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CHRIS JONES & THE NIGHT DRIVERS - LONELY COMES EASY (REB-1847), 2013

Musicians
Chris Jones: Rhythm & Lead Guitar, Lead & Baritone Vocals
Ned Luberecki: Banjo, Baritone Vocals
Mark Stoffel: Mandolin, Tenor Vocals
Jon Weisberger: Bass, Baritone Vocals

Special Guests:
Emily Bankester: Harmony Vocals on tracks 2 & 10
Buddy Greene: Harmonica on track 4
Jeremy Garrett: Fiddle on tracks 5 & 13
Ivan Rosenberg: Dobro on tracks 3 & 10
Sally Jones: Harmony Vocal on track 12
Irl Hees: Bass on track 12
Ron Block: Guitar and Harmony Vocal on track 12
Dan Tyminski: Mandolin on track 12
Claire Lynch: Harmony Vocal on track 13
Sierra Hull: Lead and Harmony Vocals on track 13

Production Credits
Produced by Chris Jones
Recorded and mixed by Ben Surratt at The Rec Room Studio, Nashville, TN
"A Few More Years" recorded by Tom T. Hall at Top Dog Studios, Franklin, TN; mixed by Rich Adler
Mastered by Yes! Master, Nashville, TN

When Chris Jones & The Night Drivers woke up at the beginning of 2013, they were startled to learn that their recording of “Final Farewell” had topped Bluegrass Today.com’s first ever annual Bluegrass radio airplay chart. But to many others though, it came as no surprise. Although the group’s “low-lonesome” singing front man founded the group back in the mid-1990s, in more recent years they have earned a growing reputation for their signature sound, distinctive stage presence and deep connection to every corner of the bluegrass world. Now, with the release of Lonely Comes Easy, Chris and the band are poised to cross into the ranks of the genre’s most respected artists.

One of the great strengths of the group’s members is their ability to create as well as select strong material. Jones and bass player Jon Weisberger are established, award-winning songwriters—-Jones won an IBMA Song of the Year award in 2007 while Weisberger earned a “Songwriter of the Year” trophy in 2012. But a strong album is made even stronger with other song contributions by Chris Stuart, John Pennell, Lisa Shaffer and the legendary Tom T. and Dixie Hall (“Where I Am” is a collaboration between Chris and Tom T. & Dixie).

Only a few guest musicians appear on the album but they make fresh and welcome contributions to the music: Dobro player Ivan Rosenberg and fiddler Jeremy Garrett (of the Infamous Stringdusters) are heard to good effect, as is Emily Bankester (of the Bankesters) who contributes harmony vocals on the title track; meanwhile, Sierra Hull and two-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year Claire Lynch cheerfully tackle the role of female chorus on the band’s droll Bluegrass revival of “Wolf Creek Pass.”

Though it is thoroughly contemporary, Lonely Comes Easy stays squarely in the bluegrass groove, reflecting the quartet’s appreciation of earlier masters but adding their own unique voices and twists to the music. And, thanks to Chris and Ned Luberecki’s roles as superb DJs for Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction satellite radio channel, they are gaining stature daily as strong contemporary artists and personalities.