This post is part of our occasional feature, Songwriter Profiles. If you have a suggestion for a bluegrass songwriter we might want to consider, please contact us.

Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Chris Stuart plays guitar and leads his own band, Backcountry, based in Del Mar, California. His first professional involvement in bluegrass was as a banjo player in the band Salt Run in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1984, and then, after moving to upstate New York, as the banjo and mandolin player in the group Cornerstone, founded in 1991 by Stuart, Pam Daley, Rick Manning and Dana Paul, in Ithaca, New York. The band won the Winterhawk (now Grey Fox) band contest that year and then showcased at the IBMA Convention in 1992.

From an early age, Stuart wrote poetry and stories. He remembers writing a fable when he was ten, and he wrote poetry in high school. Both his parents wrote poetry and listened to a wide range of music. His father was a Disciples of Christ minister and his mother a sixth-grade school teacher. There were always books and music in the house. Everyone in the family liked a different kind of music, so they listened to everything from Hank Williams to Cleo Laine.

It was during his time with Cornerstone that Stuart began writing songs, inspired by the voice of Ms Daley, the lead singer with the band. His first song was Paul And Peter Walked, which Claire Lynch heard and recorded on her gospel album. She also recorded another Chris Stuart song God Spoke His Name, and a Cajun song, Thibodeau, on her next album.

Stuart’s talent as a songwriter was further evident as he won the Chris Austin Songwriting contest at the 1993 Merlefest in both bluegrass‚Äìwith Maggie’s Daughter‚Äìand gospel‚Äìwith God Spoke His Name‚Äìcategories. Both songs are on Cornerstone’s first CD Maggie’s Daughter, along with three other Stuart-penned songs.

Other Chris Stuart songs to find favor with bluegrass singers are Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts, on the Suzanne Thomas album of the same name; Saro, on Sally Jones’ Love Hurts CD; Dale Ann Bradley recorded Julia Belle on her Catch Tomorrow album; and Larry Cordle recorded a Chris Stuart song, The First Train Robbery for his recent album, Took Down and Put Up. Also, Danny Paisley recorded Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away, on his The Room Over Mine album (The song is on the final ballot for IBMA Song of the Year); Michael Cleveland recorded Farewell for a Little While on his Leavin’ Town CD; Bobby Osborne recorded Stuart’s Civil War ballad Shenandoah Wind, and Doyle Lawson recorded a Chris Stuart gospel song, When the Last of Our Days Shall Come, which is on the final ballot for IBMA Gospel Recording of the Year.

In 1996 he moved to California, where, in 2002, with Janet Beazley, he started Backcountry, a band that they put together to promote their first album, Angels of Mineral Springs. Stuart says,

“I’m really lucky to have someone like Janet Beazley to work with. I’ve co-written a couple of songs with her, including “Jealous Crow”, but also she’s able to respond to my songs and suggest melodic and alternate ways of doing things, and also she’s a genius at arrangement and recording, so she’s not only an inspiration, she’s essential to my writing.” (more…)

Ken Orrick of Lost Highway died at his home on Saturday (1/24) after a massive heart attack.

Orrick, guitarist/vocalist with Lost Highway, a band originally from Orange County, California, was a founder member and stayed with them until the mid 1980s when the group disbanded. Lost Highway was reformed in 1996 with Orrick, who was originally from Smithville, TN, as the band leader.

He was the band’s primary lead vocalist. His approach to singing was influenced by Carter and Ralph Stanley, Larry Sparks, Lester Flatt and Melvin Goins. Fellow singer/songwriter Chris Stuart described his singing as “smooth and clear, yet distinctly bluegrass-influenced”.

As well as having a voice that has gave the band its signature sound, Orrick wrote many fine original songs, written in the best traditional style and putting Lost Highway firmly in the solid, driving, hard-core bluegrass category.

Over the 30 years in which Ken Orrick was associated with Lost Highway, he contributed great songs like Lord, Let Me Die (ironically), This Road Leads Home, Shake The Master’s Hand, Roll On River, Guilty Of Love, I Don’t Believe I’ll Fall In Love Today, Time Waits For No, I Can’t Go On Loving You, Dreams and It’s Gonna Rain. All are excellent songs that would be worthy additions to the repertoire of discerning bands in the future.

Kerry Hay, of Hay Holler Records, who released six albums on which his good friend features, remembers Orrick ……..

“I spent many hours with Ken in recording studios, at concerts and at IBMA. He was a good conversationalist and was obviously in love with the music. He was a congenial person and had good things to say about almost everybody. He had strict guidelines (e.g. dress, punctuality, practicing/rehearsals etc.) for band members, and enforced them. In recording, he was somewhat of a perfectionist. Ken and I had minor differences from time to time, but always resolved them without acrimony. I considered Ken Orrick my good friend, even after he left Hay Holler.” (more…)

Chris Stuart, singer, songwriter – and the 2008 IBMA Print Media Person of The Year -  will join Carol Beaugard on Friday morning on WFDU. He’ll talk with Carol about his new status as the winner of a major award, and his latest CD release with Backcountry, Crooked Man.

Carol’s show, Lonesome Pine RFD, is broadcast from 9:00 a.m. to noon (EST) on 89.1 FM in the NYC area, and streamed live online at WFDU.fm.

Chris will be on with Carol at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 21.

On my personal list of bluegrass artists who rarely get the exposure and credit they deserve, songwriter Chris Stuart’s name is always prominent. Songwriters generally toil in the shadows, and folks in the business are among the few who keep up with who has written what.

Chris currently has two songs on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey in September, both recorded by notable bluegrass artists – Larry Cordle’s version of First Train Robbery, and the Danny Paisley cut of Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away, co-written with Ivan Rosenberg.

There is also a Stuart song, Farewell for a Little While, on the new Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper CD.

He also records and performs with his band, Chris Stuart & Backcountry, and they have a new CD which features 10 of his new compositions. Crooked Man is their first release in several years, with Chris on guitar and vocals, Janet Beazley on banjo and vocals, Austin Ward on bass, Christian Ward on fiddle and Eric Uglum on guitar and mandolin.

Chris shared a few words about the new CD…

“Originally, we were going to just do digital singles, but as we got into writing the songs and recording, we realized that there was a unifying theme. The band decided that we would release a full album project of thirteen songs, and sell it as an album for a few weeks until it shows up on iTunes and the other digital download sites.

The theme is about aging, which I guess is ironic since we have a couple of teenagers in the band. But hey, I turned fifty this year!”

Bandmates Beazley and Ward also have original songs on Crooked Man. All of the material is tuneful, with lyrics that stand out for their maturity and thoughtfulness. The performances are top flight as well, with both the singers and the pickers shining in turn on music that runs from modern bluegrass to Celtic, with plenty of authentic American acoustic music in between.

Audio samples, lyrics and photos from the sessions can be found on Chris’ web site, along with online ordering.