Album Notes

Tim Carter's been playing music for as long as he can remember. As a highly respected instrumentalist as well as accomplished engineer, Carter has seen both sides of the board and is a better musician for it. With one listen of his playing, there is never any doubt of his exceptional ability to convey a song to the listener both lyrically and musically and on his debut BANG BANG!, these qualities move front and center.

Influenced very early on by the strains of Appalachian bluegrass and folk music that surrounded him as a child growing up in North Carolina, Tim became obsessed with the banjo and spent many hours learning the different styles of great players. 'I started listening to bluegrass quite a bit when I was 15 years old and the banjo seemed to be shouting my name', he recalls. 'I listened to alot of british blues rockers for soul and feel'.

Tim also played in various bluegrass-folk bands while in college in Banner Elk, N.C. "I listened to quite a few British blues rockers in my teen years, even while learning to play the banjo and I still listen to that type of music a lot. I think much of my style comes from that," he says.

On BANG BANG!, Carter's first solo release, he pours his musical influences and his North Carolina heritage into each track and masterfully melds them together with some of the most celebrated names in bluegrass and acoustic music including Tim O'Brien, Alison Brown, Casey Driessen, Matt Flinner, Tim Stafford (Blue Highway), Jim Hurst, Rob Ickes (Blue Highway) and Ross Sermons. Brother and partner in The Carter Brothers Band, Danny Carter, also joins him for this rousing collection.

Blurbs:

Alison Brown: GRAMMY winning banjoist
Tim Carter’s music reminds me of the things I love most about playing bluegrass. There’s a real joy in his playing and singing and a great love for the music, both its tradition and the fellowship that playing with others creates. I always enjoy the chance to be a part of Tim’s recording projects and “Bang Bang” is no exception. It’s a great album, filled with tasty playing and heart felt singing. Great job Timmy! Take a listen and enjoy.


Tony Trischka: Banjo Master
ok, he sings, picks and composes soulfully wonderfully and surrounds himself with the creme de la creme of musical cohorts....his playing is alternately sweet and driving, as the setting requires...his compositions add valuable new repertoire to the bluegrass and progressive canon...his banjoic ideas are sublimely crafted and, by the way, this music will stand the test of time and these tones should immediately find their way onto your turntable, cd player, i pod, hard drive, telephone, or other future media vehicle of the 22nd century.....
thanks for your music, tim....tt

Dave Higgs: Bluegrass Breakdown Radio Show
"It's all here: breathtaking shot-from-guns picking; fascinating and intelligently crafted originals; inspired singing and imaginative arrangements that are replete with extraordinary musicianship and melodic surprises. This powerful collection is propelled by Tim's trademark woody banjo tones, uncanny sense of adventure and endless soul. With his feet firmly planted in bluegrass, but with an ear cocked towards Celtic music and the blues, Tim deftly traverses, with poignancy and immediacy, the wide gulf between such disparate subjects as snake handling, wanderlust and a son's love for his father. With "Bang, Bang," he further entrenches himself as one of the genre's premier singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalists."

Tim O'Brien: GRAMMY winning artist
Tim Carter cleans his collards on the rinse cycle of his washing machine, and he plugs his banjer into the sound system. It's just easier that way, and it still tastes and sounds the way you like it. Get with him and get comfortable because that's the way you want be. Wear your flip-flops to his gig in case there's glass in the parkin' lot, but you can listen to his new solo CD barefooted. Nice option


The 10 songs Carter put together stand out by virtue of their unique blend of simplicity and depth of feeling, capturing time, place and hearts with mastery. As syndicated radio host, Dave Higgs of Bluegrass Breakdown puts it, "Tim deftly traverses the wide gulf between such disparate subjects as snake handling, wanderlust and a son's love for his father. With "Bang, Bang," he further entrenches himself as one of the genre's premier singer/songwriters and multi-instrumentalists."

The instrumentation and musical arrangements perfectly complement Carter's earthy vocals. From the song titled 'Where I Belong', about his first time in Ireland to the sweet simplicity of Second Son,is about a son's remembrances of a father since passed, to the gentle tribute to Carter's old friend and musical mentor, Vassar Clements titled Vassillie's Lullaby, is a name that was written on the fingerboard of Vassar's fiddle and represented his name and his wife Millie's name together, Carter hits each piece with an emotional punch that the listener won't soon forget.

Carter continues to tour full-time with his brother Danny in the Carter Brothers Band, mixing his love of bluegrass with Danny's penchant for rock and blues. Their musical journey together and with their band, showcasing electric/acoustic, folk, rock, bluegrass and blues, continues filling venues across the country. But, it's Tim's venture into the solo spotlight that brings his musical versatility to the forefront. Playing numerous instruments on the album, including guitar, mandolin and his beloved banjo, writing or co-writing all 10 tracks and sitting behind the board, Carter's talents are ready to shine.