Artist Bios
Dan Paisley & Southern Grass
Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass play powerful,
unadorned, and intense traditional bluegrass. There is no
hybrid or genre-bending music here. It is music borne of the
vibrant old time southern fiddle bands, as well as the
lonesome moans of the backwoods mountain blues. The
instruments blaze with energy while the songs reveal a
paradoxical, desperate sadness anchoring the music squarely in
the classic bluegrass tradition. Danny Paisley and the
Southern Grass combine those forces with a drive and energy
that takes over your senses. It is music you not only hear,
but feel in your gut. The power and soulful nature of Danny’s
lead singing on The Room Over Mine, their first album for
Rounder Records, will quickly get the attention of those
hearing this band for the first time. You’ll feel the power in
his upper range and be struck by the contrasting blues-filled
emotion in his lower range. Not surprisingly, Danny grew up
listening to the music his father played and enjoyed hearing.
The house was filled with the sounds of classic bluegrass like
Red Allen, Mac Martin, Bill Monroe, the Stanley’s, Reno and
Smiley, and the Osborne’s, in addition to old time mountain
music and traditional country music. Although he can name a
variety of early country performers he admired, George Jones
and Vern Gosdin are the first names he mentions. And after
listening to Danny sing, those choices are no surprise. There
is that deep bluesy vocal side of real country music that
influenced Danny and others, but which few are comfortable
with and capable of singing. Dan’s voice captures that sound
like no one else in bluegrass today. A near cult following has
tracked Dan’s work first with the Southern Mountain Boys, then
his father, and now on his own. But many prominent musicians,
including Alison Krauss, have counted Danny as one of their
favorite singers for some time now.
T.J. Lundy is that rare fiddler who travels the line between
the spell of old time music and the intricacies of traditional
bluegrass with its creativity, drive, and blues accents. T.J.’s
time with the legendary Hotmud Family, along with listening to
his late cousin Jerry Lundy, a stalwart of the Southern Mountain
Boys, were the building blocks of his musical education.
Complimenting T. J.’s powerful, straight ahead bluegrass work,
evident on such pieces as “Sweet Potato Rag” and throughout his
work on The Room Over Mine, you can also hear echoes of old time
greats such as Tommy Jarrell – especially on “Mountain Sally
Ann.”
Bobby Lundy’s credentials as a premier bluegrass banjo player
are impeccable. In addition to learning from his father, Bobby
spent years on the road with Jimmy Martin and Bill Harrell. Just
listen to the solid propulsive force of his performance on
“Mountain Sally Ann” and his thoughtful and supportive back up
on songs like “Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away” and “I Thought I
Heard You Call My Name.”
While bass playing is often unheralded, it is obvious that
the most striking part of this bands instrumental impact is its
rhythm. Michael Paisley’s bass powers that essential part of
this band like a flawless metronome driving a freight train.
And Donny Eldreth Jr.’s mandolin work on this effort ranges
from the precise lilting fills where appropriate to imaginative
breaks always consistent with taste and tradition. Just listen
to his shared breaks with T. J. and Bobby on “Don’t throw Mama’s
Flowers Away,” “Raisin’ Cane,” and “Sweet Potato Rag.”
The Southern Grass is a band deeply rooted in tradition, on
many levels. It was formed and fronted first by Bob Paisley, the
father of Danny and Michael Paisley. Bob was born in Ashe
County, North Carolina on March 14, 1931 and grew up surrounded
by family and neighbors whose principal joy in life was making
this music. His mother played guitar, his father clawhammer
banjo, and an uncle (Wiley Paisley) and cousin were members of
the North Carolina Ridge Runners. It was only natural that he
brought his innate talent to bear on this music. In nearby Galax,
Virginia, Ted Lundy (father of Southern Grass members T.J. and
Bobby Lundy) was similarly passionately immersed in traditional
music. Ted and Bob went on to front one of the most respected
traditional bluegrass bands in the nation – the Southern
Mountain Boys. The progeny of these remarkable men is at the
core of the musicians whose music you now hold in your hands.
Bob Paisley died November 29, 2004. It was obviously a difficult
time for Dan, personally and professionally. His father
influenced his life and music and was the man he stood next to
on stage for 32 years. Could he – and did he want to – go on
with his music? After careful thought, Danny and the entire band
decided to continue the Paisley and Lundy tradition by not only
continuing to perform but by expanding their touring and
recording frontiers. As The Room Over Mine proudly reflects, it
is proving to be a great way to honor and preserve the memory
and music of their families.
Carl Goldstein
For more information, visit Dan Paisley's website at:
www.dannypaisley.com
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