Red Camel Collective Archives

Pickin’ For A Purpose benefit show postponed until January 18

The big Pickin’ For A Purpose concert, scheduled for tomorrow night (January 11) to provide funding for hurricane disaster relief in Greene County, TN, has been rescheduled, postponed for one week because of the snow and ice storm bearing down on the region.

We have spoken with the concert promoter, who says that they have been able to retain the location at the Chuckey-Doak High School auditorium in Afton, TN for the 18th, and all but one of the booked bands are also able to perform next week.

Scheduled to appear are Blue Highway, Lonesome River Band, Tennessee Borderline, Red Camel Collective, and No Joke Jimmy’s. Springfield Exit, originally booked for tomorrow night, can’t make it next Saturday, but The Grascals are scheduled in their place.

Rather than an admission fee, attendees are requested to simply make a donation upon entry of whatever they can afford. Proceeds will go to AIDNET of Greene County, who are providing assistance with cleanup and rebuilding in east Tennessee from a base in Greeneville following the devastation that followed Hurricane Helene in September.

This is a rare opportunity to see so many fine bluegrass entertainers in one space during the winter months, while also helping out neighbors who suffered loss during the flooding.

Food and beverages will be available on site, along with auctions throughout the day, with those proceeds again going to hurricane relief efforts. Mark Ramsey of the Moonshiners television program will serve as MC.

AIDNET of Greene County can also accept direct donations online, and has an online form where homeowners can apply for help with their personal recovery needs.

Additional details about Pickin’ For A Purpose, now on January 18, can be obtained by calling or texting 423-823-1808.

Last Time I Saw Him from Red Camel Collective

Heather Berry Mabe, the 2024 IBMA Momentum Vocalist of the Year, pays tribute to a number of her heroes in Red Camel Collective’s new Pinecastle Records single, Last Time I Saw Him.

This new group is an organic outgrowth of Junior Sisk’s powerful touring ensemble. As Junior has been booking fewer shows of late, the rest of the band has been playing out on their own, while keeping themselves free to make all their dates with the boss man.

In addition to Heather on guitar and lead vocal, we have her husband, Tony Mabe, on banjo, Johnathan Dillon on mandolin, and Curt Love on bass.

Heather shared a few words about how Last Time I Saw Him came to her attention, and who all the Collective has joining them on the track.

“This is such a cool tune. It was suggested to us by Dale Ann Bradley. She’s been loving this song since she first heard Dottie West’s version years ago. It was first a #1 hit for Diana Ross in 1973, then a #8 hit for Dottie in 1974.

In our version, we wanted to pay homage to the Nashville A-Team and their incredible arrangement of this song but with bluegrass instrumentation. We love the retro feel and melody line, and we are so proud to be joined on this tune by Suzanne Cox, Sharon White, and Michael Cleveland! It’s a doozy for sure!”

The song was written by Michael Masser and Pam Sawyer, and Red Camel Collective et al turn in a rousing bluegrass take, 50 years hence.

Last Time I Saw Him is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.

Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child from Red Camel Collective

Pinecastle Records has prepared a special album for the holiday season, offering 13 new recordings by their top artists with a Christmas theme. Set for release on Friday (November 29), A Pinecastle Christmas Celebration features a mix of new bluegrass songs along with seasonal classics, just in time for tree trimming and shopping trips.

We’ll highlight several of these tracks over the next few weeks, starting with Christmas Through The Eyes of a Child, from Red Camel Collective. This is a new group that has been playing together for several years, being the members of Junior Sisk’s crack band, without the boss man. Members include Heather Berry Mabe on guitar, Tony Mabe on banjo, Johnathan Dillon on mandolin, and Curt Love on bass.

Christmas Through The Eyes of a Child is one that Heather wrote, and sings, which combines a solid bluegrass rhythm section with a timeless message about recalling the splendor and majesty of these holidays, with the wonder and innocence of our youth. She even expresses some longing for that childlike fascination, curious as to where it has gone.

Heather says we can all learn a lesson here.

“Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child is a song that I wrote. It talks about how different the Christmas season is for adults than it is for kids, and about slowing down and making time to find the magic of Christmas again.

Red Camel Collective is super excited to share this heartfelt Christmas song with you. Merry Christmas from our homes to yours.”

It’s a very satisfying number, and should help bring some Christmas spirit to your day, even if you don’t have little ones in your life this year.

Have a listen…

Christmas Through The Eyes of a Child is available now ahead of the album release from popular download and streaming services online. Pre-saves for the full project are enabled online as well.

Radio programmers can get all the tracks from A Pinecastle Christmas Celebration now via AirPlay Direct.

You can check out all the Christmas bluegrass we have covered at Bluegrass Today by following this link.

Sincerity drops for Red Camel Collective

Pinecastle Records has a new single for Red Camel Collective, a new band that is essentially the Junior Sisk Band, without Junior. That is, Heather Berry-Mabe on guitar and lead vocals, Tony Mabe on banjo, Johnathan Dillon on mandolin, and Curt Love on bass.

This latest not only features Heather’s angelic voice, it’s also one she wrote called Sincerity. A driving grasser, it tells a story about a devout Christian asking her Creator for help staying on the true path. A well-written song, strongly supported by her bandmates, makes this a winning track for sure.

Jeff Partin provides the guest reso-guitar.

It’s a good’n. Have a listen…

Sincerity by Red Camel Collective is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Roll On Mississippi – debut single from Red Camel Collective

If you recognize the folks in the photo above as Junior Sisk’s band, you aren’t far wrong. Noticing Junior’s obvious absence, one might be tempted to say… “hey, what’s up with that?”

Well, this is Red Camel Collective, a new outfit that happens to also serve as Sisk’s touring group, stretching out a bit on their own with their very first single. Jonathan Dillon is on mandolin, Heather Berry-Mabe on guitar, Tony Mabe on banjo, and Curt Love on bass. When Junior isn’t busy, the Collective will be available for shows as a separate entity, or on festivals where he is booked.

Their band name is a tribute to Sisk, referencing his recording of the song, The Man in Red Camels, in 2008. So if that’s Junior, they are the Red Camel Collective.

For their first outing with Pinecastle Records, they’ve chosen to cover a Charley Pride song from 1981, Roll On Mississippi, with a bluegrass twist, of course. Written by Kyle Fleming and Dennis Morgan, it reached #7 on the Billboard country singles chart that year.

Speaking collectively, the band shared a few words about their introductory release.

“Roll On Mississippi is one of our favorite Charley Pride songs. His version is just magic, and we are so excited to share our bluegrass take on this classic. Come take a riverboat ride with us to a simpler time on the banks of the Mississippi, and stay a while…the water is fine!”

Joining the Collective in the studio are Gaven Largent on reso-guitar and Stephen Burwell on fiddle.

It’s a doozy. Have a look see in the music video prepared by Pinecastle.

Roll On Mississippi from Red Camel Collective is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

They are finishing up their debut project now at Bonfire Studios in North Carolina, with hopes to see a full release later this year.

You can keep up with the band online.

Introducing Red Camel Collective, new PInecastle artists

Pinecastle Records is introducing a new bluegrass act, that is also a very familiar one at the same time.

Red Camel Collective, also known as Junior Sisk’s band, have plans to record and tour independently of the boss man, when his schedule allows. Heather Berry Mabe on guitar, Tony Mabe on banjo, Jonathan Dillon on mandolin, and Curt Love on bass make up the group, with Heather and Tony taking on the lead vocals.

They pay tribute to the man who brought them together with the band name, taken from Junior’s song, The Man in Red Camels.

Speaking jointly, the band says that they are proud to align themselves with the label.

“We are so honored and excited to sign on with and become part of the Pinecastle family. We have been working hard to put together an excellent and eclectic album of music! We can’t wait for you to hear it!”

The Collective is currently working in the Bonfire Music studio on a debut project, and a first single is expected early next year. It is likely to be a grassy remake of Charley Pride’s Roll On Mississippi from 1981.

This is great news for bluegrass lovers, keeping this bunch busy as Junior starts to slow down a bit.

Welcome Red Camel Collective!