Hedgesville, WV., — Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has announced the release of their latest album, “Hot Off the Press.”
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.
Larry Stephenson notes that the album contains “lots of great songs here performed with excitement and energy. Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has a bright future ahead of them. It’s also good to hear my old friend Darrell Sanders pick again.”
WAMU’s Lee Michael Demsey asks, “what is the heart and soul, what is the backbone of our music? It’s the bands that put out a fine sound, and spread the good word about our music to the grass roots audiences. Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band is one of the best of these kinds of bands. Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has a lot to be proud of with this CD.”
Stoney Creek’s Libby Files will be a guest on the April 27th edition of Country Unplugged with Uncle Billy Dunbar. The program will air on World Wide Bluegrass from 6pm – 10pm (Eastern). The interview will be pre-recorded, but Libby and other members of the band plan to be in the World Wide Bluegrass chat room to talk with listeners during the broadcast.
The first single to hit bluegrass and gospel airwaves is the band’s rendition of “So Happy I’ll Be.” Other tracks receiving airplay have been “My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin’,”"Steel Rails,” “Rank Stranger” and “Long Gone.”
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 at the band’s web site, select retail locations, and at live appearances.
Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band features banjo legend Darrell Sanders. Darrell previously played banjo with Charlie Moore & the Dixie Partners and spent ten years with Bill Harrell & the Virginians (along with a young Larry Stephenson). Bill Harrell & the Virginians, also featuring 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” on Webco Records.
Although Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has recorded several CDs in the past ten years, “Hot Off the Press” is the first release by 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.
Stoney Creek guitarist Ed Barney also plays with longtime bluegrass veterans Patent Pending.
Mandolin player Brett Smeltzer spent several years playing with “Maryland’s Five String King,” the late Jack Sanbower & the No Leeway Band – one of Maryland’s top bluegrass bands of the 1990s.
Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band is managed by bassist, vocalist and founding member Libby Files.
“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.
Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band has posted a partial list of upcoming tour dates in support of the new album.
“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