Mountain Home Music has chosen a pop/rock hit from 1973 for their latest single with young bluegrass artist Jaelee Roberts. In addition to her solo career, Roberts stays busy as the primary vocalist with Sister Sadie, who have a loaded summer season shaping up.
Jaelee shared a few words about how she chose this song, Stuck in the Middle with You, originally recorded not only before she was born, but probably before her parents ever met!
“Stuck in the Middle with You is a song that I have loved for a really long time, and I’ve been keeping it in mind to record because I felt like it would be so much fun to cover. Of course I love the original version by Stealers Wheel (written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan), but when I was pretty young I found Keith Urban’s version from the ’90s with his band, The Ranch, and I was really hooked on it.
I have listened to it literally hundreds of times, and it never gets old. I love all genres of music, and I recorded a ’70s rock song (Landslide) on my debut album; people really seemed to enjoy that, so I wanted to include a song from that era on my new album, too, and I knew Stuck in the Middle with You was the one. I’m excited that it just happens to be the first single!
I have to say that I am absolutely thrilled with how this song turned out, with the help of my producer and bass player, Byron House, and all of the other STELLAR musicians: Ron Block – banjo/guitar; Cody Kilby – guitar; Andy Leftwich – mandolin; Russ Pahl – dobro; Kevin McKendree – Wurlitzer; and John Gardner – percussion, along with backing vocals by John Cowan.”
They put together a very interesting track which largely follows the groove of the ’73 cut, but with acoustic bluegrass instruments. Jaelee wails prodigiously over the top of this somewhat curious rhythm section and it woks quite well.
Have a listen…
Jaelee comes from bluegrass royalty, with parents deeply immersed in the music. Her dad is Danny Roberts, mandolinist with The Grascals and luthier extraordinaire, and mom is Andrea Roberts, who sang with a number of top acts including Petticoat Junction and Special Consensus. Young Jaelee was frequently out on the road with The Grascals, who encouraged her budding vocal genius at every step along the way.
Stuck in the Middle with You is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.
