Family Shiloh — “Delta Lucky Ace”
Americana Highways presents this premiere of Family Shiloh’s song “Delta Lucky Ace” from their forthcoming album At The Cold Copper Ranch, due to be released on April 29. The album had executive producers: Mike and Kali Smith. It was produced, recorded and mixed by Steve Chadie and Billy Horton and mastered at Terra Nova Mastering by Jerry Tubb. Core musicians on the album are Colby and Kimberly Pennington. (A complete list of musicians on the album, including the Pennington’s six children, is below.)
“Delta Lucky Ace” is a song about a prizewinning Texas bull cruising down the highway to his new home. How much more unique could a song’s subject matter get? Add the layers of sunny stringed instruments and harmonies, the allegories for life, and join in with the “rolling on down to the Lone Star State.”
We thought we had wrapped up writing songs for the album when we were invited out to the Smith’s lake house to celebrate. Spending the weekend with them there, I noticed the music they played in the background had a lot of energy to it, filled with feel good summer vibes. Meanwhile, Mike told me about acquiring Delta Lucky Ace and how the previous owners, the Jones’, had a hard time letting him go as they made the haul down to Texas to deliver him to the Smiths at Cold Copper Ranch. Mike suggested Delta’s story might make a good song idea, and I agreed that the bull’s name alone provided plenty of inspiration to start with. Additionally, I was itching to write something new that might reflect that kind of feel good energy their lake house background music selections over the weekend had dealt out. Later that evening, I sat on the balcony overlooking the Colorado river with Kimberly and some of the kids to see what we could come up with. We had the song hashed out before we returned home the next day. Though specifically about this prize winning bull, the song is also an admiration of simple strength that can come in many forms. — Colby Pennington
Family Shiloh has the album available on Bandcamp: https://familyshiloh.bandcamp.com/releases
Players
COLBY PENNINGTON– Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica
KIMBERLY PENNINGTON– Vocals, Handclaps, Whistle
JONAH PENNINGTON– Acoustic Guitar, Classical Guitar, Vocals, Electric Guitar, Hammond
Organ, Cowbell, Percussion, Harmonica
CHLOE PENNINGTON– Vocals, Fiddle, Piano, Handclaps
ADELINE PENNINGTON- Vocals, Fiddle, Handclaps
PATIENCE AND AMELIE PENNINGTON- Vocals, Handclaps
BRENT PENNINGTON– Bass
ANDY MCALLISTER– Drums
DAMIEN LLANES– Drums
DAVE BILLER– Pedal Steel Guitar, Electric Guitar, Baritone Guitar
BILLY HORTON– Standup Bass
MICKEY RAPHAEL– Harmonica
MARTY MUSE– Pedal Steel Guitar
PAUL GLASSE– Mandolin
CHRISTOPHER GREGORY– Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
DEJAN NIKOLIC- Accordian
BRUCE MCCARTY– Auctioneer
DALE HUNT- Pedigree
MIKE, KALI, SAM AND JACEE SMITH– Handclaps
MATT PITTMAN– Handclaps