Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Rural Rhythm Gearing Up for Steve Gulley-Tim Stafford Album



Rural Rhythm Records has announced the upcoming new album by Steve Gulley and Tim Stafford. “DOGWOOD WINTER” is comprised of all original songs by this award-winning songwriting team. The first single, “Just Along For the Ride” is being serviced to radio and available now via Airplay Direct.

Gulley and Stafford’s songs have been recorded by many artists over the years including “Through the Window of a Train,” winner of the 2008 IBMA Song of the Year, and recorded by Blue Highway. “While Steve and I have been fortunate to have quite a few songs cut by various artists over the years, this record began as a vehicle to get our songs out there that—with one exception--hadn’t been previously recorded. We picked 14 of our best tunes that we felt would be a good cross-section of our work, and the record, from the beginning was going to be all about the song. Since most were bluegrass, we decided to enlist our friends Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, and Justin Moses to help Steve and I lay down grass tracks that would highlight those songs. Our tastes are eclectic, and we ended up having two tunes that needed arrangements that featured percussion from Mark Laws and, in the case of Nebraska Sky, Michael Alvey’s great piano playing. Dale Ann Bradley added the heavenly harmonies where we needed a trio with a female,” said Stafford. Tim Stafford is a current and founding member of award-winning Blue Highway – a band continuing to celebrate significant success with all five original members in tact.

Gulley also explains the origin of “DOGWOOD WINTER” saying, “This recording project is, quite simply, two good friends and writing partners recording some of their songs in the way they heard them when they were originally written. It was truly a great experience to record and create a collection of music that was all original. Tim has been my primary writing partner for years - as well as a one of my best friends. Besides being a good friend and collaborator, Tim is one of best musicians on the planet, so it was really cool to finally get to work with him in the studio on our own project. I think this a singer-songwriter record in every sense of the word. There’s traditional bluegrass, country-flavored tunes, middle-of-the road ballads and stripped down arrangements with just guitar and vocal. It’s a wide variety of styles but has one underlying theme or focus – the songs themselves.” Gulley is a current and founding member of the award-winning band, Grasstowne who also have a new album releasing on Rural Rhythm later this year.

New updates on “DOGWOOD WINTER” will be posted soon on the Rural Rhythm website.

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MORE INFORMATION ON STEVE GULLEY
Steve Gulley’s career highlights include: being a longtime performer and former Music Director at the legendary Renfro Valley Shows in Kentucky; former member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and part of a Grammy nominated and IBMA award-winning album with the group; founding member of “Mountain Heart” where he was part of five albums and two IBMA award wins; founding and current member of the award-winning band, Grasstowne” where he has been a part of two chart-topping and award- winning albums including the 2008 SPBGMA Album of the Year “The Road Headin’ Home.”

MORE INFORMATION ON TIM STAFFORD
Tim Stafford has an impressive career including: having nearly 200 songs recorded by various artists; serves on the IBMA Hall of Honor Panel of Electors (2006-present); former member of Alison Krauss and Union Station in the early 90’s; current and founding member the award-winning group, Blue Highway; recipient of over 15 IBMA Awards; recipient of a Dove Award; two Grammy nominations; produced two IBMA Award-winning records, Knee Deep in Bluegrass, which received the Instrumental Recording of the Year in 2001, and The Infamous Stringdusters’ Fork in the Road, which was named the co-album of the year in 2007; currently teaches guitar at East Tennessee State University’s famed Bluegrass and Country Music Program; and co-author (with Caroline Wright) of the book, Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story, released in 2010 by Word of Mouth Press.

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