About a week ago I downloaded the new Steeldrivers album Reckless and for some reason I didn’t like the album as much as their self-tilted debut album. I thought their debut album was a really really fine album that stayed in my rotation for a good long time. Well after a few listens the album has grown to be a favorite!! From their website here is a description of their band:
The SteelDrivers: a group of seasoned veterans – each distinguished in his or her own right, each valued in the town’s commercial community – who are seizing an opportunity to follow their hearts to their souls’ reward. In doing so, they are braiding their bluegrass roots with new threads of their own design, bringing together country, soul, and other contemporary influences to create an unapologetic hybrid that is old as the hills but fresh as the morning dew. This is new music with the old feeling. SteelDrivers fan Vince Gill describes the band’s fusion as simply “an incredible combination.”
The band based in Nashville Tennessee is currently composed of:
Richard Bailey – Banjo, Mike Fleming, Bass/Vocals, Mike Henderson – Mandolin/Vocals, Gary Nichols- Guitar/Vocals, Tammy Rogers – Fiddle/Vocals. I say currently because back in April former lead singer Chris Stapleton, whose last appearance with the band is Reckless was replaced by Gary Nichols. You can read their complete biographies here
Some my favorite tracks on the album NOW include “The Reckless Side of Me”, “Good Corn Liquor”, “Can You Run”, “Peacemaker” “Guitars, Whiskey, Guns and Knives”, and “Where Rainbows Never Die”, which my be my favorite even though it does start with “I’m and old man now, but is a great song about a man looking back at his life and forward to his passing.
Throughout the album the good picking stands out, particularly the good fiddling of Tammy Rogers but the others are just as outstanding! Stapleton’s vocals strong as usual and his distinctive gravelly voice will be missed. However, I did listen to a little of Gary Nichols vocals and I think he’ll blend in just fine!
Like usual you can find out more about The Steeldrivers at their Myspace page or on Facebook.
Here’s “Reckless Side of Me” with Chris Stapleton on lead vocal
(maybe this is my favorite I know my favorite is the song I’m lisatening to now!)
and Here’s “Good Corn Liquor” with Gary Nichols on lead vocals
