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Levi Lowrey Releases Self-Titled Album Today
Through Southern Ground Artists
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Executive Produced by Zac Brown
at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville
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Levi Lowrey now available on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/LeviLowrey
Physical copies available at Levi’s Online Store: http://levilowrey.spinshop.com
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Levi Lowrey is thrilled to release his self-titled album today, February 25, 2014, through Southern Ground Artists. The album is available exclusively for download on iTunes and physical copies can be purchased at Levi’s online store and live shows.
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Noisetrade is offering an exclusive behind the scenes look at the making of the album. To watch the video, and pick up free downloads of three tracks off the album (“Picket Fences”, “December Thirty-One”, and “Urge For Leaving”); please visit here.
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Showcasing all original material, with the exception of one cover, the album features Lowrey collaborating with an impressive list of guest musicians that includes Clay Cook (Zac Brown Band), fiddler Ross Holmes (Mumford & Sons/Cadillac Sky), Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers) and acclaimed performer, producer and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Mac McAnally. This new project was executive produced by Zac Brown along with co-producers Matt Mangano and Clay Cook. It was recorded from start to finish in just two weeks at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville, TN.
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True to his reputation as a talented writer, Lowrey penned four of the fifteen songs by himself on the self-titled album and co-wrote the other ten original tracks. Each new story song offers brutally honest insights about life culled from his adventures in the real world. Lowrey is a happily married man who home schools his two children with his wife while working as a successful musician. On the other hand, he is a constant observer of the rough sides of life and he is not afraid to branch out and explore subjects that others might find too uncomfortable for casual conversation.
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“You know, I haven’t written about my wife’s health struggles with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma yet, but there are elements of it that kind of snuck their way into the songs anyway, especially on ‘December Thirty-One,’” Lowrey says. “There’s the realization that a change for the better can happen at any second or any minute. There is a hopeful sort of desperation the whole record displays.”
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As evidence of this optimism, Lowrey isn’t one to complain or even ponder why he might be experiencing hardships that others don’t have to endure. Instead, he channels his energies, his frustrations and his talent into his craft.
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“I think that this earth and its struggles are to build character; we have to be thankful for that,” Lowrey states. “The song ‘Long Way Home’ says right up front, ‘I’ve wasted hours praying for rain, and I cursed the clouds when they finally came.’ We pray for blessings in our lives, but we’re unwilling to go through the storms before we get there.”
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Kind Words about Levi Lowrey:
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“Each consecutive album by a great artist further defines their sound and identity.  Levi’s new self titled record is no exception. I’ve really enjoyed watching Levi reach his vast potential as a songwriter and artist.” —Zac Brown
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“December Thirty One” is “an evocative ode to romantic optimism sung in an engaging folkie tenor…there’s real promise here.” —Music Row, Robert K. Oermann
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“An enlightened storyteller with a novel musical approach, he displays an astonishing diversity of songcraft and a consistent level of inspiration.“ —Alan Cackett
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“Southern gritty folk troubador” —Country Fried Rock
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“Levi Lowrey looks back to his younger years not as a memory but looking for the crossroads between living with no responsibilities and a life where you have yourself and a few more souls on your watch. For Levi, the telling moment is when you can answer the question, ‘are you living or just trying your best not to die’.” —The Alternate Root
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“His new album is bursting with a wide variety of sounds, from moving ballad ‘Before the Hymnal Died’ to a greasy, Southern rock cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs.’”–Engine 145, Juli Thanki
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“Tracks like ‘Picket Fences’, ‘December Thirty-One,’ and ‘Before The Hymnal Died’ confirm to me that Levi Lowrey stands shoulder to shoulder with Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, and Will Hoge as the best in what Southern songwriting has to offer.” —Blue Ridge Outdoors, Dave Stallard
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“Solid, velvet vocals, and down-to-earth songwriting” —Exclaim.CA

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“Levi Lowrey is a well traveled, well versed songwriter who carries the country boy image as well as he carries a tune on his self-titled release.” —Boone Mountain Time

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Levi Lowrey On Tour
TODAY 2/25 Tue – Duluth, GA – Red Clay Theatre – Album Release Show
2/27 Thu – Nashville, TN – The Basement – Album Release Show
2/28 Fri – Nashville, TN – Grimey’s In-Store
3/19 Thu – Columbus, GA – Columbus Civic Center * %
3/20 Wed – Chattanooga, TN – UTC McKenzie Arena  * %
3/21 Fri – Augusta, GA – James Brown Arena * %
3/23 Sun – Punta Cana, DR – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
3/24 Mon – Punta Cana, DR – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
4/04 Fri – Laconia, NH – Pitman’s Freight Room +
4/05 Sat – Boston, MA – Great Scott +
4/07 Mon – New York, NY –  Joe’s Pub +
4/08 Tue – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live +
4/09 Wed – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java +
4/10 Thu – Charlottesville, VA –  The Southern Café & Music Hall +
4/11 Fri – Rocky Mount, VA – Harverster Performance Center +
4/12 Sat – Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse +
4/13 Sun – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle +
4/15 Tue – Nashville, TN – The Basement +
4/16 Wed – Chattanooga, TN – Rhythm & Brews +
4/17 Thu – Duluth, GA – Red Clay Theatre +
4/18 Fri – Senoia, GA – Southern Ground Social Club +
4/19 Sat – Birmingham, AL – WorkPlay Theatre +
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* w/ Zac Brown Band
+ CLAY vs. LEVI: ROUND 2 – Levi Lowrey with Clay Cook
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% Rescheduled date: Due to potentially icy and dangerous winter driving conditions, ZBB rescheduled a few upcoming shows in Chattanooga, Columbus and Augusta.
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Stay tuned to LeviLowrey.com for more information and further tour dates. Also, keep up-to-date at facebook.com/LeviLowrey and twitter.com/LeviLowrey.

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Levi Lowrey LP2 Cover

Levi Lowrey To Release Self-Titled Album Through Southern Ground Artists on Feb 25th
Produced by Zac Brown at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville

Singer/songwriter Levi Lowrey will release his sophomore album through Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Artists on February 25, 2014. Lowrey will offer a gratis download of the song “December Thirty-One” on December 31st for his fans at www.LeviLowrey.com.

The self-titled effort will showcase all original material and will feature Lowrey collaborating with a list of guest musicians that include Clay Cook (Zac Brown Band), fiddler Ross Holmes (Mumford & Sons/Cadillac Sky), Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers) and acclaimed performer, producer and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Mac McAnally. This new project was executive produced by Zac Brown along with co-producers Matt Mangano and Clay Cook. It was recorded from start to finish in just two weeks at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville, TN.

LeviPredssSotforWebThis new album proves that Lowrey has no intention of shedding his image as an honest, life-as-an-open-book songwriter. Despite his growing success, Lowrey announces just 15 seconds into the disc that he is still as confused and unsure of his place in the world as anyone else. On the opening cut “Picket Fences,” he sings, “I have tried and I’ve tried, but I ain’t never satisfied this hunger burnin’ in my soul.” With Lowrey’s heart laid bare from the first notes, the 14 tracks that follow are equally confessional. He explores his own mortality through the eyes of his daredevil children in “Trying Not To Die,” and he tries to reconcile his faith with his history of self-destructive behaviors on “I’ve Held the Devil’s Hand.”

Lowrey’s sincerity and unflinching willingness to tell his life’s story in public is what gives his music an honest edge. “You gotta get to that point where if it scares you too much, don’t write about it,” states Lowrey. “I’ve tried to say, ‘I’m going to scare myself and see what happens. Hopefully the fallout will be worth it.’ And you know what? It usually is.”

True to his reputation as a talented writer, Lowrey penned four of the 15 songs by himself on the self-titled album, co-wrote the other 10 original tracks, and included his version of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs”. Each new story song offers brutally honest insights about life culled from his adventures in the real world. Lowrey is a happily married man who home schools his two children with his wife while working as a successful musician. On the other hand, he is a constant observer of the rough sides of life and he is not afraid to branch out and explore subjects that others might find too uncomfortable for casual conversation.

Lowrey toured extensively with Zac Brown Band to support his Southern Ground debut album, I Confess I Was A Fool. He wrote a No. 1 hit song and has several awards and nominations to his credit. Lowrey’s song “Colder Weather,” co-written with Zac Brown, was nominated for a CMA Song of the Year award and the cut went on to win the BMI Country Award for Top 50 Songs of the Year. Lowrey and Brown also co-wrote “The Wind,” from Brown’s No.1 Billboard album Uncaged, as well as the rollicking “Day For The Dead,” which is featured on Zac Brown Band’s recent project The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1.

Stay tuned to LeviLowrey.com for more information and tour dates. Also keep up-to-date at facebook.com/LeviLowrey and twitter.com/LeviLowrey.

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John Driskell Hopkins & Balsam Range Debut
at the Grand Ole Opry March 8th

Performing Music from Their Independently Released Album DAYLIGHT

DAYLIGHT_coverJohn Driskell Hopkins & Balsam Range Performances:
Fri 3/8 Nashville, TN  WSM 9am
Fri 3/8 Nashville, TN The Grand Ole Opry 7pm
Sat 3/9 Knoxville, TN WDVX 1:30pm
Sat 3/9 Knoxville, TN The Shed
Thu 3/14 Athens, GA The Melting Point

Kind Words About Daylight:

“Hopkins’ vocals complement the use of fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and Dobro played by BR to produce a Southern sound that is truly alive… The deep tone of Hopkins’ vocals have the ability to convey edge and grit in songs [with] original lyrics are consistently honest, at times tongue-in-cheek, and at other times thoughtful…”
–Valerie Bertolami, Performer Magazine

“Pure musical joy, with songs ranging across every musical style from bluegrass and gospel to jazz and blues to country… often blinds with dazzling light.”
–Henry Carrigan, Country Standard Time

“Front and center here is Hopkins’ deep, rich and sensual baritone. His singing is warm and melodious in tone, inviting one to pay closer attention… Daylight is deserving of brighter shade.”
–Bill Clifford, Jambands.com

“I Will Lay Me Down” listed as a recommended track in indie releases
CMT’s Craig Shelburne

“They make music that’s both country and grass, while being pure expressions of neither.  There are banjo rolls and mando scratches throughout… Purists may scoff (as purists are wont to do), but the results are enough to satisfy the lover of hyphens in me.” –Scott Foley, KRFC’s Routes and Branches

“Love a rich, deep country voice? Then John Driskell Hopkins is your man.”
–Mary Armstrong, Philadelphia City Paper

“A voice huskier than Charlie Daniels after a hard night.”
Jim Farber, New York Daily News, #5 in Top 10 picks in music release week

“…what a great sound for John! I’m excited for people to hear him in this raw and broken-down format, his unique voice front and center!”
–Oliver Wood (of the Wood Brothers)

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the thick of it, swattin’ it out with a bonafide Bluegrass band with power vocals coming from a fellow with a pedigree like John Driskell Hopkins possesses. I don’t see anything but clear sailing for this song [Runaway Train].”
–Jerry Douglas

“John Hopkins’ new album, Daylight, has rich vocals and excellent pickers that are wrapped around well-crafted songs. What’s not to love?”
–Jim Lauderdale

“The unusual Sunday Jan. 27 WDVX Blue Plate Special [John Driskell Hopkins & Balsam Range] was the most highly attended yet in 2013, and one of the biggest turnouts in memory.  Even before the show went live on the air, the standing-room-only audience’s excitement was electric.”
–Sarah Waldrip, Blank News 

“A colorful collaboration… with meaty vocal performances that fluctuate from smooth croon to bluesy spittin’ growl, Hopkins takes us on a lively journey backed by a fine, fine group of ace musicians.”
–Janet Goodman, Music News Nashville

Listen HERE  “In Search of a Song with Jason Wilber”
John Driskell Hopkins’ interview with Executive Producer Rich Reardin
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For more about John Driskell Hopkins and Daylight, visit www.JohnDriskellHopkins.com.

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John Driskell Hopkins teams up with Balsam Range,
to Independently Release Daylight on January 22, 2013

Available on iTunes and at www.JohnDriskellHopkins.com

“...what a great sound for John! I’m excited for people to hear him in this raw and broken-down format, his unique voice front and center!
Oliver Wood (of the Wood Brothers)

John Hopkins’ new album, Daylight, has rich vocals and excellent pickers that are wrapped around well-crafted songs. What’s not to love?” —Jim Lauderdale

A voice huskier than Charlie Daniels after a hard night.”
Jim Farber, New York Daily News, #5 in Top 10 picks in music for this week

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DAYLIGHT_coverJohn Driskell Hopkins has walked the musical path for the last 20 years. As a bass player, guitar player, singer and songwriter for several bands of the rock variety, Hopkins rooted himself in the Atlanta, GA music scene in 1995, producing records and touring with his band Brighter Shade and later becoming a founding member of the Zac Brown Band to this day. Now he has teamed up with North Carolina-based band and Mountain Home Recording artists, Balsam Range, to record and independently produce a new album, Daylight, set for national release on January 22nd.

John is thrilled to have included several special guests on the album, including Zac Brown on “I Will Lay Me Down,” a sweet and sacred song; Levi Lowrey on “How Could I?” a song co-written by the two, and the heavenly Joey Feek of Joey + Rory on the autobiographical “Bye Baby Goodbye.” And of the musicians featured on Daylight, John could not have done better: the unmatched Jerry Douglas opens the record with dobro on “Runaway Train,” and Tony Trischka brings his banjo mastery to the title-track, “Daylight,” a longtime song in Hopkins’ repertoire about breaking through life’s troubles into brighter times.

JDH_BR_byJolieKimmelOf performing with with BR, John says “Being on stage with Balsam Range is like body-surfing in warm butter-cream icing with hillbilly cherubs. Smooth…” Balsam Range is Buddy Melton (fiddle, vocals), Darren Nicholson (Mandolin, vocals), Marc Pruett (Banjo, Vocals), Caleb Smith (guitar, vocals), and Tim Surrett (bass, dobro, vocals).

Balsam Range’s Marc Pruett says, “John Hopkins is a serious student of all kinds of music, and I think it comes through well in the songs he writes. He really runs the gambit from soft, Gospel-sounding acoustic, to hard, driving rock-swing things. John is a ‘power singer,’ and man he can deliver.”

If you’re a Zac Brown Band fan, you’ll hear a couple familiar songs, though most tracks are newly penned with BR’s talent and magic in mind, and a couple songs are some of John’s oldest tunes, written with his band of many years, Brighter Shade, and beautifully reworked for this special new project.

… in a song like ‘I Will Lay Me Down,’ Hopkins’ raw vocals turn to sweet honey with the picking beneath and the soft, high harmony of Zac Brown lifting him up. But no track rocks harder than ‘Runaway Train,’ as Jerry Douglas blazes on the dobro and Hopkins howls over the top like an old-time tent revival.” –Devon Leger, Hearth Music, No Depression First Spin

For more about John Driskell Hopkins and Daylight, visit www.JohnDriskellHopkins.com.

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DAYLIGHT_coverJohn Driskell Hopkins has walked the musical path for the last 20 years. As a bass player, guitar player, singer and songwriter for several bands of the rock variety, Hopkins rooted himself in the Atlanta, GA music scene in 1995, producing records and touring with his band Brighter Shade and later becoming a founding member of the Zac Brown Band to this day. Now he has teamed up with North Carolina bluegrass band, Balsam Range, to record and independently produce a new album, Daylight, which is set for national release on January 22nd. They will be performing an Asheville album release show on Friday, February 1st at the NEW Isis Restaurant and Music Hall.

A lifelong fan of bluegrass and gospel music, John became an instant fan of Balsam Range, an award-winning and unstoppable 5-piece hailing from Haywood County, North Carolina. As John’s plans for a solo record took shape, he realized that BR’s authentic style and approach could bring his songs new life, and a vision for his record became clear.

JDH_BR_byJolieKimmelOf performing with with BR, John says “Being on stage with Balsam Range is like body-surfing in warm butter-cream icing with hillbilly cherubs. Smooth…..” Balsam Range is Buddy Melton (fiddle, vocals), Darren Nicholson (Mandolin, vocals), Marc Pruett (Banjo, Vocals), Caleb Smith (guitar, vocals), and Tim Surrett (bass, dobro, vocals).

Over the course of a year, the collective made use of their sparse days off the road and arranged to pow-wow and track basics at John’s home studio in Atlanta, GA or at Crossroads Studio in Arden, NC, eventually bringing the songs to form. John utilized the Zac Brown Band’s amazing new Southern Ground Studios in Nashville, TN for the final engineering and mixing, and in the middle of September 2012, the album was completed.

John is thrilled to have included several special guests on the album, including Zac Brown on “I Will Lay Me Down,” a sweet and sacred song; Levi Lowrey on “How Could I?” a song co-written by the two, and the heavenly Joey Feek of Joey + Rory on the autobiographical “Bye Baby Goodbye.” And of the musicians featured on Daylight, John could not have done better: the unmatched Jerry Douglas opens the record with dobro on “Runaway Train,” and Tony Trischka brings his banjo mastery to the title-track, “Daylight,” a longtime song in Hopkins’ repertoire about breaking through life’s troubles into brighter times.

If you’re a Zac Brown Band fan, you’ll hear a couple familiar songs, though most tracks are newly penned with BR’s talent and magic in mind, and a couple songs are some of John’s oldest tunes, written with his band of many years, Brighter Shade, and beautifully reworked for this special new project.

Show Details at a Glance:
John Driskell Hopkins and Balsam Range
Album Release Show for Daylight

Isis Restaurant & Music Hall
Friday, Feb 1, 2013
8pm doors, 9pm show; $12 ADV, $15 DOS; All Ages
828-575-2737
743 Haywood Rd. Asheville, NC 28806
www.isisasheville.com

For more about John Driskell Hopkins and Daylight, visit www.JohnDriskellHopkins.com.

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Happy Holidays 2012 from John Driskell Hopkins! DAYLIGHT due out January 22, 2013

John Driskell Hopkins has walked the musical path for the last 20 years. As a bass player, guitar player, singer and songwriter for several bands of the rock variety, Hopkins rooted himself in the Atlanta, GA music scene in 1995, producing records and touring with his band Brighter Shade and later becoming a founding member of the Zac Brown Band to this day. Now he has teamed up with North Carolina bluegrass band, Balsam Range, to record a new album, Daylight, which debuted at the Southern Ground Music and Food Festival in Charleston, SC in October 2012. Daylight was independently produced and is set for national release on January 22, 2013 and features an array of special guests including Zac Brown, Levi Lowrey, Joey Feek of Joey + Rory, Tony Trischka, and Jerry Douglas.
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For more about Daylight, visit http://www.JohnDriskellHopkins.com.

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John Driskell Hopkins & Balsam Range Release DAYLIGHT Jan 22, 2013

Founding Member of the Zac Brown Band, John Driskell Hopkins, teams up with Mountain Home Recording Artists, Balsam Range,
to Independently Release Daylight on January 22, 2013

DAYLIGHT_coverJohn Driskell Hopkins has walked the musical path for the last 20 years. As a bass player, guitar player, singer and songwriter for several bands of the rock variety, Hopkins rooted himself in the Atlanta, GA music scene in 1995, producing records and touring with his band Brighter Shade and later becoming a founding member of the Zac Brown Band to this day. Now he has teamed up with North Carolina bluegrass band, Balsam Range, to record a new album, Daylight, which debuted at the Southern Ground Music and Food Festival in Charleston, SC in October 2012. Daylight was independently produced and is set for national release on January 22, 2013 and features an array of special guests.

A lifelong fan of bluegrass and gospel music, John became an instant fan of Balsam Range, an award-winning and unstoppable 5-piece hailing from Haywood County, North Carolina. As John’s plans for a solo record took shape, he realized that BR’s authentic style and approach could bring his songs new life, and a vision for his record became clear.

Over the course of a year, the collective made use of their sparse days off the road and arranged to pow-wow and track basics at John’s home studio in Atlanta, GA or at Crossroads Studio in Arden, NC, eventually bringing the songs to form. John utilized the Zac Brown Band’s amazing new Southern Ground Studios in Nashville, TN for the final engineering and mixing, and in the middle of September 2012, the album was completed.

John is thrilled to have included several special guests on the album, including Zac Brown on “I Will Lay Me Down,” a sweet and sacred song; Levi Lowrey on “How Could I?” a song co-written by the two, and the heavenly Joey Feek of Joey + Rory on the autobiographical “Bye Baby Goodbye.” And of the musicians featured on Daylight, John could not have done better: the unmatched Jerry Douglas opens the record with dobro on “Runaway Train,” and Tony Trischka brings his banjo mastery to the title-track, “Daylight,” a longtime song in Hopkins’ repertoire about breaking through life’s troubles into brighter times.

Of singing on stage with BR, John says “Being on stage with Balsam Range is like body-surfing in warm butter-cream icing with hillbilly cherubs. Smooth…..” Balsam Range is Buddy Melton (fiddle, vocals), Darren Nicholson (Mandolin, vocals), Marc Pruett (Banjo, Vocals), Caleb Smith (guitar, vocals), and Tim Surrett (bass, dobro, vocals).

If you’re a Zac Brown Band fan, you’ll hear a couple familiar songs, though most tracks are newly penned with BR’s talent and magic in mind, and a couple songs are some of John’s oldest tunes, written with his band of many years, Brighter Shade, and beautifully reworked for this special new project.

Hopkins met Zac Brown in 1998 at an open mic hosted by Hopkins. Over the next several years, they remained friends and with Hopkins lending a production hand, they released the first Zac Brown record, “Home Grown,” in 2004.

Hopkins became a founding member of the Zac Brown Band in 2005 and has enjoyed engineering and songwriting credits on hit songs such as “Toes,” “It’s Not OK,” and “Sic Em On A Chicken,” from the multi-platinum selling record “The Foundation,” as well as “Nothing,” “I Play The Road,” and “Settle Me Down,” from the platinum selling record, “You Get What You Give.”

As the ZBB continues to garner critical and public success through Grammy, CMA, and ACM Awards, Hopkins continues to share the spotlight on stage with his band of fellow songwriters and friends and is excited to share his collaboration with Balsam Range with the world.

For more about John Driskell Hopkins and Daylight, visit www.JohnDriskellHopkins.com.

JDH_BR_by_JolieLorenPhotog_words

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The Duhks On Tour this October!

Thur, Oct 6th, 2011   Newton-Conover Auditorium  Newton, NC
Fri, Oct 7th      Pisgah Brewing Company     Black Mountain, NC
Sat-Sun, Oct 8-9th      Shakori Hills Festival    Silk Hope, NC
Wed, Oct 12th     Jammin’ Java     Vienna, VA
Thurs, Oct 13th      Kent Stage     Kent, OH
Fri, Oct 14th      The Newton Theatre    Newton, NJ
Sat, Oct 15th      Infinity Hall    Norfolk, CT

www.duhks.com

The most vital acoustic music being made today acknowledges its predecessors and lives in the here and now. The Duhks, a band of five skilled, high-energy, tattooed musicians from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has been riveting audiences and winning staunch fans around the world with just that kind of music. The Boston Globe says about them, “Canada’s premier neo-tradsters romp from world-beat to blues, urban-pop to old-timey, with wild-eyed invention, haunting traditionalism, and spine-rattling groove. Who says the Frozen North can’t sizzle, eh?”

Since the release of their self-titled album in 2005, the consequent re-release of its Canadian debut (Your Daughters and Your Sons) to their most recent release (Fast Paced World), the band has won admirers as diverse as David Crosby, Dolly Parton and Doc Watson. This isn’t surprising, given the band’s blend of soul, gospel, North American folk, Brazilian samba, old-time country string-band music, zydeco and Irish dance music, folk rock and the attraction to these interwoven acoustic styles. The Duhks’ unique sound has also earned the band a Grammy nomination, one Juno Award, two additional Juno nominations, two Folk Alliance awards and an Americana Music Association nomination for Best Emerging Artists.

NPR says, “The inventive Canadians in The Duhks are widely beloved for their smooth blend of traditional roots music and soul, which they inject with well-placed Afro-Cuban and Celtic influences.” Ultimately though, according to band founder and claw-hammer banjoist Leonard Podolak, the Duhks “just want to play music that speaks to everybody.” Mission accomplished.

2008’s Fast-Paced World was the first Duhks record to feature prodigies Sarah and Christian Dugas. The siblings have been immersed in music their whole lives, thanks in part to their musician parents. “We had a family band that toured across Canada when I was 7 and Christian was 9,” remembers Sarah. “My father had a recording studio in the house, so I grew up hearing a variety of musicians playing everything from rap to rock to world beat. I grew up in a fun and creative environment.”

Joining the band in 2011, violinist Duncan Wickel‘s (formerly of Asheville, NC and now in Boston, MA) studies also began early with classical violin training at age 4. He was soon after introduced to Irish fiddling and has evolved into a wildly diverse and highly accomplished improviser, composer and technician on the violin; which fits amazingly with the Duhks diverse sound.

Guitarist Jordan McConnell also started digging into music at an early age and he started making guitars right out of highschool. He built both the guitar he plays on stage and one of Leonard’s favorite banjos as well. Currently, Jordan’s luthier business is taking off through the roof- a guitar he built was recently played by Seth Avett of The Avett Brothers alongside Bob Dylan on the Grammys!

Sarah and Christian have started playing as a duo and signed with Southern Ground Records (Zac Brown, Wood Brothers, Sonia Leigh). Since then they have played on Zac Brown’s Cruise “Sailing the Southern Seas” as well as the renowned folk and roots cruise “Cayamo”. They released an EP titled “Another Day” in February of 2011.

When not performing with the Duhks, Leonard has been invited into the Cecil Sharp Project based in the UK, as well as a new project, he’s started with some great Canadian songwriters called Dry Bones who performed earlier this year at the Vancouver Folk Fest.

With all of the side projects taking off, this tour is a special and rare opportunity to see the band. According to one blogger‘s live review, “The Duhks have soul in spades and a heart beat that pulses more true than an Ibiza night club. A night spent with The Duhks is summed up best by their own encore, ‘HALLELUJAH!’ Hallelujah indeed.”

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