One of the hottest shows on the bluegrass circuit right now is an unlikely culprit – a comedy act featuring a band that does bluegrass covers of pop hits.
It may not work on paper, but it sure does on stage. And that is the idea behind The Cleverlys, a five-piece group that can not only leave an audience rolling in the aisles, but can bring the bluegrass as well. So it’s hitting you on multiple levels… the plain absurdity of grassy versions of these songs, the hilarious bits between them, and the entertainment factor of the performance itself.
Today The Cleverlys drop a new single, their bluegrass adaptation of She’s Not There, a big number for The Zombies back in 1964. Here it gets the acoustic banjo/fiddle treatment by Digger Cleverly, his assorted family members, and hangers on. Unsurprisingly, the chorus morphs into “She Ain’t There.”
Digger tells us that it brings to mind an unhappy time in his life.
“This song reminds me of my second wife. She ran off with a phone book salesman. Said she wanted someone with a ‘future.’ He was the one that pulled off that egg heist down at the hatchery. Last I heard, she’s raising barn cats and he’s selling door-to-door dentures.”
The single is available now from the popular streaming and download sites, and with a pre-order for their upcoming Mountain Home Music album, Blue, due to hit on March 22.
Radio programmers can download the track at AirPlay Direct.
