Darken Your Doorway video from Rebecca Frazier

Just in time for Valentine’s Day – make that Valentine’s Day Eve – Rebecca Frazier has released another music video from her When We Fall album.

It’s for my favorite song from the record, Darken Your Doorway, a sad song of love lost told from the female perspective. Frazier chose a 1970s theme for the video, perfectly executed by director Alison Goedde, complete with rented clothing to pull off the correct vibe. Anyone who truly remembers the ’70s will surely get a kick out of this one.

Rebecca tells us that while this song almost cries out for the video treatment, she had her hands full with infants both when it was written, and when it was released. But when she started seeing that others had created videos using the music, she knew it was time for her to do one officially.

“When I wrote Darken, I was listening to a steady diet of 1970s and ’80s bluegrass. It’s no coincidence that this video feels like a personal tribute to guitarist Tony Rice’s golden era, both the music and the culture surrounding the music. The characters are almost caricatures of ’70s era polyester-wearing hipsters, as they’re listening to records and drinking wine in a dim candle-lit room, playing Martin guitars on the front porch, and walking along old sidewalks covered in autumn leaves.

As the song received more airplay, people started approaching me at festivals and requesting it. One man took off his hat and held it over his heart, while we were playing the song at Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival. He introduced himself after the show and said it was his theme song. So even though it’s long overdue, I thought a video for Darken would still have a place in the world if I forged ahead with it!”

The video was filmed in the east Nashville neighborhood where Rebecca lives with her husband, John, and their two children. Her good friend, Korby Lenker, played the love interest.

“We had a great time shooting this video. Ali and I spent about a week scouting sidewalks that were covered in fall leaves, collecting costumes and props from vintage stores and antique malls, and planning scenes. I researched old Maybelline ads for the ‘70s eye-shadow look. 

I’m grateful to fiddler Ward Stout for the use of his beautiful home, Korby Lenker for his top-notch acting, the video team who worked so hard on this, and Pied Piper Creamery for opening their doors early on a Sunday morning to serve us ice cream.”

Personnel on the recording include Frazier on guitar and lead vocal, Ron Block on banjo, John Frazier on mandolin, Shadd Cobb on fiddle, and Barry Bales on bass. Harmony vocals were provided by Shelby Means and John Frazier.

Darken Your Doorway is available as a single download wherever bluegrass music is sold.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.