Hedgesville, West VA — Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has announced April 27th for the release of their latest album, “Hot Off the Press.”
After discussions with several bluegrass labels, the band has chosen to self-release “Hot Off the Press“, while retaining the option to license the album in the future for wider distribution. “Hot Off the Press” is currently scheduled to be sold in physical and digital formats at the band’s web site, StoneyCreekBluegrass.net and through County Sales.
Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band features banjo legend Darrell Sanders. Darrell previously played banjo with Charlie Moore & the Dixie Pals and spent ten years with Bill Harrell & the Virginians (along with a young Larry Stephenson). Bill Harrell & the Virginians, which also featured Carl Nelson on fiddle and Ed Ferris on bass, made numerous albums for Rebel and Webco Records. The Virginians played on Sanders’ 1983 instrumental solo album “West Virginia Style” (Webco Records).
Although Stoney Creek has recorded several CDs in the past ten years, “Hot Off the Press” is the first release with the current line-up and Darrell’s first major bluegrass project in over 20 years. “Hot Off the Press” is a long-awaited return to the wider bluegrass circuit from the renowned picker.
Guitarist Ed Barney also plays with longtime bluegrass veterans Patent Pending. Best known for the gospel track “Barabas”, Patent Pending has released several albums on Copper Creek Records in recent years. Ed also toured internationally as a lead guitarist for Up With People.
Stoney Creek’s Mandolin player, Brett Smeltzer, spent several years playing with the late Jack Sanbower & the No Leeway Band – one of Maryland’s top bluegrass bands of the 1990s. The No Leeway Band released numerous albums on Sanbower’s own label, Buck Hollow Records. As a talented vocalist, mandolinist, and multi-instrumentalist, Brett has also been a member of numerous gospel and bluegrass bands.
Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band is managed by “one of the hardest working women in bluegrass”: bassist, vocalist, and founding member Libby Files. Longtime Berryville Bluegrass concert promoter Frank Jurney notes that “Libby is among the rising number of female vocalists who are making a big impact on bluegrass music”.
“Hot Off the Press” was produced by Aaron Kilmer, who has also traveled with the band as a live sound engineer since 2009. The project was recorded at Old World Media in Hedgesville, West Virginia.
Audio samples are posted on the Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band web site, as well as the band’s official social network pages. The album contains liner notes written by several prominent figures in bluegrass.
Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has posted a partial list of upcoming tour dates in support of the new album on their site.
“Hot Off the Press” track listing
- My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin’
- Steel Rails
- Love of the Mountains
- Rank Stranger
- Armadillo Breakdown
- Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong
- So Happy I’ll Be
- Long Gone
- Ridin’ the Red Line
- Erase the Miles
- Going To Georgia
- Road To Columbus