Tag: premiere

LISTEN: 100 mile house, “Grateful”

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Artist: 100 mile house
Hometown: Edmonton, Canada
Song: “Grateful”
Album: Love and Leave You
Release Date: March 27, 2020
Label: Fallen Tree Records

In Their Words: “‘Grateful’ was probably the hardest song to complete from the new album, from any of our albums in fact. For years I wanted to be able to write about some of the darker corners of life and love — a parent suffering from addiction; not being able to have children — but to find a way to be grateful for them. Hope and courage can’t exist without these moments, so I wanted to shine a light on them.” — Peter Stone, 100 mile house

Photo credit: Jessica Fern Facette

WATCH: Grace Pettis, “Landon”

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Artist: Grace Pettis
Hometown: Mentone, Alabama; current residence is Austin, Texas
Song: “Landon”
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Label: MPress Records

In Their Words: I spent about ten years writing ‘Landon.’ It was a tough sentiment to get just right. Landon and I became best friends in a high school in a small town in Alabama. He came out right after graduation and I was one of a few trusted people. My job, in that moment, was to listen. Instead, I responded with a canned answer — one that was drilled into me by a devout Christian upbringing. I knew, deep down, that I was wrong. It took me years (I’m embarrassed by how many years) to confront my conscience and admit that to myself.

“In a lot of ways, my faith journey as a liberal Catholic was jump-started by these questions. It was scary. It was liberating. I felt closer to God than I ever had. By the time I’d figured out how to write the song and how to face up to it, we’d both come to a new place of understanding ourselves in the world. ‘Landon’ is an apology. When I play ‘Landon’ at shows, I like to dedicate it to anybody in the audience who’s owed an apology; one that’s many years coming. And then I dedicate it to anybody in the audience who owes somebody else an apology; one that’s many years in the making.” — Grace Pettis

Photo credit: Nicola Gell Photography

LISTEN: Hownd, “Somethin'”

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Artist: Hownd
Hometown: Byfield, Massachusetts
Song: “Somethin'”
Album: Just to Feel
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Label: Lazare Music Inc.

In Their Words: “‘Somethin” is a reflection of faith and trust in a greater good, whatever darkness may be chasing after you. I wrote this song years ago in Boston, beginning to truly explore the acoustic guitar while also wrestling with philosophies of life, purpose, and religion. Written during a time of transition and unknown, I came to find real comfort in not knowing what’s out there. Regardless of the struggle to find ‘truth,’ the faith of knowing something bigger is out there watching over me is clear as crystal, watching over everyone, I believe.” — Hownd

Photo credit: Julia Cannon

LISTEN: Fireside Collective, “Bring It on Home”

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Artist: Fireside Collective
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Bring It On Home”
Album: Elements
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “We love all genres, especially funk. Getting to show that side of our band is always fun and a nice break from bluegrass, which we also love. Carson and Jesse worked a lot on getting the bass line as groovy as possible and I think they succeeded in making this one extra funky!” — Tommy Maher, dobro

“‘Bring It On Home’ is a great example of what can be done with bluegrass instruments outside of the bluegrass groove. The song begins with a unison riff before branching out into a funky groove with tight harmonies and tasty fills and solos to match. While it doesn’t land in the bluegrass groove, this song is a great example of where the genre is heading.” — Alex Genova, banjo

Photo credit: Heather Hambor

WATCH: High Fidelity, “The South Bound Train”

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Artist: High Fidelity
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The South Bound Train”
Album: Banjo Player’s Blues
Release Date: June 12, 2020
Label: Rebel Records

In Their Words: “Everything about ‘The South Bound Train’ just screamed High Fidelity to me, including the fact that it had been all but forgotten in the bluegrass collective consciousness. Jim & Jesse wrote and recorded it during their classic early ’60s era, but it was never released until the 1990s. It was such a strong song, especially with their arrangement, I thought, ‘We can’t not record this!’ Their version is led predominately by the banjo, and given High Fidelity’s love for the banjo, we wanted to put our spin on the song utilizing twin banjos. We have a history for pushing our own limits in this band, and I love the intensity of Jeremy and Kurt [Stephenson] singing and playing banjo at the same time on such an up-tempo number!” — Corrina Rose Logston, High Fidelity

“We had a blast making the video for this one, too. Corrina and I scouted the locations for the shoot with the help of a CSX employee that we met track-side in Northern Davidson County, Tennessee. He pointed us in the direction of an area with high volume and high speed rail-traffic, and that is where we went, finding the two locations that are seen in the video. It was very interesting being poised to shoot not knowing when a train was coming, but it all worked out great. We hope everyone else enjoys the video and the song as much as we did making it!” — Jeremy Stephens, High Fidelity

Photo credit: Amy Richmond

LISTEN: Carolina Blue, “Grown Cold”

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Artist: Carolina Blue
Hometown: Brevard, North Carolina
Song: “Grown Cold”
Album: Take Me Back
Release Date: June 19, 2020
Label: Billy Blue Records

In Their Words: “‘Grown Cold’ is the lead single from our forthcoming album, Take Me Back, on Billy Blue Records. I wrote the song specifically for Tim Jones to sing, and boy, does he deliver! What makes this song ideal, in my opinion, is that it’s different from anything that’s out there today, and that was intentional on my part as the songwriter. It really fits our motto of ‘Original yet Traditional.’ As a band, we want the listeners to be able to identify our music the moment that it comes on the radio, and I think we will be successful, not only with ‘Grown Cold,’ but with every track on the album. Hope you all enjoy it!” — Bobby Powell, Carolina Blue

Photo credit: Corey Johnson Studios

LISTEN: Carla Olson, “A Child’s Claim to Fame” (Feat. Timothy B. Schmit and Rusty Young)

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Artist: Carla Olson
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “A Child’s Claim to Fame”
Album: Have Harmony, Will Travel 2
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Label: Sunset Blvd. Records

In Their Words: “Buffalo Springfield was as clever, inventive and multi talented as the Beatles. They had three songwriters, three voices, and a palette as varied as any band American or British. ‘A Child’s Claim to Fame’ is one of many examples of their unique genius and it’s a song I have always loved. It’s sophisticated as well as catchy, out of left field for a rock band, but a hit-in-waiting. When I decided to record it, Timothy B. Schmit’s voice almost called out to me, it seemed like such a natural harmony or duet choice. And when he said ‘yes’ — even better. If that wasn’t enough, creatively and historically, when Rusty Young agreed to play banjo, dobro, and guitar I knew we had a gem in the making if I do say so myself. Could I have imagined as a teen, when I saw the Springfield in concert, later recording Richie Furay’s Buffalo Springfield song with members of Poco and the Eagles? Uh, no. My thanks to both of them.” — Carla Olson

Photo credit: Markus Cuff

LISTEN: Chris Moyse, “Pueblo Dust”

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Artist: Chris Moyse
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Pueblo Dust”
Album: Bitter Ballads & Cynical Prayers
Release Date: March 20, 2020

In Their Words: “It’s a road trip song and a kind of love letter to a friend. And the first song in history about a pretty girl in a vintage car, right? It’s also a jinx — the 1980 El Camino died a few months later. But, I still got the memory and this song.” — Chris Moyse

Photo credit: J.R. Wyatt

WATCH: Laurie Lewis, “Troubled Times” (Feat. Leah Wollenberg)

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Artist: Laurie Lewis
Hometown: Berkeley, California
Song: “Troubled Times”
Album: and Laurie Lewis
Release Date: March 27, 2020

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Troubled Times’ about twenty years ago, I think, in other troubled times than we are experiencing now. But I never sang the song out in public more than about three times. I honestly feel like I was waiting for the right ‘voice to sing in harmony,’ and when Leah and I started singing together, I think I found my match. I have been friends with her parents (jazz guitarist Mike Wollenberg and artist Jenny Bloomfield) since before she was born, and have known her since then, watching her grow into a fearless jazz violinist and terrific Irish fiddler. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but when I heard her sing a piece of a song sitting around the dinner table one night, my ears really perked up. Maybe it’s because Leah has heard my voice her whole life that she is able to get a positively familial blend. Whatever it is, I’ll take it.” — Laurie Lewis

Photo credit: Jeff Fasano

WATCH: Grace Morrison, “Mothers”

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Artist: Grace Morrison
Hometown: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Song: “Mothers”
Release Date: March 13, 2020

In Their Words: “I’m a new mom. My son and I spend our days talking and singing about the world around us. I’ll often find myself in sing-song: ‘Here is a tree, there is a leaf.’ It struck me, however, that I am a very lucky mother. There are mothers right now separated from their children at the US border. Women who fought like hell to get their children to our border. There are mothers who have lost their children to gun violence. It was in that moment of realization that I knew my job is bigger than teaching him about plants and animals. He’s got to see the not so pretty stuff too. And hopefully, if I do my job right, he’ll live his life trying to right some of the wrongs that we all see every day… if we open our eyes.

“My cousin Cecilia is a senior in high school who has fallen in love with American Sign Language (ASL). This past summer at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, there was an ASL interpreter during my set and I was truly moved by it. Because this song has such strong visual language I thought it was a perfect opportunity to include Ceci and her interpretation (which I think is really lovely). The message of this song is really important to me, so I’m hopeful that including ASL will help more people engage with the idea that we need to be mindful of both how lucky we are and the struggles of others.” — Grace Morrison

Photo credit: Paula Mailloux at Bongo Beach Productions