Dark Shadow Recording has dropped a premiere single for Laura Orshaw, fiddler with The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys. It’s taken from her upcoming album, Solitary Diamond, where she not only fiddles, but displays her vocal prowess as well.
For the single, they’ve chosen Hank, written by Cy Winstanley and Vanessa Evelyn McGowan, who first recorded it as Tattletale Saints in 2014. And as you may have suspected, it’s about Hank Williams, who Laura says had an immediate impact on her as a youngster as soon as she heard him sing.
“When I was growing up, my dad had a bluegrass and country radio show, and he kept his music library in our basement. Like a kid in a candy store, on weekends I would go down and pick something out to listen to on the little boom box in my room. Certain voices mesmerized me from the moment I first heard them, and Hank Williams was one of those. I just had to immerse myself in his sound and songs, tracking down everything I could about his music and life. Connections to childhood memories are some of the strongest, and so I identified with the lyrics to Hank immediately. These moments of awe, inspiration, and connection are what keeps me playing and singing to this day!”
Orshaw does it as an uptempo grasser, taking the lead vocal and fiddle, supported by BB Bowness on banjo, Tony Watt on guitar, Casey Campbell on mandolin, and Alan Bartram on bass. Alecia Nugent sang the harmony vocals.
You can hear it in this music video recorded in the Dark Shadow Studio while tracking for the album was underway.
Hank from Laura Orshaw is available now from popular download and streaming sites online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.
