Americana Highways is pleased to bring you this track premiere from Roland White and Friends’ upcoming album A Tribute to the Kentucky Colonels, due to be released on October 26. This album is new recordings of songs by the band The Kentucky Colonels, the bluegrass collective who were breaking ground 50 years ago — this album features : Brooke and Darin Aldridge, Kristin Scott Benson, Aaron Bibelhauser, Russ Carson, Jeremy Darrow, Nick Dauphinais, Gina Furtado, Jeremy Garrett, David Grier, Brittany Haas, Josh Haddix, Justin Hiltner, Lindsay Lou, Kimber Ludiker, Drew Matulich, Patrick McAvinue, Darren Nicholson, Lyndsay Pruett, Jon Stickley, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, and Jon Weisberger, Roland White and Friends! Whew!
It seems this month is a fantastic aligning of celebrations, with this album and also; if you’ve been following the Byrds’ “50th Anniversary of the Sweetheart of the Rodeo Show” (our review is here: Show Review: Roger McGuinn & Chris Hillman with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Sweetheart of the Rodeo at the Ryman ) with Marty Stuart and the fabulous Superlatives; note that Marty plays Roland White’s brother Clarence’s guitar to this very day with the same spirit of traditionalism and historical revival that this album has.
This version of the song, “I Might Take You Back,” is Roland White on mandolin & vocals, Aaron Bibelhauser on banjo, Jon Weisberger on bass, Kimber Ludiker on fiddle, and David Grier on guitar, with Lindsay Lou and Jon Weisberger on harmony vocals. It was recorded at The Rec Room, Nashville, TN by Ben Surratt and mixed and mastered at Crossroads Studios, Arden, NC by Van Atkins.
One listen and you’ll be carried back to the powerful roots of American bluegrass music, but with all the clarity that contemporary production quality can provide. All that and the timeless bluegrass-sassy lyrics too: “Go now don’t wait, Please don’t hesitate, Lovin’ you was my great sin, And I might take you back again.”
During one of Flatt & Scruggs’ West Coast tours, when they appeared at The Ash Grove in L.A., Leroy McNees and Josh Graves got together. Josh gave Leroy the first verse of the song and asked him to finish it, which he did, perfectly. The band recorded it while I was away in the Army. I have played it on about every show I’ve done since then! It has a unique view point, and a very catchy, simple melody. I don’t think there’s another like it and it’s one of very few originals the Kentucky Colonels did. I am happy to be able to keep this song going with this great new rendition, which has Lindsay Lou singing that super smooth harmony. — Roland White
Pre-order your copy of the album here: https://rolandwhite.com/store.html while you’re listening right here: