Lonesome County

Michigan isn’t exactly a Bluegrass Mecca, but don’t tell that to members of Lonesome County, an up and coming band from Pickney, near Ann Arbor, Mich.

Lonesome County, an ensemble of five capable pickers and singers, is making some inroads beyond its northern landscape. Lonesome County’s first big milestone was winning the band contest at the 2006 festival in Renfro Valley, Ky. Last year, the group expanded further with the release of its debut, self-titled CD.

The 12-track CD is easy listening, with a few instances of real ear grabbers, especially from the flying fingers of band leader Chad Jeremy, who handles guitar chores and vocals for the group. The CD also runs the genre’s own inner gamut — from the traditional to contemporary.

I’ve dealt with words and the King’s English language to earn a paycheck for about four decades, so the catchy-titled tune, “Notey But Nice,” really caught my eyes when I first picked up this CD. The ears weren’t a bit disappointed when the track was played. It’s an Irish-tinted instrumental that nicely showcases the band’s picking skills, as does “Lonesome County Line.”

The group wrote nine of the project’s dozen tunes, and I gather from the liner notes that Jeremy was the kingpin in penning the tunes. “Fool’s Conversation,” a ballad, is a stand-out with its lyrics, contemporary sound and pleasant chord moves that stretch far beyond the three-chord classics.

But there are a couple of those three-chorders on this CD that also make for fine listening, including the Carter Family’s “Darling Pal of Mine” and the Flatt & Scruggs classic, “Your Love is Like a Flower.” They serve as a strong testament that this band can tackle Bluegrass’s traditional side with class and plenty of gusto.

Many of the Jeremy-penned songs are a good mix between the old and the new. All in all, it’s a noteworthy debut project for this regional band that shows plenty of potential to spread its wings well beyond those Michigan boundaries.

Other members of the group are Kevin Frank, mandolin and vocals; Lee Kaufman, banjo and vocals; Paul Shapiro, bass and vocals; and Marty Somberg, fiddle and vocals.

Lonesome County also maintains a fine, rather extensive Web site. Information on ordering the CD and plenty of other tidbits about the band, its music and members’ instruments can be found at www.lonesomecountyband.com.

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Pinecastle Records is getting a real buzz from the early success of “Ripe,” the forthcoming CD from The Dixie Bee-Liners.The CD’s already-released first single, “Down On The Crooked Road,” entered the No. 3 spot this month on the bluegrass Roots Music Report.

“Every once in a great while a new release comes across our desk that introduces a band that we know is going to be the next big thing in bluegrass music,” wrote Robert Bartosh with the Roots Music Report. “The Dixie Bee-Liners are one of those bands…pure to the bluegrass tradition and the vocal performances are beyond words. They are profoundly talented and the sound is their own. The bluegrass music scene should brace for this new album.”

In anticipation of the CD’s April 15 release, Pinecastle this week launched a CD give-away promotion, with entries ending on April 15. The label will give away to 10 copies of “Ripe.”

Fans can visit www.pinecastle.com/contest_details.asp to enter.

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