GROUP MEMBERS: Dave Wilson (vocals, flatpicked acoustic guitar, harmonica), John Teer (vocals, mandolin, fiddle), Chandler Holt (banjo, vocals), Greg Readling (bass, vocals, pedal steel). Bio here.

FORMED: In Raleigh, N.C., in 1996.

ALBUM: "Route 23"

LABEL: Yep Roc

RELEASE DATE: Feb. 22, 2005

PRODUCER: Chris Stamey

TRACKS: "Nowhere to Sleep," "Dark Clouds," "Route 23," "Louisiana Freight Train," "Gunfight in Durango" (instrumental), "Engine No. 709," "Parlour Light," "Arms of the Law," "Sun Up" (instrumental), "Take Heed," "Rumination," "Make Some Pay," "Saro Jane," "Born to Be With You."

HEAR HERE

ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY: "Chatham County Line" (Bonfire, 2003); "Route 23" (Yep Roc, 2005).

TOUR DATES HERE

WEB SITE: www.chathamcountyline.com

PAUSE & PLAY: What song on this album best defines CCL?

WILSON: "I think that 'Nowhere to Sleep' probably encapsulates best what we are about. The tune has a certain swing to it and the lyrics speak directly to our plight in the world. We are all completely broke and have no way of knowing where we are to lay our heads night to night. The idea of forlorn love and the pursuit of something unobtainable is our present quest for being able to put food on the table day to day."

HOLT: "It's a combo of 'Route 23' and 'Make Some Pay.' 'Route 23' is about how the world is changing and things are becoming homogonized across America. We try to support local businesses and folks in towns we travel through. Our music resembles that because we aren't trying to sound like every other band. We are trying to carve our own niche. But, then there is the money thing. If you weren't aware, being a bluegrass/Americana artist is not a get-rich-quick scheme."

P&P: You all have mentioned John Hartford as a major influence. What was it about him that inspires you?

WILSON: "He seemed to play music for the sheer joy of the music itself and didn't get too caught up in image or making money. When he had a hit with 'Gentle on My min'" and fulfilled the rest of his RCA record contract, he went on to make the kind of music that was in his head, because he had the money to live on. ... Although we don't have 'hit' pressure, I envy anyone who can make records to their own content in the big label world. That is one of the great things about 'Morning Bugle' and 'Steam-Powered Aeroplane,' he was fulfilling his own desires for the music, and not catering to label pressure."

HOLT: "We all fell in love with him for different reasons. For me, Hartford sybolizes individuality. There is not one other musician I can think of that sounds like him. He wrote songs that are totally unique and not industry friendly. People loved it because that is what music is really about!! I've always thought of him as the modern Mark Twain. Plus, he just made folks happy. It seems like I'm always grinning when I hear a Hartford tune."

P&P: Do you all have day jobs, or is this your full-time gig?

WILSON: "We don't have day jobs at the moment, but everyone does what they can when we are at home to sustain life. I've sold vintage keyboards on eBay for a while; Greg builds furniture; Teer and Chandler give fiddle and banjo lessons."

HOLT: "Teer teaches fiddle and mandolin regularly. Greg and Dave have recently become Wurlitzer repair specialists. In theor free time, they buy and repair Wurlitzer electric pianos and parts. People seem to love what they have done so far. Greg also has a shop where he builds incredible custom furniture. He built two pieces for my den. I dabble in real estate part-time when we are not on the road."

P&P: Bluegrass never disappears, but it does fade from view every now and then. Where is its popularity at now?

WILSON: "Bluegrass seems to have a big following at the moment. Once the damage that 'Hee-Haw' did to the genre (especially the banjo) somewhat faded, people seem to realize that it is a serious musical form. Certainly, the popularity of singer-songwriters and songcrafting has helped our band to gain attention in the world."

HOLT: "It's hard to say. The 'O' Brother' effect is mostly over now. Younger folks are definitely still embracing the sound. There is a split between the more traditional and the 'newgrass' sound. Folks that are into newgrass seem to like the traditional sound also. (I'm not sure if that is true vice versa.) People always say they love Dave's songwriting and our on-stage energy. I think those two things are timeless. If you play nothing but the standards, then I think you are at the mercy of trends?? Who knows."

P&P: What has been your proudest musical achievement up to now?

WILSON: "Going to Rockygrass last July and winning the band competition was certainly a big highlight for the band. In all seriousness, having the second record recorded and on the streets and touring behind it to receptive audiences night after night is the greatest reward that we could ask for."

HOLT: "That's a hard one. Maybe completing the 'Route 23' record. This record is everything we wanted in a recording. I love the songs Dave wrote and we got to capture the sound on tape instead of digitally. Hopefully, people will like it as much as we do."

P&P: Who would you like to jam with in rock 'n' roll heaven?

WILSON: "I would love to play with John Hartford, George Harrison, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel. ... I guess the list could really be endless."

HOLT: "Dave, Teer and I would all say Clarence White first. f you've never heard him, he is the greatest bluegrass and country Telecaster player!! He played with the Kentucky Colonels and The Byrds. He blows my mind more and more everyday. Next would be John Hartford. Earl Scruggs, Ray Charles, Buddy Emmons and Scotty Stoneman are all right there. Personally, I would love to play back up for Connie Smith. She has the most beautiful voice I've ever heard."

P&P: Out-of-left-field question: North Carolina - it's a great state, but is it getting overcrowded?

WILSON: "There are portions of the state that are getting that way. The major metropolitan areas of the state such as Charlotte and the Triangle are reaching beyond what their roads can hold. I think that Asheville became a destination spot for people and now it's getting overcrowded."

HOLT: "It's getting there. People are realizing what a great place it is. We are two hours from great beaches and three hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are a lot of good jobs available also. We'll hope for the best. I don't see us leaving unless something drastically changes."

P&P: What's the first record you ever bought?

WILSON: "When I got a CD player years ago, I did the 10-for-a-penny offer out of a magazine. I can't remember all of the discs, but I listened to 'George Thorogood Live,' 'The best of The Who,' Doors and some other classic-rock goodies. I really didn't have decent taste in music until I came to college and found out about J.J. Cale and Leo Kottke and folks like that. 'Really' by J.J. is one of my all-time favorite records."

HOLT: "It was probably something like 'Elvira' by the Oak Ridge Boys on 45. Otherwise, my first serious purchase was Hendrix's 'Smash Hits.' That took me for a ride!!"

P&P: What's the first concert you ever went to?

WILSON: "I saw R.E.M. in Charlotte on the 'Green' tour and didn't know what to expect. I dug the show and definitely reacted to the songs I knew best. I think of myself in that position everytime someone comes to our show and requests 'Rocky Top' They might not know any better."

HOLT: "Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers on their 'Into The Great Wide Open' tour. I was 13 or 14. The stage was really cool and the show was awesome. I would probably like it even more now. Next was the Allman Brothers. That's when it really hit home. I wasn't aware that people were able to play that intense. It totally changed my whole perception of live music. Those guys were not young and they still gave everything."

P&P: What's the worst job you've ever had?

WILSON: "I worked for a while in the back of a thrift store testing the electrical crap that came in. You would never smoke a cigarette again if you saw the caked on funk that accumulates on the surface of toasters and shit that smokers have in their house. My girlfriend hated that job because I brought home every musical item that came through the door. A lot of that stuff paid my bills the last year when I didn't have a job, though. ... eBay kicks ass."

HOLT: "I worked for a cleaning agency one summer when it was really tough to find a job. Our biggest contract was cleaning 'Thee Dollhouse' strip club (sorry, gentlemen's club) every morning. You tried not to think about what you might be wiping up or scrubbing. I was 17 when I did this and there is one really funny story from the experience. On a Friday, there was a lunch buffet that started at 11 a.m. We had to hustle to get done in time. The waitresses are out and setting up at the same time and they are dressed very revealingly. One of them (I think she knew what she was doing) made a point to keep coming over and talking to me. Out of nowhere, I had a huge nose bleed that required an ice pack and me laying on the bar. It was quite embarrassing. I guess it was a little soon for me."