Though admittedly it’s a tough competition, surely any list of the most interesting current bluegrass acts has to place Appalachian Road Show near the top. Conceived as a concept band that would encompass the breadth and depth of the mountain music traditions of the southeastern US, the Show performs a mix of old ballads and new songs, in addition to inspired covers from outside the bluegrass and old time repertoire.
A big part of the appeal is their energetic stage show, amplified by their virtuosity on their instruments, and as vocalists. Banjo player and singer Barry Abernathy started the band with fiddler extraordinaire Jim VanCleve and mandolinist/vocalist Darrell Webb. They quickly brought in young flatpicking wizard Zeb Snyder, and when it came to bass, they started at the top, asking veteran Todd Phillips to join up. Thankfully, he did.
Now with three recordings, one independent and two with Billy Blue Records, Appalachian Road Show is releasing material from a new project, starting with today’s Billy Blue single, Della Jane’s Heart, a grassed-up version of a stark country/rock tale written by Jason Cope and Wesley J. Bayliss about young love, turned to disappointment, rage, and bloodshed.
Snyder shared a few words about this song, and how they came to record it.
“I’ve been a huge fan of the Steel Woods ever since seeing them on the Grand Ole Opry when they were just getting started. I always loved their song, Della Jane’s Heart, and the lyrics reminded me of so many classic murder ballads from the Appalachian Mountains. We were able to arrange this song in a way that hearkens back to those old ballads while also giving us a chance to stretch out musically and jam a little. We had a blast recording this song, and we hope y’all enjoy our version!”
As always with The Road Show, it’s brilliantly performed with Abernathy singing lead, starting out in waltz time, before crashing into the bluegrass. It’s a mighty strong track.
Della Jane’s Heart is available now from popular download and streaming services online.
