Larry Keel and Natural Bridge have released a new CD for 2009.

Backwoods features 10 tracks, with 7 originals from the band, all performed in the high-energy, ultra-progressive style that is the hallmark of their popular live show.

It features Keel on guitar and vocals, Mark Schimick on mandolin, Jason Flournoy on banjo and Jenny Keel on bass

The CD was produced by Keller Williams, and audio samples for two songs can be found on the band’s MySpace page.

UPDATE 1/6:  Larry Keel fans may also want to check out audio from the band’s recent performance on Mountain Stage. The show was recorded on December 12 of ‘08, and Natural Bridge does three songs – Crocodile Man, Diamond Break and Bitten By a Snake/Blackjack.

Audio for the show can be accessed online. Little Big Town, Catherine Russell, Rose Cousins and the Davisson Brothers Band are also featured.

Songs From The Road is a loosely-knit side project band that features members of such noted touring acts as Steep Canyon Rangers, The Emmit Nershi Band, Shannon Whitworth and the Refugees, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Town Mountain, Super Grit Cowboy Band and The Grit Pixies.

Their debut CD, Songs From The Road, was released in 2006, produced by Charles Humphrey III of Steep Canyon Rangers, who also played bass.

A second project is in the works, Songs From The Road Vol II – As The Crow Flies, is due on January 15, 2009. A download-only, three song EP will be released shortly featuring a sneak peek of material from the upcoming CD. It will be available from CD Baby and iTunes.

The lineup on the new CD has Charles on bass, Mark Schimick on mandolin, Andy Thorn on banjo, Nicky Sanders on fiddle, and Sam Wharton on guitar. Guest vocalists include Robert Greer, Lance Mills and Shannon Whitworth.

One song from As The Crow Flies can be heard now on the band’s MySpace and ReverbNation pages. The songs is Taxman, and the lyric is one that may grab the attention of a lot of folks in the US during an election year.

Taxman, taxman leave me alone.
Stop knocking on my door ’cause there ain’t noboby home.

The appearance by Larry Keel & Natural Bridge on WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour from this past Monday – which Brance had mentioned earlier – can now be viewed as an online video.

They perform several songs – including some new ones not yet released on CD -  and chat briefly with Woodsongs host Michael Jonathan.

Folk duo Blue House also perform on this show.

Watch the full program on the Woodsongs web site.

Larry Keel & Natural Bridge have announced a number of shows in early December featuring very special guest Tony Rice.

Larry and Tony have performed together many times, and you can be sure that there will be some fiery flatpicking at each of these concerts.

• 12/5: The Birchmere – Alexandria, VA
• 12/6: Satellite Ballroom – Charlottesville, VA
• 12/8: Neighborhood – Charlotte, NC
• 12/12: Mountain Stage – Charleston, WV

More show details can be found on the Larry Keel web site.