Tag: Song Premiere

LISTEN: Wilson Banjo Co., “Don’t Forget About Maggie”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Wilson Banjo Co.
Hometown: Westminster, South Carolina
Song: “Don’t Forget About Maggie”
Release Date: September 19, 2023
Label: Pinecastle Records

In Their Words: “We were pleasantly surprised by this fresh new tune that David Stewart sent us from Wyoming. We enjoy his work and have been hoping to run into a song of his that would work for us for quite some time. ‘Don’t Forget About Maggie’ offers up something light and refreshing, musically as well as lyrically, with the imagery it creates through the writing. That country cadence in Josh’s lead, backed by the velvety blend of Sarah and Glen’s harmony, really brought the story to life. It’s a lot of fun to play and we really hope everyone enjoys it!” – Steve Wilson, Wilson Banjo Co.

Track Credits: Written by: David Stewart, Brice Long, Bobby Taylor

Steve Wilson: Banjo
Sarah Logan: Fiddle, harmony
Josh Raines: Guitar, lead vocal
Glen Crain: Resonator guitar, harmony
Jamie Carter: Bass
Jason Fraley: Mandolin

Photo Credit: Brian Auburn

LISTEN: Kathy Kallick Band, “Just Lonesome Ol’ Me & the Radio”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Kathy Kallick Band
Hometown: San Francisco Bay Area, California
Song: “Just Lonesome Ol’ Me & the Radio”
Album: The Lonesome Chronicles
Release Date: September 19, 2023 (single); October 17, 2023 (album)
Label: Live Oak Records

In Their Words: “People of different ages will feel their engagement with radio in different ways. As part of a family gathered around the radio for a specific show, as a teenager listening to a transistor radio under their pillow, as a traveler on a long car trip with the radio tuned in to whatever signal it can find, or as a listener with that favorite show tuned in on a laptop from anywhere in the world, the radio means connection. In that bizarre time of lockdown, we all looked for ways to ‘be’ with other people, and a dear friend and I started having a listening date, tuning in to the same radio show from our separate places, and commenting to each other via email, text, or calling on the phone. It made us feel like we were having a little party!” – Kathy Kallick

Track Credits:
Kathy Kallick: composer, lead vocal, guitar
Annie Staninec: tenor vocal, fiddle
Greg Booth: baritone vocal, dobro
Tom Bekeny: mandolin
Cary Black: bass

Photo Credit: Anne Hamersky

LISTEN: The Fretliners, “Purple Flowers”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: The Fretliners
Hometown: Lyons, Colorado
Song: “Purple Flowers”
Album: The Fretliners
Release Date: September 29, 2023

In Their Words: “We’re very excited to release this music into the world and hope people enjoy it. Tom [Knowlton] and I wrote this song when each of us were dealing with the hardships of a long distance relationship. The dilemma between balancing love and pursuing a career in music. It was our first co-write together and an early addition to our live show. Sam [Parks] and Dan [Andree] really helped us bring the whole thing together on record.” – Taylor Shuck, bassist

Track Credits: Written by Taylor Shuck and Tom Knowlton
Produced by Sally Van Meter
Engineered by Eric Wiggs
Recorded at Vermillion Road Studio in Longmont, Colorado
Mastered by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering

Photo Credit: Elliot Siff

Track Credits: Written by Taylor Shuck and Tom Knowlton
Produced by Sally Van Meter
Engineered by Eric Wiggs
Recorded at Vermillion Road Studio in Longmont, Colorado
Mastered by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering

LISTEN: Kristen Grainger & True North, “Across the Mountains”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Kristen Grainger & True North
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Across the Mountains”
Album: Fear of Falling Stars
Release Date: November 10, 2023

In Their Words: “‘Across the Mountains’ started as a banjo riff, a total earworm Dan [Wetzel] kept playing on this five-string, open-back banjo he built. Dan calls it a ‘mountain banjo,’ it’s got a wood ring instead of metal, sounds really organic and cool. He dubbed the tune ‘Across the Mountains,’ a haunting modal progression that just begs for a dark tale to go along with it. So I crafted a melody and lyrics to ride along the currents of the tune, unfolding a story about a woman seeking refuge in the mountains after getting revenge on her cruel and unfaithful lover.

“In true ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ style, she sets the house on fire after he leaves her, then makes a run for it. I love story songs, but traditionally, women who are the subject of a bluegrass tune have not fared well (‘Banks of the Ohio,’ ‘Pretty Polly,’ ‘Knoxville Girl,’ etc. It’s a long and tragic list). At a time when women’s autonomy, even our right to exist, is called into question, we had to ask ourselves why we’d even play those kinds of songs. And we offer ‘Across the Mountains’ –
a woman’s story in a woman’s voice – as a step towards changing the traditional bluegrass narrative.” – Kristen Grainger

Photo Credit: Frank Miller Photography

LISTEN: Ross Cooper, “Love Like The Old Days”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Ross Cooper
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Love Like The Old Days”
Album: Lightning Heart
Release Date: September 29, 2023

In Their Own Words: “Aaron Raitiere and I were both on the same flight coming back to Nashville and sat together, opened up our journals, and wrote this song in a couple of hours. We’d been struggling to get a date on the books to write, so that plane ride was kind of a ‘stars-aligning moment.’ I wanted to write a song about my wife and the type of relationship that our folks have. The type of marriage worth writing about. This song fell out. I knew it was going to be a special song from the moment we finished it. And the cherry on top of all of it was I got my wife, O’Neal (who swears up and down that she ‘can’t sing’), to sing harmony on the track, and she sounds beautiful. Now it’s all full circle, and we have a song we get to share together. Some songs are easy to write… like they were waiting to get written. ‘Love Like The Old Days’ feels like that song for me.” – Ross Cooper

Photo Credit: Sam Wiseman

LISTEN: Luke LeBlanc, “A Place”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Luke LeBlanc
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Song: “A Place”
Album: Places
Release Date: September 15, 2023 (single); October 27, 2023 (album)
Label: Real Phonic Records

In Their Words: “After I released my last album, Fugue State, in fall 2022, I could feel a switch in my mind toggle from ‘Logistics Mode’ to ‘Creative Mode.’ The logistical web of coordinating an album release, booking shows, and scheduling rehearsals was broken apart by a rush of melodies and lyrics that led to some eventual demo recording in my spare time. Two months later I nearly had enough songs for another album, and on a frigid Minneapolis afternoon in January, I texted Erik Koskinen (producer) to set up a time to chat. We eventually made a plan to track this new album live, with a mindset intent on capturing the energy, ebb and flow, and spontaneity that live performance provides.

“‘A Place,’ the lead song from this upcoming record, Places, revolves around a practice I’ve found to be essential for performing live: accepting the place you’re in and then living in it fully. In the studio, a song you demo’d at home, just how you like it, might not sound the same way once the actual band is there recording. You might hit one wrong note on the guitar during the best take of the song, leaving you to decide whether to wear everyone out by doing another take or accept the imperfection, sacrificing ‘perfect’ for that authentic ‘feel,’ realizing that the perfect take doesn’t exist, anyway. While challenging, learning to accept, embrace, and love when things don’t go to plan while recording live unlocks new ways for songs to live and breathe.

“Outside of recording processes, ‘A Place’ is a song that takes a stab at analyzing this search for the ‘perfect place’ of being, both emotionally and physically. The way we’re inundated with ads encouraging us to ‘work on ourselves,’ ‘feel healthier,’ and ‘live better’ are all well and good, but they make it easy to forget that it’s okay to pull up a chair in whatever place we’re in, whether it be good or bad, and feel it. After all, sometimes the easiest way to get through turbulent waters is to just ride the wave.” – Luke LeBlanc

Photo Credit: Sarah Bel Kloetzke

LISTEN: Steve Lewis, “Tale of Woe”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Steve Lewis
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Tale of Woe”
Album: Exit to Mystery
Release Date: September 8, 2023
Label: Broken Hip Records

In Their Words: “This song was written while I was in the group King Wilkie and while we did record it, it didn’t fit the winsome vibe of the album at the time. We did pitch it to Levon Helm & co. during the Dirt Farmer era, but they were all set for material. Happily, we have a new (better) recording of a song with a lot of history and a lyric about being distant from the modern fast-paced world – and we can all relate to that.” – Steve Lewis

Photo Credit: Robbie Hall

LISTEN: Zander Schloss, “Play Me a Happy Song”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Zander Schloss
Hometown: Place of birth is St Louis, Missouri; Hometown is Los Angeles, California
Song: “Play Me a Happy Song”
Album: California’s Burning
Release Date: October 13, 2023
Label: Blind Owl

In Their Words: “These days, it seems the ground beneath us is made of eggshells. One has to be very careful about what they say. I find myself wondering, what happened to ‘you gotta break a few eggs to make an omelette?’ If I was a diner, I would serve breakfast all day.” – Zander Schloss

Photo Credit: Stefan Lirakis

LISTEN: Dallas Ugly, “Big Signs”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Dallas Ugly
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Big Signs”
Release Date: September 8, 2023

In Their Words: “I wrote this song as I was having a reckoning about a sense of stagnation — in my life and personal growth. Nothing was bad, but nothing was great either, and I knew it was time to blow my life up a little and make some space for new things.

“Sonically, we all had The Beatles song ‘Two of Us’ very much in our ears when we were working on the arrangement, and Dominic Billett slipped right into that vision with his drumming. Owen’s dog gets a production credit, as he chose to ring his dog bell right as we were trying to find the perfect sound to complete the chorus. He has been immortalized in the track.” – Libby Weitnauer

Photo Credit: Betsy Phillips

LISTEN: The Handsome Family, “The Oldest Water”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: The Handsome Family
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Song: “The Oldest Water”
Album: Hollow
Release Date: September 8, 2023
Label: Loose Music

In Their Words: “The world’s oldest water resides miles down a Canadian mine. It is 2 billion years old and teeming with life. What better to sing about?” – Rennie Sparks

Photo Credit: Jesse Littlebird