Vibrant, Rootsy, and Vivid, Damn Tall Buildings Release 1st Single From ‘Sleeping Dogs’- Out 9/9

Vibrant, Rootsy, and Vivid, Damn Tall Buildings
Independently Release Their 3rd Album
Sleeping Dogs Sept 9

1st Single “Cold Rain” Out Today 
https://damntallbuildings.hearnow.com/cold-rain

Presave/ Preorder Sleeping Dogs

“Virtually unmatched energy and enthusiasm, underpinned by intelligent songs that don’t skimp on the infectiousness… The musicianship is smart and skilled, but still playful and groove savvy”
—Saving Country Music

“The Carter Family for the millennial generation” —The Boston Globe

“The natural groove made by a string band seriously happy with the music they are making speaks louder than words” —The Alternate Root

Brooklyn, NY — Acoustic Americana trio fed on bluegrass, roots rock, old time, and vintage swing, Damn Tall Buildings are excited to release their 3rd album, Sleeping Dogs, on September 9. Whether sharing lead vocals and instrumental solos or blending their voices into loose, joyous harmony, the three members of Damn Tall Buildings—multi-instrumentalist and primary lyricist Max Capistran (guitar and banjo), bassist Sasha Dubyk, and fiddler Avery Ballotta—delight in entertaining.

Witty and engaging, Damn Tall Buildings’ energizing music finds beauty and glory in the mundane workaday struggle of everyday life: time keeps passing and the seasons come and go, you scroll too much, you smoke too much, you lose yourself, only to sit with yourself and find yourself again, you laugh with your friends, and you look out the window and dream about what else might be out there. It all keeps coming around. You carry on, intent on flourishing and thriving. This is what Damn Tall Buildings sings about, what they seek to share with their audience.

Sleeping Dogs is a bop about looking things smack-dab-right-in-the-face and is essentially about how it has become almost impossible to not be constantly influenced by current events, media, and all of the other things that surround you in your day-to-day life.

Sleeping Dogs opener, “What A Nice Life,” has some extra pep to balance out the darker “I-don’t-know-who-I-am-anymore” lyrics. The old timey, swingin’ “Dark Window Panes” (which adds Garrett Eaton [Dana Williams, Gracie and Rachel] on trumpet) and “Podcast” see the band pondering a pending apocalypse.

1st Single “Cold Rain” Out Today 
damntallbuildings.hearnow.com/cold-rain

The velvety and rejuvenating “Cold Rain” is the album’s first single, and was premiered by AmericanaUK who calls it, “music that is determinedly of Now.” For the song, they are joined by mandolin wizard Dylan McCarthy (2019 Rockygrass Mandolin Champion) and rock-steady drummer Micah Cowher [STOMP in NYC]. Micah also lays down the beat on the catchy “Sweet Girl,” with its chorus, “I am not myself, I am everyone else,” which became what the band calls, “the motto for the record; It’s basically our new anthem.” 

Damn Tall Buildings calls Sleeping Dogs, “an exploration to the depths of oneself to discover who we truly are… maybe it really is as simple as buying some new shoes, and feeling really good wearing ‘em, while you cruise down the block on the sunny side of the street.” You can hear this cheery sentiment echoed in the deep groove and colorful melodies of “Lemons,” in which the virtuosic flute playing of Anh Phung [Twisted Pine] elevates the song to a new level. This fresh energy can also be felt as the sunshine slips in on “Patio.”

The mid-tempo shuffle “Painter” illustrates a re-emergence into the world; with Lars Thorson [Kane Brown] bringing the magic of the lap steel to this track. They slow things down a bit in a rainy day ode to waiting, “Quietly Heartbreaking,” and the gentle “My Baby.”

The album closes with the title track, “Sleeping Dogs,” pulling from the old proverb—“Don’t you let them sleeping dogs lie”—the song emphasizes the theme of the album: don’t ignore life, get out there and live it, take pleasure and meaning from the little things that keep us all connected and growing.

Self produced and recorded, the album was mixed & mastered by Dan Cardinal [Darlingside, Lula Wiles, Josh Ritter] at Dimension Sound Studios. Dan also played keyboard on the title track, adding to the texture of the song.

The trio is individually from all over the United States (New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Montana), but were born as a band while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA in 2013. They started as buskers on Newbury Street in Boston, started touring nationally, and then moved the band to Brooklyn in 2017. Since their busking days, they’ve made two albums—Cure-All (2014) and Don’t Look Down (2019)—and released a self-titled EP in 2015. 

Sleeping Dogs Track Listing
1.) What A Nice Life – 3:02^
2.) Dark Window Panes – 1:56
3.) Podcast – 3:40
4.) Cold Rain – 3:31^
5.) Lemons – 2:3
6.) My Baby – 4:19
7.) Patio – 2:25 
8.) Painter – 2:27
9.) Quietly Heartbreaking – 3:40
10.) Sweet Girl – 2:56
11.) Sleeping Dogs – 2:58
^FCC Warning

www.damntallbuildings.com
www.facebook.com/DamnTallBuildings 
Twitter: @DamnTallTweets
Instagram: @gramtallbuildings
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/damntallbuildings 

Damn Tall Buildings on Tour:

7/15 Fri – Towne Crier – Beacon, NY
7/16 Sat – The R Bar – Asbury Park, NJ
7/20 Wed – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
7/23-24 Sat-Sun – Hiawatha Music Festival – Marquette, MI 
7/28-29 Thu-Fri – Ossipee Valley Music Festival – S. Hiram, ME
7/31 Sat – The Word Barn – Exeter, NH
8/4 Thu – Kent Summer Concert Series – Kent, WA
8/6 Sat – Hart House Concert – Beaverton, OR
8/7 Sun – Yachats Commons Building – Yachats, OR
8/10 Wed – The Royal Room (w/ Carly Ann Calbero) – Seattle, WA
8/12-14 Fri-Sun – Bear Creek Folk Festival – Grand Prairie, AB, Canada
9/3 Sat – Rettich Preserve @ Madison Land Trust – Madison, CT
9/9 Fri – Coppell Arts Center – Coppell, TX
9/10 Sat – Cactus Cafe – Austin, TX 
9/15-17 Thu-Sat – Walnut Valley Music Festival – Winfield, KS
9/27-29 Tue-Thu – IBMA Bluegrass Ramble – Raleigh, NC
9/30 Fri – Bourgie Nights – Wilmington, NC
10/1 Sat – IBMA Wide Open Bluegrass Festival – Martin St. Stage  – Raleigh, NC
10/13 Thu – Parlor Room – Northampton, MA
10/15 Sat – Glastonbury Apple Harvest & Music Festival – Glastonbury, CT
10/16 Sun – 118 North – Wayne, PA
11/10 Thu – Prius Hall-Ball State University – Muncie, IN
11/11 Fri – Thrasher Opera House – Green Lake, WI

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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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NPR’s World Cafe Comes to Asheville’s The Grey Eagle Featuring Jon Stickley Trio & The Honeycutters on Tue 2.23

The Grey Eagle Hosts NPR World Cafe’s ‘Sense of Place’
with Jon Stickley Trio & The Honeycutters on Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Tickets are on sale now at → http://bit.ly/WorldCafeAtTheGreyEagle

ASHEVILLE, NC — NPR’s World Cafe, produced by XPN in Philadelphia, is bringing the show to Asheville’s The Grey Eagle on Tuesday, February 23rd for an evening of entertainment with Jon Stickley Trio and The Honeycutters, two Asheville-based bands who have both been making headlines across the country. World Cafe host David Dye will be in the house to interview with them before each band performs. This is a special show with limited seats available, so get tickets early before it sells out. Doors are at 7pm and the shows starts recording at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.TheGreyEagle.com. $15/$18. Come see it LIVE! It will air at a later date, tba!

The New York Times calls Jon Stickley Trio’s sound “respectful and free” and NPR Music featured a track off their new album Lost at Last on their program Heavy Rotation with Folk Alley’s Linda Fahey writing, “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… [It’s] a wonderfully unique sound that defies easy categorization.”

Nashville’s Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst says of The Honeycutters, “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.” Saving Country Music goes on to write, “…Platt’s songwriting could be placed in the exceptional category, at least from the evidence Me Oh My [2015 Organic Records] presents in her favor. It’s not just the sorrow and sincerity, it’s the insight and the resonance.”

Since launching World Cafe in 1991, David Dye has served as the host of this nationally acclaimed show, now syndicated on more than 250 public radio stations across the United States. Every week, Dye brings out the best in interviews with internationally known artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Joni Mitchell. He has conducted nearly 4,500 interviews during his years with the program. He introduces a half-million listeners each week to groundbreaking artists like Vampire Weekend, Mumford & Sons, PJ Harvey, Sheryl Crow, Beck, LCD Soundsystem, and Amos Lee.

World Cafe’s Sense of Place is a quarterly series which brings the whole crew, including host David Dye, to various cities around the world. Previous shows have been recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Iceland, Havana, Stockholm (Sweden), Dublin, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Austin, Pittsburg, Nashville, Memphis, Portland, and more. Sense of Place is made possible by a grant from The Wyncote Foundation in hopes to give you an idea of the past and present of various local music scenes and some pointers for musicians or music-lovers planning a visit.

Asheville-area NPR affiliate, WNCW, consistently sings praise for each band; The Honeycutters placed #3 with Music Director and Morning Host Martin Anderson saying, “Amanda Platt writes songs on par with Lucinda, Isbell, Lauderdale, Hank Sr.” Anderson says of Jon Stickley Trio, who placed #13 in the poll, “Asheville has a force to be reckoned with in the tight three-piece perfection of the Jon Stickley Trio. It’s pretty incredible how closely the three play with their unique blend of Appalachian, jazz, maybe even prog-rock styles.” You can tune in to World Cafe on WNCW weekdays between 4am to 6am and 6pm to 8pm.

For more information, please visit www.xpn.org/world-cafe/sense-of-place, www.TheGreyEagle.com, www.jonstickley.com, and www.thehoneycutters.com.
Get Tickets at http://bit.ly/WorldCafeAtTheGreyEagle.

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Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s) “United to Stamp $ Out of Politics” on The Stampede Tour

Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s)
“United to Stamp $ Out of Politics” on The Stampede Tour

“This tour is extremely unique. In the 60s and 70s, music and politics were closely related, but it seems like that has been waning in the present. Having the Stampede come through AMH is refreshing, and I think many fans will embrace the opportunity to be a part of something bigger. “
–Becky Blumenthal, Marketing Director at The Ardmore Music Hall

American roots music troubadours, Donna the Buffalo and Peter Rowan, are teaming up with Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben Jerry’s, for a unique tour called “The Stampede.” It is a tour to raise awareness to the inappropriate use of corporate money in politics. With the upcoming election season, this is to help raise awareness of the power of each individual while enjoying a great night of entertainment.

The Stampede is led by Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben and Jerry’s. It uses a simple and effective tactic of rubber stamping messages on paper currency as a demonstration of public demand and outrage. “Since 2000, special interest groups have poured over $11 billion into federal elections. The absurd level of money in politics from corporations and billionaires is raping and corrupting our democracy. The Stampede is a demonstration of public outrage and its working,” stated Cohen.

Tara Nevins says in an interview with Live For Live Music, “Tens of thousands of people are doing it, using the dollars like a political billboard to get the message across, which is an effort to take money out of politics.” Nevins continues, “One of them says ‘Not to be used for bribing politicians’ and you just stamp that on your dollar bill.”

“As a band, we have made a long term commitment to join this burgeoning movement,” says Jeb Puryear of Donna the Buffalo. “It is clear to us that we will never get significant government action on issues like healthcare, student debt, wall street banks, the environment, and corporate tax evasion until we outlaw legalized corporate bribery of our politicians.”

By special arrangement Stampede rubber stamps, which normally sell for $10, will be available at the shows for a suggested donation of $5. Every stamped bill gets seen by 875 people once it goes into circulation. If 3000 stampers stamps three bills a day for a year it will create 2.8 BILLION impressions as the bills go into circulation. To sweeten the deal, FREE Ben & Jerry’s ice cream coupons will be given away in with the purchase of the first fifty stamps sold per show. The Stampede is a project of People Power Initiatives, a Vermont-based 501c3 non-profit organization.

“It’s totally legal and it’s very satisfying to stamp a stack of bills knowing you’re part of a growing grassroots movement putting this message out there,” says Puryear.

Together, we can create a stampede that Congress can’t ignore,” says Ben Cohen the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. “Some people say that a constitutional amendment is impossible, but nearly every generation has amended the Constitution to protect and expand our democracy. This is our generation’s fight to win.”

The Stampede will continue into the election year with Donna, Ben, and various friends. They kick it off with Grammy-award winner and six-time Grammy nominee Peter Rowan in the fall of 2015.

Peter Rowan’s career spans over five decades, from his early years playing under the tutelage of Bluegrass veteran Bill Monroe, to his time in Old & In the Way and breakout as a solo musician and bandleader, Rowan has built a devoted, international fan base through a solid stream of records, collaborative projects, and constant touring. Rowan often performs as a solo singer-songwriter internationally and stateside he plays in three bands: the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, a quintet featuring Keith Little, Chris Henry, Blaine Sprouse and Paul Knight; Big Twang Theory and its Texas Cousin Twang n Groove, as well as rock band The Free Mexican Air Force.

Donna the Buffalo has played festivals throughout the States with Peter a plethora of times over the years, often collaborating on stage with sit ins and they toured together for a bit about 15 years ago. Peter Rowan says of The Stampede, “At last, it comes around again; making music with Donna the Buffalo, one of my favorites.” For these shows Peter will be playing solo for about 45 minutes then Donna will play a set with Peter joining in at the end.

One of the most dynamic and determined bands continuously touring America for the past 26 years, Donna the Buffalo has created a community environment at their shows through their distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable music. Donna the Buffalo is a band for the people that is accessible, positive, and memorable. With roots in old time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric American mix infused with elements of cajun/ zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country, Donna’s music often contains social and moral responsibility as core beliefs, and they are just simply fun to get out and celebrate life with. 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).

The Stampede on Tour:
11/11 Wed – The Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA*
11/12 Thu – Highline Ballroom – New York, NY*
11/13 Fri – The German House – Rochester, NY*
11/14 Sat – The Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT*
11/15 Sun – Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center – Stowe, VT*
11/18 Wed – Ziggy’s By The Sea – Wilmington, NC*
11/19 Thu – Ziggy’s – Winston-Salem, NC*
11/20 Fri – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC*
11/21 Sat – Rives Theatre – Martinsville, VA~
11/22  Sun – Bijou Theatre – Knoxville, TN~
12/2 Wed – Mainstage – Morgantown, WV*
12/3 Thu – The Kent Stage – Kent, OH*
12/4 Fri – Old Town School of Folk Music – Chicago, IL*
12/5 Sat – Dakota Jazz Club – Minneapolis, MN ~
12/6 Sun – Stoughton Opera House – Stoughton, WI ~

* Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan with Ben Cohen Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s
~ Donna the Buffalo and Peter Rowan

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Donna the Buffalo Performs at Levon Helm Studios on Fri 9/4

Levon Helm Studios Presents Donna the Buffalo
Friday, September 4, 2015

“There are many meaningful, inspirational, and important happenings on this musical life journey and I will say that having had the great fortune to meet Levon Helm, and play music along side him was at the very top of my list. Levon was a soulful and beautiful spirit through and through, perhaps the most soulful and inspiring musician I’ve ever heard or watched play. I had the great honor of playing the Midnight Ramble after recording ‘Wood And Stone’ [2011] there and I am very excited to be returning to The Barn with Donna The Buffalo. It is a truly special place. A truly hallowed hall.” —Tara Nevins, Donna the Buffalo

Gates 6pm/ Show 8pm; Seating $35/ Standing Room $25
More info at http://levonhelm.com/midnight_ramble.htm
Levon Helm Studios: 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock, NY 12498
845.679.2744

Distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable,
Donna the Buffalo is a band for the people

Having started in 1989, Donna the Buffalo just passed the marker as their 25th year as a band and have proven to be a true 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… over the course of their 25-year career, they retain a sharp focus that has helped them create some truly lasting music…” writes Elmore. “Few groups are this comfortable as performers, and even fewer would take as many risks.”

Donna the Buffalo. Photo by Bill Davis.

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.”

“You have to do just what you want to do, and everyone likes different things,” Nevins says. “Both Jeb and I come from this background of old-time fiddle music, which is very natural, very real, very under-produced, and all about coming from the gut—flying by the seat of your pants. So we have that in us, too.”

Donna the Buffalo has also announced The Stampede: A tour to raise awareness to the inappropriate use of corporate money in politics. They’ve joined forces with Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben & Jerry’s, who has started stamping slogans on currency in protest (stampstampede.org). “As a band, we have made a long term commitment to join this burgeoning movement,” says Jeb Puryear. “It is clear to us that we will never get significant government action on issues like healthcare, student debt, wall street banks, the environment, and corporate tax evasion until we outlaw legalized corporate bribery of our politicians.”

They are joining forces with legendary American roots music troubadour Peter Rowan to kick off The Stampede in the Fall of 2015 and are looking to snowball the tour into the election year to raise awareness to the topic. Peter Rowan says, “At last, it comes around again; making music with Donna the Buffalo, one of my favorites.”

All Music Guide says their most recent album, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday (2013 Sugar Hill Records), “highlights everything this consistent band does, and it has a warm, live-sounding production… This is what 21st century Americana sounds like, a little bit of this and that from anywhere wrapped up into a poignant, jamming dance reel, a place where the past and history meet easily in the immediate now and everybody feels like dancing.”

Donna the Buffalo has toured the nation for over twenty five years with an ever-evolving grassroots sound and plans to keep on doing so for many years to come.

For more information and tour dates, please visit www.donnathebuffalo.com
facebook.com/donnathebuffalo and twitter.com/donnathebuffalo

What folks are saying about Donn the Buffalo:

“Multi-instrumentalist Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear, both ace guitarists, split vocals and writing for this band that’s country, old-timey, rock and roll, and well, just all around great. Best tune? Pick any one.” —Vintage Guitar

“I first encountered DtB at MerleFest in the late 1990s. They were to me an unknown band with a weird name in the dance tent. I got seduced by Tara Nevins’ accordion and swishy beats and next thing I knew I was soaked with sweat and losing myself. They’re the EDM of Americana.“ —Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst

“Initially inspired by Appalachian string music, they’ve since incorporated folk, pop, soul, zydeco, and psychedelic rock. Meanwhile, Jeb Puryear’s reedy tenor and Tara Nevins’ husky comely croon complement each other with their earthy charm, yet as songwriters they each possess their own distinct character.” ––Charleston Scene

“The beauty of Donna’s presentation and the secret of their success and longevity is the purely organic way they weave genres together without diluting them. Many bands can’t generate this kind of enthusiasm and energy in half as much time and with half as many albums that Donna the Buffalo have over twentysomething years and ten studio albums.” —Cleveland Scene

“They’ve got some real chops in just about every department.” —The Nashville Scene

“Donna the Buffalo is quite simply one of the groovin’est bands in America — a bona-fide American institution.” —New Haven Register

For more information and tour dates, please visit www.donnathebuffalo.com
facebook.com/donnathebuffalo and twitter.com/donnathebuffalo

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Suwannee Springfest Additions Include Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, Del McCoury & David Grisman, Hot Rize, Jeff Austin, The Duhks, Pgrass

Suwannee Springfest Additions Include Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt,
Del McCoury & David Grisman, Hot Rize, Jeff Austin, The Duhks, Pgrass

Suwannee Springfest March 19-22, 2015
at The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL

Suwannee Springfest 2015 Lineup Additions:
Lucinda Williams
John Hiatt
Del McCoury & David Grisman
Hot Rize with Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers
Jeff Austin
The Duhks
Pgrass
Virginia Dare Devils
Whetherman
Flagship Romance
The Applebutter Express
Big Cosmo
Canary in the Coalmine
Acoustic Ensemble

In addition to the already announced line-up of:
The Wood Brothers, Shovels and Rope, Keller Williams and The Travelin’ McCourys, The Infamous Stringdusters, Blind Boys of Alabama, Donna The Buffalo, Larry Keel Experience

www.suwanneespringfest.com

Live Oak, FL — On March 19-22, 2015, the 19th annual Suwannee Springfest kicks off the spring festival season at The Spirit Of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. A gem of a festival with beautiful early spring weather in a stunning natural setting, Suwannee Springfest is thrilled to announce a few additions to the already stellar lineup. Additions include Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, Del McCoury & David Grisman, Hot Rize with Red Knuckles and The Trailblazers, Jeff Austin, The Duhks, Pgrass, Virginia Dare Devils, Whetherman, Flagship Romance, The Applebutter Express, Big Cosmo, Canary in the Coalmine, and Acoustic Ensemble.

Bands that have already been announced to perform are The Wood Brothers, Shovels and Rope, Keller Williams and The Travelin’ McCourys, The Infamous Stringdusters, Blind Boys of Alabama, Donna The Buffalo, Larry Keel Experience, Cabinet, Jim Lauderdale, Verlon Thompson, The Seth Walker Band, Fruition, Town Mountain, Joe Craven, amongst others.

Festivalgoers experience four days of superb music in the midst of a friendly, family-style environment with good times including music from usual festival favorites, as well as lots of talented new faces in Bluegrass & Newgrass, Acoustic Blues, Roots Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Cajun/Zydeco, New & Traditional Folk and other forms of American Roots music.

Along with the camping, there are nearly 12 miles of trails suitable for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature exploring. For RV hook ups, cabin rentals and golf cart rentals, please call SOSMP at (386)364-1683. SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to  a variety of events including Wannee, Magnolia Fest, Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival, Hulaween, and Aura Music Festival amongst others. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com or call them at 386-364-1683 for information.

Get your tickets in advance for Suwannee Springfest and save for $160 until February 28th; $175 from March 1st through March 18th; and $200 at the gate. Individual day tickets are also available. Student / Military Ticket $150 Advance. Tickets are inclusive of all taxes and fees, and include 4 days of primitive camping and music Thursday – Sunday nights. Kids under 12 are invited to join for free. Attendees can also upgrade for a VIP Experience which includes a four-day ticket with primitive camping, dinners Thursday – Saturday evenings, a VIP Laminate, a swag bag with the festival poster, a cap, and other goodies for $300 through February 15th ($350 from 2/16 on and at gates. If you purchase a VIP Ticket you will be entered into a drawing for a pair of upgraded All Access Passes. Please visit SuwanneeSpringfest.com for ticketing and other information.

Suwannee Springfest Final 2015 Lineup
Lucinda Williams
John Hiatt
Del McCoury & David Grisman
The Wood Brothers
Shovels and Rope
Hot Rize with Red Knuckles and The Trailblazers
Keller Williams and The Travelin’ McCourys
The Infamous Stringdusters
Jeff Austin
Blind Boys of Alabama
Donna The Buffalo
Larry Keel Experience
Cabinet
Jim Lauderdale
The Duhks
Verlon Thompson
The Seth Walker Band
Fruition
Town Mountain
Joe Craven
Dread Clampitt
Pgrass
Shinyribs
Jon Stickley Trio
The Shook Twins
Taylor Martin’s Acoustic Band
Ralph Roddenbery Band
Grandpa’s Cough Medicine
Virginia Dare Devils
Whetherman
Flagship Romance
The Applebutter Express
Sloppy Joe
Nikki Talley
Big Cosmo
Canary in the Coalmine
Grits & Soul
Quartermoon
The Josh Daniel/Mark Schimick Project
Steve Pruett’s Back from the Brink
Oak Hay
Short Straw Pickers
Sarah Mac Band
Acoustic Ensemble

Further information can be found at suwanneespringfest.com.
Also visit us at facebook.com/suwanneespringfest, twitter.com/SuwanneeSpring and instagram.com/SuwanneeSpringfest.

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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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Donna the Buffalo Announce Florida New Years Run & Winter Tour

Donna the Buffalo. Photo by Matthew Coburn.

Donna the Buffalo Announce Florida New Years Run & Winter Tour

Donna Celebrates New Years in Florida with shows in Tampa, Key West Boca Raton and more
Winter Dates Announced Throughout the East

“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.” –Music City Roots, Craig Havighurst

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 will be celebrating the New Year in Florida starting with three nights at Skippers in Tampa (12/30/14- 1/1/15) and three days of shows at the Green Parrot in Key West (1/2-4), followed by shows in Boca Raton, Orlando, and Valdosta before making their way up for further shows in Atlanta and Raleigh. They pick back up again towards the end of January with shows in Asheville, NC and Falls Church, VA. February brings the band to Charlotteville, VA; Saranac Lake, NY; Ardmore PA and then back down to Florida to Miami for the Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival. Stay tuned to DonnaTheBuffalo.com for additional Winter Dates.

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.”

“You have to do just what you want to do, and everyone likes different things,” Nevins says. “Both Jeb and I come from this background of old-time fiddle music, which is very natural, very real, very under-produced, and all about coming from the gut—flying by the seat of your pants. So we have that in us, too.”

Donna the Buffalo debuted their first studio album in five years Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, in the spring of 2013 via Sugar Hill Records. All Music Guide says the album, “highlights everything this consistent band does, and it has a warm, live-sounding production… This is what 21st century Americana sounds like, a little bit of this and that from anywhere wrapped up into a poignant, jamming dance reel, a place where the past and history meet easily in the immediate now and everybody feels like dancing.”

The group draws its inspiration from a cherished part of the American heritage: the old-time music festivals of the south that drew entire towns and counties together. “Those festivals were so explosive, and the community and the feeling of people being with each other, that’s the feeling we were shooting for in our music,” Puryear says. “Donna the Buffalo is an extension of the joy we’ve found.”

Over the years, the band has also built a following that proudly calls itself The Herd, along with a well-deserved reputation for crafting social narratives and slipstream grooves without equal. To merely call this “roots music” does it disservice, for the roots nurtured by Puryear and Nevins run wild, deep and strong—a tribute to how much Donna the Buffalo marries musical trailblazing and tradition.

“It’s a great feeling to promote such a feeling of community, like you’re really part of something that’s happening, like a movement or a positive force…” Nevins says, “All those people that come and follow you and you recognize them and you become friends with them — you’re all moving along for the same purpose. It is powerful. It’s very powerful, actually.”

Donna the Buffalo has toured the nation for over twenty five years with an ever-evolving grassroots sound and plans to keep on doing so for many years to come.

Take a look at their offical music videos:
“Working On That” -> http://bit.ly/1eXPofS
“I Love My Tribe” -> http://bit.ly/1i9fy9Q

Donna the Buffalo On Tour
11/13 Thu – Narrows Center For the Arts – Fall River, MA
11/14 Fri – Lake Placid Center for the Arts – Lake Placid, NY #
11/15 Sat – Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY #
12/4 Thu – Infinity Hall – Norfolk, CT
12/5 Fri – State Theater – Ithaca, NY *
12/6 Sat – Jay Peak Resort – Jay, VT *
12/7 Sun – The Egg – Hart Theatre – Albany, NY *
12/12 Fri – Ziggys By The Sea – Wilmington, NC &
12/13 Sat – Ziggy’s – Winston-Salem, NC >
12/30/14- 1/1/15 Tue-Thu – Skipper’s Smokehouse – Tampa, FL
1/2-4/15 Fri-Sun – Green Parrot – Key West, FL
1/6 Tue – The Funky Biscuit – Boca Raton, FL
1/7 Wed – The Social – Orlando, FL
1/8 Thu – Lucky’s – Valdosta, GA
1/9 Fri – Red Clay Music Foundry – Duluth, GA
1/10 Sat – The Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC <
1/23 Fri – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC <
1/24 Sat – The State Theatre – Falls Church, VA <
1/29 Thu – The Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA %
1/31 Sat – The Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
2/6 Fri – Mauch Chunk Opera House – Jim Thorpe, PA
2/7 Sat – The Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, VA <
2/12 Thu -The Waterhole Winter Carnival – Saranac Lake, NY
2/19-22 Thu- Sun – Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival – Miami, FL
2/27 Fri – Neighborhood Theater – Charlotte, NC
3/20 Fri – City Winery – Nashville, TN
4/16-19 Thu-Sun – Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival – Silk Hope, NC
4/23-25 Thu-Sat – MerleFest – Wilkesboro, NC
7/3-5 Fri-Sun – Great Blue Heron Music Festival – Sherman, NY

* w/ Hot Tuna
^ w/ Boy = Girl
# w/ The Falconers
& w/ The Deluge
> w/ Rock n Roll Attoms
< w/ Driftwood
$ w/ Big Leg Emma
% w/ Ekoostik Hookah

For more information and tour dates, please visit www.donnathebuffalo.com
facebook.com/donnathebuffalo and twitter.com/donnathebuffalo

Donna the Buffalo. Photo by Matthew Coburn.

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Seth Walker Tours With Upcoming Album, Sky Still Blue, Due Out June 10th Through Royal Potato Family

Seth Walker. Photo by Zack Smith.

  Seth Walker Tours With Upcoming Album: Sky Still Blue
Due Out June 10th Through Royal Potato Family

Revered roots music troubadour Seth Walker recently took up residency in New Orleans. Upon relocating to the Big Easy, the North Carolina-native completed his rounds of the Holy Trinity of southern American music cities. His journey began in Austin where he fast became a staple of the Texas blues scene. He’d later shuffle off to Nashville where he’d absorb the cosmopolitan twang of its storytelling tradition. Clearly, however, it is the influence of his current NOLA home with its funky melting-pot swagger that inspired the gospel-soaked fervor and gritty guitar burn at the core of his latest album, Sky Still Blue, due June out 10, 2014 from The Royal Potato Family.

Abetted by producer Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers), Walker revels in the devil-on-my-trail grit and longing blue notes that make this latest collection of 11 songs resonate so convincingly. Yet, as Walker’s fans have come to expect, there’s always a sweet melody, a turn of phrase wrapped in a wink-and-a-smile or an undeniable hook close at hand.

“All the moves I’ve made have been so that I can be around new influences centered around music,” Walker says. “I’ve always loved New Orleans, and it definitely brought back a bit of the rough edge that got a little spit-shined on the albums that I did in Nashville. This one’s got some gristle on it, some push and pull, some funky stuff, and some of that Caribbean influence that New Orleans has.”

The seed for Sky Still Blue was planted with five songs co-written with Oliver Wood while Walker was on tour with the Wood Brothers. The rough-hewn lover’s lament “Easy Come, Easy Go;” the intimate, inspirational ballad “Grab Ahold;” the shuffling seize-the-day anthem “Tomorrow;” the organ-soaked blues moan “High Wire;” and the hopeful, intimate closing track “Way Too Far” – in their diversity and directness, these tunes served as a template for the album as a whole, fleshed out by the pair’s continued collaboration in the studio.

“Oliver and I both come from a similar place stylistically, which obviously helps when you’re trying to communicate,” Walker says. “I love the fact that his songwriting is not so calculated, and it really worked with where I wanted to go. As a producer he was the perfect combination of having his ears and his heart on the songs while letting things go organically. He didn’t produce with an iron fist; he was just one of us.”

Sky Still Blue was recorded at Southern Ground Studios, the Wood Brothers’ home base in Nashville, and fellow Brothers Chris Wood (also of Medeski Martin & Wood) and Jano Rix made crucial contributions, joining Walker’s longtime band-mates, bassist Steve Mackey and drummer Derrek Phillips. “It was essentially the six of us musically roping this thing,” Walker says. “We all worked real well together, and the next thing you knew, we had a record.”

While that camaraderie is evident in the songs’ taut grooves and relaxed atmosphere, Walker’s dexterous guitar work seizes the attention with its soulful lines and serrated edge. His commanding fretwork captures the album’s mood of forlorn optimism, encapsulated in its deceptively upbeat title. Sky Still Blue is drawn from the melancholy lyrics of “High Wire”: “If it pours down on you and the sky is still blue / It might be me crying from my high wire.” As Walker admits, “It is optimistic phrase – but it’s kind of a lonesome image.”

Walker didn’t have much opportunity to be lonesome as a child growing up on a two-family commune in rural North Carolina. His parents were both classical musicians, and his first axe was the cello, not the guitar. The tastes of the commune’s other residents ran more to Texas country music, so his youth was filled with the sounds of Mozart and Beethoven coexisting with Jerry Jeff Walker and Willie Nelson.

Walker discovered the guitar in college and never looked back. “I was just eaten up with it, man,” he says, his enthusiasm still evident. “I was just crazy for it. I immediately gravitated to the blues, but as I played I started to lean towards the uptown side, the jazzier side, and I think that probably has something to do with my classical training.”

His uncle Landon Walker was a jazz bassist and blues DJ on Jacksonville, Florida radio station WJCT, and would mail tapes to his nephew on a regular basis. “It covered the whole gamut of blues,” Walker recalls, “from the Piedmont stuff – Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Willie McTell and Blind Blake – to the Chicago stuff – Muddy Waters and Robert Nighthawk – and a lot of Texas stuff – Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, T-Bone Walker, Lightnin’ Hopkins. But the guys in my dorm room were listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, so that blues-rock sound definitely got my attention. It seemed a lot more interesting than going to school, so there went my education.”

Walker set out for Jacksonville with dreams of stardom (“I ended up playing in a Grateful Dead cover band,” he says ruefully), but before long realized that he needed to relocate to a more music-rich hub. He landed in Austin in 1995 and has remained in legendarily musical metropolises ever since.

The albums he’s made since then have consistently vaulted him into the Top 20 of the Americana charts and gleaned praise from NPR, American Songwriter, No Depression and Blues Revue, among others. He’s toured the world as a headliner as well as opening for The Mavericks, The Wood Brothers, Raul Malo, Paul Thorn and Ruthie Foster, among others. It’s all of these experiences and more that leave their well-traveled traces throughout these 11 songs at hand. Steeped in a rich musical heritage, Sky Still Blue is a masterful work conveyed by means of Walker’s expressive, soul-burnished voice, agile guitar artistry and impeccable southern songwriting, all of which have garnered him a reputation as one of the most acclaimed modern roots artists in the country over the last decade.

Seth Walker on Tour
5/04 Sun – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jack’s *w/ Eric Lindell
5/09 Fri – Midland, TX – Basin Burger House
5/10 Sat – La Grange, TX – The Bugle Boy
5/14 Wed – Kansas City, MO – Knucklehead’s *w/ Bobby Bare Jr.
5/15 Thu – Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Mayfest *w/ Paul Thorn
5/16 Fri – Dallas, TX – The Kessler *w/ Joan Osborne
5/17 Sat – Austin, TX – Strange Brew *record release show
5/27 Tue – Des Moines, IA – Flying Mango
5/28 Wed – Evanston, IL – Space
5/30 Fri – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
5/31 Sat – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s
6/01 Sun – Indianapolis, IN – The Jazz Kitchen
6/12 Thu – San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint
6/13 Fri – The Woodlands, TX – Dosey Doe
6/14 Sat – Fredericksburg, TX – Luckenbach Texas Concert Series
6/21 Sat- Tallahassee, FL – Bradfordville Blues Club
6/ 24 Tue – Charlotte, NC – Evening Muse
6/25 Wed – Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle
6/26 Thu – Greensboro, NC – Blind Tiger
6/27 Fri – Chattanooga, TN – Nightfall Concert Series
6/28 Sat – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
6/29 Sun – Montgomery, AL – Capitol Oyster Bar

For more information and to stay up-to-date on news from Seth Walker, please visit www.sethwalker.com.

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Red June Celebrates New Album, Ancient Dreams, at Isis on Fri 5/16

Red June Performs at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall on Friday, May 16th
CD Release Celebration for Ancient Dreams on Organic Records

Show at 8:30pm, tickets are $12 adv/$15 door and are available here.
General Admission Seated Show :: Limited Tables Available with Dinner Reservations
There will also be theater-style & balcony seating available

828-575-2737
743 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
www.isisasheville.com

Powerful acoustic trio from Asheville, North Carolina, Red June released their third album Ancient Dreams on Organic Records April 15, 2014. They celebrate in Asheville at Isis Music Hall on Friday, May 16th for a special performance.

Purveyors of original music created in a traditional style, Red June performs beautifully distilled original music. The band is known for a dynamic, yet refined sound that features striking three-part harmonies, tasteful instrumental work, and honest, soulful songwriting that seamlessly blends bluegrass, old-time, country and American roots music.

Ancient Dreams is illustrative, honest and exquisitely crafted; it features the talents of Will Straughan (resonator guitar, guitar, mandolin and vocals), Natalya Weinstein (fiddle and vocals) and John Cloyd Miller (mandolin, guitar and vocals). The album was produced by Tim Surrett of the award-winning band Balsam Range; he also contributed some stellar bass playing on some tracks.

Imagine opening your front door on a mid-summer morning. Instead of your familiar scene, you walk out onto an old wooden porch facing east as the sun starts to rise. The day’s first light hits your eyes and your ears are filled with the close, warm sound of a mandolin.

Somewhere to one side the dust rises from a foot tapping. It’s keeping time to a melody that sounds older than any music you know. As the smell of dew covered grass floats by, so does a voice alongside that old melody….. ”I… I just want to wake… wake up with you and drink… something hot… best you’ve got.”

As you try to figure out how you got here, you realize it was by simply listening to the leadoff and title track of Red June’s Ancient Dreams.

The best thing is, this is not the only world you visit while listening to this North Carolina-based trio’s third release. Like your best dreams, nocturnal or daytime visions, Red June’s music has a transformative power that is the result of the pastoral story-songs which hold an underlying familiarity. It is music and songwriting that is instantly comforting, thought-evoking with relatable themes, even if they are not always obvious on the surface.

Like their namesake heirloom apple variety, Red June has strong roots in the Appalachian tradition while constantly forging new ground in American music. With Ancient Dreams, the trio collaborated with fine artist, Nancy Hilliard Joyce, who created the original album art: a pastoral painting that captures the idyllic tones within.

Preview and purchase Ancient Dreams today at Organic Records, iTunes, and AmazonMP3.

For more information and tour dates, please visit RedJuneMusic.com.

 

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