Chatham County Line's Tightrope | Album Review

Article Contributed by Kevin Adams | Published on Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Chatham County Line’s new album 'Tightrope' debuted at #3 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart. North Carolina funambulists Dave Wilson, (Guitar, Harmonica, Vocal) John Teer, (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocal) Chandler Holt (Banjo, Guitar, Vocal) and Greg Readling (Bass, Pedal Steel, Piano, Vocal) return to Colorado promoting their sixth studio album on Yep Roc. For over a decade, Chatham County Line has remained the same four members. However, each man has developed musically and personally. "There's a lot of growing up in this record," muses Wilson. This recent album balances the youthful exuberance and seasoned experience of CCL.

Wilson shares that the title track began as an instrumental written by Holt, “the chromatic banjo part suggested the image of a tightrope walker.” As the album developed out of CCL’s balanced musical approach, Wilson suggested Tightrope was metaphor of the band “walking this weird tightrope between bluegrass and acoustic music, creating this alternative folk country sound, and we choose to stay on our own narrow path.” This musical harmony is evident in the iconic “one mic” approach.

View the Official Video for Chatham County Line’s “Tightrope of Love”

Track list for Tightrope:

  1. The Traveler
  2. Should Have Known
  3. Any Port in a Storm
  4. Girl She Used to Be
  5. Tightrope of Love
  6. Sixteen Years
  7. Love I Found
  8. Hawk
  9. Ships At Sea
  10. Will You Still Love Me
  11. Final Reward

Chatham County Line takes their act west this summer with several dates in Colorado including Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival before pulling the bus up to the legendary Telluride Bluegrass Festival where they will share the stage with Bluegrass giants like Sam Bush, Bela Fleck and Peter Rowan.

Chatham County Line on Tour in Colorado:

6/13/2014

Ft. Collins, CO

Avogadro's Number

6/13/2014

Boulder, CO

HB Woodsongs

6/14/2014

Denver, CO

The Soiled Dove

6/15/2014

Palisade, CO

Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival

6/20/2014

Telluride, CO

Telluride Bluegrass

6/20/2014

Telluride, CO

Nightgrass

There is plenty more stops for the Tightrope Tour, find your city here.

Want to hear more about the album, checkout this interview with Chatham County Line.