Tag: premiere

WATCH: Appalachian Road Show, “Goin’ to Bring Her Back”

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Artist: Appalachian Road Show
Hometown: Southern Appalachia
Song: “Goin’ to Bring Her Back”
Album: TRIBULATION
Release Date: March 27, 2020
Label: Billy Blue Records

In Their Words: “Jim Van Cleve wrote this one. It tells the tale in a humorous way of an ol’ mountain boy who fell in love, but unfortunately, the poor fella doesn’t realize that the object of his affection may not feel quite the same … seeing as how she ran off on a train across ‘them yonder mountains!’ We had a lot of fun with this one in the studio and I think it shows through.” — Barry Abernathy, Appalachian Road Show

Photo credit: Micah Schweinsberg

LISTEN: Glenn Thomas, “Give a Damn”

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Artist: Glenn Thomas
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee by way of New England
Song: “Give a Damn”
Album: Reassure Me There’s a Window
Release Date: May 15, 2020 (album); May 1, 2020 (single)
Label: Palace Flophouse Records

In Their Words: “I wrote this song in the beginning stages of a new relationship I was in. I really cared about the person and wanted it to work, but still carried the ghosts of past relationships and dating woes. I felt like I didn’t really have anything new to bring to the table, but ultimately what mattered was I cared and was going to do what it took to make it work. Ultimately, the past is exactly that — the past. I remember sitting on a friend’s speedboat a couple of summers ago getting bounced around by the waves, and the fast up and down movement put this melody into my head. I had the lyrics in my phone notes and sang it into a voice memo right there on the boat. Stranger things have happened!” — Glenn Thomas

Photo credit: Chelsea Mandes

LISTEN: The Okee Dokee Brothers, “Raise a Ruckus”

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Artist: The Okee Dokee Brothers
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Song: “Raise a Ruckus”
Album: Songs for Singin’
Release Date: May 1, 2020

In Their Words: “This is our ‘rewrite’ of an old traditional tune with new verses and some new chorus lines too. As The Okee Dokee Brothers, we like to take standards, dust them off a bit and add a bit of our own style. For this one, we wanted to keep the energy of the original responses (‘Raise a ruckus tonight’), but just change the melody a bit and add a bit more chaotic imagery. Hence, the broken vase, rotten tomatoes, and the tornado! This track leads off disc two on our new album, so we really wanted it to be a rowdy ruckus, a rompin’ rouser, and a singable stomper.

“We asked our buddy, Anthony Ihrig (three-finger bluegrass banjo picker from The High 48s bluegrass band in Minneapolis) to record a second banjo part on top of Justin’s clawhammer part, because who says a clawhammer-er can’t coexist with a Scruggs-style picker! So a big thanks to Anthony who laid down a smokin’ track for us. The more the merrier in this tornado of a tune. We knew we got a good take in the studio when all of us were good and sweaty and our voices were hoarse. So stomp, sing, and sweat along with us while we all raise one heckuva ruckus in this bluegrass situation we somehow got ourselves into.” — The Okee Dokee Brothers

okeedokeebros · Raise A Ruckus

Photo credit: Nate Ryan Photography

LISTEN: G.F. Patrick, “Tennessee”

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Artist: G.F. Patrick
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Song: “Tennessee”
Album: One Town Over
Release Date: May 29, 2020
Label: Need To Know Music

In Their Words: “As a musician, Tennessee is one of those places to which all roads seem to lead. Still, to find happiness, we sometimes pump the brakes and pull over before reaching our planned destination. This song examines the tropes of love beyond sense and the draw of bright lights in far-off places. Instead of ending in the fantastic dreaming where these stories most often stop, the song continues to the undreamt of conclusion. While the love is real, the belief that it would overcome all obstacles is thwarted and the deeper realities of love are revealed in the settling.” — G.F. Patrick

Photo credit: Gina Fitzpatrick

WATCH: The Harmed Brothers, “All the Same”

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Artist: The Harmed Brothers
Hometown: Ludlow, Kentucky via Portland, Oregon
Song: “All the Same”
Album: Across the Waves
Release Date: June 5, 2020
Label: Fluff and Gravy Records

In Their Words: : “‘All the Same’ is a traveling song. It’s about life from inside the tour van. It’s about chasing a dream, even when you lose sight of it from being strung out on the road and missing home. It’s about our daily lives as an American touring band. Something I’m sure a lot of musicians can relate to.” — Ray Vietti, The Harmed Brothers

“The Ludlow-Bromley Swim Club in Ludlow, Kentucky is a cherished and beloved summer hangout spot, a classic American neighborhood pool — and our good friend and neighbor Matt ‘Catfish’ Williams presented us with the idea of shooting a video there. With his help, along with the pool owner and our fantastic community, we got to do something really fun and special. When initially presented with this opportunity, we felt ‘All the Same’ has this undeniably beachy, summertime vibe that perfectly fit that idea.” — Alex Salcido, The Harmed Brothers

Photo credit: Michael Wilson

LISTEN: Tessy Lou Williams, “Busy Counting Bridges”

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Artist: Tessy Lou Williams
Hometown: Willow Creek, Montana
Song: “Busy Counting Bridges”
Album: Tessy Lou Williams
Release Date: May 22, 2020
Label: Warehouse Records

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Busy Counting Bridges’ with Jerry Salley during our second co-write. We’d had the idea to write a by-God country shuffle and this was the result. I love the way this song turned out! It’s heartbreak, but you can two-step your way around the room while listening. The band absolutely nailed this song; I had to stop myself from dancing around the vocal booth while recording my vocal parts. I hope it has the same effect on everyone else!” — Tessy Lou Williams

Photo credit: Christina Feddersen

WATCH: Harrow Fair, “Seat at the Table”

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Artist: Harrow Fair
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Song: “Seat at the Table”
Album: Sins We Made
Release Date: April 17, 2020
Label: Roaring Girl Records

In Their Words: “Before we started our songwriting process for our new album, we had some really long discussions of what we wanted this record to say. We felt that, as artists, we had a responsibility to comment on the world we live in and the world we want to create. ‘Seat at the Table’ became almost a thesis statement for us. We had no way of knowing that this message would become not only more relevant, but also more imperative today than ever before.” — Miranda Mulholland and Andrew Penner, Harrow Fair

Photo credit: Jen Squires

WATCH: Clem Snide & Scott Avett, “The Stuff of Us” (Live From Just Beyond)

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Artist: Clem Snide & Scott Avett
Song: “The Stuff of Us” (Live From Just Beyond)
Album: Forever Just Beyond
Release Date: March 27, 2020
Label: Ramseur Records

In Their Words: “‘The Stuff of Us’ for me is a gleeful advocation of spirit over body. As my dying friend once said, ‘Death is not a wall but a doorway….’ I was raised by atheists so I’m hardly a qualified defender of any faith, but it seems to me that the ‘scientific’ framing is just as magical in its attempts to explain why there’s something instead of nothing. I mention dark matter/dark energy in the lyrics because, as I understand it at least, something like 95 percent of the universe is actually held together by this mysterious force or energy that is completely invisible and impossible to detect. Maybe Richard Dawkins would disagree but that sounds an awful lot like God to me. And for something to be truly real it would also have to be eternal…and free.” — Clem Snide

Photo credit: Crackerfarm

LISTEN: Casey Van Beek and the Tulsa Groove, “Since You Said Goodbye”

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Artist: Casey Van Beek and the Tulsa Groove
Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Song: “Since You Said Goodbye”
Album: Heaven Forever
Release Date: April 24, 2020
Label: Little Village Foundation

In Their Words: “I’ve been performing JJ Cale songs beginning with his very first album. When [producer] Walt Richmond suggested ‘Since You Said Goodbye’ as a cover, I was in with both feet. We were extremely pleased with the outcome. We were especially happy with the performances of Steve Hickerson on guitar and Steve Bagsby on steel guitar. I hope Cale would have approved.” — Casey Van Beek

Photo credit: Susan Webb

WATCH: Tommy Emmanuel, “Luttrell”

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Artist: Tommy Emmanuel
Hometown: Muswellbrook, New South Wales, Australia + currently resides in San Jose, California
Song: “Luttrell”
Album: The Best of Tommysongs
Release Date: May 8, 2020
Label: CGP Sounds/Cruzen Street Records

In Their Words: “Luttrell is a town in East Tennessee where my childhood hero, Chet Atkins, was born and raised. I took a trip out there, and I stood at the very spot where his house used to be, and I wrote this song. All my life, his love and encouragement has meant so much to me. He was a true friend, a great man, and one of the most important pioneers in the history of guitar playing.” — Tommy Emmanuel

Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen