Compass Records has a new single for Missy Raines, the third from her upcoming full length project, Highlander. In something of a “Back To The Future” move, the record finds Missy returning to her earliest days in the music business, where playing bluegrass music was her primary passion.
Thinking of those days takes her right there.
“I can almost just go back [in my mind] and rely on those intrinsic things I learned as a 15-year-old in a field at a bluegrass festival —tapping into how I felt back then, and how I still feel today about this music.”
Produced by Alison Brown, Highlander includes ten new tracks recorded with Missy’s touring band, Allegheny, and a cast of superstar guests that includes vocalists Laurie Lewis, Dudley Connell, Danny Paisley, and Kathy Mattea, plus instrumentalists like Michael Cleveland, Rob Ickes, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Darol Anger, Shad Cobb, and producer Brown.
This latest single, Ghost of a Love, finds Raines partnered with The Seldom Scene’s Dudley Connell in a duet on this lonesome, uptempo 6/8 number.
She explained a bit about how she came upon this song, written by Ray Cline.
“I found Ghost of a Love on an album from a Virginia band called Big Country Bluegrass, and I think it’s a great song. ‘Sometimes at night the wind comes a howlin,’ blowing the cold right off of a stone.’ That’s a powerful line.
I’m a big fan of the great Dudley Connell and the Johnson Mountain Boys who come from my part of the world. When I was growing up in Short Gap, WV, I jammed with them often and remember when they were first playing together. In fact, their sound was a big part of my inspiration for my band Allegheny.
It was also great to get my husband and recording engineer, Ben Surratt, to sing the baritone part on this one. He’s a natural-born singer, and grew up in bluegrass much as I did. He can sing any part but baritone is the one he loves to sing the most. He also recorded and mixed the new album.”
Supporting Missy on bass and lead vocal are the members of Allegheny, Ben Garnett on guitar, Ellie Hakanson on fiddle, Eli Gilbert on banjo, and Tristan Scroggins on mandolin. They are joined by Dudley and Ben on vocals, and Michael Cleveland on second fiddle.
In a nod to her early days in the late ’70s, they even do a triple ending.
Have a listen in this graphic video…
Ghost of a Love will be available on January 12 from popular download and streaming services online.
Highlander is set for release on February 9. Pre-orders are enabled now.
