The South Carolina Broadcasters are bringing their unique style of primitive bluegrass and old time music to the John Boy & Billy record label. The group, which interestingly is from North Carolina, consists of David Sheppard, Andy Edmonds, and Ivy Sheppard have signed with the label, which also distributes the music of Terry Baucom in addition to recordings affiliated with the Jon Boy & Billy radio show.
A new album, recorded live at Eastwood Studio in Cana, VA, is expected shortly, on both CD and LP.
Here’s a taste of their Stanley-inflected sound on a Cullen Galyean number called Days Of Grey And Black.
The band came to the attention of the label through John Boy & Billy CEO Ed Lowe, an enthusiast of traditional string music, who also operates Lowe Vintage Instrument Company in Burlington, NC. The instrument shop sponsors the Broadcasters’ radio program on WPAQ, the Lowe Vintage Radio Show, which airs four days each week.
Lowe says that working with the band on the radio made it clear that they would be a good fit for the label.
“It was evident to me with the immediate success of WPAQ’s Old Time Radio feature with the group that I sponsor, music fans were hungry for the vintage sound, presented the way it used to be. Not only do these folks represent traditional music by performing, but they are all equally knowledgeable about the pioneering artists who developed this art form many years ago. Their passion runs deep and the John Boy & Billy Label is excited to help the group take their sound to an even larger platform.”
Ivy Sheppard, who plays fiddle and banjo with the Broadcasters, tells us that they all enjoy creating the radio program, and keeping the feel of the old time shows that started the popularity of traditional mountain music back in the 1930s and 40s. They don’t plan them out carefully, just assemble in the studio to pick and sing a few live, along with live advertisements for Lowe’s Vintage.
The fifteen minute broadcast can be heard on WPAQ on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Folks in central North Carolina can hear the show at 740 AM from Mount Airy, or from anywhere worldwide via online streaming.
WPAQ features bluegrass, old time, Gospel music, and religious programming every day, broadcasting until sunset.
More information about the next South Carolina Broadcasters record should be available soon.
