Album Notes

We are particularly proud of this CD - the music, the production (once again, by our dear friend Don Dixon) and the cover art (an original painting by our talented friend Leesa Chenoweth).

The 14 tracks feature what we feel is our most interesting collection of tunes to date. A number of new originals that range from our tribute to Charleston (“Little Bitty City”), our paean to WV’s favorite illegal beverage (“Moonshine”), and our “coming of age in WV” song (“They Want Your Monkey”) to the sing-a-long “Ants in Your Pants” and the gospel “It’s a Blessing.”

And celebrating our 25th year of making music together, we do indeed fell blessed.

Covers include Fats Domino’s “Big Wheel” and LaVern Baker’s “Bumblebee,” to the Curtis Mayfield-sounding “Nobody Can Turn Me Around” and the Staple Singer’s “Whicha Way Did it Go,” which commemorated Hank Aaron’s 715th home run - which besting Babe Ruth’s record.

The disc ends with a version of “This World is Not my Home” with just an omnichord and vocals. It is a goodbye song to Steve Ferguson, another dear friend (and incredible guitarist who guested on our last CD, “Ants in Your Pants”) who passed away in 2010.

Once again, Don Dixon engineered, produced and added sundry instruments, spreading his “fairy dust” about on almost every tune. Bill Kirchen, another longtime friend - who just happens to be one of our favorite guitarists - played on the entire CD and left his stamp on every tune.

We recorded the basic tracks at Cinderella Studios, Nashville’s oldest, continuously operating recording studio. By no coincidence, the studio is owned by Charleston native Wayne Moss.

Wayne is nothing short of a legend among musicians. He played the signature guitar intro on Roy Orbison’s hit “Pretty Woman,” the amazing guitar solo on Waylon Jennings’ “The Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line,” and played on seminal Dylan LPs like “Blonde on Blonde.” He was also the bassist in the “Hee Haw” house band for 15 years (under the direction of harmonica legend - and Fayetteville native - Charlie McCoy).

Other guests include:
* John Deaderick (keyboards). John is a Charleston native who has toured with the Dixie Chicks, Patty Griffin and Michael McDonald. Most recently he was out with Alison Krauss.

* Russ Hicks (pedal steel). Born in Oak Hill, Russ is a veteran of hundreds of Nashville recording sessions who was in the “Hee Haw” house band with Wayne Moss and Charlie McCoy.

* Jerry Douglas. Perhaps the finiest dobro player in the world, Jerry happened to hear John Deaderick listening to some of the tracks while on the road with Alison Krauss. He liked what he heard and offered to play on the record. You can hear him playing lap steel on the gospel tune “He Saved My Soul.” Jerry wasn’t born in WV but has enough relatives in the Fayetteville area to be a certified hillbilly.