Marty Raybon is going at full speed. Just over a year after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, he has two new albums coming out, with a full tour schedule planned for 2012.
His album of contemporary Christian music, Hand To The Plow, has been set for release in late March on Rural Rhythm Christian, and now comes news of a bluegrass record to boot.
Southern Roots & Branches follows what is now a familiar template: a package of songs that includes both previously released and newly recorded material. It’s all bluegrass, with 9 songs cut with an earlier edition of Marty’s road band, Full Circle (Daniel Grindstaff, Tim Raybon, Scott Napier, Craig Fletcher). Classic songs like Down The Road, Home Run Man and Prayer Bells Of Heaven share space with a number of hits Raybon had with Shenandoah back in the 1980s, like Ghost In This House and Next To You, Next To Me.
Three new tracks were recorded with Nashville super-pickers Kenny Smith on guitar, Mark Fain on bass, Glenn Gibson on resonator guitar, and Justin Moses on banjo, fiddle, mandolin and resonator guitar.
A debut single is released to radio this week, via Airplay Direct. It’s a new song from Melissa Pierce and Jerry Salley.
Dirt Road Heartache: [http://www.ruralrhythm.com/web/uploads//2012/01/RayboDirtRoadHeartacheClip.mp3]
Look for Southern Roots & Branches on Rural Rhythm April 10.
