It’s been a long time since the Steeldrivers’ last album, coming up on five years, along with another change of lead singers. There’s quite the story to go along with that, but I’ll start by saying that there are very few bands could survive going into their third lead singer (1st – Chris Stapleton, 2nd – Gary Nichols, 3td – Kelvin Damrell).
It would have been easy to get discouraged and give up after the lead singer change, and it says a lot for the band’s dedication to the music and their sound that they’ve stuck it out. Speaking of their sound, they actually discovered Kelvin via a YouTube cover he posted of a cover of a Chris Stapleton song. And yes, his voice does stand right up there with both Chris and Gary’s sound. His background comes more from rock and roll, but since the Steeldrivers have always been something of an R&B bluegrass band that’s not a bad fit at all.
“I Choose You”
And the songs on Bad For You? Welcome back to the familiar sound of the Steeldrivers; Jack Daniels, blood, heartbreak, guns, and I’m probably missing prison in there somewhere. They’re not breaking new ground here, but if you like the sound of the old Steeldrivers you’re going to like the sound of the new Steeldrivers, and it should be especially fun to see them in concert!
The band is Tammy Rodgers (fiddle), Mile Fleming (bass), Brent Truitt (mandolin), Richard Bailey (banjo), and Kelvin Damrell (guitar and vocals)
