Well-known artists contributed to the album, Come See About Me: A Benefit for the IBMA Trust Fund, including Balsam Range, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, Donna Ulisse, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, The Grascals, The Lonesome River Band, Love Canon, Sideline, and the Mountain Home Family. The general themes of the album are appreciation, help, and hope.
It is a real pleasure to listen to the album, not just because of the excellent bluegrass musicianship of the various artists but also because of the heartwarming messages these songs convey. We have the lonesome cry of sorrow balanced by love, compassionate friendship, and hope.
Lonesome River Band – “If I Needed You”
There are wonderful covers of popular songs like Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You” by The Lonesome River Band, Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” performed by Love Canon, and of course the Beatles’ “Help” by the Grascals, each artfully rendered.
The last song is “Come See About Me” but it is not the love song we are used to hearing that goes “come see about me, baby…” Rather, it encompasses the vast difficulties of humanity. As the album notes, it is “a Bluegrass ‘We Are the World’ effort showcasing multiple artists” including those found in the other songs on this album.
In the Balsam Range performance of “We’re All in This Together,” the band takes turns with vocals and instrumentals to create a feeling of cooperation along with the words in the song. Chris Jones and the Night Drivers perform a minor key song “Glimpse of the Kingdom” which musically contrasts in a good way with the rest of the album. Lonesome River Band offers a duet of Brooke Aldridge with Brandon Rickman on the Townes Van Zandt song “If I Needed You” giving it another dimension.
The album was produced by Mountain Home Music Company, which will donate the net proceeds from all sales to the IBMA Trust Fund. Artists contributed freely.
The collection is available for pre-order now, and fans can catch a three-minute teaser in this YouTube video. Radio programmers can download the first single release, “Come See About Me,” from AirPlay Direct and fans can stream it HERE now. To make direct donations to the Fund, click HERE.
Mountain Home Music
Jeanne,
I don’t know whether you knew, but He Who passed away on September 11, 2018. Tonia Shoumatoff wants me to try to reach you. So, that’s the purpose of this email.
Tonia is having a memorial for Nick at the Trailside Nature Museum this Sunday afternoon. A lot of Nick’s old friends will be there, many with instruments. Walt Koken, John Coster, Bill Walach, Marty Lebenson and I will be there. We’re going to send Nick off with old-time music, the Dewachen prayer and the Amitahba mantra. Please email Tonia at toniashou@gmail.com .
Thanks and best wishes. I hope you can come, Jeanne.
Will