Bluegrass singer/songwriter Marty Falle is nothing if not prolific. Since entering the bluegrass world he has released a steady stream of new original songs, which have found a comfortable home on bluegrass radio. With a new album just available, Appalachia Rust, Marty has released four bluegrass records in 12 months time! And he wrote almost all of the material.
But for his next single, Falle has chosen a contemporary Appalachian ballad, Darrell Scott’s brilliant song, You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive, made a hit by Patty Loveless in 2001. For those few who haven’t heard it, this mournful number tells of the desperation that dire poverty presents to the dirt poor in eastern Kentucky, and a realization by the unskilled that they’re stuck in those mountains ’till they die.
It has appealed to a great many singers this past two decades, with other prominent recordings by Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton, and Kathy Mattea, in addition to Scott’s original. So Marty felt like it was time for him to tackle the song, the only non-original on this new project.
He brought in Carl Miner on guitar, and producer Jonathan Yudkin played fiddle and mandolin, with Rob Ickes on reso-guitar, Matt Menefee on banjo, and Mike Bub on bass. Harmony vocals were provided by Dale Ann Bradley and Marty Slayton.
It’s mighty lonesome. Have a listen…
Since its release at the beginning of the month, Appalachia Rust has held steady as the most downloaded album at AirPlay Direct, in all genres, so expect to hear it on the radio soon.
You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive, and the full new album, can be found now from popular download and streaming services online.
