Bluegrass at the Crossroads - On the Lonesome Breeze [S
  • On the Lonesome Breeze
  • On the Lonesome Breeze
    Genre: Bluegrass
    MP3 (03:30) [8.01 MB]
Biography
Why You Should Care: A musical cauldron of distinctively American contributions largely rooted in the rural south, bluegrass has taken on a new identity in recent years, as new times and new musicians have naturally incorporated the sounds around them in every part of the country — and even the world. Bluegrass at the Crossroads is a series of unique encounters between musicians from every corner — geographical, generational, stylistic and more — of the music and the communities it has inspired, inviting them to collaborate not only through fresh takes on bluegrass classics, but especially with new songs that reflect and engage with the contemporary world. This latest release features Travis Book of The Infamous Stringdusters.

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The latest single from Bluegrass at the Crossroads, the innovative collaborative project featuring artists drawn mostly from the rosters of Mountain Home Music Company and Organic Records, presents the series’ second ensemble, first heard on the January bluegrass gospel release, “Lift Your Voice, Bow Your Head.” Serving as a musical meeting ground for musicians working in a broad range of bluegrass styles, “On The Lonesome Breeze” showcases rich creativity, deep skills — and a lot of musical muscle, too.

Sung by bassist Travis Book (Infamous Stringdusters) and written by him with series producer Jon Weisberger, “On The Lonesome Breeze” gets a robust treatment that offers distinctive instrumental work from award-winning banjo player Sammy Shelor (Lonesome River Band), fiddler Carley Arrowood, mandolinist Wayne Benson (IIIrd Tyme Out) and Fireside Collective’s Joe Cicero on guitar, with harmonies provided by Arrowood and Zoe & Cloyd’s John Cloyd Miller. With the exception of Arrowood and Benson, who have shared the studio on the former’s Mountain Home singles, none of them had recorded together before this session, making the collaboration not only a musically rich venture, but a historic one, too.

“One of the first times I met Jon, more than ten years ago, he suggested the hook and soon thereafter we wrote ‘On The Lonesome Breeze,’” recalls Book. “I jumped at the chance to help bring this song to life, and I loved being a part of Bluegrass at the Crossroads — the recording session is already the stuff of legend!”

Starting with Arrowood’s forceful fiddle introduction, the track lays down an energetic, classically propulsive bluegrass groove, demonstrating — despite their varied backgrounds in different corners of the genre — the ensemble’s ability to meet on common musical ground, while solos from Shelor, Cicero, and Benson emphasize the creative diversity and individualism of its members.

“I’ve loved this song ever since Travis and I wrote it,” says Weisberger. “When I put this session together, it came to mind right away — and I knew not only that he would turn in a great vocal, but that it would be a chance to really underline what can come from bringing together these masterful musicians from different backgrounds: a memorable recording, and a lot of fun in the studio, too. Making good music and building community are what Bluegrass at the Crossroads is all about!”

About Bluegrass at the Crossroads
A musical cauldron of distinctively American contributions largely rooted in the rural south, bluegrass has taken on a new identity in recent years, as new times and new musicians have naturally incorporated the sounds around them in every part of the country — and even the world. At the same time, an indispensable musical core has persevered, finding ever-changing ways to create performances that cause everyone familiar with the genre to say, “now, that’s bluegrass.”

Over the years, Mountain Home Music Company and its sibling imprint, Organic Records, have become home to a family of artists who are collectively creating music that forms part of that core, but also exemplifies the adventurous, wide-ranging side of the genre. Bluegrass at the Crossroads is a series of unique encounters between members of that family from every corner — geographical, generational, stylistic and more — of the music and the communities it has inspired, inviting them to collaborate not only through fresh takes on bluegrass classics, but especially with new songs that reflect and engage with the contemporary world.
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  • Members:
    Travis Book: Bass, Lead Vocals; Sammy Shelor - Banjo; Wayne Benson - Mandolin; Carley Arrowood - Fiddle, Background Vocals; Jon Cloyd Miller - Background Vocals;
  • Sounds Like:
  • Influences:
  • AirPlay Direct Member Since:
    04/22/21
  • Profile Last Updated:
    08/15/23 08:10:31

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