Billy Blue Records has a new single scheduled for tomorrow from the Bluegrass Pride Band at East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass, Old Time, and Roots Music program. We are delighted to premiere it this evening.
Bluegrass Pride is an honors band, made up of pickers and singers hand-picked by program director Professor Dan Boner, who coaches the group, and often performs with them as he does on this new track. Members change yearly, and students must earn their way in by their skill and diligence.
The single the band’s take on the Dottie Rambo classic, The First Time I Heard About Heaven, which she recorded with The Rambos in 1973. It has become a staple of the gospel and bluegrass gospel worlds since that time.
They sing it quartet style all the way through, with vocals from Bluegrass Pride members Audrey Neel, Ethan Church, and Walker Boone, along with Professor Dan. Boone and Boner play guitar, with Church on mandolin, Will Potts on bass, and Reid Warren, Neel, and Boner on fiddles.
Professor Dan speaks quite highly of Dottie Rambo as he discussed the single release, which he produced and was recorded at the ETSU Recording Lab on campus.
“She is the pinnacle of gospel songwriters. Her songs are timeless, and the Rambos’ musical arrangements cut deep into your soul. The band studied the original and came up with ways to give the song a more bluegrass feel. It’s a good day at work when you’re combining quartet singing, bluegrass triple fiddles, and a Dottie Rambo song.
This is the first gospel single our band has ever released, and our first collaboration with Billy Blue Records. Having worked with the label and their A&R director, Jerry Salley, in the past, it seemed like a great way for us to connect our academic program with the label and teach students how the industry operates.”
See if you don’t agree that they’ve done a fine job.
The First Time I Heard About Heaven will be available March 27 from popular download and streaming services online.
