James King “Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King” (Rounder)

The Christian World has relied on the King James version of the Bible for centuries. Now the bluegrass world has its own James King rendition of all things gospel.

“Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King,” was released last month by Rounder Records. It’s a generous collection — 18 tunes in all, but only six of them new. The remainder come from recordings by super group Longview, a Stanley Brothers gospel tribute CD and one from an earlier Paul Williams release.

King lives up to his reputation on almost every cut as Bluegrass’s Mr. Soul. Man, can this guy milk the guts out of a song. If the Supreme Court took a thoughtful listen to this gospel collection before rendering a ruling on a religious freedom case, who knows what could happen.

I’ve seen the tears pour down King’s face on more than one occasion during a stage performance. Sincere? Yeah, I’d have to say so. This bluegrass veteran gets deep into his songs and he pours his soul into the lyrics. It’s as if, at times, the songs consume him. So be it!

I listened a bit to a talk radio show in central Illinois last week and the topic was men who cry. What a subject, huh? Perhaps it was a slow news day, or perhaps the show’s host had his fill of yacking about gas prices, the question of honesty in the White House or the latest slug fest between Obama and Clinton. Nonetheless, one caller phoned the station with this comment: “When is it Ok for men to cry? When they feel like it!”

So there, James King, you and your tears have been exonerated — at least in one little corner of Illinois.

These are earthy soulful tunes on this CD that could have been performed by the Stanleys, the Osbornes, Flatt & Scruggs, a lot of the pioneer icons of bluegrass.

King has always taken a hard right turn to the traditional side of bluegrass, and “Gardens In the Sky” continues that trend. These are earthy soulful tunes on this CD that could have been performed by the Stanleys, the Osbornes, Flatt & Scruggs, a lot of the pioneer icons of bluegrass. Well, in fact, some of those folks did record some of the songs James King brings alive here.

I’m a huge fan of King’s long-time shadow on stage, Kevin Prater. Sure he plays mandolin fine, and he is adequate on guitar — but Prater’s strong suit is his incredible style of harmony singing. Talk about power vocals, this guy can literally generate a strong breeze (hurricane?) with his voice. So naturally, I enjoyed hearing Prater cut through loud and clear on some tracks of “Gardens In The Sky.” I particularly enjoyed “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore,” which features a very recent lineup of the James King Band.

Another favorite is”I Just Steal Away and Pray,” penned by the great Albert Brumley. This particular version came off the earlier Paul Williams release by Rounder. This cut features long-time King banjo player Adam Poindexter and Jason Carter on fiddle.

This CD may disappoint some die-hard King fans who would have liked more new releases in the collection. But for folks who haven’t intensely followed King’s career and therefore don’t have a lot of these songs, it makes a nice addition to CD collection.

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James King releases “Gardens in the Sky” today, May 20, 2008, on Rounder Records.

James King, one of the leading voices in traditional bluegrass, will release “Gardens in the Sky - The Bluegrass Gospel of James King” today, May 20, 2008 on Rounder Records. The collection, featuring 18 songs - some culled from King’s previous recordings and some brand new unreleased material, is King’s first and only album of all gospel music to date.

Included in the album’s new material is the Chris Stapleton (The Steeldrivers) penned “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore” and the James King penned “Don’t Worry Mama.”

The musicians on the album read like a veritable who’s who in bluegrass. Aubrey Haynie, Dan Tyminski, Barry Bales, Don Rigsby, Dudley Connell, Marhsall Wilborn, Jason Carter, Rhonda Vincent, Glen Duncan, Mike Compton are just a few of the musicians and artists who contributed their talents on Gardens in the Sky.

Gardens in the Sky track listing:

1. Will He Wait A Little Longer
2. The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn
3. I Just Steal Away and Pray
4. Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore*
5. Garden in the Sky
6. Jerusalem Tomorrow
7. It’s Hot Down Here*
8. Sweeter than the Flowers
9. Don’t Worry Mama*
10. The Touch of God’s Hand
11. These Old Pictures
12. Just as the Sun Went Down
13. Message for Peace
14. Angels Are Singing (In Heaven Tonight)
15. The Prettiest Flowers Will Be Blooming*
16. Voice of My Savior
17. Will You Feel At Home*
18. Happy I’ll Be*

* New Material

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Rounder Records will continue their onslaught of bluegrass CD releases with several projects set for release between now and July 19, 2008. Bluegrass All-Star group Longview, Sierra Hull, James King, the Dan Tyminski Band, Dan Paisley & Southern Grass, The Grascals and Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper will all see new projects hit the streets over the next 4 months. To listen to Samples from these upcoming records as well as others released on the Rounder label this year visit JukeBoxAlive.com.

Longview
Deep in the Mountains
Release Date: April 8, 2008
Six years have passed since the last recording from bluegrass supergroup Longview, and Deep in the Mountains marks their much-anticipated return. Original members James King, Don Rigsby, and Marshall Wilborn are now joined by J.D. Crowe, Ron Stewart, and Lou Reid, resulting in a potent new lineup with the chops, discipline, and heart required to make the bluegrass tradition come alive. From the first note to the last, Deep in the Mountains is a striking update of the band’s long-held goal: soulful old-school bluegrass with soaring lead singing and riveting three-part harmonies.

Sierra Hull
Secrets
Release Date: May 6, 2008
16-year old Sierra Hull is a rare talent: an artist who combines youthful intensity and energy with a sense of grace and maturity well beyond her years. Secrets, her national debut, features her fluidly, inventive mandolin playing and tender, wistful singing supported by a luminous cast of bluegrass masters. From full-on newgrass instrumentals to eloquent, heart-stopping ballads to playful modern bluegrass, Secrets heralds the arrival of a fresh, important new voice onto today’s bluegrass scene.

James King
Gardens in the Sky: The Bluegrass Gospel of James King
Release Date: May 20, 2008
James King is considered among the leading voices in traditional bluegrass, summoning timeless echoes of Appalachia with a voice that is equally urgent, yearning, and tender. For that reason, this project - his first entirely gospel collection - has been eagerly awaited by his public, whose frequent requests for such an album inspired its release. King’s interpretations of bluegrass gospel classics both vintage and modern are so uniquely suited to the powerful longing and commitment that underpins every note he sings. Gardens in the Sky combines favorites from the James King catalog with performances featured on albums by Paul Williams and Longview, King’s contributions to The Stanley Gospel Tradition CD, and six previously unreleased recordings.

Dan Tyminski Band
Wheels
Release Date: June 17, 2008
One of the most revered artists in bluegrass, Dan Tyminski, will release Wheels this June, Tyminski’s sophomore album as a solo artist and his first effort for Rounder. The thirteen time GrammyÒ Award winner has been enchanting Bluegrass enthusiasts for over fourteen years as the guitarist, lead and harmony vocalist for Alison Krauss and Union Station. His signature hard-edged vocal style is a favorite among critics and peers who have named Tyminski Best Male Vocalist at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards three times. Rolling Stone called Tyminski “one of the genres biggest talents…” and went on to say that “Tyminski helps push bluegrass to the front line.”

Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
The Room Over Mine
Release Date: June 24, 2008
Raised to the strains of classic bluegrass, Dan Paisley and the Southern Grass learned the ropes first-hand as the sons (and eventually bandmates) of such beloved figures as Bob Paisley, Ted Lundy, and Donnie Eldreth. Honed over decades of playing festivals, honky-tonks, Legion halls, and everywhere in between, their sound proudly reflects the timeless bluegrass soul of their fathers - while imparting a razor’s edge intensity all their own. Over the course of his apprenticeship, Danny Paisley’s singing has become proud, fierce, hard-driving, spontaneous, and unafraid to take risks, and when combined with the Southern Grass’s solid base in tradition, the result is a band and an album for the ages.

The Grascals
Keep On Walkin’
Release Date: July 15, 2008
The Grascals are among the most beloved new bluegrass bands of the past five years. Their rise was meteoric: their first album was released in 2005, and in that year they won both IBMA’s Song of the Year (”Me and John and Paul”) and Emerging Artist of the Year awards. In 2006 and 2007 they won the IBMA’s highest honor, Entertainer of the Year. Keep on Walkin’ is the band’s third album and includes a smart selection of classic, original, and modern songs, including songs made famous by Waylon Jennings (”Only Daddy That Will Walk the Line”) and Merle Haggard (”Today I Started Loving You Again”), along with the bluegrass standard “Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” and the gospel favorite “Farther Along.” It also includes two songs from the pen of country hitmaker Harley Allen and a guest appearance from Vince Gill, who sings lead and harmony on “Sad Wind Sighs.”

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper debut album!
Release Date: July 29, 2008
The new band founded by five-time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year Michael Cleveland, Flamekeeper are determined to put their own unique stamp on high-energy traditional bluegrass, while respecting and honoring the contributions of the music’s forefathers. The band features Cleveland’s fiery, inventive fiddle playing supported by John Mark Batchelor (banjo), Jesse Brock (mandolin), and Marshall Wilborn (bass), with soulful lead vocals from guitarist Todd Rakestraw.

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James King - photo courtesy of Rounder Records

Burlington, Mass. — James King remains one of the leading voices in traditional bluegrass, summoning timeless echoes of Appalachia with a voice that is equal parts urgent, yearning, and tender. Yet it is not King’s ability to evoke his musical heroes (Carter Stanley being foremost among them) that has made him the most celebrated mountain soul singer of his generation. Rather, King possesses a genius for applying the rugged strains of the music he loves to a wide array of songs, traditional and contemporary, reinforcing the relevance and power of classic bluegrass.

“Gardens in the Sky,” to be released on May 20 by Rounder Records, is King’s first and only collection to date of all-gospel material. Producer Ken Irwin worked with King to add material recorded in early 2007 to supplement the already sumptuous set of songs drawn from King’s earlier albums with his own bands, the Rounder Paul Williams album that featured King, tracks from the out-of-print various-artists album The Stanley Tradition-Songs About Our Savior album and with Longview. The album boasts six new songs, among them the much-requested contemporary standout “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore,” by Chris Stapleton of The SteelDrivers.

While it’s difficult to believe anyone could take a Stanley classic like “Sweeter than the Flowers” and breathe freshness and originality into it, James King certainly does so. Just as King and this set of material are perfectly matched, so, too, are the utterly complementary bands and additional musicians. Adam Haynes’ fiddle on “Jerusalem Tomorrow” could scarcely be more hauntingly perfect; but instrumentalists and harmony singers alike, from Dan Tyminski to Rhonda Vincent, from Dudley Connell to longtime James King Band member Kevin Prater, to name but a few, all contribute essential and special musical elements to this remarkable set. This is the cream of the traditional bluegrass crop today.

The James King Band will tour in support of “Gardens in the Sky” with new dates to be announced soon.

“Gardens in the Sky” Track Listing:

1. Will He Wait A Little Longer
2. The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn
3. I Just Steal Away and Pray
4. Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore*
5. Garden in the Sky
6. Jerusalem Tomorrow
7. It’s Hot Down Here*
8. Sweeter than the Flowers
9. Don’t Worry Mama*
10. The Touch of God’s Hand
11. These Old Pictures
12. Just as the Sun Went Down
13. Message for Peace
14. Angels Are Singing (In Heaven Tonight)
15. The Prettiest Flowers Will Be Blooming*
16. Voice of My Savior
17. Will You Feel at Home*
18. Happy I’ll Be*

* New Material

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Fred Eaglesmith

In 2002, acclaimed bluegrass singer James King took Fred Eaglesmith’s “Thirty Years of Farming” to the top of the bluegrass song chart. And now other noted bluegrass acts such as Ralph Stanley II and Blue Moon Rising have also recorded Eaglesmith songs.

King first heard “Thirty Years of Farming” when some of his Canadian fans played him the song some 10 years ago. “They said: here’s something you could do bluegrass. And I said, you know, I could, couldn’t I?” He suggested the song to his producer, Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin, but at the time it didn’t register. Then some three years later, Irwin independently made the same suggestion to King.

The number ended up as the title song to King’s 2002 album, and topped the Top 30 Bluegrass Songs chart compiled by Bluegrass Unlimited for two months. On his next album, Bluegrass Storyteller, King also recorded Eaglesmith’s “Flowers in the Dell.”

“I’m a big fan of his songs,” says King. “I’m definitely going to cut another one of them.”

Another new fan of Eaglesmith’s work is Ralph Stanley II, who recently recorded Eaglesmith’s song “Carter,” an elegy for Carter Stanley, Ralph II’s uncle and the late brother and musical partner of his father, bluegrass pioneer Ralph Stanley. The younger Stanley immediately knew it was a number he should record when it was played for him by Randall Deaton, owner of Lonesome Day Records, as a suggested number for Stanley’s debut album for the label (due out in Spring 2008).

“When he played me the song it just blew my mind to hear it,” says Stanley, whose singing has often been compared to his uncle’s voice. “It sort of felt like it was intended to come to me. I’m sure glad Randall played it for me because it’s a great song.”

Deaton feels like it was a twist of fate that he came across the song.

“About a year ago I was up in Maine on my honeymoon and caught an Eaglesmith show, and loved his stuff. I’d never heard him before. I talked to him after the show, and he later sent me a bunch of CDs. We were looking for material for Ralph’s new record, and I listened to his albums and stumbled across this song ‘Carter,’ and it was obviously perfect for him,” says Deaton. Since then, another act on Lonesome Day, Blue Moon Rising, has also recorded an Eaglesmith number, “Freight Train” for a forthcoming album due out this year.

Since recording “Carter,” Stanley has become an Eaglesmith admirer. “I hadn’t heard Fred’s stuff until Randall played it for me. Now that I’ve discovered him and been listening, he’s written a lot of great songs,” says Stanley, who expects to record more of them in the future.

For Eaglesmith, the covers are a dream come true. “From the time I was a kid, I always wanted to be a respected bluegrass songwriter,” he says.

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