Balsam Range held their CD release concert for their new album Papertown on Friday, August 10th at the beautiful Colonial Theater in the paper town of Canton, NC. The event was sold out bringing locals and visitors alike to the area to celebrate with the band.
Introducing the group were former County Commissioner Mary Ann Enloe who read the Haywood County Proclamation naming Friday, August 10th as Balsam Range Day in Haywood County NC, and Canton Mayor Michael E. Ray.
Mayor Ray presented each member of Balsam Range with a key to the City of Canton, thanking them for their many contributions both professionally and personally to the city. Mayor Ray also gave thanks for them “not forgetting where they came from,” and for titling their new CD Papertown. Mayor Ray went on to thank them for starting their winter concert series two years ago at the Colonial Theater in Canton, bringing both revenue and recognition to Canton.
Band Member, Tim Surrett, who grew up in Canton and currently makes it his home, expressed the band’s desire to continue bringing musical talent to the area, which would not normally make it a stop on their tour. He announced plans for the 3rd Annual Winter Concert Series, indicating that Shawn Camp would be joining them for the December show. You can find out more about the winter concert series at www.balsamrange.com.
Its important to note that recording for the new CD started the week of Buddy Melton’s tragic farming accident this past March. Buddy left the hospital after a week, and reported to the studio to record Wide River to Cross. The lyrics of this song are very fitting for what Buddy and his band family were going through at the time.
Speaking of the accident, for those of you who were wondering, Buddy’s talent and voice have only gotten better!!!
This band is truly unusual as they have four lead singers, in addition to Buddy, Tim Surrett, Darren Nicholson and Caleb Smith. That with the music and song writing of Grammy Award Winner Marc Pruett makes for a great combination. Many of the songs previously recorded by Balsam Range have been written by Nashville Songwriter and Haywood County hometown son, Milan Miller, and Papertown is no different. Additionally, the band is known for recording songs by former Steel Drivers vocalist Chris Stapleton, and again one of his songs appears on the new album.
It was obvious from the audience response and the lines at the product table that Balsam Range may just have another award winning song on their new CD Papertown, as they did with 2011 IBMA Song of the Year, Trains I Missed.
