BTW: The SteelDrivers received a lot of critical praise for their self-titled Rounder debut album in 2008, even garnering a Grammy nomination for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Did the Nashville-based bluegrass band (featuring Mike Henderson and Tammy Rogers) think, "We need to top this"?
"Sure, we wanted to make a better CD if possible," bassist Mike Fleming tells P&P. "The first CD was done almost entirely without overdubs with the band recording in one large room. This was a good representation of how we sounded live. And people like it.
"With the second CD, we wanted to use the studio and its resources more. Some people were in isolation booths. We overdubbed some vocals. Mike Henderson put resophonic guitar and harmonica on certain tracks. Tammy Rogers recorded other violin parts and used the viola on two songs. Some songs were arranged on the spot as we recorded. We even have a version of 'Where Rainbows Never Die' with the African Children's Choir singing on the chorus. That version will be available on iTunes as a bonus download.
"It's been over two years since our debut release and fans have been very patience for the release of the 'Reckless' CD. Of course, we hope that they are pleased with our efforts and that we have somehow elevated the music to a higher level."
Is there a bluegrass revival, or it just our imagination?
"I think bluegrass is as popular if not more popular than ever before," Fleming says. "Bluegrass fans tend to be loyal to the groups they like and to the music in general. I see at festivals an equal amount of men and women and an age range from high school to retirement. And although it is not treated as
mainstream music, there appears to be numerous radio stations that play bluegrass or have bluegrass programs within their format. I believe I heard the figure of over 600 stations in the USA."
"We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie" (2-CD set benefits War Child; contributors: Duran Duran, Warpaint, All Leathe, A Place to Bury Strangers, Swahili Blonde featuring John Frusciante, Carla Bruni, Voices Voices, etc.; Read here)
"Blood Into Wine [DVD]" (documentary on the Tool frontman's Arizona wine-making exploits also features Milla Jovovich, Patton Oswalt, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, plus live music performances; See here; Blu-ray)
(True Story Films, Sept. 7, 2010)
Who, The
"Tommy the Movie [Blu-ray]" (1975 film, starring Roger Daltrey, Tina Turner, Ann-Margret, Elton John, Oliver Reed)
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