Once again, Stephen Mougin at Dark Shadow Recording has prevailed on one of his artists to retail their recording experience for us in blog form. This time, it’s Becky Buller who is working on her first solo project with the label. A talented songwriter, Becky also tours and records with Darin & Brooke Aldridge on fiddle and clawhammer banjo.
January 20, 2014
We broke ground on the new album January 20 with a Gospel song I wrote eons ago that my parents insisted I record this time around. I’m so glad they did because it sums up how I’m feeling about this whole project and it was the perfect way to get us started.
It’s simply called Thank You. I’m thankful for the music and abundant life God has given me, thankful for my sweet family and friends, thankful to be back in the studio to create another solo release, thankful to be working on that album with Stephen “Mojo” and Jana Mougin and Dark Shadow Recording.
AND I’m thankful that Beth Lawrence (bass, Sister Sadie), Darin Aldridge (mandolin, Darin & Brooke Aldridge), Ned Luberecki (banjo, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers), and Mojo (guitar, Sam Bush Band) joined me on this tune. It was Monday, it was early…at least 10:30…we were draggin’ but we were ready. Between Beth and Ned, we stayed cracked up all morning.
I brought homemade gingersnaps. You always need snacks in studio. (Thank goodness I froze the extra cookie dough last time!)
At one point, I looked around the room, thinking about how bluegrass music brings folks from all over the world together. In this case, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Maryland, and Massachusetts were represented. We may all have different accents (and need subtitles every so often), but we all speak bluegrass…so fluently, in fact, that no click was needed! It was fun working without a net…having that element of danger, especially on a gospel song!
After lunch, Jon Weisberger stopped by to check on us in between his songwriting appointments. He bore news. I handed him the jar of homemade gingersnaps.
“If a bomb were dropped on this building, it would wipe out…oh…one fifth of the IBMA board,” he said, grinning and looking over his glasses knowingly at me. I had been appointed to fill the slot vacated by Dan Keen after serving the maximum two terms. Ned was also voted in this go ‘round as the radio rep and Stephen has been on the board for six months or so.
Todd Parks (bass, Sam Bush Band) joined us in the afternoon. It struck him as funny that we’d call him in to play on the album’s murder and mayhem number, entitled Didn’t Die. Mr. Parks takes no prisoners with his bass playing, which perfectly suited the track. Rob Ickes (resophonic guitar, Blue Highway) was supposed to be with us, but the flu kept him away so we’ll catch him later when he’s no longer contagious. Mojo and Darin picked on this song as well and I laid down some spooky claw, fiddle and final vocal to follow soon.
My day actually began well before dawn because I had to get the baby clothed and fed and packed off to the sitter before driving the hour and twenty to Goodlettsville, TN. We finished up about 6:30 p.m. and it was a long drive home with lots of phone calls to help keep me awake. (The excitement, adrenaline, coffee, and gingersnaps could only get me so far.)
End of day one. More to come!
