We got a note from Jim VanCleve this morning with news about his next producing project, the upcoming CD from Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain. Jim had produced their self-titled debut release for Rural Rhythm in 2006 and when we spoke with Carrie at IBMA last fall, she offered him a great deal of credit for the way that CD turned out.

Recording starts today with Carrie and her talented band: Keith McKinnon on guitar and vocals, Travis Anderson on bass, Josh Miller on banjo and Kevin McKinnon on mandolin and vocals.

Jim sounded mighty upbeat about getting them back into the studio.

“There were a lot of high expectations already in place before we even started selecting material for this album, largely due to the success of the last record, and the big splash the band made on the scene last year. We’re all really pumped to get this thing going, though. We’ve got a bunch of really good material put together, with a good number of the songs coming from within the band.

As folks who’ve already heard or seen Carrie are aware, she’s got that ’star vocal quality’ that is so hard to find. She’s also got the luxury of carrying a band that can ‘mash it’ in the studio or on the stage, which is rare! They are a very dynamic bunch of musicians. Oh yeah, they are about the most hilarious bunch of personalities you will put in a room at one time, too. So, as you can imagine, it’s always a lot of fun to get together with the Hard Rain Gang!

The project will be released on Rural Rhythm Records, and right now, we’re all aiming at a March release date, which will make the project available just in time for festival season. Judging by the looks of the Hard Rain calendar, fans will certainly have a good opportunity to get their hands on it, too.”