Videos Archive - Page 15 of 34 - The Bluegrass Situation

BGS Wraps: The Sweet Lillies, “Let It Snow!”

Artist: The Sweet Lillies
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
Song: “Let It Snow!”
Album: Sweet Holiday Sessions
Label: Americana Vibes

In Their Words: “‘Let It Snow!’ felt like a perfect addition to our holiday album. The song’s lovely, delicate textures lent themselves easily to the band’s instrumentation and vocal styles. The song came together through a collaborative effort. The instrumentation features Grammy Award winner Sally Van Meter’s stunning dobro performance, Dustin Rohleder’s woven and beautifully phrased guitar lines, Becca Bisque’s dramatic viola intro, and Julie Gussaroff’s solid bass line. Becca’s lead vocals are an interpretation created and directed by vocalist and vocal arranger Amethyst Starr, with harmony parts put together by Julie. The song was captured and mixed by Grammy Award-winning recording engineer Andrew Gragg Lunsford to give it a thoughtful beauty that makes it a standout on the album. We hope you enjoy it!” — The Sweet Lillies

BGS Wraps: Liz Vice, “Jingle Bells”

Artist: Liz Vice
Hometown: Portland, Oregon (now Los Angeles)
Song: “Jingle Bells”
Album: A Soulful Holiday With Liz Vice (EP)

In Their Words: “Initially when asked by Finegold and Oro music to create a unique cover of popular Christmas songs, I wanted to say ‘no.’ Lol. I have never had a desire to make a Christmas record but 2021 has been a year of ‘do things scared.’ Since 2020 my confidence in being a musician has grown because of the amazing musicians I’ve been able to work with over these last couple of years. To co-produce was something I’ve wanted to try, and due to Covid and having to record from home over the past two years, I felt like the right opportunity had come along. And I knew exactly who I wanted to work with: Niji Adeleye, my co-producer, co-arranger, and pianist.

“‘Jingle Bells’ was a given. I’ve probably listened to that song 100 times. It’s one of my favorites on the EP. I had so much fun during this time. I was just about to head out to Europe for work and a writing class and Niji just got word that he would be touring with Harry Styles. Outside of Niji and me, every single musician lived in the U.K. so it was amazing to see what the musicians added from so far away.” — Liz Vice

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BGS Wraps: Joe Robinson, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”

Artist: Joe Robinson
Hometown: Temagog, New South Wales, Australia
Song: “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”
Album: Christmas au chalet

In Their Words: “For about two years, my fiancée Genevieve and I have been trying to secure her a K-1 VISA so we can get married and live in the US. 2020 was a particularly tough year to be not able to see each other because of closed borders — I live in Nashville. In August 2021, I drove up to Canada to visit her and help her with the VISA process and getting moved to Tennessee. During my three-month stay we visited a small chalet and I realized how much quieter it was than Genevieve’s apartment in the art district of Quebec City. Sitting there in nature I couldn’t put my guitar down. There is something about being away from the hustle and bustle that makes me love playing music so much more! This is the way I grew up in rural Australia.

“After a nice stay in the chalet, we returned to Quebec City and as I was working on my Christmas arrangements, I kept thinking how cool it would be to actually record this music in the chalet. So we loaded up my car with enough food for the week, my Maton JR Signature guitar, some high-fidelity recording equipment and a pair of DPA microphones, and headed into the Quebec mountains. Because of the cabin’s remoteness, it runs on solar power. It’s a cool setup and was a fun routine turning my equipment on to record, then switching it all off to not risk running the batteries down. I set about recording 13 Christmas songs over five days in October 2021. The weather was absolutely perfect — it was a really special time.” — Joe Robinson

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BGS Wraps: Lori McKenna, “Christmas Without Crying”

Artist: Lori McKenna
Hometown: Stoughton, Massachusetts
Song: “Christmas Without Crying”
Album: Christmas Is Right Here

In Their Words: “It was such a joy making this holiday music with my Nashville family of co-writers, musicians and friends. I feel like we hit on some of the emotions that come with the holidays — the easy feelings and the harder ones. It seems impossible for me to talk or sing about the holidays without going back in time and I feel so blessed to have the music to come back with me.” — Lori McKenna

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BGS Wraps: Catherine MacLellan, “Calling You Home (For the Holidays)”

Artist: Catherine MacLellan
Hometown: Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Song: “Calling You Home (For the Holidays)”
Album: Holiday (EP)

In Their Words: “I wrote this song Christmas 2020, feeling very far from family and friends that would normally gather around my kitchen table for feasts and laughter. The longing for the ones we love is such a part of Christmas culture for me. ‘White Christmas,’ ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas,’ ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ the list goes on! I was touching into that sentiment of being separated from a loved one, and hoping they could make it home.” — Catherine MacLellan

BGS Wraps: Mary Bragg, “A Long December” (Counting Crows Cover)

Artist: Mary Bragg
Hometown: Swainsboro, Georgia
Song: “A Long December” (Counting Crows cover)

In Their Words: “This heartbreaking classic from Counting Crows has always struck me as a brutally honest winter song, going to the places a lot of holiday songs won’t go. But even in that pause to reflect on pain, the impending new year offers some hope, that ‘maybe this year will be better than the last.’” — Mary Bragg

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BGS Wraps: Billy Idol, “O Christmas Tree”

Artist: Billy Idol
Song: “O Christmas Tree”
Album: Happy Holidays
Release Date: November 5, 2021
Label: Dark Horse Records

In Their Words: “Before our 2006 European tour, I recorded a number of seasonal songs. A tree-trimming, fireside, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day intimate album was the result. Most probably essential at Christmas is that the music is in the spirit. Knowing that family, friends and children might be listening, I wanted a selection that would please all, while still exploring the awe and mystery that is Christmas.” — Billy Idol

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WATCH: The Ballroom Thieves, “Borderline” (Live)

Artist: The Ballroom Thieves
Hometown: New England
Song: “Borderline”
Release Date: November 19, 2021
Record Label: Nettwerk

In Their Words: “At the onset of the pandemic there was an article about how the music industry was looking for ‘happy’ songs, which we thought was ironic. We’ve always had a hard time writing those, so this is a sad song that just sounds like a happy one. Trying to write meaningful songs and keeping up with a changing industry while battling mental illness often leaves us feeling like we’re just treading water. ‘Borderline’ is about learning to float along with anxiety and depression as part of a complete mind and embracing the autopilot when it sets in.” — Martin Earley and Calin “Callie” Peters, The Ballroom Thieves

Yamaha x BGS Artist Sessions: The Arcadian Wild (Part 2)

This week, we bring you the second of two exclusive performances from string band The Arcadian Wild, as part of our series of Yamaha x BGS Artist Sessions: the fluttering instrumental “Finch in the Pantry.”

The Arcadian Wild is Bailey Warren on fiddle, Erik Coveney on bass, and is led by songwriters Lincoln Mick (mandolin) and Isaac Horn, who plays a Yamaha Custom FG Guitar built by Master Luthier Andrew Enns.

Watch Part 1 of The Arcadian Wild’s session here.

You can discover more about Yamaha Guitars and the Yamaha Custom Shop here.

WATCH: Tim Kelly, “Leave This Town” (Feat. Ruston Kelly)

Artist: Tim Kelly
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Leave This Town”
Album: Ride Through the Rain
Release Date: November 5, 2021

In Their Words: “‘Leave This Town’ is a song I wrote a couple years ago. It’s about living in a way you always thought was right for you, only to find it’s the very thing that keeps you from being who you really are or want to be. I found myself in a situation like that a while back and had to decide if I could be ok with the way things were, or make a change. It’s one thing to discover that you aren’t living your truth so to speak, but to have the courage and the will to change takes a lot of conviction. I made a move and am happy now that I did. Sometimes, peace of mind can have a have a high price, but I’ve found it’s worth it.” — Tim Kelly