Since the early 1990s, when Lonesome River Band’s Sammy Shelor began pulling out a red Telecaster electric guitar to jam away on the group’s signature “Hobo Blues,” the snappy sound of “chicken pickin’” has had a place in the legendary group’s approach to bluegrass. Savvy listeners caught its unobtrusive presence in the quintet’s first single of the year, “I’m on to You,” but on “Blues,” their newest Mountain Home Music Company release, it shares the spotlight with the more traditional sounds of fiddle, mandolin and Shelor’s banjo.
“We’ve all had the ‘Blues’ in our lives,” says Shelor, “but this Adam Wright song sees the ‘Blues’ in a whole different light. It’s a light-hearted break from the sad songs — one that we have a ton of fun with. Featuring our good friend Rod Riley on the Telecaster, it comes from our upcoming ‘Telegrass’ project.”
Indeed, the Telecaster makes an early appearance in the track, sliding in between the fiddle kick-off and the opening words of the first verse and lingering underneath. Mandolinist Adam Miller’s laconic lead vocal is a perfect vehicle for the deadpan humor of Wright’s lyric:
Last thing you said when you walked out the door
Was ‘I hope you get blues like never before’
I sold the ring I bought and headed off down the road
I didn't stop 'til I got to the water, and I just want you to know
I've had the blues since you said goodbye
I've been watching these big blue waves rollin’ in under a big blue sky
With a girl in a chair with the prettiest pair of baby blue eyes
I've had the blues since you said goodbye
With a round robin instrumental “breakdown” section that sets up the defiant bridge, "I've never been better, and I kind of hope that I have these blues forever," and an extended outro that features the Telecaster trading licks with banjo and fiddle, “Blues” is a tantalizing preview of Lonesome River Band’s “Telegrass” that’s sure to perk up listeners’ ears.
"Blues" is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Music and TIDAL. Listen to it HERE.
