Tag: Laney Lou and the BIrd Dogs

LISTEN: Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs, “Give It Up”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Laney Lou and The Bird Dogs
Hometown: Bozeman, Montana
Song: “Give It Up”
Album: Coyote
Release Date: May 26, 2023 (single);  June 2, 2023 (album)

In Their Words: “The song ‘Give It Up’ came together in a matter of minutes, like it was just waiting for the right time to be written. I sat down at the piano one day and started playing the main melody of the verse. Words flowed immediately and the subject of the song became clear once I started singing the chorus line, ‘I can’t give it up.’

“This song dives into the incessant questions that last with you years after a relationship ends. You can turn over every stone beating yourself up for past actions, but ultimately you have to own your decisions. The phrase ‘I can’t give it up’ is repeated over and over through the song, feeling exasperated and victorious at the same time, like an earnest declaration to actually give it up and move on.

“Instrumentally the song mimics the ups and downs that you feel when processing a relationship. The quiet parts picked by our banjo player, Matt Demarais, are reflective and delicate, but the song reaches an apex when our fiddle player, Brian Kassay, explodes into a solo after the haunting bridge. I like to think that this song is a final chapter in a long battle to let something go, and the repeated chorus lines are a cathartic way for the narrator to do so.” — Lena Schiffer, Vocals/Guitar

Photo Credit: John Troy Photography

Songs of Joy and Celebration Aboard Cayamo

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Editor’s Note: We’re headed back out to sea for the 15th edition of Cayamo: A Journey Through Song! There are still cabins available if you’d like to join in the fun.

The BGS team is currently working on getting our land legs back after a week at sea with the Sixthman team, as we made our music-filled journey from Miami to St. Thomas and St. Kitts aboard the 14th edition of Cayamo – and what a week it was!

After two long years away from much of our roots music community (in person, at least) Cayamo felt like a reunion – and we were so happy to celebrate BGS’ 10th birthday with a huge jam set with so many of our friends. Sierra Hull and Madison Cunningham hosted The Bluegrass Situation’s Party of the Deck-ade, a set that took place on the pool deck as we pulled away from St. Kitts, featuring songs of joy and celebration via collaborations amongst the likes of Aoife O’Donovan, the Punch Brothers, Kathleen Edwards, Brittney Spencer, Robbie Fulks, Jim Lauderdale, Tommy Emmanuel, Missy Raines, Rainbow Girls, Dear Darling, Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs, and Hogslop String Band as our trusty house band.

On top of all this music, we were also grateful for the chance to simply sit and talk – and Fiona Prine took advantage of this time with her Let’s Sit and Talk series, having in-depth conversations with Emmylou Harris, as well as members of John Prine’s band. (Be on the lookout – these conversations are coming to BGS in podcast form soon!)

Cayamo was a week of non-stop music, unforgettable collaborations, and moments of joy, from a nautical set by the Punch Brothers, to mid-set stage dives – into a literal pool – from Hogslop String Band, to many opportunities to honor the memory and music of John Prine and those we’ve lost in the past few years – just to name a few. Below, take a look at some of our favorite moments from the Party of the Deck-ade and the entire Cayamo trip, as captured by Will Byington and Cortney Pizzarelli:

 

Cover Image: Cortney Pizzarelli
All photos by Will Byington and Cortney Pizzarelli

LISTEN: Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs, “Up For Air”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs
Hometown: Bozeman, Montana
Song: “Up For Air”
Album: Through the Smoke
Release Date: July 30, 2021

In Their Words: “‘Up For Air’ is a song about going through tough times, but also knowing that you’re in the exact place you’re meant to be. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that things are the way they are and your only job is to surrender. The lyrics for this song came quickly, but composing it as a full band took a while. We tried many different tempos and vibes for the song over the course of a year and finally landed on an upbeat and happy vibe in the studio. Ultimately the song is saying that whatever you’re going through, things will work out if you take a deep breath and come up for air every once in a while.” — Lena Schiffer, Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs

Photo credit: Loni Carr