After a quiet holiday week last week for new music releases, we’re back with quite a few excellent song and video premieres on this fine Friday. Fiddler-songwriter Chris Murphy brings us the title track for his new EP, The Red Road, and folk legends Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer team up with Chinese hammered dulcimer player Chao Tian for another single from their From China to Appalachia project.
Don’t miss a new video and radio single from Wilson Banjo Co. called “Memphis Anymore,” plus, indie-folk singer-songwriter Talia Rose brings us a video for a surprisingly holiday-inspired track, “In August.” To round us out, multi-instrumentalist and hit bluegrass songwriter Josh Shilling performs “Main Street” by Bob Seger for a new Bob Seger bluegrass tribute album, Silver Bullet Bluegrass, that you’re sure to love. And, you’ll want to catch our latest DelFest Session with East Nash Grass, which we premiered on the site earlier this week.
It’s another collection of incredible premieres on BGS – and You Gotta Hear This!
Chris Murphy, “The Red Road”
Artist: Chris Murphy
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “The Red Road”
Album: The Red Road
Release Date: July 5, 2024
Label: Teahouse Records
In Their Words: “I went to Hawaii for the month of January 2024, ostensibly on vacation. I discovered there was a recording studio next door to where I was staying, so I spent twelve of my vacation days in a 14′ x 16′ room with no windows making a new EP. ‘The Red Road’ is a song about the joy and magic of life, a red-headed girl, and the great riddle of what it means to be yourself, in the best of times & the worst of times. I send this out to all of us still brave enough to keep searching for the light on ‘The Red Road.'” – Chris Murphy
From China to Appalachia, “Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention”
Artist: Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Song: “Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention”
Album: From China to Appalcahia
Release Date: July 9, 2024 (single)
Label: Community Music
In Their Words: “‘Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points of Attention’ comes from both Chinese traditions and Pete Seeger. Chao grew up with this melody, but brought it to the trio when she heard a Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie recording from 1975 performing this song and getting the whole audience whistling along. We did many concerts with Pete and needless to say, he was an early practitioner of Cultural Diplomacy, plus a banjo hero, friend, and mentor. Our live audiences were recorded in Piedmont, Virginia during three concerts with schools and community members. We hope you’ll sing along, too.” – Cathy Fink
Read our interview feature on From China to Appalachia here.
Talia Rose, “In August”
Artist: Talia Rose
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “In August”
Album: Carry it Closely
Release Date: July 16, 2024 (single); August 20, 2024 (album)
In Their Words: “This song was written on request – I was doing a string of holiday shows with Naomi Westwater, who asked if I had any winter-y songs to add to the setlist. I didn’t, but I got to work, and came up with a song called ‘In August’ – oops. I ate up the challenge of trying to find rhymes for all those months; I love syntax challenges like that. As I started performing the song, I added that breakdown section in the middle, originally to play by myself during solo gigs to give my voice a break. Arranging that part with a rhythm section was fantastic, Chris and Gen picked it up right away. The version on the record’s got some really funky organ sounds from Jack Broza, who co-produced the album, and luxurious stacks of harmonies from Heather Scott. Bringing other people into the development of a song is such a gift.” – Talia Rose
Track Credits:
Talia Rose – Lyrics, composition, arrangement, guitar, voice
Heather Scott – Guitar, voice
Chris Sartori – Bass
Gen Yoshimura – Drums
Video Credits:
Micah Nicol – video
Dan Cardinal – audio, mixing
Josh Shilling, “Main Street”
Artist: Josh Shilling
Hometown: Martinsville, Virginia
Song: “Main Street”
Album: Silver Bullet Bluegrass
Release Date: July 12, 2024
Label: Lonesome Day Records
In Their Words: “I’ve toured with bluegrass bands like Mountain Heart for years and recorded with Del McCoury, Rhonda Vincent, Tony Rice, and everyone between, but I cut my teeth on Bob Seger and similar artists. I’ve always covered classic rock songs live and I’m sure that’s why Randall [Deaton] thought of me.
“I mainly remember listening to my vocal repeatedly and worrying that it wasn’t good enough. Seger’s original performance is ridiculously good with so much character, tone, soul, and cool phrasing. I was terrified of not doing the song justice somehow. I hope he’d be proud of how this one ended up!
“Bob Seger is one of the artists that my parents love. I grew up with his albums. Silver Bullet Band, Live Bullet, Beautiful Loser, Greatest Hits, and so on… I had all his records and I knew all of the songs vocally and on piano and guitar. I could have sung every song on this project without a lyric sheet! I sang Bob’s songs in every honky-tonk between Martinsville, VA and Nashville growing up. His voice doesn’t even sound human to me at times. There’s a magical soulful growl that he pulls from that only he can. You would have definitely heard the music of Paul Rogers, Ray Charles, Gregg Allman, Bob Seger, as well as Tony Rice, Blue Highway, and many others blasting from my bedroom growing up. Bob is definitely a major influence of mine.
“This song is such a classic. Everyone recognizes the song within the first two seconds of it coming on. That beautiful guitar melody right out of the gate, the storyline, and that magical scene change when the chord progression goes to the bridge. It’s a masterpiece that’s as good today as the day it came out. I could sing any song by Bob Seger. I love them all including the deep cuts. That said, I must have performed ‘Main Street’ a thousand times in clubs growing up, so that song was an obvious choice. I’m pretty sure I was the first person to record a vocal for this project, and this song was where we quickly landed.” – Josh Shilling
Track Credits:
Shawn Brock and Gary Nichols – Guitar
Shawn Brock – Mandolin
Mike Bub – Bass
Megan Lynch Chowning – Fiddle
Wayne Bridge – Dobro
Producer: Randall Deaton
Engineers: Randall Deaton and Jimmy Nutt
Tracking Studios: Lonesome Day Recording Studio, Booneville, KY and The NuttHouse Recording Studio, Muscle Shoals, AL
Mixing Studio: The NuttHouse Recording Studio, Muscle Shoals, AL
Wilson Banjo Co., “Memphis Anymore”
Artist: Wilson Banjo Co.
Hometown: Westminster, South Carolina
Song: “Memphis Anymore”
Album: Memory Lane
Release Date: July 12, 2024 (radio single); March 22, 2024 (album)
Label: Pinecastle Records
In Their Words: “We are very excited to release ‘Memphis Anymore’ as a single to radio and had so much fun making this video. This is easily one of our favorites on the record and the writers, Jessica Lynne Witty and Karli Chayne have our deepest gratitude for such a great song. There’s a lightness and joy in this otherwise ‘breakup’ song, it’s just a fun listen and just as enjoyable to play with the band.” – Steve Wilson
Video Credit: Bonfire Recording Studio
DelFest Sessions: East Nash Grass
Our DelFest Sessions continue this week with East Nash Grass, as we relive the iconic Memorial Day weekend festival and return to the banks of the Potomac River for another stellar live performance. In the shade on the river’s banks, BGS contributors and videographers I Know We Should captured a high-quality handful of sessions with artists and bands from the DelFest lineup.
This time, we’re featuring an multiple IBMA Award-nominated band known for their long-running East Nashville residencies and their critically-acclaimed 2023 album, Last Chance to Win – from which they pulled their first selection, “Papa’s on the Housetop.” It’s a slinky and bluesy track that demonstrates just a few of the many styles synthesized and metamorphosed into bluegrass by these cracking players.
Watch the entire DelFest Session and read more here.
Photo Credit: Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, and Chao Tian by Jeff Fasano; Josh Shilling by Thomas Crabtree.
