Bluegrass singer and songwriter Shannon Slaughter has made a considerable mark on the music during his time in the business. While in college in Virginia, he performed with notable acts like Lost & Found and The Larry Stephenson Band, before eventually becoming a member of Lonesome River Band, Lou Reid & Carolina, and Grasstowne.
Now living in Alabama where he is a high school history teacher, Shannon turns out music of the highest professional caliber as an independent artist, primarily with songs he has written or co-written. His single releases regularly find a spot on our Bluegrass TodayWeekly Airplay chart, as will surely his latest this month, which he wrote with Tim Stafford, called Silent As The Grave.
Slaughter says he built this song from a single line commonly used in conversation, and turned it into a deadly story.
“I heard my good friend Tim Stafford say this exact phrase when describing something several years ago, and I jotted it down, anticipating at some point that I’d get Tim to help me write it. The song was inspired by too many episodes of any crime show you’d like to choose from!”
Recording with some of his favorite musicians, Shannon has turned in a gritty, lonesome track about a faithful, hard-working man, with a spouse that was never satisfied. Things don’t go well for her, though not as you might initially suspect.
With Shannon on guitar and lead vocal, studio support came from Ron Inscore on mandolin, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Trevor Watson on banjo, Gary Hultman on reso-guitar, and Cliff Bailey on bass, who also sang the tenor vocal.
“I really love what the guys did here with the intro. Gary’s reso and Trevor’s banjo underpinning the topside vocals really worked well in setting the tone of the song.”
It’s a good’n. Have a listen…
Silent As The Grave is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
A new song from Sideline? I thought they broke up last year!
Well… they did stop touring, but the band does still play the odd show. And as Mountain Home Music was still interested in their sound, the label had them back in the studio recently to cut a new song, The Lives of the Innocent.
Guitarist and co-founder of Sideline, Skip Cherryholmes, said that the guys fell right back into it when they got in the studio.
“It was great getting back in the studio after over two years — there was a lot of bottled up magic that came bursting out when we hit the first downbeat.”
Cherryholmes and co-founder, banjo man Steve Dilling, reassembled in the studio with former bandmates Nick Goad on mandolin, Kyle Windbeck on bass, and vocalist Bailey Coe, along with guest fiddler Matt Flake, to cut this Civil War number.
The Lives of the Innocent was written by Shannon Slaughter, who as a history teacher, has a penchant for pulling documented events down and making them into bluegrass songs.
He says of this latest…
“The Lives of the Innocent is a song that was inspired by the Hibriten Guards during the Civil War that mustered in Alexander County, NC. They saw heavy combat during the war, suffering a high casualty rate, and this tune chronicles what potentially could have happened to one of the soldiers in those ranks.
Steve and the guys bumped the tempo a little and captured the essence of the song, and the singing is just top-notch!”
Tomorrow is the official release date for a new single from Alabama bluegrass singer/songwriter Shannon Slaughter, the first from his next album, one called The Lonesome Blues.
Originally from Florida, Shannon lived for a time in Virginia while attending college, during which time he performed as a member of several notable bands. Stints with Lost and Found, Larry Stephenson Band, Melonie Cannon, and Lonesome River Band taught him all the ways of the bluegrass, which he carried with him to Alabama to live near his wife’s family. There he teaches history in high school, and performs as his schedule allows with his band.
Slaughter says that this song, and its cheerless lyrics, emerged initially as a topic during a writers seminar.
“The Lonesome Blues was inspired by a quote of mine from a songwriting workshop I was giving for the Alabama Bluegrass Music Association several years ago. An attendee asked me what type of songs I liked to write most, and I answered that I liked to incorporate many of my feelings into songs, but maybe I wrote more lonesome songs than any other. I then looked him in the eye and said, ‘We all got a little bit of lonesome, don’t we?’
I paused for a second and said I need to write that down, so I did, and several days later I called on my good friend and co-writer Dale Felts to help me finish it. I think it turned out well.”
With Shannon on guitar and lead vocal, support comes from Ron Inscore on mandolin, Trevor Watson on banjo, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Gary Hultman on reso-guitar, and Cliff Bailey on bass and tenor vocals.
Check it out…
The Lonesome Blues will be available on February 2 from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track via Get It Played, or by contacting Hope River Entertainment.
Bluegrass singer and songwriter Shannon Slaughter has chosen a nautical theme for his latest single, with its accompanying music video. It’s one called Hard A’Port which he wrote with Barry Stinson for his current Elite Circuit Records release, Ridin’ Through The Country.
It tells of a sailing man who refused an opportunity many didn’t some years ago, as Shannon explains.
“Navy Veteran Barry Stinson sent me this story and I was immediately entranced. He and I pieced it together over a few emails. It tells the story of a merchant skipper who shunned piloting a slave ship because it was immoral and would haunt him, and focuses on the hardiness of his crew. Hard A’Port has a grooving rhythm, haunting harmony, and is a wonderful tale.”
Assisting on the track are Adam Steffey on mandolin, Jason Davis on banjo, Shawn Lane on fiddle, and Cliff Bailey on bass. Slaughter sings the lead and plays guitar, with Lane providing harmony vocal.
Listen carefully to the lyrics as you watch the video full of seafaring images, created by Forged Film Company of Floyd, VA.
It’s a good’n. Check it out…
Hard A’Port, and the full Ridin’ Through The Country album, are available from popular download and streaming services online, and on either CD or download directly from the artist online.
Radio programmers will find the tracks at AirPlay Direct.
It’s a homey, family-oriented song fromy the band’s primary songwriters, Jerry Andrews and Kathy Wigman Lesnock, which describes the love we have for our children and grandchildren, expressed in the scribbled art they have created for us.
“The song came to me one day as a cascade of my grandkid’s artwork peeled off the refrigerator door. As I picked it up, it made me think of all the creativity kids have. Sometimes I wouldn’t know what the picture in the drawing was, but I applauded just the same.”
When it came time to record, the Creekers asked good friend of the band Shannon Slaughter to sing the track, and he quickly agreed saying…
“Jerry and Kathy have crafted a song that will touch anyone’s heart. The sight of children’s or grandchildren’s art on the refrigerator door is timeless.”
Have a listen…
Refrigerator Homemade Picture Show is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.
You can learn more about Crandall Creek and their original music online.
Like most of the 15 songs on the project, Slaughter wrote this one himself. And if you’ve ever wondered what school teachers do when they have no class, Shannon says that after the germ of this one cam to him one morning, he used his first period planning time to sketch out the lyrics.
“I wrote this song after riding to work one morning and crossing a bridge over a railroad track with the train passing underneath. I just openly said, ‘I wonder where it’s going – anywhere but here’ – and built the song around that.”
Singing lead and playing guitar, Shannon is supported by Trevor Watson on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and Cliff Bailey on bass. Shawn and Grayson Lane sing harmony.
There are plenty of autobiographical notes as the verses roll along, and the ultimate message of Ridin’ Through The Country amounts to “life is pretty good.”
Check out the video, shot in the Blue Ridge of Virginia and North Carolina by Spencer Roberts of Forged Film Company.
Ridin’ Through The Country is available now on Elite Circuit Records from popular download and streaming services. For those who prefer to support artists directly, album downloads are also available from Shannon’s web site, where you can also purchase the audio CD.
Shannon Slaughter is an artist with a smooth contemporary sound, that by the same token packs a lot of punch. His latest release, Ridin’ Through The Country, not only displays this further, but it presents Slaughter’s originality as a writer and a vocalist.
The title song, Ridin’ Through The Country, describes rural sights in a fashion that’s not too stereotypical. This track along with several others on this project pairs Shannon with Shawn Lane and his son Grayson. The three men have a seamless vocal blend that works exceptionally well, particularly on this song.
Common Ground, written by David Stewart and Linda Buell, is a piece with a great message about having shared experiences with one another despite our differences and circumstances in life.
Plus One More Day by Tim Stafford and Bobby Starnes is a driving song revolving around the classic bluegrass theme of a man going to prison. This track is strengthened by the instrumental talents of mandolinist Adam Steffey, banjoist Jason Davis, fiddler Aubrey Haynie, and bassist Cliff Bailey.
There’s two songs on Ridin’ Through The Country that are truly standouts. I Let Her Go is an incredibly moving track that details the ups and downs of a romantic relationship in a way that no other song has before. Many emotions are captured in this piece flawlessly.
The other standout, She’s Got Him Right Where She Wanted Me, co-written by Slaughter and Ryan Carroll, is more of a country oriented piece about the freedom of breaking away from a dissatisfied lover. The harmony vocals by Edgar Loudermilk and Dustin Pyrtle, as well as the pedal steel guitar playing by the great Doug Jernigan, are such nice additions to an already well-crafted song.
Bloody Bill and Hard A’Port are both centered around historical themes. The former, co-written by Slaughter and Barney Rogers tells the story of Bill Anderson, a Confederate guerilla who wanted revenge against Union loyalists in the period after the Civil War in the Midwest. The latter, by Barry Stinson and Slaughter, tells of a navy captain who goes against the idea of running a slave ship.
The closing track, That’s Where My Music Comes From, co-written by Slaughter and David Stewart is somewhat of an autobiographical piece as it details similar experiences in Slaughter and Stewart’s days as young boys in Florida.
Ridin’ Through The Country shows how Shannon Slaughter has stayed true to his brand of music. While he is firm in his stylistic approach, it doesn’t limit his originality. This project shows an even broader scope to his creativity as a songwriter. This is a recording that any listener can relate to on some level.
Alabama bluegrass singer and songwriter Shannon Slaughter has a new single this week, Common Ground, along with a music video to accompany it.
This time the song comes not from Slaughter’s pen, but from someone he has gotten to know through the music. Shannon shared how he came to hear this lovely song about how we all have more in common than we may think.
“This David Stewart and Linda Buell composition struck me the first time I heard it. I got to spend a little time with David in his hometown of Buffalo, Wyoming and he played this for me while we were riding up through the Bitterroot Mountains. It really typifies how I feel about life in general because we all deal with obstacles and challenges in some way, and we’re all looking for solutions and answers. It really helps to know that we’re not alone.”
The track was cut at Eastwood Studios in Cana, VA with Wes Easter engineering. Shannon says this has become like his home studio.
“Wes has been instrumental in my solo career as well as my previous career as a sideman. All told, I’ve recorded or been a part of 11 records that have come out of his studio.”
With Slaughter on guitar and lead vocal, support was provided by Trevor Watson on banjo, Ron Inscore on mandolin, Cliff Bailey on bass, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and Gaven Largent on reso-guitar. Vocal harmonies were provided by Shawn and Grayson Lane.
The music video was shot in and around the studio where they recorded, supplemented by footage of people of every kind going about their lives, making the point of the song.
Common Ground will be available on Friday, February 18, from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track via AirPlay Direct or Get It Played.
Shannon Slaughter has a new single today, with a music video to boot! Unsurprisingly, it’s a driving grasser with a bluesy feel, a new song called Goin’ Up The Mountain, written by Slaughter and Chris Burton.
Equally unsurprisingly, he is supported on the track by a stout group of Virginia/Tennessee pickers. With Shannon on guitar, we have Jason Davis on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and Cliff Bailey on bass. Shawn Lane of Blue Highway provides harmony vocals.
Slaughter is especially pleased with this one, coming as it does as he marks an important milestone
“This is my 10th year as a solo artist, and I’m so proud of this new single. I co-wrote this with my long-time friend and co-writer Chris Burton from Virginia. The tune’s hook is a commonly used phrase from the VA/NC/KY/TN area when folks leave the flatland headed up to the high country. It really spoke to me and reminded me of my younger years living in Radford, VA, and Meadows of Dan, VA.
All the musicians nailed the track. Adam, Jason, and I had a ball the first time tracking. Shawn lent his talents to the harmony and showcased his ability to own the solo artist’s music. Cliff and Aubrey’s talents speak for themselves. I think everyone will love this new tune, and I’m so happy to get some new music back out!”
The video, produced by Mike Bullard of Bluegrass Preservation Videos, was shot in Argo and Pine Mountain, Alabama near where Slaughter lives with his wife, Heather, and their family. Much of the footage was captured on a farm owned by Heather’s uncle Ryan, including his ’72 Chevy Shannon drives in the video.
On January 24, Shannon Slaughter released a new album, Hold On To Your Heart, for Elite Circuit Records. On the following evening, Slaughter and County Clare (along with other personnel from the recording) convened at Nashville’s World Famous Station Inn for a CD release party.
Slaughter, a veteran bluegrasser, has played with numerous professional bands (Lost and Found, Larry Stephenson, Lonesome River Band, Lou Reid and Carolina, and Grasstowne). This is his third solo project.
His latest, Hold On To Your Heart, is named for the title track, written by Boone Creek alum, Wes Golding. Slaughter first heard the tune on Lou Reid’s When It Rains CD. He later became a member of Reid’s band, so it seems fitting that his former bossman provided tenor, making the song come full circle for Slaughter.
“Though not a concept project,” Slaughter of Argo, AL, shared during the release party, “we got as many of our family (as possible) to be on this record.”
On the 18 song CD, the last three tunes feature his three young children: daughter, Rae, and sons, Jed and Call. The recording also includes vocals by his in-laws and mother.Featured heavily on the CD, and on stage, were the lead and harmony vocals of Slaughter’s wife, Heather. The couple’s photo graces the CD.
Nine of the songs were written or co-written by Slaughter. He included two of his co-writers, Ronnie Bowman and Shawn Lane, on the project providing vocals, with the latter adding some fiddle work. Though Bowman and Lane were not present for the release party, they shared their thoughts on Slaughter.
Ronnie Bowman said, “Shannon Slaughter’s Hold On To Your Heart is a wonderful collection… filled with great songs, stellar musicians, and heartfelt singing that blesses the soul.”
“Shannon has truly become of the best songwriters and singers in bluegrass music. Once again, he has proven it with this album. I always look forward to singing and playing with him on his projects,” added Shawn Lane.
During the release party, Slaughter explained, “We are trying to feature as many of the people that played on the CD tonight (as possible).”
Many of the musicians and vocalists on the project did take the stage. Mandolinist, Matt Wingate, and Station Inn fiddle man, Aubrey Haynie, along with the CD’s banjo pickers, Owen Piatt and Trevor Watson, who each played a set, provided a live version of the CD’s playlist. Kameron Keller was on hand to provide solid bass rhythms.
Other artists on the CD include: Ron Inscore (mandolin/vocals), Randy Khors (resophonic guitar), Jason Davis (banjo), and Doug Jernigan (pedal steel).
The first single from the project, Devil’s Broom, was co-written by Slaughter and Mark “Brink” Brinkman. A historical piece, it is about the Great Fire of 1910, a wildfire that burned three million acres in the western United States.
Another original number, Stack The Bodies High, a World War I song written by Tim Stafford and Slaughter, features a haunting chorus: “Stack them bodies high, boys, stack the bodies high. Leave room for the living, for we’re all about to die.” Based on the trench warfare typical of that conflict, it depicts how soldiers stacked their dead comrades’ bodies outside of trenches to protect themselves from sniper fire.
A third song of yesteryear is Slaughter’s The Hole, a Civil War ghost story about hanging a man so tall that a hole had to be dug beneath him so his feet wouldn’t touch the ground.
Man He’s Strong, penned by Slaughter, Roger Shepherd, and John Vandiver, is a heartfelt tune about overcoming odds. The lyrics were inspired by Shepherd’s special needs son and the strides that he has accomplished. Four different scenarios are presented in the song, each ending with the refrain, “But he knows God, and man, he’s strong.”
Of the album’s lone guitar tune, Slaughter confessed, “I’d never written an instrumental. I worked on this for a year and a half.”
He talked of where he was raised in north central Florida, and his grandparents’ community. “That’s where my music comes from so I named it Blitchville.” His hard driving composition gives . all the pickers a space to shine.
Another songwriter from the CD, Dale Felts, who co-wrote Damn Short List Of Things with Slaughter, attended the Station Inn show, having made the trek from Galax, VA, to Nashville, to attend the release party. Their song pays tribute some of Slaughter’s biggest influences: Merle Haggard, George Jones, Conway Twitty, and Keith Whitley. Haggard is also channeled by Terry Sanders, Slaughter’s father-in-law, who sings The Running Kind on the CD.
A trio of co-writers tag team on Lonesome Wind as Slaughter, Bowman, and Lane take turns singing the verses of the song.
This album would be a great addition to bluegrass enthusiasts’ audio collections.
Hold On To Your Heart is available on CD from Shannon’s web site, or as a download from iTunes or CDBaby.
To view Slaughter’s CD Release Party recorded live, subscribe to Station Inn TV.
