Hills I Used To Roam, written by Alex Hibbitts, showcases Matt’s ability to put together a band in the studio, highlighting the talents of Blue Highway’s Wayne Taylor on lead vocals and Don Rigsby singing tenor. Wallace plays bass, with studio assistance from Brian Stephens on guitar, Ron Stewart on banjo, Alex Hibbitts on mandolin and harmony vocal, and Jeff Partin on reso-guitar.
The song is about a man who misses him home, the girl he left behind, and of course, those hills he used to roam. All hands turn in terrific performances in the studio, particularly Stewart, who shows again why he may be one of the most skillful and impressive bluegrass artists of his generation.
It’s a very strong track, with Taylor’s voice giving just the sort of homey feel the song needs.
Have a listen…
Hills I Used To Roam is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and will also be included on an upcoming full-length Huckleberry album for Wallace.
Radio programmers can contact Turnberry Records online to get an airplay copy.
Bluegrass bass player at large Matt Wallace and his wife Carrie are celebrating the birth of a son today.
Weston Wallace was born earlier today in Knoxville. He came in at 8.1 lbs., stretching to 21.5”. He’s #3 for the Wallaces, joining older brothers Whitley and Wyatt.
Matt and the boys posed for a new family photo at the hospital. Carrie, understandably, declined to be pictured.
Matt joked that he has enough boys now to start a bluegrass band. Hopefully he can sell enough copies of his solo CD, For A Season, so they can afford diapers!
Congratulations to Carrie and Matt, and a big Bluegrass Today welcome to Weston Wallace!
One of the latest sidemen to make a solo debut is bass player Matt Wallace. A Knoxville, TN native who has done stints with Newton & Thomas, Paul Williams & the Victory Trio, David Parmley & Continental Divide, and Audie Blaylock & Redline, among others, Wallace is the current bass player for Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive. That’s a remarkable resume, especially at a young age, but it has obviously prepared Wallace well for this new venture.
For a Season, Wallace’s new ten-track collection from Pinecastle Records, gives Wallace a chance to show off not only his solid work on the bass, but also his vocal talents. He sings lead on half the songs here, and contributes harmony vocals (bass, baritone, tenor, and low tenor) on most of the rest. Wallace has a warm, smooth, country-style voice that fans of his former boss David Parmley should enjoy. One of the highlights of his turn as a vocalist is the album’s closing track, I Want to Know More About My Lord, an upbeat Southern Gospel-tinged quartet number featuring Carl White’s tenor vocals, Alex Hibbitts singing baritone, and Wallace on both lead and bass.
Wallace sings lead on the album’s other two Gospel songs, as well. Mercy Walked In is a nice play on the image of a prisoner, relating freedom gained in a courtroom to the freedom gained through the Lord’s grace, while Another Mile is a strong traditional-leaning bluegrass Gospel number. It’s guided by Josh Hymer’s banjo as it relates the Lord’s ability to give us strength when we think we can’t go on. Wallace’s lead vocals are also found on two contemporary, mid-tempo numbers: Old Man Winter, a broken-hearted lover’s plea (and the album’s lead single), and Home in Tennessee, which fans of Cumberland Gap Connection might recognize from their A Whole Lotta Lonesome album.
>For the rest of the album, Wallace calls on several friends to take care of the vocal duties. Creepin’ In and Lonesome Homesick Blues both put Jesse Gregory, a recent graduate of East Tennessee State University who is now fronting her own band, Faultline, out front. Both are enjoyable, though with very different sounds. The former has a bluesy groove and some extended instrumental solos in the middle, while the latter, a revamped Carter Family number, has a more straightforward traditional feel. Blue Highway’s Wayne Taylor sings another old standard, Have You Come to Say Goodbye, which also features Hymer’s banjo playing prominently.
Rounding out the album are a cover of the classic country song Got Leavin’ On Her Mind, which was previously recorded by Charley Pride and Bobby Bare and has been given a modern traditional bluegrass treatment by Wallace. Jerry Cole sings lead, while Paul Brewster is on tenor. Brewster’s high lead can be found on Long Gone, a Neil Diamond song about a woman who’s “not the devil but might as well be.”
All in all, Wallace has put together a fine debut with a nice mix of contemporary and traditional sounds that listeners of both should enjoy. The musicians are all top notch, with Hibbitts (who also engineered the project at his Depression Lies Studio) contributing tasteful mandolin, Darrell Webb providing guitar and harmony vocals, Tim Crouch on fiddle, and Jeff Partin on dobro, in addition to those mentioned previously.
For more information on Wallace, visit his website at www.mattwallacemusic.com. His new album is available from a variety of online music retailers.
Pinecastle Records’ Ethan Burkhardt shared some news today about what they have in the pipeline for 2014. They have just recently released a new CD for bassist/vocalist Matt Wallace, and had previously announced one coming from reso-man Phil Leadbetter and an Osborne Brothers CD of lost tracks.
Ethan says that Wildfire is working now on a new Pinecastle project, with a single expected in April.
The Osborne Brothers CD, Nashville, is scheduled for a June 10 street date. It will include 7 tracks recorded in 1973, but never released owing to a disagreement between the Osbornes and MCA Records after they took over for Decca, with whom the brothers were under contract.
Also scheduled are an album from The Gentlemen Of Bluegrass (6/10) and one from Irish bluegrass/Americana band I Draw Slow (7/8).
Burkhardt shared this latest video from I Draw Slow, Valentine, which will be part of their next CD, along with an interesting story about the shoot.
“The Valentine video features actor Aidan Gillen who is one of the few main characters on Game Of Thrones that hasn’t been killed off. The director of the video, Hugh O’Conor, knew Gillen and sent him an email about possibly being in the video a few days before they were set to shoot. He checked out their past videos and fell in love with the band, and said he’d do it free of charge.”
If it seems like we’ve been writing about Matt Wallace every few days, it’s because we have.
First we mentioned the debut single from his upcoming Pinecastle release, then his membership in Terry Baucom’s new band, The Dukes of Drive, and finally his plans to play shows with Audie Blaylock & Redline this summer. All in the past two weeks. This guy really knows how to get press!
And now he’s really gone and done it…
Matt married Carrie Thompson in a small family ceremony last Friday, January 17. They hosted a reception the next day, which, of course, featured bluegrass music. Friends assembled to pick included Alex Hibbitts, Jesse Gregory, Ryan Moyers, and others.
The couple met at church and will make their home in Knoxville, TN after returning from a Florida honeymoon.
Is there anyone more beloved inside bluegrass music than Terry Baucom? His banjo style is plainly definitive of the link between Earl Scruggs, through J.D. Crowe, and on to modern 1-4-5 drive.
On top of that, he is among the kindest, wisest, and funniest people you will ever meet, whose economy with words matches his minimalistic approach to the five. Just ask anyone who knows or has worked with him.
Now after decades as a sideman, Bauc has assembled his first band under his leadership, The Dukes of Drive. Richard Bennett is on guitar, Matt Wallace on bass, and Joey Lemons on mandolin. They’ll be performing music from Terry’s two solo projects, and from Richard and Matt’s records. You can bet there will be solid, hard-core bluegrass from start to finish.
At the onset, the Dukes will be working a limited schedule, but are already booked this year at the initial Five-String Fest, the Strawberry Festival, the Dailey & Vincent Fest, and the Wayne Taylor Homecoming Festival.
Terry sounds like he is ready to get out there and pick.
“I really do look forward to being on stage with these guys. I have always found it a lot of fun to put together great sets of music and then present it to bluegrass audiences. We all have a real passion for the same style of grass. Even though each one of us does other things, it will be a fun time and we’ll just see where it takes us.”
Baucom is handling dates himself for the time being. More information can be had by contacting him by email or phone (336-262-4020).
Pinecastle has announced a March 11 release date for For A Season, a solo project from Knoxville bass player and vocalist, Matt Wallace. The album features Matt and a number of other very talented singers, including Paul Brewster, Jesse Gregory, Wayne Taylor and Jerry Cole.
Even as a relatively young artist, Wallace has an impressive resume. He had recently been working with Newton & Thomas, and did prior stints with Pine Mountain Railroad, Audie Blaylock, David Parmley, and Paul Williams. Going forward, Matt plans to do shows this year with both Terry Baucom and Audie Blaylock.
A debut single from For A Season is available now through Airplay Direct. It’s Old Man Winter, with Matt on lead vocals, written by his former PMR bandmate, Jerry Cole.
Assisting throughout are Darrell Webb on guitar, Alex Hibbitts on mandolin, Josh Hymer on banjo, Tim Crouch on fiddle and Jeff Partin on reso-guitar. Lead vocals are roughly split between Wallace and his several guest singers.
Audio samples from all the tracks can be found on Matt’s web site, where pre-orders for the album are being accepted now.
Mark Newton and Steve Thomas are the latest artists to be signed by Pinecastle Records, it has been announced today. A new duo project, Reborn, is scheduled for an April 9 release.
Both of these fine musicians have enjoyed a long career in bluegrass. Mark has been known primarily as a vocalist, getting started with the visionary Knoxville Grass during the 1980s, moving from there to another trend-setting band, The Virginia Squires. He has worked as a solo artist since, with a number of successful albums to his credit.
Steve has worked for many years in bluegrass, but mostly as a sideman. His tremendous skill on various instruments is such that he seems to show up at any festival you pick playing something with somebody on stage. You could have seen Thomas with early editions of Lonesome River Band, Jim & Jesse, The Osborne Brothers or Del McCoury. He’s appeared on recordings from Lost and Found, Ronnie Bowman and The Whites, not to mention successful country artists like Aaron Tippen and Lorrie Morgan.
These two bluegrass veterans have joined with Matt Wallace on bass, and are now touring as Newton and Thomas. They also recorded Reborn as a trio, with Thomas playing a number of different instruments, and Scott Vestal as guest banjo player on several tracks.
You can find more details on the Newton and Thomas web site.
A native of Knoxville, TN, Wallace has spent years working with a variety of bluegrass acts, including David Parmley, Paul Williams and Audie Blaylock.
He is expected to start with The StillHouse Band later this month, and will be recording with Mark and Steve as they work on a new album.
Matt said that he is ready for this new endeavor.
“I am very excited to play with Mark and Steve. I have always played in bands with an emphasis on traditional bluegrass music. However, I am looking forward to making good music that may not exactly be considered traditional bluegrass with Newton and Thomas and the StillHouse Band.”
And the admiration goes both ways. Newton says that he and Thomas are likewise pleased with their new bass man.
“We are excited have Matt join the group. We have had the pleasure of playing a few shows with him this past summer where he filled in on bass duties. He did an exceptional job and we are happy to have him on board and look forward to great things to come!”
In addition to bass duties, Wallace will tackle some lead and harmony singing in the band.
Big changes have been announced this week for David Parmley and Continental Divide. After a period of relative inactivity, Parmley has announced two new hires, two new recording projects and a renewed aggressiveness with regard to his music career.
Matt Wallace is coming on board to play bass, and Josh Hymer to play banjo. They join Continental Divide veteran and bluegrass stalwart Randy Graham on mandolin, Steve Day on fiddle and Parmley on guitar and lead vocals.
David made his bones in the 1970s as a member of The Bluegrass Cardinals, whose sound was built around Parmley’s stirringly soulful singing. He remained a member until 1993 when he left the group – and his father (banjoist and co-founder Don Parmley) – to pursue a solo career. He formed the first edition of Continental Divide in 1994 with banjo picker Scott Vestal, and has been a fixture on the bluegrass scene until the past few years.
Longtime partner Graham has worked beside Parmley off and on since The Bluegrass Cardinals, and shared a few words about David’s recent absence, and his triumphant return.
“David has always had in intense desire to play good music, but had a minor health scare about 2 years ago, which necessitated his taking some time off…. on doctor’s orders. Now fully evaluated, recovered, and cleared to pursue the rigors of full time music, David is as pumped up as a cage fighter.
He certainly has not lost a step when it comes to delivering his trademark rhythm guitar and soulful vocals. He has surrounded himself with like-minded, accomplished and energetic journeymen and enthusiastically looks forward to doing whatever it takes to make up for lost time.
David is the most content I’ve ever seen him, and that’s been 44 years. Like he said, ‘this is going to be a LOT of fun!’ “
Matt Wallace has quite a resume for a 26 year old musician. He got his start working with Paul Williams and Victory Trio, where he saw the group win the SPBGMA Bluegrass Gospel Band of the Year award twice. He has since worked with Audie Blaylock and Redline.
Josh Hymer comes to Continental Divide from a stint with The Bartley Brothers, having played previously with Ernie Thacker and Billie Rene and Cumberland Gap.
David is taking the new band straight into the studio, with two new projects in the works. One will be a secular bluegrass album, and the other a Volume II follow-up to Church House Hymns, his acclaimed 2007 Gospel release.
They are also booking aggressively for 2011 and beyond, with representation through Graham’s agency, The Graham Talent Group.
David is fired up about getting back at it…
“We are going to step up everything this coming year, including touring, cutting two new CDs, and the music. We are excited about Matt and Josh, and are really looking forward to this new change!”
Great news on all fronts. Having David back at full strength can only be to the betterment of bluegrass music.
