Mike Bentley has announced that Chad Hurley will be the new mandolinist with Cumberland Gap Connection.
He takes the spot vacated by Matthew Hiser, who is leaving to take advantage of an opportunity with his day job, one which leaves him without the time to commit fully to the band.
Chad joins Bentley on guitar and lead vocals, Rod Smith on banjo, and Jeff Smith on bass. A life long musician, Hurley is comfortable with all of the instruments in the bluegrass band, and has a good 30 years under his belt on mandolin. His home is in Hurley, VA, just where the state meets up with Kentucky and West Virginia, and has been performing with bluegrass and Gospel groups in that area for some time.
He’ll officially join the band when they play December 3 at the Millard Middle School in Pikeville, KY.
You can keep up with Cumberland Gap Connection online.
The Kentucky-based band features Bentley on guitar and lead vocals, Rod Smith on banjo, Matt Hiser on mandolin, and Jeff Smith on bass.
Bentley and the boys have also recently released a new single from their current CD. It’s I Hear Kentucky Calling Me written by Robert C. Landes, which you can hear in the video below.
The album is available wherever bluegrass is sold, and offered to radio programmers at Airplay Direct. For more details on the band, contact Wilson Pickins online.
In recent years, country music fans who can’t stand today’s rap-infused “bro-country” sound have found a home in bluegrass. Many modern traditional groups sample from both the songs and sounds of ’80s and ’90s country, while many male and female vocalists alike have adopted the smooth, soulful style preferred by country artists. Over the course of several albums, eastern Kentucky’s Cumberland Gap Connection has proven themselves quite adept at this style of country-tinged grass. Their latest album, self-titled and styled as Mike Bentley & Cumberland Gap Connection, features more of the same (in a good way, of course).
Though only two members – lead vocalist Bentley and banjo man Rod Smith – remain from the group’s last effort, 2013’s Another Song, the reconfigured band has a solid grasp on the Cumberland Gap Connection sound. Headed up by Bentley’s strong and distinctive lead vocals (heavily inspired by Keith Whitley and Ernie Thacker), the music here is perhaps even more country leaning than their previous albums. Thirteen tracks run the gamut from trucks to trains to coal mining, with a little lost love and Gospel mixed in for good measure.
The album opens with lead single Truck Drivin’, which has received quite a bit of airplay on bluegrass radio since its release last year. Written by Jeff Brown and Barbara Owens, it’s a catchy number that chugs along at a nice pace as Bentley details the life of a long-haul truck driver. Another upbeat track is the Terry Foust/Ray Edwards’ cut Back to Carolina. The song is a well-written, radio friendly “going home” number with nice fiddling from guest Adam Haynes. Edwards also contributed an ode to the rambling life, Old Steamboats and Trains, a co-write with Larry Joe Cox that Josh Brown sings lead on.
One of the album’s highlights is Better Days, a mid-tempo original from Bentley that laments the uncertainty of a relationship on the rocks. Although the music is fairly upbeat, there’s a strain of anguish running through it, helped along by Haynes’ fiddle and lyrics like “You want things to be like they were before, but we just can’t seem to go back through that door… I’m giving all I can, but I can’t give much more.” Bentley also wrote Coal Miner’s Dance, a bluesy, dark look at the dangers faced while working in the mines. Brown’s guitar and Smith’s dobro work well together behind Bentley as he sings “Cause when that top starts coming down, well you better not mess around. It’ll bury you alive if you give it half a chance.”
A pair of Gospel songs are also enjoyable. He Knows My Name is a gently rolling, country-grass song about how Jesus’ love extends to everyone, even those on the lower rungs of society. Closing track When I Make My Last Move has been recorded by several Gospel artists, as well as the Carter Family (as The Last Move For Me), but it sounds like a completely different song here than any other versions I could find. Whereas the Carters’ version sounds more like a standard hymn, with a bouncy guitar accompaniment, Bentley performs this solo and a capella – think classic Ralph Stanley, Primitive Baptist a capella, as opposed to the southern Gospel quartet style preferred by many more recent bands. It’s a powerful ending to the album.
A final song of note is the cover of I Never Go Around Mirrors, obviously influenced by the Keith Whitley version. Smith breaks out the pedal steel, and Haynes adds some nice mournful fiddles for a solid classic country sound. You might think that a song that so clearly makes an effort to sound country might stick out alongside traditional bluegrass instrumentation on the rest of the songs, but it doesn’t. Perhaps it’s the strong, enduring presence of Whitley in bluegrass music, perhaps it’s Bentley’s country singing style, or perhaps it’s modern traditional bluegrass’s embrace of acoustic country sounds. Regardless, it’s a nicely done track.
Cumberland Gap Connection has been a strong group since their 2011 introduction to the wider world of bluegrass with the excellent A Whole Lotta Lonesome, and this album is no exception. The picking here isn’t fancy, but it’s solid and professional. Bentley’s vocals are as strong as ever, and the addition of Brown on tenor was a good choice. Fans of the country-tinged modern traditional style should find much to enjoy here.
For more information on Mike Bentley & Cumberland Gap Connection, visit their website at www.cumberlandgapconnection.com. Their self-titled album is available now from Union House Records.
The recently-reformed band includes Mike Bentley on guitar and lead vocals, Rod Smith on banjo, Josh Brown on lead guitar, Matt Hiser on mandolin, and Jeff Smith on bass. Adam Haynes provides fiddle on this track, and on their upcoming album, which is being completed now with a July release anticipated.
Truck Drivin’ is available for download purchase now from all your favorite digital download sites, and offered to radio programmers through Airplay Direct.
We heard today from Mike Bentley with news about his group, Cumberland Gap Connection. Mike tells us that he has brought two new members on board, Jeff Smith on bass and Josh Brown on guitar. They join Mike on guitar, Rod Smith on banjo and Matt Hiser on mandolin.
The Kentucky-based band has two albums to their credit, and has a busy festival season booked for this summer.
Mike says that…
“I’m really excited to announce that Jeff and Josh have joined the band. These guys have just stepped right in and made it feel like they’ve been here all along. With any change in personnel, there’s usually a learning curve with the music, and individual personalities that you have to be work through, but these guys have made that transition period nearly non-existent. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what these guys can do musically, but more importantly, I’m excited for everyone to just meet and get to know what great people they both are.”
Going now as Mike Bentley & Cumberland Gap Connection, the guys are in the studio now finishing up a new project featuring the current lineup. Look for more news on that front soon.
In the Spring of 2006, Ernie Thacker was an up-and-coming bluegrass singer and band leader from Virginia, noted for his soulful and expressive vocal delivery. He had already spent five years with Ralph Stanley as a Clinch Mountain Boy on mandolin, guitar and lead vocals, and recorded two albums as a solo artist.
But Thacker’s whole life changed when he was thrown from a vehicle during an auto accident in April ’06, one that kept him in intensive care for several months, and left him paralyzed from the waist down. At the time, he was finishing work on a third recording, which he eventually completed from his hospital bed. He made valiant attempts to tour in support of this project, The Hangman, but the strain of performing and traveling so early into his recovery was too much.
Ernie has done a few shows since, but none in the past two years. He is booked this month for a concert at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonburg, KY, and it appears that conversations between he and former bandmate Mike Bentley of Cumberland Gap Connection will give Thacker an opportunity to once again take his music to the fans.
“I have been in touch a lot with Ernie lately concerning the Mountain Arts Center concert that we are both booked on. We offered to back him up that night also if he needed us, and he took us up on it.
The more we talked, the more it was clear to me that he was really wanting to get back out and perform, so I started thinking about the possibility of us teaming up for some shows. Evidently Ernie had been thinking about the same thing, because before I was able to ask him about it, he brought it up to me.
Our banjo player, Rod Smith, and myself, played in Ernie’s band in the past and are both really familiar with most of his music, and all the guys are looking forward to picking with him. Nothing will change as far as Cumberland Gap Connection is concerned, we’ll just be adding to what we already have, and Ernie won’t have to worry about all the stuff involved in running a band, so it’s a win-win situation.
I can’t even describe how excited we are to take the stage with Ernie! It’s been way too long since folks have had the chance to see him up there singing, and to see him ready to get back out there and share his voice with the crowds again is gonna be a lot of fun.
We’ve been friends for a long time and have always been fans of his music, so it’s an honor for CGC to be a part of this. We’re really looking forward to getting his music back out for everyone to enjoy!”
Mike said that anyone interested in booking the Thacker/CGC show should contact him by email.
For his part, Ernie is plenty psyched about singing again.
“It’s gonna be a pleasure playing with these boys on May 18! They do a wonderful job and they play my style.
I’ve known Mike and Rod for years and years, and we’ve been friends for a long time. They’ve got a good bunch of boys playing with them, and I’m honored for them to back me up. They’ll be backing me up all summer at different festivals and whatnot, so folks should look out for Mike and Rod and Cumberland Gap Connection.
I’m really looking forward to playing with the boys, and I think folks will really enjoy what they hear, so come out and see us and be with us.”
Word of this new partnership has been making waves in the bluegrass community. Jason Burleson of Blue Highway was quick with praise…
“Ernie is one of my favorite singers on the planet! Don’t miss him with one of my favorite bands!”
… as was Adam Steffey from The Boxcars.
“The guys of Cumberland Gap Connection and Ernie Thacker teaming up can only mean one thing – awesome music! Ernie is one of the best bluegrass singers ever and coupled with a great band like this will certainly make for some real magic. I look forward to seeing this in person and hearing them together.”
It’s wonderful news that Ernie Thacker will be back on the circuit, and teaming up with Cumberland Gap Connection looks like a perfect fit. Details about these shows will be posted on the CGC web site as they are scheduled.
Cumberland Gap Connection has announced a new member. Matt Hiser, from Spanishburg, WV, is coming onboard to play mandolin.
He joins Mike Bentley on guitar, Rod Smith on banjo, Bryan Russell on bass, and Albon Clevenger on fiddle. John Dig A Hole, from their 2013 album, Another Song, is currently #16 on our Bluegrass Today Weely Airplay Chart.
Matt says there was never any doubt about making the commitment.
“From the first call, I knew joining CGC was the right decision for me. Every one of the guys have welcomed me into the band and have made me feel at home. I can let my ‘hair’ down, if I had any, and have fun.
Being around such high caliber musicians and vocalists is great, and I’m looking forward to a long future with Cumberland Gap Connection. Thanks guys for inviting me into your little family.”
And Bentley said the feeling was mutual.
“We are really excited to have Matt join Cumberland Gap Connection!
Whenever there’s a change in the band, you’re always a little nervous about being able to find the right person to fill the spot, but the first time we picked with Matt we were all set at ease.
He’s an awesome musician and an even better person, and we’re honored to have him as a member of CGC!”
You can keep up with their comings and goings at the band’s web site.
Cumberland Gap Connection first hit the national bluegrass scene in 2011 with the release of A Whole Lotta Lonesome on Kindred Records. Now signed with Mountain Fever Records, this eastern Kentucky–based band is poised to receive more attention with their new album, Another Song. This collection of thirteen songs, including numerous band originals, provides listeners with an all-around enjoyable contemporary bluegrass listening experience.
Guitarist Mike Bentley handles most of the lead vocals on the album, and has also contributed five original songs to the recording. Bentley has a smooth, even, country-flaired voice which may remind listeners of Ernie Thacker. One of the album’s standout tracks, which features both his vocals and songwriting, is Move on the Down the Line, a mid-tempo tune about the decision to leave home and the realization that it may have not been the right choice. Another nice rambling song is Rambler’s Blues, this time with a somewhat more positive outlook on the choice to wander.
The influence of Keith Whitley is evident on Anywhere But Here, in which the singer is trying to come to terms with the fact that the one he loves doesn’t want him anymore. Banjo player Rod Smith changes things up a bit and brings a classic country sound to this track with the addition of pedal steel. Smith brings outside influences to Levi Birmingham as well, providing bluesy dobro behind the familiar story of a young man learning about music from a somewhat disreputable old man.
For the most part, the rest of the album contains straightforward bluegrass. The title track has a somewhat dark sound but a positive message, telling listeners that if they get discouraged, “just stay strong, there’s always another song.” West Virginia Line is an upbeat train song featuring bassist Bryan Russell on high lead vocals. Russell also takes the lead on Forever in Love (which he also wrote), a hopeful song which finds the singer encouraging the one he loves to never give up on their love, even if they don’t always understand each other.
Perhaps some of the best songs on the album are two of the most lonesome sounding. Mary’s Gone shares the story of a man who escapes dying in a mine explosion through a depressing turn of events, while the lead single, John Dig a Hole, is told from the perspective of an elderly man who has outlived almost everyone around him and is preparing to die. This song begins with a haunting, old-time mountain feel, then transforms into a driving bluegrass piece with traditional influences. Interestingly, a version of John Dig a Hole can be found on Ralph Stanley’s Live at McClure album, performed by a group called the Outdoor Plumbing Company. On that record, the band mentions that the song was written by a man from Pike County, Kentucky – the home of Cumberland Gap Connection.
The instrumentation on the album is solid, and it’s obvious that band members Bentley (guitar), Russell (bass), Smith (banjo), and John Messer (mandolin), along with guest Albon Clevenger on fiddle, are well versed in bluegrass music. The group has a tight sound and nice harmonies, and fans of strong original material are sure to enjoy their songs.
The band records and performs primarily original material from guitarist Mike Bentley, banjo player Rod Smith, mandolinist John Messer, and bassist Bryan Russell. They are joined on this record by Albon Clevenger on fiddle. The only two tracks not written within the band are contributions from Mark Brinkman and Dale Pyatt.
You’ll find a nice mix of contemporary Gospel and secular bluegrass here, with Smith’s banjo prominent throughout.
John Dig A Hole, the album’s lead track was released to bluegrass radio last Fall as a debut single. It, and the rest of Another Song, is available now to radio programmers at Airplay Direct.
Back Home Again is the first track to hit from The Wait Is Over, Jett’s Creek’s debut project for Mountain Fever. The album won’t release until February 2013, but the label’s Mark Hodges said that he wanted to share something from the record right away.
“I have loved this band for a long time. We signed them about a year ago and they’ve been working hard on this new CD ever since.
I think this first single will give the DJs and fans a lot to rave about. I know I’m certainly proud of what this band is doing and that we are able to present it to fans of great music everywhere.”
Jett’s Creek is a vehicle for vocalist Angie Young, with Nathan Bray on guitar, Tim Hale on banjo, Jeff Byrd on bass, Chuck Little on mandolin, and Jon McIntosh on guitar. They are based in Ohio.
The Wait Is Over was produced by Clay Hess, and Back Home Again can be downloaded now by radio programmers at Airplay Direct.
Cumberland Gap Connection also has a new track for radio, John Dig A Hole, which will be included in their next, as yet unnamed Mountain Fever project. Their previous album, Whole Lotta Lonesome, got a lot of traction on the charts and helped propel the band to national attention.
The band is Mike Bentley on guitar, Rod Smith on banjo, Bryan Russell on bass, John Messer on mandolin, and Albon Clevenger on fiddle. Bentley is the primary vocalist, with all the guys contributing harmonies.
Hodges is high on this bunch as well.
“Keeping with the traditional side of bluegrass is important to us here at Mountain Fever. When Mike Bentley sent me some music from the band a couple of years ago, I was impressed. When he let me hear this new one, I was blown away.
This is a band that lives in their songs. These guys know what they are singing about and the emotion in the songs comes from real life. This is the real stuff here.”
John Dig A Hole is also available to radio at Airplay Direct.
