Doyle Lawson is the latest bluegrass artist to join Billy Blue Records, the new Nashville label run by Ed Leonard of Daywind Music Group and noted singer/songwriter Jerry Salley.
This signing completes the first year of the label’s existence, from its announcement and debut in June of 2018. Lawson joins an already impressive stable of bluegrass artists, including Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Appalachian Road Show (with Barry Abernathy and Darrell Webb, with Jim VanCleve), Donna Ulisse, and another recent signee, Jason Barie.
The first Billy Blue release from Doyle will be a live Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver album recorded at Dlabacov Hall in Prague during a trip there earlier this year. It will be titled Live in Prague, Czech Republic, and is scheduled to hit on August 30.
Over the years, Lawson has worked with a number of different record companies, most recently a 15 year association with Mountain Home Music Company in Asheville.
“I just felt that it may be time to move on. It was a good run and there’s no ill will, but when the opportunity came for a live recording, I decided to ask Jerry if he’d be interested in that record.”
He also mentioned that the opportunity to record in an historic theater was too good to pass up in Prague, a city where the band has played several times in the past.
“It’s a beautiful, old city and the fans are so enthusiastic and welcoming. There are a lot of challenges with live recordings: the environment, ambient noise, and more. I’m glad to say that we have folks with the tools and technical knowledge these days to turn a live recording into a radio-friendly project.”
Look for more information from Billy Blue as the release date approaches.
