Artist:Matt Blake Hometown: Warren, Ohio Song: “Ohio” Album:Cheaper to Fly Release Date: February 16, 2023 Label: JTM Music
In Their Words: “My friends and I always talked about escaping Warren, Ohio, the minute we graduated high school. The night sky glowed orange from the Youngstown steel mills, the Cuyahoga River caught fire in Cleveland. That’s probably why I thought living in Los Angeles was a dream. It was exotic everyday. I didn’t appreciate Ohio until years later. Ohio felt like home and that’s a feeling I never want to escape.” – Matt Blake
Artist:Jon Dee Graham Hometown: Austin, Texas Song: “there’s a ghost on the train” Album:only dead for a little while Release Date: November 10, 2023 Label: Strolling Bones Records (a subsidiary of New West)
In Their Words: “So, my old friend Charlie Hunter, who started Roots on The Rails – Train adventures with live music. We’ve been to see polar bears in Churchill, [Manitoba] on the Hudson! – had made friends with the guy who found and restored The City of New Orleans train of Steve Goodman fame. Charlie asked if I’d play the [train’s] first run from Chicago to NOLA. I was in.
“It’s such an old and iconic train, I got to talking with one of the porters and I said, ‘I bet this train’s got a few ghosts.’ He got all serious and said, ‘Oh, this train is haunted as hell!’ No matter how I wheedled him he wouldn’t say anymore than that.
“So I’m playing on and off late into the night. At one point during a break I’m heading back to the baggage car to have a smoke and as I’m approaching one of the doors between cars, I see a hazy figure on the other side, I get all gooseflesh, and it keeps coming and I think, ‘Sweet Jesus! I’m seeing a ghost on the City of New Orleans!’ When I reached the door, I realized that I was seeing my own reflection in the door’s window. Relieved, but disappointed, I pushed on through to the baggage car. When I entered the dark baggage car, I caught a brief glimpse of 3 or 4 guys sitting in the back and then it was gone… another trick of the light.” – Jon Dee Graham
Track Credits:
Produced by Jon Dee Graham, Michael Hardwick, and Stuart Sullivan. Recorded by Stuart Sullivan at Wire Studio in Austin, Texas. Engineered by Stuart Sullivan. Mastered by Carter Greeves.
Artist:Nora Jane Struthers Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “Life Of A Dream” Album:Back To Cast Iron Release Date: October 27, 2023
In Their Words: “Co-written with my husband Joe Overton, this song is an inquiry into our own dreams and how our season of life shapes and reshapes those dreams. I think the pandemic gave most people a new perspective on their dreams… in many cases redefining them. My dream of building a family has taken a front seat for the past few years and as I think about what this song means to me right now, I realize that I am standing on a precipice: We are planning our final embryo transfer and if it takes, that means 3.5 more years of living in baby-world. If it doesn’t, we’re only a few years away from having two kids in school and all of the ‘free’ time that comes along with that. What will I do if I am in fact leveling-up and out of the baby-mom season of my life? Pour all my day-light hour energy into writing? Can I refocus on touring on weekends and summers? What is the dream now?” – Nora Jane Struthers
Artist:Carley Arrowood Hometown: Newton, North Carolina Song: “Moondancer” Release Date: October 27, 2023 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “‘Moondancer’ tells the story of a Cherokee girl who sneaks out at night and is obsessed with capturing a wild white horse. I started writing it one evening several years ago after looking for arrowheads in my Mamaw’s garden, ironically around this time of year. As that chilly breeze blew, the line, ‘Her longing echoes on the breeze, but it never finds relief,’ just took root in my mind, and the girl’s repetitious, hopeless calling is what shaped the chorus and the rest of the tune. Eventually she learns to just love the horse she names from afar, but the deep longing in her heart still lingers as she realizes Moondancer can never be hers. I’m so grateful to Daniel, Nick, Tabitha, Jeff, and Tony for lending their talents, and to Jim and Clay for producing and mixing what has become one of my favorite tunes on my upcoming record.” – Carley Arrowood
Track Credits:
Carley Arrowood – fiddle, vocal Daniel Thrailkill – acoustic guitar Jeff Partin – acoustic bass, Dobro Nick Dumas – mandolin Tony Creasman – drums Tabitha Benedict – banjo
Artist:Bobby Osborne & C.J. Lewandowski Hometown: Hyden, Kentucky (Bobby Osborne); Grubville, Missouri (C.J. Lewandowski) Song: “Too Old To Die Young” Release Date: October 22, 2023 Label: Turnberry Records
In Their Words: “Bobby Osborne was a gift to music and [it was] truly a gift to have him as a friend. I can’t tell you how emotional finally bringing one of his last songs to the public has been. Our last conversation was about ‘Too Old To Die Young’ and it being his pick for the first single. Originally set to release June 31 of this year, I asked to halt everything the day of Bobby’s passing on June 27. Looking back, I almost feel like he knew something that day. As I left, I’d said ‘Stay tough, Chief.’ His reply was ‘No, you stay tough, my boy.’ Though it was hard to pick up again without him, we have that ‘stay tough’ mindset. To have such a giant as a close friend has been such an unthinkably incredible experience and I miss him every day. It does my heart so good to hear his voice again on this song. All I want to do is make my buddy proud and I hope that is happening. I love you, Bobby!” – C.J. Lewandowski
Artist:Volume Five Hometown: Booneville, Mississippi Song: “You Don’t Care For Me Enough to Cry” Release Date: October 10, 2023 Label: Mountain Fever Records
In Their Words: “When I first heard this song it was performed by the writer and artist John Moreland. He played the song with a finger picking style. I loved it so much that I learned to play it fingerstyle. I had planned to record it that way, but when we got to the studio and began arranging the song we actually liked it better as a full band sound. This is a very well written song. If you listen closely to the lyrics, I’m sure it will completely captivate you as it did me.” – Glen Harrell, fiddle
Artist:Ynana Rose Hometown: I was born in Mendocino, California, and grew up in rural Northern California and Southern Oregon. I’ve lived in San Luis Obispo, California, for the last 20 years. Song: “Strawberry Moon” Album:Under a Cathedral Sky Release Date: October 20, 2023 (song); November 3, 2023 (album)
In Their Words: “‘Strawberry Moon’ is an old–time song of forbidden love and every time I play it I give thanks for being born in the here and now – where I can choose how to be and who to love. This is the first song I wrote for my album and I play it at every show. It came together so easily in the studio: Co-producer Damon Castillo and I knew just how to bring it to life. Tammy Rogers (of The SteelDrivers) and Scotty Sanders add fiddle and Dobro to the already meaty mix of upright bass, drums, and electric guitar. The audio for the video is spare, just guitar and vocals – sound engineer/producer Graham Ginsberg and I were really aiming for a haunted, yearning kind of a vibe. It’s a story that feels true, so I sing it that way.” – Ynana Rose
(Editor’s Note: You may also stream the studio version of “Strawberry Rose” below.)
Artist:Heather Anne Lomax Hometown: Los Angeles, California (via Kansas City, Missouri) Song: “Be the One” Album:The Doman Tracks Release Date: November 3, 2023 Label: Blackbird Record Label
In Their Words: “‘Be the One’ is just a hopeful song about spending the rest of your life with a soulmate. Sometimes that happens for the lucky ones and sometimes not, I suppose. It was written at a time when I had thought a previous relationship was blossoming again in my life. This person and I had dreamed about growing older and sitting on a porch swing together, reminiscing about days past as the sun was setting. Michael [Doman, producer] wanted to make sure this had real movement and buoyancy and added the pounding of the bass drum throughout the song – I believe Jason Hiller did this with a handheld mallet. The three of us, Michael Doman, Jeff Sebens and I, laid down the song’s foundation of jangly guitars that kept the track afloat down a river of momentary joy.” – Heather Anne Lomax
Track Credits: Written by Heather Anne Lomax
Vocals – Heather Lomax Guitars – Heather Lomax, Michael Doman, Jeff Sebens Bass/ Kick Drums – Jason Hiller Backing vocals – Michael Doman
Produced by Michael Doman. Recorded at Electrosound Studios. Jason Hiller – Engineer, mixing Mastered at Pen Station Studios by Peter Barker.
Artist:Chris Jones & The Night Drivers Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “Step Out in the Sunshine” Album:Pages In Your Hand Release Date: October 6, 2023 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “Ralph Stanley’s early 1970s Clinch Mountain Boys lineup of Roy Lee Centers, Jack Cooke, Curly Ray Cline, Keith Whitley, and Ricky Skaggs was a golden era for his band, in my opinion, and in my mid-teens their music was a major influence on me as I was just getting serious about playing music. The gospel album they did, Cry From the Cross, was and remains my favorite bluegrass gospel album of all time. It inspired my lead singing and guitar playing, and without consciously trying to do it, I learned to sing the baritone harmony part from Jack Cooke.
“I still have and cherish the original LP that I bought when I was around 15, though the jacket is a little battered and my name is written in brown magic marker on the back — because, you know, other kids in high school were likely to try to steal my Ralph Stanley records. I wanted to record a song from the album that I hadn’t heard anyone else do and that hadn’t become a Ralph Stanley standard, and so I was drawn to ‘Step Out in the Sunshine.’ We rearranged it slightly to fit our sound but it remains a tribute to the Stanley original.” – Chris Jones
Track Credits: Chris Jones – acoustic guitar, lead vocal Marshall Wilborn – bass Mark Stoffel – mandolin, harmony vocal Grace van’t Hof – banjo, harmony vocal
Artist:Arielle Silver Hometown: Finding the answer to that question has been a lifelong quest. My childhood was spent in Florida, NYC, and New Jersey. Boston raised me from late teens through most of my twenties, but I did a few stints in PA, TN, and NC. Something brought me to Los Angeles a while back, and it’s now been my hometown longer than anywhere else. I’m rather attached – and detached – from a lot of places, but I think I love LA and Boston the most. Song: “Soft On the Shoulder” Album:Watershed Release Date: October 6, 2023
In Their Words: “Inspired by the Laurel Canyon music of the ’70s and the cultural activism that came about after the murder of George Floyd, ‘Soft On the Shoulder’ is a song largely about self-culpability. I was reflecting on the place of music amid cultural change and its place in political activism and social engagement. I was also thinking about the ways that I – as a white-presenting woman – have unwittingly participated in systemic wrongs. While initially inspired by thoughts sparked by the BLM movement, this song applies to any personal or cultural circumstance where we are asked to examine our long-held beliefs and consider another person’s perspective.
“Having grown up listening to records, cassettes, and CDs, I am very album-oriented. I felt that ‘Soft On The Shoulder,’ which opens the Watershed album with the words, ‘It starts with a witness…’ and is threaded with the mantra ‘love more, fear less,’ captures the compassion and reflective nature of this entire collection of songs.” – Arielle Silver
Photo Credit: Anabel DFlux
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