groove of “Greenbud on the Flower” among others. But no matter the style, the band’s delivery gives every tune a true and honest feel. The album went on to be listed as #6 Best Bluegrass Album of 2012 by Pop Matters, and WNCW listeners voted it #19 in the Top 100 albums of 2012. They will be working on a new album in the winter of 2014. Stay tuned to their website for more details.

“I’m not sure what the definition of bluegrass would be in words alone, but if that definition was set to music, it would probably sound something like Town Mountain’s Leave the Bottle… I could go on,” says Bluegrass Today’s David Morris, “There are no duds, and no filler songs on this project. But you get the point. This, my friends, is how bluegrass is supposed to sound.”

The Momentum Awards focus on artists and business people who are in the early years of their careers in bluegrass music. Five artists will receive performance awards, while three industry awards will go to key contributors in the bluegrass business. The Momentum Awards are not to be confused with the long-standing IBMA Awards, which are the gold standard for peer-recognized excellence in bluegrass music. The Momentum Awards will acknowledge something undeniable about bluegrass music—that many of its most dynamic artists and entrepreneurs are young or relatively new to the genre, and there are perhaps more artists playing bluegrass or bluegrass-related music than at any time in decades. IBMA looks forward to recognizing the best of them.

IBMA Momentum Awards are intended to encourage professionalism in bluegrass music among every generation. For more info, please visit the IBMA website at www.ibma.org.

More information as well as their complete tour schedule and updates from the road are available at at TownMountain.net and facebook.com/TownMountain.

Town Mountain On Tour:
Sat 10/12 Chapel Hill, CO – Private Event
Thu 10/17 Johnson City, TN –  The Down Heme
Sat 10/19 Carbondale, IL – Hangar 9
Fri 10/18 Lexington, KY – Natasha’s Bistro & Bar
Sun 10/20 Owensboro, KY – Bluegrass Music Museum
Thu 10/24 Oxford, MS – Thacker Mountain Radio
Thu 10/24 Oxford, MS – Lamar Lounge
Fri 10/25 Lafayette, LA – Downtown Alive
Sat 10/26 Lafayette, LA – Black Pot
Sun 10/27 Mobile, AL – Callaghan’s Irish Social Club
Fri 12/13 Raleigh, NC – The Pour House Music Hall
Sat 12/14 Harrisonburg, VA – The Clementine Cafe
Fri 1/31 Smyrna, GA – Acoustic Oaks House Concert
Sat 2/1 Savannah, GA – Randy Wood Guitars
Mon- Fri 2 /3-7 Bahamas – Mountain Song at Sea
Thu 2/26 Bellingham, WA – The Green Frog
Fri 2/27 Bellevue, WA – Wintergrass
Fri 3/21 Live Oak, FL – Suwannee Springfest
Sat 4/26 Wilkesboro – Merlefest
Fri 5/9 Aiken, SC – Aiken Bluegrass Festival

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Town Mountain Showcases Their Hot New Release, Leave the Bottle, at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, September 24 – 27th, 2012

“I’m not sure what the definition of bluegrass would be in words alone, but if that definition was set to music, it would probably sound something like Town Mountain’s new Pinecastle Records release, Leave the Bottle… I could go on. There are no duds, and no filler songs on this project, which was produced by Mike Bub. But you get the point.

This, my friends, is how bluegrass is supposed to sound.”

—David Morris, Bluegrass Today

www.TownMountain.net

 

Town Mountain IBMA Showcase Schedule

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Tues, Sept 25th  4pm  WAMU LIVE

NCC, Rm. 107

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Tues, Sept 25th  10:15pm  Pinecastle Records/ Mountain Music Entertainment  

Jacks BBQ, 416 Broadway

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Tues, Sept 25th  Midnight/ 12am Quicksilver Productions Showcase

NCC, Rm. 213

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Wed, Sept 26th  11:35pm  Acoustic Trail Showcase 

Renaissance Ste. 2104

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Asheville, NC’s Bluegrass Band Town Mountain is touring the country around their fourth album, Leave the Bottle [Released September 4, 2012]. Town Mountain is Phil Barker on mandolin & vocals, Robert Greer on lead vocals & guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo & vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, and Jon Stickley on bass, guitar & vocals.

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One listen to their instantly memorable songs, and it’s plain to see why Grammy-winner Mike Bub would align with the group to produce Leave the Bottle as well as 2011’s Steady Operator, both through Pinecastle Records. Banjo player extraordinaire and longtime member of the Sam Bush Band, Scott Vestal, also joined the team by engineering the new album, which was recorded at Digital Underground Studio in Nashville, TN.

“Town Mountain’s impeccable bluegrass credentials are obvious on every cut – strong heartfelt vocals combine with clean, well articulated instrumentals to make powerful straight-ahead original bluegrass.” —Steven Stone, Audiophile

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“Kudos to Town Mountain for keeping the traditional spirit of the genre alive while at the same time pushing the boundaries.” —Jeffrey Sisk, The Daily News
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‘Without doubt, this band has fine writing chops.”

—Donald Teplyske, Lonesome Road Review

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“There’s a new mountain in town – Town Mountain – and they get down with heart, grit, soul and drive! They’ll get you moving!” —Jim Lauderdale

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“Centered around strong, soulful vocals, and poised to stay put. Town Mountain are true to bluegrass in all the right ways and this new project keeps them firmly connected to the traditions of the genre, while also allowing them to reach out into the broad horizon of string band music. Leave the Bottle comes highly recommended.” —Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers

Town Mountain will be LIVE on WDVX’s Tennessee Shines at 7pm EST on Monday, September 24th.
Tune in Here

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Town Mountain’s Fall “Leave the Bottle” Tour Announced

Asheville NC’s Hard-Drivin’ Appalachian Bluegrass band Town Mountain kicks off a Fall Tour surrounding the release of their fourth album, “Leave the Bottle.”  The album is officially released on September 4th, 2012 through Pinecastle Records.

“Centered around strong, soulful vocals, and poised to stay put,” says Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers, “Town Mountain are true to bluegrass in all the right ways and this new project keeps them firmly connected to the traditions of the genre, while also allowing them to reach out into the broad horizon of string band music. Leave the Bottle comes highly recommended.” Always contributing to the evolution of the bluegrass form, they toss influences as varied as surf-rock, gospel, and honky-tonk country into their field of play.

One listen to their instantly memorable songs, and it’s plain to see why Grammy-winner Mike Bub would align with the group to produce Leave the Bottle. Banjo player extraordinaire and longtime member of the Sam Bush Band, Scott Vestal, also joined the team by engineering the new album, which was recorded at Digital Underground Studio in Nashville, TN.

Thanks to their relatable, unforgettable lyrics along with their arresting stage presence and swagger, Town Mountain manages to rise above the seemingly bottomless canyon of bluegrass bands touring today and, inevitably, they will be traveling close to you sometime soon.

Town Mountain’s “Leave the Bottle” Fall Tour

Thu, Sept 6th – Seattle, WA – “The Spotlight” House Concert
Fri, Sept 7th – Portland, OR – Mississippi Pizza Pub
Sat & Sun, Sept 8-9th – Sisters, OR – Sisters Folk Festival
Tue, Sept 11th – Seattle, WA -The Tractor Tavern
Sat, Sept 15th – Asheville, NC – Brewgrass Festival w/ The Traveling McCoury’s
Sun, Sept 16th – Chimney Rock State Park, NC – Music on the Mountain series
Fri, Sept 21st – Lexington, NC – High Rock Outfitters
Sat, Sept 22th  McMinnville, TN – Bluegrass Underground
Mon, Sept 24th  Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Shines
Fri, Oct 5th – Awendaw, SC – Awendaw Green
Wed, Oct 24th – Lexington, KY – Red Barn Radio Hour
Wed, Oct 24th – Lexington, KY – Willie’s Locally Known
Thur, Oct 25th – Evansville, IN – Doc’s
Sat, Oct 27th – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
Sun, Oct 28th – Barnhart, MO -Oak Tree Concerts

More information at http://townmountain.net/blog/tour/

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Town Mountain Releases “Leave the Bottle” Sept 4th through Pinecastle Records ~ Hard-Drivin’ Appalachian Bluegrass from the Carolinas

Town Mountain Releases “Leave the Bottle”
Sept 4th through Pinecastle Records
~ Hard-Drivin’ Appalachian Bluegrass from the Carolinas ~

“Centered around strong, soulful vocals, and poised to stay put. Town Mountain are true to bluegrass in all the right ways and this new project keeps them firmly connected to the traditions of the genre, while also allowing them to reach out into the broad horizon of string band music. Leave the Bottle comes highly recommended.” –Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers

“Town Mountain is not reinventing the wheel, but taking the wheel in their hands & driving the music down both familiar roads & out to new territory.” –Mike Bub

“There’s a new mountain in town – Town Mountain – and they get down with heart, grit, soul, and drive! They’ll get you moving!” –Jim Lauderdale

Pre-Order Leave the Bottle
www.TownMountain.net

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Asheville, NC’s Bluegrass Band Town Mountain is excited to release their 4th album, Leave the Bottle, September 4, 2012. Town Mountain is Phil Barker on mandolin & vocals, Robert Greer on lead vocals & guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, and newest member Jon Stickley rounds them out with his steady bass and rock-solid guitar & vocals. They share the kind of easy-going friendly bond that relays itself through their music. One listen to their instantly memorable songs, and it’s plain to see why Grammy-winner Mike Bub would align with the group to produce Leave the Bottle as well as 2011’s Steady Operator, both through Pinecastle Records. Banjo player extraordinaire and longtime member of the Sam Bush Band, Scott Vestal, also joined the team by engineering the new album, which was recorded at Digital Underground Studio in Nashville, TN.

Town Mountain’s years of touring have created a mature well-traveled sound, a telepathic pickin’ style filled with mesmerizing interplay, and intoxicating rhythms that energize every tune. You hear it in Greer’s straightforward and genuine delivery of vocals that bear the burden of life, love, and loss in every lyric. “His voice has that hint of an edge to it that lends intensity and vitality to what he’s singing,” writes Bluegrass Unlimited. On Leave the Bottle, the band presents 11 original band-member written tunes and one cover (“Loaded” by The Wood Brothers.)

They head straight for your heart on hard-driving songs like “Run Junior Run” and “Don’t Go Home Tonight” (one of two tracks co-written with the Steep Canyon Rangers bassist Charles Humphrey III) as easily as they do on diverse numbers like “Greenbud on the Flower” (a song about cabin fever) and “Leave the Bottle”, which was written by Langlais about being away from the ones you love for long periods of time while on the road. The free-spirited nature of the band’s members running on the proverbial “treadmill of life” is what inspired Greer to write “Up the Ladder”. Another song from the road, “Lawdog”, sung and written by Barker in the manner of Jimmy Martin, is relatable to to anyone that inevitably gets pulled over while trying to make good time traveling. “Four Miles”, written by Britt, is the only instrumental track. What bluegrass album would be complete without its share of love and cheatin’ songs? Town Mountain holds this tradition, while adding funny twists to the story with Langlais’ double murder ballad “Away From Home”.

Thanks to their relatable, unforgettable lyrics along with their arresting stage presence and swagger, Town Mountain manages to rise above the seemingly bottomless canyon of bluegrass bands touring today and, inevitably, they will be traveling close to you sometime soon!

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Town Mountain Pre-CD Release Show at The Grey Eagle On Sat, July 7th w/ Special Guest Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry

Asheville’s Town Mountain is performing at The Grey Eagle for a special Pre-CD Release show and the kick off event for their “Leave the Bottle” tour surrounding their upcoming new release on Saturday, July 7th. They will have special guest Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry (frontman and founding member of Acoustic Syndicate from NC’s Cleveland County) performing solo before their set as well as jumping in on a few tunes! Doors are at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm. Tickets are $10 adv/$12 door.

Town Mountain and Steve McMurry. Photo by Jason Beverly

Town Mountain is excited to announce the release of their fourth album, Leave the Bottle, September 4th, 2012. The band finds themselves becoming one of the preeminent torchbearers of their craft, facing a promising future. “Centered around strong, soulful vocals, and poised to stay put,” says Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers, “Town Mountain are true to bluegrass in all the right ways and this new project keeps them firmly connected to the traditions of the genre, while also allowing them to reach out into the broad horizon of string band music. Leave the Bottle comes highly recommended.” Always contributing to the evolution of the bluegrass form, they toss influences as varied as surf-rock, gospel, and honky-tonk country into their field of play.

Mike Bub eloquently noted that Town Mountain is “not reinventing the wheel, but taking the wheel in their hands and driving the music down both familiar roads and out to new territory.” Jim Lauderdale was driven to exclaim, “There’s a new mountain in town – Town Mountain – and they get down with heart, grit, soul, and dive! They’ll get you moving!” They’ve done just that, winning the prestigious Rockygrass competition in 2005 before moving on to wow audiences from North Carolina’s Merlefest to Oregon’s String Summit to 2013’s February’s inaugural Mountain Song at Sea and all points between.

Banding together in 2005, Town Mountain is Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, Robert Greer on lead vocals and guitar guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, and newest member Jon Stickley rounds them out with his steady bass and rock-solid guitar and vocals. They share the kind of easy-going friendly bond that relays itself through their music. One listen to their instantly memorable songs, and it’s plain to see why Grammy-winner Mike Bub would align with the group to produce Leave the Bottle as well as 2011’s Steady Operator. Banjo player extraordinaire and longtime member of the Sam Bush Band, Scott Vestal, also joined the team by engineering the new album, which was recorded at Digital Underground Studio in Nashville, TN.

Their undeniable charm and winning way with words recently won Town Mountain a spot on Putumayo’s recent Bluegrass release, showcasing the song “Diggin’ on the Mountainside” alongside tracks from Alison Krauss, David Grisman, Sam Bush, Railroad Earth, The Seldom Scene, and more. Town Mountain has collaborated and/ or performed along with Doc Watson, Jim Lauderdale, Steep Canyon Rangers, Acoustic Syndicate, Keller Williams, Larry Keel, David Grisman, and The Infamous Stringdusters. They’ve been branching out as a band and as teachers, making their first overseas jaunt to Finland in the spring of 2012 and holding court at workshops in Canada, St. Louis, amongst other cities. The prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association has twice selected Barker for their songwriting showcase (2010 and 2011), and the band was part of the official showcase in 2011.

Thanks to their relatable, unforgettable lyrics along with their arresting stage presence and swagger, Town Mountain manages to rise above the seemingly bottomless canyon of bluegrass bands touring today and, inevitably, they will be traveling close to you sometime soon. Come on out and enjoy music filled with contagious energy and creative original scores!

Town Mountain. Photo by Jason Beverly.

Town Mountain’s “Leave the Bottle” Tour

Sat, July 7th – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle with Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry
Sun, July 8th – Aberdeen, NC – The Rooster’s Wife House Concert Series
Thur, July 19th –  Raleigh, NC – The Pour House Music Hall
Fri, July 20th – Staunton, VA – Mockingbird Roots Music Hall
Sat, July 21st – Ashland, VA -Ashland Coffee and Tea
Sun, July 22nd – Brooklyn, NY – Jalopy
Tue, July 24th – Cambridge, MA – The Cantab Lounge
June 25th – Grey, ME – Caswells Farm presents Bluegrass in the Barn
Fri & Sat, July 27-28th – Hiram, ME – Ossipee Valley Music Festival
Mon- Wed, July 30th – Aug 1st – St. Louis, MO – The Folk School of St. Louis – Workshop Residency
Fri, Aug 3rd – Fort Collins, CO – Acoustic Bridge Musical Potluck
Sat, Aug 4th – Keystone, CO – The Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival
Sun, Aug 5th – Casper, WY – Bear Trap Summer Festival
Wed, Aug 8th – Winter Park, CO -Ullrs Tavern
Fri, Aug 10th – Gold Hill, CO – The Gold Hill Inn
Sat, Aug 11th – Longmont, CO -The Dickens Opera House w/ Spring Creek
Aug 13-19th – Saskatoon, SK, Canada- Town Mountain will be teaching and playing at the camp this week. Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Camp & Fest
Thur, Aug 23rd – Knoxville, TN – Barley’s Taproom
Sat, Aug 25, 2012 – Norfolk, VA – The Virginia Zoo Concert Series
Fri, Sept 7th – Portland, OR – Mississippi Pizza Pub
Sun, Sept 6th – Seattle, WA – “The Spotlight” House Concert
Sat & Sun, Sept 8-9th – Sisters, OR – Sisters Folk Festival
Tue, Sept 11th – Seattle, WA -The Tractor Tavern
Sat, Sept 15th – Asheville, NC– Brewgrass Festival w/ The Traveling McCoury’sMore tour dates on: townmountain.net/blog/tour/

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Town Mountain Signs with Pinecastle Records

Columbus, NC – February 21, 2011 – Pinecastle Records is proud to announce that it has signed Town Mountain to its roster. The band brings a unique energy to the label with their mix of mostly original material that creates a hard-driving, no nonsense, foot stomping bluegrass sound mixed with slow country crooning and a honkytonk edge. Town Mountain safely brings it all together in a way that has wowed not only their local Asheville, NC music scene but also crowds across the country since their first national tour in 2005, which they capped off by winning the prestigious Rockygrass Band Competition. Town Mountain features Phil Barker (mandolin, vocals), Robert Greer (guitar, vocals), Jesse Langlais (banjo, vocals), Bobby Britt (fiddle), and Jon Stickley (bass, vocals).

Musical influence, fine-tuned vocals, precision crafted instrumentalists, and charming stage presence are all ingredients in what makes a sound…unique. One more ingredient that is essential in producing this sound: new songs. Town Mountain has the capacity to bring fresh and exciting material to their high quality music. With topics ranging from love lost and heartache to the weariness of a midnight drive across America’s heartland to politically charged topics that most steer clear of. You will find that Town Mountain’s songwriting is heartfelt, sincere and honest. Their upcoming album, Steady Operator, has an official street date of  May 10th and the band is planning a CD release party at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC on March 19th.

“This album is a culmination of thousands of miles traveled across America, playing for audiences as diverse as the traditional bluegrass crowd to the hippie jam band contingent in big cities and festivals to pubs and house concerts. Diverse audiences that have one thing in common, a love for inspired, original, well played music, performed with a spirit that appeals to fans of all types and ages.” -Mike Bub, Steady Operator Producer and Grammy winner with The Del McCoury Band

www.townmountain.net

http://pinecastlemusic.com/pressrelease/2011/townmountain.html

Booking:
Rob Miller
Pickin’ Productions
pickinproductions@gmail.com
www.pickinproductions.com

About Pinecastle Records:
Pinecastle Records has been a key player in the transmission of bluegrass music to the masses for the last 20 years. Orlando, Florida business man Tom Riggs started the label in 1989 as a favor to a friend who was looking for an outlet for their newly recorded CD. Pinecastle has long developed young artists including Kristin Scott Benson, Terry Eldredge, and Josh Williams and has also been the home to bluegrass legends such as the Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and Charlie Waller & the Country Gentlemen. In all, it has released nearly 250 projects.

Today, Pinecastle is situated in the mountains of southwestern North Carolina owned by businessman and medical doctor, Lonnie Lassiter. After taking ownership on August 1, 2010, Dr. Lassiter brought two of the company’s former executives on board to head up the new venture. Ethan Burkhardt was named the company’s Vice President of Operations and Matt Hood its Vice President of Public Relations.

2881 NC 108 HWY E.
Columbus, NC  28722
828-376-0065
info@pinecastlemusic.com
www.pinecastlemusic.com

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