Our first release on Mountain Roads Recordings located in Bristol, Tenn., has just been released. "Over The Mountain" was released yesterday, Nov. 20, 2008. We are really exited about our new CD and we want to thank "Karl & Gail Cooler at Mountain Roads Recordings" for giving us this opportunity. Mountain Roads Recordings is a great organization and we are very proud and privileged to be a part of this wonderful family. Check out their web site at www.mountainroadsrecordings.com
We would also like to thank "Wayne Henderson" for coming by and pickin' on 4 songs on this CD. Wayne is a great friend, musician, luthier and just an all around wonderful person.
We also want to thank "Wesley Easter", at Eastwood Studio in Cana, Va. for all his help recording this project. Wes is one of the best recording engineers you will find anywhere.
We are very much interested in keeping the old songs and ballads from our area alive. There are so many songs that have become lost or are in danger of being lost. Our musical heritage is something that we feel is very important and we are trying to keep these old songs heard by as many people as we can. We have made five recordings (CD's) of these songs.
This band was formed in late 2001 to perform the music for the play "Tom Dooley, A Wilkes County Legend" which is an annual event that is put on by the Wilkes Playmakers. It is shown in late July at the Forest Edge Community Amphitheater near Historical Fort Hamby Park on W. Keer Scott Lake in Wilkesboro, NC. The original band members were: Nicole Vidrine, Jerry Lankford, Herb Key, Drake Walsh & Bill Williams. We were a part of this play for 4 years but have moved on to different venues in order to get our music out to the public. Nicole and Jerry are no longer with the band but we hold fond memories of both of them when we picked together. There are a lot of people, old and young who enjoy our forms of music. We are very glad to be able to bring these old songs to the public and keep the music of the North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia region alive.
The Elkville String Band members are:
Band member, "DRAKE WALSH", son of 1920s and 30's RCA and Columbia recording artist, Dock Walsh, started playing banjo when he was about six or seven years old, and he has been playing traditional mountain music ever since. Drake remembers listening to Clarence Ashley and many other musicians who visited the Walsh home to play with Dock. Drake performed with Dock in his father’s later years, and he has played with a number of local and regional bluegrass and old-time bands over the years. Fiddle and mandolin have become Drake’s primary instruments, but he is also a great harmonica, guitar, and banjo player.
"HERB KEY" grew up in a musical family in Wilkes County. He has played music for most of his life and has spent more than thirty years making, repairing, and restoring instruments. Herb was surrounded by music played both on the radio and by his mother and uncle. When he was sixteen, his father bought him his own Silvertone guitar, which Herb still owns today. Herb has also made a number of instruments. In addition to having his own shop, Herb works at Wayne Henderson’s shop doing the repair work so Henderson has time to build new instruments. Over the years, Herb has played in a number of groups including the High County Ramblers, with Larry Pennington, which won in the bluegrass band category at the Galax Fiddlers Convention the year they formed.
"JEFF MICHAEL" has been pickin' and singing in this area all his life. He is a multi-talented musician who can play any instrument. His singing talents are known throughout this area and beyond. Jeff's primary band is Big Country Bluegrass but he finds time to pick with Elkville String Band on most of its appearances. Jeff has performed on The Grand Ole Opry with Bill Monroe, Charlie Louvin, and Big Country Bluegrass. He plays banjo, fiddle, and guitar and sings lead and harmony. He has also recorded a CD with Elkville String Band.<>
Bass player "BILL WILLIAMS" moved to Wilkes County from Florida in 1976, and he has immersed himself in the mountain music of the region. He was a founding member of Steve Kilby’s Sunday Night Band, which later became Kingsberry Run. Bill plays with a number of groups in the area which call him from time to time when they need a bass player. Bill plays primarily with Elkville String Band, and he serves as the contact person for the group.Change your Twitter with Twitter Backgrounds