The Grascals have been Nashville’s favorite bluegrass band since their debut album hit in 2005. The original members were noted session players and sidemen, who had worked in town for many years with a variety of country and bluegrass acts. Even with personnel changes over the past 5 years, the band’s popularity among Music City’s movers and shakers has only grown as their visibility has increased in the wider music world.
When their latest CD, The Grascals & Friends – Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin, is released by Cracker Barrel on January 10, their rep as the “missing link” between bluegrass and country will be official.
The album pairs the band with eight of their chart-topping Nashville pals, recreating 11 country classics with a bluegrass flavor. Joining The Grascals as guest vocalists are Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Dolly Parton, Tom T. Hall, Darryl Worley, Joe Nichols and The Oak Ridge Boys.
The sound really does jump between modern country with a touch of grass to a country taste in mainstream bluegrass. On the opening track, Buck Owens’ Tiger By The Tail, Brad Paisley is all over the track with his chicken pickin’ electric guitar, while the band’s take on Louisiana Saturday Night is pure bluegrass.
Most of the songs will be familiar to anyone who has enjoyed country radio over the past 25 years.
- Tiger By The Tail (with Brad Paisley)
- Folsom Prison Blues (with Dierks Bentley)
- Pain of Lovin’ You (with Dolly Parton)
- I Am Strong (with Dolly Parton)
- Louisiana Saturday Night
- The Year That Clayton Delaney Died (with Tom T. Hall)
- White Lightning (with Darryl Worley)
- The Devil Went Down To Georgia (with Charlie Daniels)
- Leavin’ Louisiana In Broad Daylight (with The Oak Ridge Boys)
- Mr. Bojangles (with Joe Nichols)
- Hank Williams Jr. Medley-Born To Boogie / All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight
- Cracker Barrel Swing (Instrumental)
- I Am Strong (Bonus Track) Featuring guest appearances by Dolly Parton, The Oak Ridge Boys, Darryl Worley, Charlie Daniels, Terri Clark, Randy Owen, Steven Seagal, Tom T. Hall, Joe Nichols and Ansley McLaurin
The bonus track is a new song written by Grascal Jamie Johnson and his wife Susanne Mumpower-Johnson along with Jenee Fleenor as a tribute to the children they met while visiting the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – who will receive a portion of the proceeds from sales of this CD from Cracker Barrel.
The Grascals & Friends will be a Cracker Barrel exclusive, available only from their many roadside eateries, or their online Cracker Barell store on Januray 10, 2011.
