Young Liam Purcell is one busy young man. Studying music remotely at the Berklee College of Music from his North Carolina home, he has managed to also record a new album, all by himself, from his home studio. With bandmates unable to come in for tracking because of shutdown orders earlier this year, Liam played all the instruments and sang all the parts.
The result is Roots, from Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road. Liam founded this group with his friends Tray Wellington and Casey Lewis in 2014 when they were all young teens, and found tremendous success on both the critical and popular sides of the equation. The band toured extensively throughout the southeast, including major events like MerleFest, Grey Fox, and Floyd Fest, and were named IBMA Momentum Band of the Year in 2019.
But the various members went their separate ways to college last year, leaving Purcell on his own. But rather than give up what he had built over six years, he held on to the name, found new players, and looked ready to keep Cane Mill Road rolling. And then COVID-19 hit.
So he decided to knuckle down and record the next band project on his own, with a set of all original songs he had written. Two were co-writes – one with Casey Lewis, and the other with folk legend Si Kahn, who Liam says has been a great mentor to him. Once touring is allowed again, he and the band will be supporting the project on the road.
Roots was released last week, and we are happy to share the first single, the title track, with you here today. Liam is featured on mandolin, guitar, banjo, bass, fiddle, and vocals.
Roots is available now wherever you stream or download music online, or on CD directly from CaneMill Road. When you purchase the CD online, you receive a download of the album as well.
Radio programmers can get the single now from AirPlay Direct.
