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MCP Sessions: Sammy Brue -“I Know”
Poetic troubadour and finger-picking wunderkind Sammy Brue is set to release his debut album, I Am Nice, on June 16th via New West Records. The 12-song set was produced by John Paul White of the Civil Wars and Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes and recorded at their Sun Drop Sound studio in Florence, Alabama.
A native of Portland, Oregon, now living in Ogden, Utah, Brue has been writing songs since he was 10 years old; long influenced by the Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Leadbelly, and Woody Guthrie songs played in the family car for years, he quickly embraced the instrument and wrote his first song within two months. Since then, the 16 year old Brue has released two EPs, maintained a workmanlike schedule sharing stages with Lucinda Williams, Hayes Carll, John Moreland, Asleep At The Wheel, Justin Townes Earle, Lydia Loveless and more, has also already appeared at the Newport Folk Festival and Summeriest, all while juggling his school responsibilities.
We caught up with him recently at The Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee where he performed “I Know,” a track from I Am Nice, just for us. Check it out:
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Interview: Daniel Romano
Daniel Romano is irritated with the monarchy. “I had so many things I wanted to do today,” laughs the native Canadian, whose to-do list is being seriously impeded by the celebration of the government holiday Victoria Day, though it’s hard to believe much would slow him down. Romano recently released his latest album, Modern Pressure, his fourth in one shape or another in the last two years, via New West Records.
He can write anywhere, and does, as evidenced by the amount of music he puts out consistently, though he sees himself as proactive rather than prolific. “At the end of the day, people can relate to more than one album a year, even though that’s not standard as far as the industry goes,” he explains. “When we realize that values change, we can understand there’s a more innovative approach to that heavy marching line type of marketing. I understand that people have shortened attention spans, I couldn’t listen to a record for a whole year before wanting something new. That’s not how the world works anymore,” he continues. “Not giving the listeners new material is not the best approach.”
His style runs the genre gamut, and he pushes against attempts to be categorized. “I never set out with any particular concept in mind when it comes to my music,” he says. “Songs have their own ideas, and how they want to take shape. This album might be the most conceptually sound thing I’ve made, but it took that shape in a sonic landscape rather than a lyrical one,” Romano adds. “It was kind of an accident.”
“I like it,” he continues of Modern Pressure, “I haven’t heard it in a while, and I probably won’t listen to it again. There’s a certain way I can appreciate the music, and hear it from a fan’s or a listener’s perspective if it’s done quick enough so that I don’t remember what it is. I’ll take a day after completion, and walk away from it, then come back and listen for a limited amount of time to hear it outside of being the author of the song. That’s important, because the listener is who you are curating for, not yourself, after the conception of the song,” he says. “It’s fun for me, and gives me perspective on what exactly is happening.”
Romano recorded in a cabin in Sweden, but he didn’t set out to isolate himself in an attempt to enhance his creativity. “I didn’t go to a secluded cabin to ‘find myself’ or anything, it’s just where I was staying because it was pretty,” he laughs. “It was beautiful, but I didn’t go there to find beauty,” he admits. “I could find beauty in a sewer.”
[Daniel Romano is going on tour–if you’re in the Nashville area, you catch him at Mercy Lounge on June 24th, click here for details.]
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Interview: Rev. Sekou
“In times like these, we need a miracle/Ain’t nobody gonna save us/We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for,” wails Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, in the title track of of his powerful and timely debut album, In Times Like These. Produced by six-time Grammy nominated Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, featuring Luther’s brother Cody Dickinson, and supported by Thirty Tigers, In Times Like These blends sweaty juke joint blues with the rich Pentecostal gospel tradition—the messages contained within the album’s grooves cut through the fog of misunderstanding like a hot knife through butter, and pave the way to truth with hope.
“I wanted to go deeper with this album, I wanted to mine the tradition that produced me,” explains Sekou. “When you get the likes of Luther Dickinson and Cody Dickinson and the great Charles Hodges in the same room, it becomes a concoction; it was recorded about an hour from where I was raised. You put all that together, and you get a sort of sanctified blues. On one level, what is in me is what is in me, and what produced me is what produced me,” he adds of his Arkansas childhood and the nurturing influence of his beloved grandmother, Houston Cannon. “During the recording process, I visited my grandmother’s grave a number of times, I visited the people in Arkansas who raised me, I was able to be in a communion of saints—to be in the presence of those who loved me and the memory, to walk on their soil, and smell their air. In times of crisis, people turn to what they know, and for this record, I wanted to do that,” he continues. “The place I’m from has no stop signs or stop lights; this experience was kind of stop sign, to allow me to pause for a moment and revel in the elegance of the people I called ‘home.’”
The album begins with snippets of a rousing speech given by Sekou at a rally in Ferguson, Missouri, protesting the murder of Michael Brown—every song calls out discrepancies and prejudices, combats helplessness felt by the disenfranchised, and injects a sense of righteousness into the resistance. “It’s a simple reflection of social movements throughout time. There won’t be a strong leader who comes to rescue us, it will be through the capacity of everyday people to seize history and bend it to their will. Political groups, church, and civil rights establishments tend to focus on the one leader who is going to lead us to the Promised Land,” he explains. “Those days are over.”
In the studio, Luther amassed a legion of legendary players for In Times Like These, and provided necessary guidance and gentle nudges needed in order to create this stunning effort. “I became a musician on this record because of the people I worked with. There were no attitudes, no arguments, and we worked 12 to 16 hours a day,” reveals Sekou of his producer. “He was so gracious and meticulous. We decided early on that, given the divisive nature of this particular historical moment, it would be important for folks across racial lines to engage in this work together,” he adds of his recent run of shows with North Mississippi Allstars. “We decided to tour together to present this thoroughly American art form, the blues. It’s an homage, not only to a broader struggle, but to a little old woman named Houston Cannon, my beloved grandmother, who made me all I am and all I ever hope to become,” Sekou adds of his stunning new release. “I hope everybody who listens to my music gets a little freer.”
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Video Premiere: “Thirteen” by Single Girl, Married Girl
New York City-based folk pop outfit Single Girl, Married Girl offers a glimpse of their in-studio magic with a new video for “Thirteen,” a reimagining of 70s power pop band Big Star’s classic hit from their 1972 debut album, #1 Record. The video comes just in time for the release of the 22-song compilation Looking Forward: The Roots Of Big Star, out July 7th via Omnivore Recordings.
“Admittedly, I didn’t get into Big Star until I heard Elliott Smith’s cover of ‘Thirteen’ several years ago,” explains SGMG vocalist Chelsey Coy. “My husband, who was a huge fan at the time, played me the original and I fell in love instantly. It was one of the most beautiful songs I had ever heard. The melody is perfect, and the lyrics are just lovely—sweet and sincere, without being trite (there’s even an edge to them). I knew one day I’d cover the song, and about a year ago I found my way into it, with the help of our guitarist, Charlie Rauh,” she continues. “We changed the key to better suit my range, and kept the arrangement simple. I’m proud of it, because it turned out really well, and it’s unlike any other version I’ve heard (and there are so many of them now). I think it would be a dream come true if I ever got to play it for Jody Stephens.”
SGMG taps into their alt-country roots for the interpretation, adding lush ambience with a sultry sheen, brought about by Coy’s emotive vocals, shimmering guitar work, and haunting upright bass.
Without further ado, Mother Church Pew proudly presents “Thirteen,” the new video from Single Girl, Married Girl:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube[If you’re in the Queens, New York area on July 23rd, be sure to catch SGMG live at a free, all-ages, outdoor show at LIC Bar. Details are here.]
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Grand Finale: Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender at The Opry
Upon entering the Grand Ole Opry, the crowd was met with the sounds of The Cowpokes, who set the mood early with a traditional honky-tonk twang filled set. With a mix of Boogie attendees and country music fans getting in on the action, anticipation was in the air for a night of country legends. The show was split into two distinct showcases–the first, rockabilly, the second, traditional country music with Bobby Bare and Jerry Jeff Walker. For the rockabilly showcase, Deke Dickerson added star power to his set with legendary Sun Records session drummer J.M. Van Eaton, whose drumming was featured on albums from Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Roy Orbison. All of the original album versions of the songs in the showcase included Van Eaton’s drum work. It was a touching tribute to a musician that was at the heart of so many classics.
Fittingly, Dickerson kicked the show off with Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Let the Good Times Roll,” reminding everyone that it was indeed a party. Dickerson used the time to highlight several of the artists–old and new– that had graced the Nashville Boogie stages. After tearing through a couple more classics, Dickerson invited Harmonica Sam to the stage. Earlier in the weekend, the Boogie had featured “The Country Side of Harmonica Sam,” which was designed around Sam’s recent old-school country style album. “You may be asking yourselves why he’s called Harmonica Sam,” Dickerson prefaced. Sam is a well-known blues harmonica player from Sweden and Dickerson’s next song featured Sam’s dazzling harmonica chops. Being a gracious host, Dickerson refused to let Sam leave the famous Opry Circle without showing off his voice. Taking full advantage of the opportunity, Sam crooned the classic “Coffee and Cigarette Blues,” proving that the future of traditional country music is in good hands.
After a couple more solos, Dickerson ceded the Circle’s spotlight to the legendary Billy Harlan. Performing at the Opry had been a lifelong dream for Harlan, and he used his time to the fullest. After several years away from the music scene, Harlan has made a recent splash with his newest work, “I Ain’t Elvis,” which was his opening song. His time on the Opry stage was deeply sentimental as he also serenaded his wife with her favorite song, “My Fate Is In Your Hands,” and dedicated his classic, “I Wanna Bop,” to his granddaughter. Clearly, Harlan was touched by his inclusion in the showcase.
In breaks between songs, Dickerson often joked about the irony of a rockabilly show taking place in the hallowed halls of the Opry, sure that the ghost of Roy Acuff was watching with displeasure. “Of course, now every country band has its own rapper,” he quipped about the evolution of the genre. Before closing out the rockabilly showcase, Dickerson welcomed Big Sandy to the stage. On Friday, the Boogie Weekender included “The Country Side of Big Sandy,” which had featured traditional pedal steel driven honky-tonk sounds. For the Opry show, Big Sandy returned to his rockabilly roots, and after seeing both shows, I had a new appreciation for his range as an artist. Sandy’s voice is a throwback to the original rockabilly stars and it shone while paying tribute to the classics. He led a special collaboration of “Great Balls of Fire” with Dickerson, sparking the audience to clap along, and inspired dancing in the aisles. No one can deny that the rockabilly torch is being passed to some fine champions that will keep flames of the genre alight for years to come.
With only a brief pause to change some instruments, the night shifted from the bopping sounds of rockabilly to a showcase of storytelling, yearning pedal steel, heartache, and good-old-fashioned country music. The Opry stage always features the cream of the crop, and the Boogie afterparty was no exception. From up-and- comers to bona fide legends, there was undeniable talent on full display.
It has been hard to miss all of the buzz around Nashville’s J.P. Harris. It was instantly clear that Harris’s old time country sound, thoughtful lyrics, and humble delivery were right at home in the Opry Circle. Supporting Harris was another fantastic rising artist, Kristina Murray. Harris’s set featured several of his original songs that had a delightfully throwback feel. Last year, he recorded an album featuring rising female country artists, which included Murray; Harris and Murray’s take on George and Tammy’s “Golden Ring” was a standout crowd pleaser. After seeing him at the Opry show, I must add his name to any discussion about what is real country music.
Another local artist who has been getting attention is Josh Headly. With the lights set low, Headly featured several songs that will be on his soon to be recorded first album. With picked guitar, yearning peddle steel, and a voice made to sing about heartache, Headly proved to be a slow-dance song master.
The stage was now set for the first of two legends of country music, Bobby Bare. It’s near impossible to enter a honky-tonk on Lower Broadway without hearing at least one of Bare’s songs. Performing with a full band and with a tremendous group of supporting fans, Bare thrilled the Opry house with classic hits, a few tall tales, and a bit of the history behind his songs.
With so many genre-defining hits under his belt, it’s hard to hit on all of the highlights of Bare’s set. There was the moment the entire crowd was locked in with one of the greatest country songs of all time, “The Streets of Baltimore.” There was when Bare gave us some of the behind the scenes details of his classic cheating song, “Lincoln Park Inn” (and he protected the name of the accused); or maybe it was his fiery, almost outlaw, version of “Marie Laveau” that closed out his set. Bare’s songs are essentials of country music and he sings them with a pride and clarity that lets you appreciate them as works of art. With a lengthy standing ovation, the Opry crowd showed how much they were touched by his iconic performance.
With only one artist remaining in the Opry showcase, I found myself torn between the downside of the Nashville Boogie weekend coming to a close and the anticipation of seeing the legendary Jerry Jeff Walker. I didn’t have long to ponder that dilemma as I was quickly swept up in the storytelling magic that is Jerry Jeff.
The expectant crowd didn’t have to wait long for Jerry Jeff to hit his most iconic song, “Mr. Bojangles.” He was only a few songs into the set when he said he wanted to sing a song for us while his voice was still at its best. With gently strummed guitar and perfect inflection, he spun the New Orleans lyrical tale as the Opry crowd watched on in awe. I had been witness to many amazing shows at the Nashville Boogie that weekend, but this was one of those take your breath moments–I was watching musical history come to life.
Showing his sentimental side, Jerry Jeff carved out a section of his show to remember Guy Clark through stories and song. From “L.A. Freeway” to “The Cape” to “My Favorite Picture of You,” he honored the memory of a legend that was loved by so many of his fellow artists. Much of Jerry Jeff’s show was in fact sentimental, whether it was stories from his lengthy and happy time married, to his touching song “Little Bird,” which was part of his encore—but, many of the best moments came when he was being an outlaw and firing up the crowd with his rowdier pieces. “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother” turned into a fist pumping singalong. “Trashy Women” has always been a dirty-secret favorite of mine and his classic version got the crowd moving. His encore closing version of “London Homesick Blues” was a clear example of why he is being embraced in the outlaw circles of country music.
Whether singing about love, raising hell, or spinning a yarn, Jerry Jeff is a storyteller through and through. Near the end of the show, I thought to myself that any aspiring songwriter should spend some time watching one of his shows as he’s remarkable with the craft. At the Opry for the Nashville Boogie afterparty, Jerry Jeff put on a show befitting his legendary status as a country music master, and put the perfect finishing touch on an unforgettable weekend.
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Interview: Cowbell
“We knew we were going to be good friends,” says Jack Sandham of his bandmate, Wednesday Lyle. The pair met when Sandham crashed a party at Lyle’s house, and together, they formed British roots rock duo Cowbell. “You know when you meet somebody and you hit it off really well, you have good arguments about music? I think she was really into Radiohead at that time,” he continues. “I just wasn’t having it.”
Lyle, music lover and collector, didn’t play an instrument at the time of their meeting, but that wasn’t about to stop her. “She has natural ability—one night she was drinking with me and some friends, got behind a kit, and just had something,” he recalls. “For our third gig, we were opening up for some really accomplished blues guys, and their drummer didn’t turn up. She sat in with them until he showed. She was like a duck to water.”
Together the pair make rockabilly-esque country blues rock (if that’s not a genre, it is now). “In the beginning, it was generally lead by what we could play,” he laughs. “We veered towards rockabilly and psychobilly eventually—we both love The Cramps, and all the old Sun Records stuff, and lived all that out for a while. I’ve still got some pointy leopard skin boots which I’m pretty proud of.”
Cowbell releases its new album, Haunted Heart, on June 2nd, an 11-song collection of rip-roaring, slinky guitar lick-driven rockers. Recorded to tape, the track subjects vary but are encompassed by the title track. “They’re not all love songs, but something or somebody’s getting spooked in each one,” he says. “It doesn’t get too somber, there’s some fun rock n’ roll on there too. We want people to get buzzed from our music. We want them to be moved.”
As for genres, they fit into several, and that’s just fine with them. “I don’t mind genres, as long as we get put in the right ones!” Sandham laughs. “I was looking at something the other day, and it was classified as ‘indie.’ I was like, ‘Well that’s not very good is it? What does that even mean?’ We’re not trying to be very American either, wearing cowboy hats all the time—though I occasionally do, but you know what I mean. Sometimes it seems like some bands become a fancy dress act, and it’s not very real. We’re just English people doing an honest thing,” he adds. “We’re not trying to be anything else.”
Purchase Haunted Heart: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/haunted-heart/id1213120069
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MCP at The Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender, Part 2
With the echoes and memories of the prior day still in mind, I was excited to see what a new day would bring at the 2017 Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender. Saturday’s lineup included a mix of legends and up-and-comers in the rockabilly scene.
First, I popped in on Nashville Lower Broadway favorites, Brazilbilly. Lead singer JesseLee Jones is the American Dream–he moved from Brazil to be a singer and business owner. Lee is now the owner of Robert’s Western World in Nashville and has performed on Lower Broadway for the last 18 years. Lee and Brazillbilly are committed to performing traditional country music and their Boogie set stayed true to that mission.
Moving to the Ryman Garage Stage, we were met with the bass slapping and guitar picking sounds of Hot Rod Walt & The Psycho-DeVilles. The group was featuring songs off of their new EP, Swinging on The Moon, which was handed out to the crowd for free. With songs about cars and a swing beat you can dance to, the music was the perfect fit for the Boogie’s theme. For a change of pace, the group played their new song “The Joke’s on Me,” which front man Hot Rod Walt described as “‘90s alternative with pedal steel.” The band prides itself in featuring original songs, but the crowd delighted in their rockabilly take on Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt.”
Staying at the Ryman Garage stage, the crowd moved in close for The Legendary Shack Shakers. Led by high-energy and oft dramatic front man J.D. Wilkes, the group lit the stage on fire with their signature bluesy, electric guitar-fueled brand of rockabilly–Wilkes literally had to tie his shoes so he wouldn’t rock them off. When you include “legendary” in your name, you better back it up. With dazzling harmonica, thunderous guitar, and a bit of crowdsurfing, the Shack Shakers lived up to the title.
I was on the move again, this time to the Tennessee Ballroom Stage in Opryland where rockabilly legend Johnny Powers was taking over. Powers stands alone as the only recording artist to ever be under contract to both of the iconic labels Sun and Motown Records. The set was part originals and part a trip down a rockabilly memory lane. The room cheered when he went into his hit single from 1957, “Long Blond Hair.”
With the sun setting outside, it was time for the Nashville Boogie to once again amp up the party vibes. The Rhythm Shakers feature rockabilly-influenced rock music with touches of blues. Between front woman Marlene Perez’s powerful voice and the band’s rollicking guitar and thumping bass, the room was quickly on its feet. Being eight months pregnant didn’t prevent Perez from putting on a fiery show, and the Boogie faithful counted themselves lucky to catch the set as the band will be putting touring on hold until after the baby arrives. Congratulations Marlene!
It was fascinating to see the international reach of the modern rockabilly scene on display at the festival. Charlie Hightone, who came to the Boogie all the way from Madrid, Spain, is a modern artist with a classic rockabilly voice. Musically, his dance-worthy set honored the more traditional sounds of the genre with excited acoustic guitar and slapped bass.
The Sonics are a legendary garage rock band, so it was fitting that my next stop was back to the Ryman Garage Stage to check out the Seattle rockers. The band has been through some changes, but the current lineup is still a rock powerhouse. The band blazed through the songs that made it iconic, including its take on “Louie, Louie,” “Strychnine,” “Psycho,” and “The Witch.”
Back at the Tennessee Ballroom Stage, it was time for the more traditional rockabilly and western swing sounds of Deke Dickerson. Dickerson put together a mix of originals including crowd favorite “Nightmare of a Woman,” and tributes to the classics. There was a rush to the dance floor during his high octane version of Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.”
Staying at the Tennessee Ballroom Stage and sticking with traditional rockabilly style, I closed out the evening with Boston, Massachusetts-based Jittery Jack. Jittery Jack threw down a 50’s rock influenced, foot-tapping, dance-inspiring set with help of his electrifying guitarist, “Miss Amy” Griffin. It was good to see that the rockabilly torch continues to burn with emerging artists.
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Review: Hillbilly Casino at The Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender
I have heard their music. I have watched their videos. I was still not prepared for the hard-rocking frenzy of Hillbilly Casino at the 2017 Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender. With a loyal legion of fans pressed against the Ryman Garage Stage at Opryland Hotel, the band was ready to throw down from the first note—and the energy never let up. The crowd screamed, danced, and sang through the entire set, a perfect match to the band’s intensity.
To be clear, Hillbilly Casino is not your father’s rockabilly–it’s what you would get if Rage Against the Machine decided to make a roots album. Thunderous guitar, piercing vocals, and headbanging upright bass made the whole place echo and shake. There is no indication that the band intends to relax from their rocking ways–the set featured several raucous songs that will be on their upcoming album.
It was also more than a concert–it turned into a movie set. In a bit of an odd, but fun twist, front man Nic Roulette broke out a camcorder and informed us that we were all part of a movie. You see, the band had caught a Scooby Doo-like villian causing trouble throughout the Boogie. When unmasked, the perpetrator turned out to be none other than surprise guest Chops McClintock of the Krank Daddies. McClintock then joined the band, adding his signature grinding guitar sound to the frenzy.
The Nashville Boogie Weekender does a fantastic job of bringing together the legends of rockabilly and the new guard. Hillbilly Casino certainly embraces, even features, the rock in rockabilly and are exactly what the genre needs to keep it fresh, exciting, and edgy.
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Album Review: North Mississippi Allstars – Prayer For Peace
With their swampy riffs and mud-covered rock n’ roll, the North Mississippi Allstars have always honored the past while keeping an eye on the future. That tradition continues with their forthcoming album, Prayer For Peace, a collection of Allstars originals as well as reinterpretations of works by legendary artists that have influenced the band. Anchored by core members and industry vets Luther and Cody Dickinson, the Allstars have earned a well-deserved reputation as blues masters. Despite Prayer For Peace being the band’s eighth album, the brothers’ passion for playing is still front and center.Building on the success of 2013’s World Boogie is Coming, the band continues to explore global themes with Prayer For Peace. As the first song on the album, the title track sets the mood early with messages of inclusion and calls for equality. With a driving bass line and funky drum beat, the song is an optimistic rallying cry that gets the heart beating and the mind thinking about the evolution of societal peace. Another standout is their uptempo take on the classic gospel song “You Got to Move”–a bluesy standard made famous by Mississippi Fred McDowell. The track features the impressive and soulful vocals of Danielle Nicole which provide a classical twist on the Allstars’ modern musical approach. They also pay tribute to Mississippi blues legend R.L. Burnside with their take on “Long Haired Doney,” which should carry a warning label for its insane amount of funky electric slide guitar.
In what could be a risky move, the album was created in five different studios and features co-production; recording took place in hubs of the blues scene–Memphis (at the legendary Royal Studios), New Orleans, St. Louis–and includes co-production from Memphis legend Boo Mitchell. Even with many hands in the pot, Prayer For Peace is remarkably cohesive, and the most refined production of the Allstars’ work to date.
Too often bands try to adapt or evolve to conform to the whims of the modern music scene, and in the end, forget who they are and from where they came. Fortunately, the North Mississippi Allstars have long mastered the art of blending tradition with contemporary influences; while more mature and polished, the band maintains the same core rocking blues style (after eight albums!) and keeps it fresh and exciting. With Prayer For Peace, the North Mississippi Allstars prove yet again why they are stalwarts of the contemporary blues and blues rock realm.
Purchase Prayer For Peace, out June 2nd via Sony Legacy: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/prayer-for-peace/id1213136768
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Video Premiere: “Ol’ Slew Foot” by Mark Lavengood
“I remember hearing this song first from a YouTube video of the Telluride House Band with Sam Bush leading the tune, joined by Bela Fleck, Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer. It was a burner!” says Michigan-based dobro master Mark Lavengood of “Ol’ Slew Foot.” “The energy was so high it was contagious.”On May 11th, Lavengood released his rootsy new album, We’ve Come Along, his third solo effort. Today, he unleashes a one-of-a-kind new video of his fiery interpretation of the song. The video for “Ol’ Slew Foot” was recorded in Grand Rapids, Michigan (for the geographically challenged, look at your right hand, which is similar to the shape of The Wolverine State, and Grand Rapids is a little south of your pinky); the beginning of the video features Lavengood himself in a bear suit running around local shops and small businesses throughout the city. We are transported to the shores of Lake Michigan (left of your pinky on the hand map), in which Lavengood chases the bear around in hot pursuit, wearing his signature short shorts, as the bear steals his dobro and runs away. While silliness and friendship ensues, there’s no denying this video highlights some of the finest bluegrass flat-picking the state of Michigan has to offer.This weekend, our hero will finish off a solid stretch of album release shows in Michigan with a show at the prestigious, nationally-acclaimed listening room, The Ark in Ann Arbor (right above your wrist on the pointer finger side); Lavengood will also provide opening support for Greensky Bluegrass at their annual Bell’s Beer Garden show in Kalamazoo (right above your wrist on the pinky side), and will tour with Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, making appearances at national festivals like Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Grey Fox, Red Wing Roots Music Festival, Sisters Folk Fest, and Romp.Without further ado, Mother Church Pew proudly presents “Ol’ Slew Foot,” the new video from Mark Lavengood:Purchase We’ve Come Along: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/weve-come-along/id1239611322