Noted bluegrass producer Randall Deaton has thrown open the windows and dusted off the furniture at Lonesome Day Records, and returned to releasing new music with a first taste of their next project, Silver Bullet Bluegrass, a grassed-up tribute to the music of Bob Seger.
Deaton tells us that he has spent most of the past few years dedicated to a family-owned business that has required most of his attention, but is back in bluegrass with an idea he has been kicking around for some time. A fan of many forms of music, Randall has long believed that a number of the many hits Bob Seger had recorded with his gritty Detroit rock sound would be suitable for a bluegrass treatment.
For this initial glimpse, he has hooked up with Bo Bice, who came in as runner-up behind Carrie Underwood in the fourth season of American Idol. He turns in a rockin’ version of Seger’s Ramblin’ Man from 1968.
Randall says that the idea to pair these two came from former Steeldriver Gary Nichols, who has been working on this album with Lonesome Day.
“I asked Gary to recommend an artist for this song. He and Bo had played the bar scene together in Muscle Shoals, and Gary had nothing but good things to say about him.”
And Nichols had no doubt that Bice could pull this off.
“I was always a fan of Bo’s. His devotion to ‘selling a song’ as a vocalist is unmatched. I knew he would be perfect, and he delivered big time.”
For his part, Bo was in from the word go.
“As soon as Gary mentioned this project to me, I knew I was on board. Seger had an influence on my vocal and performance style for sure. As entertainers we take pieces from our favorite artists and meld them into our stage persona. I’d be proud to think there’s a little bit of Seger in me.”
Assisting in the studio were Stephen Mougin on guitar, Darrell Webb on mandolin, Ned Luberecki on banjo, Wayne Bridge on reso-guitar, and Mike Bub on bass. Gary Nichols and Cindy Walker supplied the harmony vocals.
See what you think of Ramblin’ Man gone bluegrass.
Ramblin’ Man is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPLay Direct.
Look for more from Silver Bullet Bluegrass over this next few months.
