Cody Shuler has led North Carolina’s Pine Mountain Railroad since 2006, and has recorded three albums with the band. His singing, songwriting and mandolin playing is out front with PMR, and now he is fixing to release his first solo project with Rural Rhythm Records next year.
In advance of the album, Rural Rhythm has released a debut single to radio, one of Cody’s songs called My Home Is On This Ole Boxcar. He is supported by Ron Stewart on banjo, Rob Ickes on reso-guitar, Tim Crouch on fiddle, Eli Johnston on guitar, Matt Flake on bass, and Scott Linton on drums.
Shuler shared a few words about the song.
“It seems like bluegrass lovers never get tired of hearing train songs. Maybe because it takes them back to another place in time to when trains were the fastest way to run from something, come home, or just ride. A lot of people would like a life of just traveling from place to place with no worries, that’s what this upbeat song is about, a Hobo with his only home an ever moving boxcar.”
The single is available now to radio at Airplay Direct and on the latest Fresh Cuts & Key Tracks CD from Rural Rhythm.
Cody Schuler and Pine Mountain Railroad opened the show on Saturday at Palatka, and Dry Branch Fire Squad appeared for the second day. They were followed by the high energy of Little Roy and Lizzy.
Marty Raybon and Rhonda Vincent followed. The show was closed out by the legendary country music star, Gene Watson.
Gene found himself in the middle of some Rhonda/Lizzy shenanigans when he started singing Has Anybody Seen Sweet Thing. Lizzy ran out, grabbed the mic and started singing. Rhonda came out gagged, tied and sputtering! It was really good schtick!
Terry Baucom will be everywhere you look – or listen – this next few weeks.
Starting Wednesday morning at 11:00 a.m. (EDT), he will be the featured guest on Track-By-Track with Kyle Cantrell on Sirius-XM’s Bluegrass Junction. Terry and Kyle will play each of the tracks from Terry’s solo album, In A Groove, and chat about the songs, the players and the sessions where they were recorded.
Amazingly, after more than 30 years in bluegrass, this is Terry’s first album under his name. He’s recorded with Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, BlueRidge and many others, but In A Groove is his first time out front.
Bluegrass Junction can be heard on Sirius or XM channel 61. Track-By-Track will re-air twice again later this week: Thursday (8/25) at 9:00 p.m. and Sunday (8/28) at 11:00 a.m.
Terry will also be on Sirius-XM on Sunday afternoon, joining Ned Luberecki at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) for his Less Talk, More Banjo broadcast. He and Ned will give the Sunday Banjo Lesson, and discuss all things Baucom, banjo, and the key of B.
Baucom is also starting out on Wednesday touring with Cody Shuler and Pine Mountain Railroad. He cut much of the banjo for their new self-titled project, and since he already knew the material, Cody asked Bauc if he would finish the dates they have on the books for 2011.
They start out in Knoxville on August 24, and the rest of the dates can be found online.
Look for Baucom at World of Bluegrass in Nashville next month as well.He has again been nominated for the Banjo Player of the Year award.
Cody discusses his mandolins, the members of Pine Mountain Railroad – including new bass player, Bryan Turner – and their brand new, self-titled project. He also talks about his friendships with Raymond Fairchild and Jimmy Martin.
As is the BMP style, the Shuler piece is presented in an interview format. Here’s just a taste…
BMP: How do you feel about your band’s latest project?
CODY SHULER: The album is self titled, Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, and I can’t tell you how excited I am about it. The songs are a great fit for our style and I am very pleased with how the album turned out. Most of the songs are written in a traditional style, but performed with a new approach. There are some fast songs, sad songs, happy songs, quartets, and duets. I wanted the album to have some hard driving songs as well as a few gospel tunes. It’s full of music we really love to sing and play so what better than to self title the album. It is us.
How does this one differ from previous PMRR projects?
Well, I guess I could say that this album is different in many ways. For one, the last album, Pickin’, Praisin’, And Singin’ was all gospel, which we enjoyed doing. We were all raised in church and have sung several of those songs many times. It had a lot of quartets and songs with five-part harmony. The CD before that, Alone With Forever, was mostly bluegrass with a few gospel songs. A lot of people really liked it. The main difference in this newest album and the last two is that we have a lot of songs written in the traditional style that are really hard driving. The two albums before didn’t have that. This album really reflects what you will hear in one of our concerts.
Publisher Kevin Kerfoot fills us in on what else you’ll find in this issue of BMP.
“The new issue also includes a Grass Cats color poster, Brenda Lawson’s DJ Profile, interviews with Jamie Johnson of The Grascals and Carolyn Routh of Nu-Blu, a feature on Louie Setzer & The Appalachian Mountain Boys, ShopTalk with Sierra Hull, Bill Emerson and Randy Kohrs Bluegrass Favorites, a Promoter Profile on Michael Johnathon and the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, and Donna Hughes’ Songwriter Profile.”
Find single issue purchase and subscription info online.
After reporting yesterday about Dale Perry joining up to play bass with Grasstowne, I contacted Pine Mountain Railroad to see who had stepped into the banjo spot that Dale had vacated.
We heard right back from bass player Bill McBee, with information about the band’s new lineup and the hot young super picker they have brought on board.
“Good to hear about Dale finding a new spot with the boys of Grasstowne. He departed PMRR a couple of months ago to take care of personal business. All of us certainly admire his talent and knowledge of bluegrass and gospel music; we wish him nothing but the best.
Seth Taylor, of Bryson City, NC, has joined us on banjo and also doubles on some guitar leads. Seth is one of the brightest rising stars in bluegrass. In 2008, Seth won the Merlefest Adult Guitar Championship. This year, Seth won the Merlefest Adult Banjo Championship as well. On top of that, Seth is very accomplished on both mandolin and dobro; he also appeared at IBMA last year as a distinguished member of Kids on Bluegrass along with Sierra Hull and a host of terrifically talented young pickers.
Seth is an extremely intelligent young man, an advanced-placement home schooled student. Seth is more mature than his years might suggest and travels – and performs – like a true pro picker. He has been lighting up audiences already at Bean Blossom, Turkey Tracks, and other festival/concert appearances around the country as our newest member. Several instrumentals we perform, such as Big Mon and Rebecca, showcase him switching between guitar and banjo during the numbers – all performed flawlessly and at a high rate of speed.”
You can look over the PMRR tour schedule online to see when you might have a chance to catch Seth with the band at a show in your neck of the woods.
The Gospel Music Association on Friday (2/20) announced the nominations for their forthcoming awards show.
Among the finalists for the 40th Annual Dove Awards are the following nominees in the two bluegrass categories.
Bluegrass Recorded Song (song; album; artist; writer; label)
Help Is On The Way; Help Is On The Way; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; Michael E. Reed; Horizon Records
I See A Crimson Stream; Sounds Like Sunday; Janet Paschal; Garfield T. Haywood; Vine Records
The Old White Flag; You Gotta Love It!; Triumphant Quartet; Dianne Wilkinson; Daywind Records
They’re Holding Up The Ladder; We Are Family; Jeff & Sheri Easter, Lewis Family, Easter Brothers; Russell Easter, James Easter, Edd Easter; Daywind Records
What Will I Wear?; I Just Wanted You To Know; Kim Hopper; Deborah Bailey; Canaan Records
Bluegrass Album (album; artist; producer; label)
Bluegrass Worship; Various; Steve Ivey; Star Song Music
Help Is On The Way; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; Doyle Lawson; Horizon Records
Hymns From Chigger Hill; Chigger Hill Boys & Terri; Mike Richards, Terri Argot Gore, Ricky Gore, Mark Dunham, Bobby Strangenberg, Ethan Blair, Justin Kropf; Daywind Records
I Don’t Regret A Mile; Larry Sparks; Larry Sparks; Sparks Music
Pickin’, Praisin’, & Singin’: Hymns From The Mountain; Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad; Bill McBee, Dale Thomas, Jerry Cole, Cody Shuler, Matt Flake; Rural Rhythm
We Are Family; Jeff & Sheri Easter, Lewis Family, Easter Brothers; Jeff Easter, Sheri Easter; Daywind Records
What A Journey; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; Paul Williams; Rebel Records
Bluegrass artists, musicians, producers and labels are also represented among the nominees in a variety of other categories, most notably in the following …..
Special Event Album (album; artist; producer; label)
Billy: The Early Years Official Motion Picture Soundtrack; Brooks & Dunn, Mac Powell, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, China Edelman, Patty Griffin, Brandon Heath, Gregory Page, Michael W. Smith, Melinda Doolittle, Roy Orbison, Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Sierra Hull, John Cowan, Harry Stinson, Ronnie Bowman, Ronnie McCoury, John Wesley Ryles; Anastasia Brown; Arista Nashville, Essential Records
Country Bluegrass Homecoming Volume One; Gaither Vocal Band, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, The Grascals, Buddy Greene, The Isaacs, Gordon Mote, Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, The Booth Brothers, George Jones, Wesley Pritchard, Reggie & Ladye Love Smith, Brittany Allen, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Charlotte Ritchie, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Jimmy Fortune, Dailey & Vincent, Jason Crabb, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Cherryholmes, Lisa Daggs-Charette, Vince Gill, Sonya Isaacs, Becky Isaacs Bowman; Bill Gaither; Gaither Music Group
How Great Thou Art: Gospel Favorites from the Grand Ole Opry; The Charlie Daniels Band, Mac Powell, Alan Jackson, Patty Loveless, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs & The Whites, Sara Evans, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Loretta Lynn, Vince Gill, Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood; Steve Gibson; Sony BMG Nashville
Long Form Music Video (title; artist; director; producer; production company; label)
Country Bluegrass Homecoming Volume One; Bill & Gloria Gaither; Doug Stuckey; Bill Gaither; Gaither Television Productions; Gaither Music Group
The recipients will be announced at the televised show on April 23 in Nashville, Tennessee.
A complete list of nominees and more information about the GMA and the Dove Awards is available online.
Cody Shuler recently announced that effect October 18, 2008, Dale Perry has joined Pine Mountain Railroad. Dale will be playing the 5 and singing harmony vocals.
Dale’s bass singin as been a distinguishing marks of the bands he’s performed with in the past, including the Lonesome River Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and David Parmely & Continental Divide.
Dale has periodically taken time off the road between bands to run his Lakeside Recording Studio, even recording the last Pine Mountain Railroad CD. I asked Cody Shuler to share with us the story of how Dale came to join the band.
I am glad to have Dale Perry be a part of this band. His vocal work along with his great banjo playing brings some great new sounds from this band. We have been working on some great quartets that feature some of his great bass singing. Dale recorded our latest cd “Pickin’ Praisin’ & Singin’ at his Lakeside Studio in Moneta, VA. He will also be recording a cd we are currently working on as well. Dale has played with some great groups through the years, The Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and David Parmley. I am very excited to have him join CS & PMR.
Be sure to keep an eye on PMR’s tour schedule and go hear them with Dale Perry in the band.
Pine Mountain Railroad, now owned and managed by Bryson City, North Carolina, born Cody Shuler, released an all-Gospel collection on July 15.
Recently voted 2007 winner of the Bluegrass Gospel Song Of The Year award by Singing News magazine and backed with several Top 10 albums and songs on the Bluegrass Unlimited and Billboard charts, Pine Mountain Railroad has released its eighth album, Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’ Hymns From The Mountain (Rural Rhythm RHY-328).
The specially-priced 16-track album contains a mixture of gospel classics from yesterday with a few new songs that the group hope will become standards of the future.
Among the standards are Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies, a familiar and beloved hymn given a very-different-from-the-traditional treatment; How Beautiful Heaven Must Be; The Old Rugged Cross, on which Jerry Cole sings lead; What Would You Give In Exchange, performed as a true-to-tradition tribute to the Monroe Brothers; and Rock Of Ages, with intricate harmonising.
Less well known are Run On which was originally recorded by the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet in the 1920s and, later, by Elvis Presley. The Pine Mountain Railroad version is done with 5-part harmony and an original ending; The Gospel Ship, a relatively-obscure song, but one that has been around a long time; So High, done a cappella style; and I Bowed On My Knees and Cried Holy, from the black gospel music repertoire of the 1930s.
Alongside are newer compositions My Eye’s Shall Be On Canaan’s Land, which Shuler wrote just for this album; Blood Bought My Freedom; and Let’s Meet By The River, originally by The Spencers and a No.1 hit recording for them in Southern Gospel music market.
The recordings were done at Dale Perry’s Lakeside Studios in Moneta, Virginia. Perry also mixed and mastered the project, having particular regard to the specific way that Shuler wanted the vocal mix.
Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad comprises Shuler (mandolin and vocals), Bill McBee (bass and vocals), Matt ‘Scooter’ Flake (fiddle and vocals), Jerry Cole (guitar & vocals) and Dale Thomas (banjo and vocals).
Railroad Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’ Hymns From The Mountain is available for a special introductory price on the Rural Rhythm web site.
BMP has as its focus, the people who play, write, and produce the music, along with those who build and maintain the instruments on which it is played. They focus on the personalities, and seek to help fans get to know the people who make the music happen.
This summer issue also contains an interview with Reid Burgess of King Wilkie, where he speaks candidly about the band’s decision to move away from the traditional bluegrass format that brought them to early success. They were so enamored of Bill Monroe, that they chose the name of one of Bill Monroe’s horses as the moniker for the band.
“King Wilkie initially tried to fit the mold of Bill Monroe’s brand of bluegrass. To me, Bill Monroe is bluegrass and unfortunately he’s not still here to do it better than everybody else. I guess we eventually realized – like many people do – that we’re not Bill Monroe and never will be.”
Publisher Kevin Kerfoot shared a few other tidbits found in the new issue:
Other features include a Q&A with Doyle Lawson, Shop Talk with Tony Trischka, a DJ Profile on Main Street Bluegrass Show’s Ward McAfee, David Peterson’s Bluegrass Favorites, a Q&A with Bluegrass Boy #37 Frank Buchanan, an Instrument Profile on Gibson’s Ricky Skaggs Limited Edition Distressed Master Model Mandolin, a feature remembering Grand Ole Opry Fiddler Casey Jones – which includes an interview with his daughter Marilyn Boyd, a feature about the International Bluegrass Music Museum’s Video Oral History Project, a Promoter Profile on Carolyn and Johnny Vincent, and a Songwriting Profile on Larry Cordle. You’ll also find BMP’s Bluegrass Mailbag, Anything Bluegrass News, Top 20 Hot Singles and Top 10 Bluegrass CDs, Festivals, Grassifieds, Web Sightings, Bluegrass Store, and Fresh For The Pickin’ CD reviews.
We have posted a few times recently about both management and membership changes in Pine Mountain Railroad. With one last announcement, it appears that the new band is fully formed.
Yesterday, we got word from the band that they have hired Elmer Burchett on banjo, joining Cody Shuler on mandolin, Bill McBee on bass, Matt Flake on fiddle, and both Mark Cable and Eil Johnson on guitar. Johnson had originally joined the band on banjo.
The band invites everyone to visit their newly redesigned web site, and hear a preview of Awful Lonesome Train, a cut from their upcoming CD, Alone With Forever, due in February 2007. That cut will be released as a single on the January issue of Prime Cuts Of Bluegrass (#85).
