Rounder has announced April 10 as the release date for Nobody Knows You, the next CD from Steep Canyon Rangers. This will be their first band release since Deep In The Shade in 2010, though they collaborated with Steve Martin for his 2011 album, Rare Bird Alert, which is currently up for a Grammy.
The Rangers are Woody Platt on guitar, Graham Sharp on banjo, Mike Guggino on mandolin, Nicky Sanders on fiddle and Charles Humphrey on bass. Platt takes on most of the lead singing, with everyone else sharing harmony vocal duties.
Martin has always spoken highly of his “road band,” who have been by his side since he started touring as a banjo player again following his 2010 record, The Crow. On the occasion of their new CD being announced he says…
“The Steep Canyon Rangers, with whom I have had the great pleasure of touring and have shared the wonderful honor of IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year Award are not only great musicians who continue to explore both the new and old styles of bluegrass and bring a fresh energy to the traditions of American music, but they are also really fun on a bus.”
Sharp tells us that they cut this new record in the same studio they had used for Rare Bird Alert, Echo Mountain in Asheville, NC, with Gary Paczosa co-producing with the band. 11 of the 12 tracks are originals written within the group, with one from Tim Hardin.
“We’re doing most of the new stuff live these days and it feels really good.”
Graham also sent along a photo of the Rangers with legendary rock artist Levon Helm of The Band.
“We played the Midnight Ramble up at Levon’s barn/studio on Saturday. It was one of the most amazing musical settings/performances I’ve witnessed.
We opened up with a 50 minute set and then Levon and his twelve piece band played for over two hours. We got back up for The Weight at the end, and Woody got to sing the first verse…’Pulled into Nazareth…’
As you can see in the photo, we were rather pleased.”
We’ll be sure to post again when more details about Nobody Knows You are available.
