Steep Canyon Rangers – Deep In The Shade
Another new CD due this fall that has caught my attention is Deep In The Shade, the third Rebel release from Steep Canyon Rangers.
The project reunites the band with producer Ronnie Bowman and engineer Wyatt Rice with whom they collaborated on their 2007 album, Lovin’ Pretty Women.
Steep Canyon guitarist and lead vocalist Woody Platt tells us that it was a simple choice to go back to the well once again.
“It was great to pick up where we left off after finishing the Lovin’ Pretty Women record. We all had a better sense of what to expect from each other and it was easier to fall into an effective, productive routine. Our group learned so much and gained so much valuable experience the first time around with Ronnie and Wyatt… this session was more loose and spontaneous.”
To my ear, there is a greater maturity to this record, which I have noticed with each successive release from Steep Canyon Rangers - something you don’t always find with an established, experienced group like this.
Woody seems to feel the same way.
“The new record again features songs written by the band members – mainly Graham Sharp and Charles Humphrey. I think the record has more depth from top to bottom and more diversity than anything we have recorded thus far as Steep Canyon Rangers. Tracks that stand out to me personally are: Have Mercy, I Thought That She Loved Me, Mountains Gonna Sing and Turn up the Bottle. Mountains Gonna Sing features Graham on finger style guitar, and has a different sound for us which I think will appeal to our fans, and maybe to a larger audience that might not be hard core bluegrass fans.”
Copies have not yet gone out to radio, but you should start hearing tracks from Deep In The Shade before much longer.
The guys will spend much of October touring with Steve Martin, in support of his banjo CD The Crow. They typically open the shows and then serve as Martin’s band for his portion of each evening’s entertainment. What a great way to launch a new release!
“We are truly flattered and excited to be playing the tour this fall with Steve. It is great to have the opportunity to play in such wonderful venues and to play Steve’s music. He really is an excellent banjo player and songwriter. The shows we have already played on LA and in NYC were a blast for SCR and went over very well–which I think lead to this upcoming tour.”
Look for Deep In The Shade on October 6, just after IBMA.
Email This Post
| Print | Top | 1 Comment
The Steep Canyon Rangers will celebrate the imminent release of their new recording, titled Lovin' Pretty...
Leave a comment
Comments are open and unmoderated for our registered users, only your first comment will require approval before publication. Comments do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bluegrass Blog. Obscene, abusive, silly, or annoying remarks may be deleted, but the fact that particular comments remain on the site in no way constitutes an endorsement of their content by The Bluegrass Blog.
I was able to catch the Steep Canyon Rangers set at Rockygrass out in Colorado back in July. I really appreciate a band that hits the stage and doesn’t throw a commercial upon the audience. The Steep Canyon Rangers always put on a top notch show. Not only did they NOT put on a commercial for the albums they have back at the merch tent, they treated the fans to a bunch of new material off the upcoming album, which wasn’t even available yet. In my book that takes some guts – and confidence in what you’ve got coming. I remember “Have Mercy” and “Turn Up the Bottle” as standouts in the set. I’m really looking forward to the new Rebel release.
You must