Mountain Fever Records has a new single this week for Magnolia Drive, one of the more recent acts to come onboard with the label. Based in Mississippi, this quartet specializes in original material that brings back the sound of bluegrass from the 1970s.
This first single from the band’s upcoming Mountain Fever project is one written and sung by banjo player Don Robinson entitled I Won’t Call You. It’s sort of the opposite of a love song, about having a former romantic partner pop back into your life unexpectedly, and how it feels to reconnect.
Or as Don puts it..
“I wrote this song around 1999, after witnessing a major argument between a co-worker and his girlfriend. After an hour or so of shouting and cursing at each other two doors down from mine, she walked out of his office past mine with him right behind her. She said, ‘Don’t worry about me calling you anymore!’ His response which triggered the hook line and title of the song was, ‘PLEASE don’t call me, and I won’t call you!’ I knew that was a great line, so I started thinking in terms of what I would do if MY old flame were to call me. Being happily married with kids, I knew the only response should/would be, ‘PLEASE don’t call me and I won’t call you!’ Believe it or not, the real-life phone call came a few years later! So…what was written as a ‘what-if,’ actually turned into a true story!”
Robinson is joined by regular band mates Mike Nowell on guitar, Steve Nowell on bass, and Cory Burton on mandolin. Glenn Harrell adds fiddle on the track, and Tim Hathorn play reso-guitar.
Mark Hodges at Mountain Fever has been very impressed by the music of Magnolia Drive, especially their vocal trios.
“I love the way these guys harmonize. The detail they put into their phrasing is so wonderful to hear, and a lot of bands can learn something from Magnolia Drive just by listening. They are a tribute to the great vocal groups of yesterday.”
Hear’s the track…
I Won’t Call You by Magnolia Drive will be available March 23 wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can get the track at AirPlay Direct.
