A new film, The Watchers, directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan and set to release in June, will include music from Nashville’s bluegrass genre-benders, The Steeldrivers.
Their contribution is a collaboration the ‘Drivers recorded with Irish band Dervish in 2019 for their album, The Great Irish Songbook, which offered Dervish versions of some of the most popular songs from Ireland’s long history of folk music. It’s a popular number called There’s Whiskey In The Jar which features all the members of both groups in the studio.
Despite it being an Irish song, the combined bands give it a bluegrass treatment, sung by Kelvin Damrell of The Steeldrivers. It’s not only great fun to hear the whistles, flutes, accordion, bodhrán, and Irish fiddles along with the banjo, mandolin, and bluegrass fiddle, it’s very effective musically as well. Once they all run through the story of a brigand who robs a rich man and ends up in jail after being turned in by his wife, the arrangement is given over to a rousing Celtic instrumental.
Here’s a listen to the track.
The Watchers stars Dakota Fanning, and serves as the directorial debut for Shyamalan, daughter of acclaimed filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, who produced the film. Unsurprisingly, given the family oeuvre, it’s a horror story written by A.M. Shine, about a young artist who gets lost in a wild forest in Ireland, and then trapped with three others who are visited each night by strange creatures who scrutinize them, i.e., The Watchers.
Have a look at the trailer.
There’s Whiskey In The Jar comes in during a scene when Fanning’s character, Mina, visits a bar in disguise and chats with the locals.
The Watchers will be in theatrical release on June 7 from Warner Bros Pictures. Steeldrivers fans will certainly want to see it.
Mike Henderson, best recognized in bluegrass circles as a co-founder of The SteelDrivers, passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on Friday, September 22, 2023. He was 70 years of age.
Michael James Henderson was born on July 14, 1953, and raised in Independence, Missouri.
Although Henderson’s career embraced blues, roots rock, and country music, his first love was bluegrass, which he began playing when he was 18.
While at college, he met Mike Fleming (banjo) and they played though college and ‘on afterwards until about 1981,’ barely making a living in the band that they were in.
Tired of starving, Henderson ‘got into’ rock’n’roll and blues – a genre with which he was already familiar as his mother was a big fan of B.B. King and John Lee Hooker – and went to Nashville where he became a staff songwriter for EMI.
His songs have been recorded by Adele, Chris Stapleton, The Dixie Chicks, Kenny Rogers, Daryl Worley, Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt, Trisha Yearwood, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Gary Allan, Solomon Burke, Marty Stuart, and Randy Travis, among others.
Henderson had one major-label solo album, his debut, Country Music Made Me Do It, on the RCA label in 1994 before going independent. That same year, Henderson formed a label, Dead Reckoning Records, along with Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane, Harry Stinson, and a fellow future SteelDriver, Tammy Rogers.
In 1996, he formed the blues band, Mike Henderson & the Bluebloods, and released three albums in the next few years.
Mike Henderson – When I Get Drunk
Later… with Jools Holland (BBC TV), circa 1996.
During 2001 Henderson toured with Mark Knopfler on his Sailing to Philadelphia tour.
Henderson was at least as well-regarded as a player as he was as a songwriter. Knopfler recently said, “Mike was an extraordinary talent, as at home with bluegrass and old-time fiddle music as he was with the blues. He was a superb blues harp player too.”
Having originally gotten together in the previous summer, in 2006 Henderson formed the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed bluegrass band, The SteelDrivers, during the following year.
That line-up featured his frequent co-writer, Chris Stapleton (guitar and vocals), and former Dead Reckoner, Rogers (fiddle and vocals); Fleming (now playing bass and adding vocals); and Richard Bailey (banjo).
Their first two albums on Rounder Records resulted in three Grammy nominations, an IBMA award – 2009’s New Artist of the Year – plus an appearance in the Robert Duvall film, Get Low (East Virginia Blues and Whiskey Before Breakfast).
Of the songs on those two CDs, only four were not from the Henderson/Stapleton catalogue. Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey; If It Hadn’t Been For Love; Blue Side Of The Mountain; Midnight Train To Memphis; If You Can’t Be Good, Be Gone; The Reckless Side Of Me; Where Rainbows Never Die; You Put The Hurt On Me; Midnight On The Mountain; Guitars, Whiskey, Guns And Knives; and Angel Of The Night is just a sample of their stellar contributions.
Also, they wrote two of the songs – Henderson penned another – on the third album although they had both left the band by then.
Of his 2017 album, From A Room: Volume 1, Stapleton remarked, “I didn’t include any songs I’d written with him on [my debut] Traveller, so it was really important to me … to cut songs from some of the guys who helped me learn how to write songs — and Mike is one of those guys.”
The SteelDrivers
Joe Val Bluegrass Festival – complete set, February 16, 2008.
The SteelDrivers – Grand Ole Opry live TV debut – May 3, 2008.
Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey
The SteelDrivers – If It Hadn’t Been For Love
The SteelDrivers – live
SteelDrivers – If It Hadn’t Been For Love
at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Oak Hill, New York, July 15, 2011
Henderson left the band in December 2011.
Although not a prolific lead recording artist after leaving the SteelDrivers, his Mike Henderson Band issued If You Think It’s Hot Here on EllerSoul Records in 2015.
However, he recorded – playing mandolin, guitar, slide guitar, and harmonica – with a long list of artists that includes the Dixie Chicks, Lucinda Williams, Sting, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Mark Knopfler, John Hiatt, Bo Diddley, Albert King, Tim McGraw, Lucinda Williams, Hank Williams Jr., Faith Hill, Guy Clark, Bob Seger, Patty Loveless, Blake Shelton, Joy Lynn White, Kelly Willis and Martina McBride.
Also, he co-produced several of John Oates’ blues-based solo efforts.
As he had done since the 1980s, Henderson continued to perform with his blues bands every Monday night at Nashville’s storied Bluebird Cafe.
Mike Henderson at the Bluebird Café; September 19, 2022
Mike Henderson Band at the Bluebird Café; May 22, 2023
With Chris Stapleton, Henderson won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song with Broken Halos (2018); and two Country Music Association Awards, both for Song of the Year, with Broken Halos in 2018, and for Starting Over (in 2021).
R.I.P. Mike Henderson
A Discography
Mike Henderson
Country Music Made Me Do It (RCA 07863 66324-2, 1993)
Edge Of Night (Dead Reckoning DR 0004 2, 1996)
Mike Henderson & The Bluebloods
First Blood (Dead Reckoning DR 0006, 1996)
Thicker Than Water (Dead Reckoning DEAR 0012, 1998)
The SteelDrivers
Live From The Station Inn (Direct From Nashville Tennessee Recorded Live 11/8/2006) (self-release, sold by the band at shows, 2006)
The SteelDrivers (Rounder Records 11661-0598-2, January 15, 2008)
Reckless (Rounder Records 11661-0624-2, September 7, 2010)
Mike Henderson Band
If You Think It’s Hot Here (EllerSoul ER1501-019, January 20, 2015)
Fiddler and vocalist Tammy Rogers shared a few words on this upcoming album.
“The sacred and the secular have always gone hand in hand in bluegrass music… just like Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. The SteelDrivers have waited a long time to do a full gospel album, but I believe the time is just perfect for our new release, Tougher Than Nails, on Gaither Music. We couldn’t be more excited to share our version of some classics, along with six brand new songs written by members of the band, past and present.”
A first taste is available now as a single, the old favorite, Just A Little Talk With Jesus, written in 1936 by prominent black pastor and choir director Reverend Cleavant Derricks. It has since been recorded by dozens of country and gospel artists, including The Stanley Brothers and Elvis Presley.
Guitarist Matt Dame takes the lead on their cut, supported by Rogers on fiddle, Richard Bailey on banjo, Brent Truitt on mandolin, and Mike Fleming on bass. As you would expect, the ‘Drivers add their trademark bluegrass blues touch to the track.
Like all the tracks on this new album, Long Gone comes from the pens of Tammy and Thomm, both well-respected writers in Music City. Rogers is also a member of The SteelDrivers, and Jutz has a number of albums under his own name as a singer. Long Gone brings yet another perspective on the classic train song in s bluegrass style.
This time they opt for a full band sound from their duo project, supported by Justin Moses on banjo and Mark Fain on bass, Tammy plays fiddle and mandolin, and sings harmony with Thomm, who provides guitar and the lead vocal.
Check it out.
Tammy and Thomm will be hosting an album release show on January 30 at The Bluebird Café in Nashville, and will be filming an episode for the Song of the Mountains television program on February 5.
All the elements and advantages fell into place this past Saturday when radio station WDVX and corporate sponsor ORNL Federal Union joined forces with the city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee to present the fourth and final entry in their 2021 Summer Sessions concert series. Delayed due to the pandemic, the concert offered an exceptional double bill that found Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper teamed with The Steeldrivers. Held in the lovely environs of the city’s Bissell Park recreation area, and with a full hint of autumn in the air, there was little more that could have made it a more perfect evening….
…that is, other than the fact that it was free.
Consequently, despite competition from a football game between the University of Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama’s Crimson Tide, the concert still managed to draw a large and enthusiastic crowd. Both bands were, as always, in peak form, with Cleveland and company kicking off the festivities with a rousing display of bluegrass virtuosity that made good on the fact that Cleveland had won IBMA’s award for Fiddle Player of the Year no less than nine times, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album of the Year for 2016’s Fiddler’s Dream. He had won the Grammy for his most recent solo recording, Tall Fiddler, in 2019.
The band’s live set naturally drew heavily from those two albums, although to his credit, Cleveland allowed his fellow musicians in Flamekeeper — vocalist/guitarist Josh Richards, banjo player Jasiah Shrode, bassist/vocalist Chris Douglas, and mandolin player/vocalist Nathan Livers — share center stage. Cleveland himself is, of course, an integral part of that ensemble and a jocular presence at center stage, but he also eschews any attempt at extroverted showmanship. Other than a nimble duet with Shrode once the other musicians briefly depart the stage, the instrumentation was well balanced, with Douglas and Richards sharing the vocals between them.
The pacing was varied as well — although not necessarily dramatically — from the mid-tempo tapestry of Son of a Ramblin’ Man to the double-time frenzy of the most recent record’s driving title track.
To their credit, the band also parlayed a couple of covers into their setlist — a sprightly take on John Hiatt’s Tennessee’s Plates, and a reflective read of Wayfaring Stranger that found Livers taking the lead. It was somewhat shocking when towards the end of the set, Richards introduced a song called Mescaline that extolled the advantages of certain herbal substances once favored by Native Americans for engagement and enlightenment. Drugs are bad, Richards cautioned with some half-serious scolding, but the song held sway regardless.
That said, Mountain Heartache, a caressing ballad written by Alex Leach, an added highlight from Tall Fiddler allowed the group to offer a fine finale. Given its somewhat heartbreaking narrative, it ended the performance in a decidedly down-to-earth manner.
Nevertheless, the energy level was further elevated once the Steeldrivers took the stage, and judging by several Steeldrivers branded hats and tee-shirts that adorned folks in the crowd, it was clear that fans had turned out in force. The loyalty wasn’t misplaced; not only are they one of the best bands operating within the grassicana environs these days, but fiddler and singer Tammy Rogers happens to hail from East Tennessee, a fact she alluded to numerous times during their performance. She noted that the band made one of their first appearances on WDVX’s popular noontime concert series, The Blue Plate Special, and proudly pointed out members of her family that were in attendance. Referring to the delays caused by COVID, she also made mention that she felt assured that things were now safe and secure.
“As far as I know, none of our shows have been super spreader events,” she maintained while garnering the approval of the crowd.
Regardless of the circumstances, the Steeldrivers certainly proved that their show might, in fact, have been worth the risk regardless. Generally known as the band that birthed the career of a current superstar, Chris Stapleton, they’ve overcome that distinction based on a combined skillset that finds each member of the band a superb soloist each in his or her own right. Rogers, Richard Bailey (banjo), Mike Fleming (bass), and Brent Truitt (mandolin) share a lengthy history, both as band members and as musicians with accredited individual careers as well. Their performance reflected both their status and stamina, courtesy of songs that have long been staples of their setlist — with Stapleton and without.
Consequently, there were any number of offerings from all phases of their collective career that were warmly received — Reckless Side of Me, Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey, I Chose You, Long Way Down, Good Corn Liquor, Ghosts of Mississippi, Blue Side of the Mountain, Load the Gun, and Rainbows Never Die among them.
Nevertheless, Rogers felt the need to point out that while several of their songs may deal with decidedly dark subjects, none of the people in the band have ever killed anyone, been to prison, or rank as hopeless alcoholics. On the other hand, she did take pains to mention that at least one of their tunes was about “our favorite people — bartenders.”
Indeed, Rogers added an amiable presence to the proceedings overall. She introduced When You Don’t Come Home by describing it as a reverse power play, one in which the girl wields a weapon. “My husband’s been on his best behavior ever since I wrote that song,” she said to the crowd’s obvious amusement. She noted that original member Mike Henderson’s composition, If It Hadn’t Been For Love, had earned so many plays on Spotify that it earned its composer enough money to go on a shopping spree… at Dollar General.
By the time they came back for an encore with their ever-popular anthem Where Rainbows Never Die, it was clear that the band had won the audience over. It made for an ideal end to an extraordinary evening, while summing up the fact that the crowd had been witness to a true bluegrass bonanza.
Following the sudden and unexpected exit of guitarist and lead singer Kevin Damrell, The Steeldrivers have announced the addition of Nashville vocalist Matt Dame to the group.
An experienced professional, Matt spent the past few weeks learning the band material and debuted with them on stage July 17. He has since performed with The Steeldrivers at The Birchmere and RudyFest to a strong and welcome reaction from fans. Since the group has long been known for playing gutsy, blues-driven bluegrass with a brassy lead singer, Dame has big shows to fill, including those of founding vocalist, Chris Stapleton.
Matt says that he is up to the challenge in his statement to fans when joining the band.
“Hey Steelheads!!!! What an honor to be joining such a great group of musicians and friends. I have, like many, been a big fan of the band for a long time. The power of the songs hooked me from their first album. I love great singin’ and the Steeldrivers has set the bar for world class songs and vocalists since the start. Chris, Gary, and Kelvin are incredible singers and musicians. I am humbled to have the opportunity to follow them, make some new memories and meet all of you. Looking forward to our group sings.”
Fiddler Tammy King offered fans an introduction to their newest bandmate.
“The Steeldrivers welcome Arkansas native Matt Dame. Matt is a veteran singer/songwriter who has been working in Nashville’s studio scene for several years. He’s a great singer and we look forward to introducing him to all the Steelheads out on the road for the remainder of our 2021 tour!”
Here’s a look at Matt with the ‘Drivers at RudyFest last week. He’s on stage with King, Richard Bailey on banjo, Mike Fleming on bass, and Brent Truitt on mandolin.
Damrell announced his departure on July 10.
“After much prayer and careful consideration, I’ve decided to shift my direction and am leaving the wonderful and talented group to pursue another direction. This was no easy decision, as I love my bandmates and the music very much. I have been called to use my time reaching folks in a different way through whatever ministry the good Lord has for me. I have lived my lifelong dream for a few years now, and am forever grateful to the band for allowing me to be a part of such amazing musicians, and more importantly, people. So, now it is time to take that new path, but this doesn’t mean we won’t see each other again. I sincerely wish the band all the best and continued success. As I like to say, ‘this is not a goodbye, but see you later.’ God bless you all.”
We’ve all heard and seen a lot in recent months about the effects of the COVID-19 restrictions on artists and entertainers of every stripe, and how they are trying to weather a whole season without work. But we don’t always think about the impact show cancellations has had on venues, especially the small independent ones that focus on niche and alternative music.
Without ongoing support from cities, foundations, or universities these venues are also operating without income. While they don’t have to face the expenses associated with live shows, they are still responsible for taxes owed to the very municipalities who have shut them down, not to mention rents and utilities, and salaries for owners and employees. How are they supposed to survive?
Well folks in Johnson City, TN have decided to do something to help their legendary local music spot, The Down Home, which has been the haven for bluegrass and traditional music in east Tennessee since 1976. Especially since the growth of the Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University, the association between The Down Home and bluegrass music has been well established in Johnson City, with the club hosting not only national touring acts but ETSU bands and regional artists as well.
The Down Home, just like the favorite music venues wherever you reside, has had no live shows since mid-March, with no immediate relief in sight. But a pair of drive-in concerts have been scheduled at The Mall of Johnson City, in cooperation with Visit Johnson City, that will benefit The Down Home.
The first is this Sunday afternoon, November 8, with The Steeldrivers. Attendees will arrive and remain in their cars for the 4:00 p.m. show, with a suggested donation of $100 per vehicle. The Mall parking lot will open at 2:00, with limited spaces available, and the show will go on rain or shine.
Ed Snodderly, the owner of The Down Home, says that he and his staff are delighted to be back in the business of live music.
“We’re thrilled at the opportunity to host a live show, and do it in a safe way that allows more people to attend than our typical shows. We’ve got two national acts lined up and they’re excited to play in Johnson City.”
Marketing costs are being covered by Visit Johnson City, says their Executive Director Brenda Whitson.
“We’re grateful to have received CARES Act dollars from Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. The funds will allow us to support the hospitality industry in Johnson City which has been decimated by the pandemic. Since March, more than $15 million in visitor spending has been lost, which adds up to nearly $200,000 in local taxes. This is our way of giving back to the community.”
Parking spots can be reserved by calling The Down Home at 423-929-9822. This is no option for online purchases.
Your vehicle donation is good for up to five occupants, and reserves not only a parking spot but a seating space adjacent to your car. Camping chairs are suggested for outside seating. Pets will not be allowed, nor RVs and campers without prior registration.
A second show is scheduled for December 6 with singer/songwriter Scott Miller.
Hats off to Visit Johnson City and The Down Home for highlighting independent music. If you have a local venue in need of support, you might consider contacting area tourism agencies to see if something similar can be done in your region.
The video, created by Grant Claire, captures nicely the eerie and somewhat ominous vibe of the track, a co-write by Steeldrivers fiddler Tammy Rogers and John Paul White, formerly of The Civil Wars, who also co-produced the song.
Rogers says that while this is the first time White has worked with them in the studio – he sings harmony on this one – he has been a long time friend of the band.
“I’m so excited to have both the song AND video for Innocent Man out in the world! I remember the day I wrote it with John Paul White…I felt like it was such a strong statement, but still perfectly styled for the SteelDrivers. John Paul has been like ‘the 6th SteelDriver’ for years, with his co-writing some of our most popular songs.”
Lead vocals on this one come from the newest Steeldriver, Kelvin Damrell, who joined up on guitar in 2018.
Have a look/listen…
Along with Rogers and Damrell, The Steeldrivers are Richard Bailey on banjo, Brent Truitt on mandolin, and Mike Fleming on bass.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from The Steeldrivers. Their most recent prior album, 2015’s The Muscle Shoals Recordings, was honored with a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. Not long after, lead singer Gary Nichols took a medical leave, and then officially departed from the group, leaving the Steeldrivers on the hunt for someone to fill the gravelly-voiced shoes left behind by first Chris Stapleton and then Nichols. They found their match in Kentucky rock musician Kelvin Damrell, whose vocals fit perfectly with the band’s gritty, bluesy sensibilities. With Damrell now fully onboard, they’ve recently released a new album from Rounder Records, Bad for You.
The Steeldrivers’ most recent band bio refers to their sound as “dark, jagged-edged goth-grass,” and that’s as apt a description as any. Dating back to their beginnings with Stapleton over a decade ago, fans have clamored for their variety of bluegrass, tinged with rock, country, R&B, and more. Bad for You does not disappoint in that respect. The title track, and lead single, kicks things off in style, with mournful fiddle from Tammy Rogers, a swampy vibe, and howling (yet always fully controlled) vocals from Damrell. 12 O’Clock Blues also has a bit of a desperate, dangerous edge. Penned by Rogers, Kieran Kane, and Rayna Gellert, it dives into the thoughts of a man begging for relief from insomnia.
The Bartender, while still on the darker side, has a grassier vibe guided by Rogers’s fiddle and Richard Bailey’s banjo. It’s a cleverly-written number about a bartender’s responsibility in aiding and abetting customers in pain: “Some may call me a sinner but when it’s all said and done, I don’t pull the trigger, I just load the gun.” Lonely and Being Alone has the makings of a classic country number. It seems like it will be a straightforward “lonesome” song at first, but actually has a nice message about the “difference in lonely and being alone.” The song has one of my favorite lines on the album – “Lonely is only a bad place to be if you’re someone who can’t stand your own company.”
On the brighter side of things is I Choose You, a sweet, straightforward love song with cheery mandolin from Brent Truitt. Damrell’s voice still has its trademark grit, but here he’s lighter and more heartfelt, offering a nice change of pace. Cajun fiddle kicks off the enjoyable Glad I’m Gone. It’s a bouncy, lighthearted kiss-off to an ex who really isn’t missed all that much, that’s sure to be a fun live number. On the opposite side of lost love is When a Heart Breaks, a subdued look at the pain of ending a relationship.
One song that’s been highlighted on the album is Falling Man, written about the famous photo from September 11, 2001 of a World Trade Center victim. It’s an aching, heart-rending song that touches on the fact that even though that photo came to be a symbol for the attacks, the man pictured is still “somebody’s son, somebody’s dad, somebody’s love.” It’s performed beautifully, but is certainly emotional to listen to.
With Bad for You, the Steeldrivers have held tightly to the sound that has defined them through several albums. Rogers, Damrell (who also contributes guitar), Truitt, Bailey, and Mike Fleming (bass) work well together, giving listeners a tight, edgy album sure to please.
Like most of their music, it’s a mega-bluesy number featuring hair-parting vocals from guitarist, Kelvin Damrel, who came up in music emulating the singing style of SteelDrivers founder, Chris Stapleton. Bad For You is a new song from James LeBlanc, Leslie Satcher, and Tammy Rogers, and offers a perfect encapsulation of the power and energy you get from their live show.
The full album, due February 7, contains 11 new tracks, all written or co-written with members of the band, which includes Tammy Rogers on fiddle, Richard Bailey on banjo, Mike Fleming on bass, Brent Truitt on mandolin, and Damrel on guitar. They have been making friends and influencing people in bluegrass since they launched in 2005, initially as more of a fun time thing, and they exploded onto the scene with their first Rounder album in 2008. It was the first time most folks had heard Chris Stapleton, now a household name as an award-winning country star, but then just a lowly grasser.
The group has held together now through three lead singers, consistently finding new “rock stars” to handle the role, and taking bluegrass music to audiences well outside its normal boundaries.
Kelvin said it was new to him when they approached him about joining up.
“I was pretty fresh to bluegrass. The only bluegrass I’d heard was couch pickin’ at my grandparents’ house, and I wasn’t into it, to be completely honest. I was a rocker. Cinderella was my favorite band before I met these guys.
But everybody in the band were virtuosos. And I’d never seen that side of bluegrass. I thought it was just that old foot stomping traditional stuff, so I was surprised to hear this. And I knew I had a lot of work to do to keep up.”
