BACK TO THE WELL
by The Daughters of Bluegrass

2006 IBMA RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR

FEATURING:

Lorraine Jordan, Gena Britt, Julie Elkins, Dale Ann Bradley,
Jeanette Williams, Michelle Nixon, Vicki Simmons, Mindy Rakestraw, Beth Lawrence, Becky Buller, Frances Mooney, Angela Oudean,
Valerie Smith, Louisa Branscomb, Megan McCormick,
Heather Berry and Donica Christensen.

See PRESS page for more info.


CLICK TRACKS BELOW TO LISTEN TO SAMPLES


1. Go Back to the Well (Lorraine Jordan, Dixie Hall) 3:37
lead vocal Dale Ann Bradley and all Daughters:harmony-Gena Britt,Vickie Simmons

2. Homesick for the Hills (Dixie & Tom T. Hall) 3:09
lead vocal - Dale Ann Bradley; harmony - Julie Elkins,Vickie Simmons

3. Come On Down the Mountain (Becky Buller) 2:32
lead vocal - Becky Buller; harmony-Valerie Smith,Vickie Simmons,Jeanette Williams, Michelle NIxon

4. Hickory Wind (Gram Parsons, Bob Buchanan) 2:58
lead vocal - Lorraine Jordan; harmony-Jeanette Williams

5. Never Made It Home (David A. Thompson) 4:12
lead vocal -- Julie Elkins; harmony - Gena Britt,Beth Lawrence

6. How’s It Feel (Dixie & Tom T. Hall) 2:59
lead vocal - Jeanette Williams; harmony-Michelle Nixon

7. Still Feel the Nails (Tim Tew) 3:36
lead vocal –Gena Britt harmony-Jeanette Williams

8. Hicker Nut Ridge (Ron Sweet) 3:14
lead vocal - Mindy Rakestraw; harmony-Lorraine Jordan, Frances Mooney

9. Fools Gold (Louisa Branscomb) 4:28
lead vocal - Frances Mooney; harmony-Mindy Rakestraw

10. Prisoner Song (p. d.) 3:03
lead vocal - Gena Britt

11. Pocket Knives & Fiddle Tunes 2:55 (Tommy Austin)
lead vocal - Valerie Smith; harmony - Becky Buller, Vickie Simmons

12. Picture of Jesus (Dixie & Tom T. Hall) 3:19
lead vocal - Heather Berry; harmony- Jeanette Williams

13. Grass Angels (Michelle Nixon, Loni Kirklin) 2:45
lead vocal - Michelle Nixon; harmony - Jeanette Williams, Gena Britt

MUSICIANS:

GENA BRITT (1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10,13)
JULIE ELKINS (1, 2, 5,11)
DALE ANN BRADLEY (1, 2, 3),
BECKY BULLER ( 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
FRANCES MOONEY (8, 9, 10)
JEANETTE WILLIAMS (12)
ANGELA OUDEAN (1, 2, 4, 5, 6,13)
DONICA CHRISTIENSEN (12)
HEATHER BERRY (12)
MEGAN McCORMICK (1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13)
LORRAINE JORDAN (1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13)
MINDY RAKESTRAW ( 7, 8, 9, 10)
BETH LAWRENCE (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 13)

LABEL:

www.BlueCircleRecords.com


REVIEWS FOR BACK TO THE WELL

BLUEGRASS MUSIC PROFILES

DAUGHTERS OF BLUEGRASS
Back To The Well
Blue Circle Records
BY GRACIE MULDOON

With all the “grassy girls” of bluegrass lined up pickin' and grinnin' you know from the moment you see the cover that this is a special project. Singers, songwriters and pickers appearing on Back To The Well are Dixie Hall, Lorraine Jordan, Gena Britt, Julie Elkins, Dale Ann Bradley, Vicki Simmons, Mindy Rakestraw, Beth Lawrence, Michelle Nixon, Becky Bueller, Jeanette Williams, Frances Mooney, Angel Oudean, Valerie Smith, Louisa Branscomb, Megan McCormick, Heather Berry and Donica Christensen. The title track, Back To The Well, says it all for the women in bluegrass music. Written by Dixie and Lorraine, it hits the heart of every woman anywhere who ever picked up a guitar or banjo or opened her mouth and sang a beautiful mountain song from her heart. I choked up because of its powerful message and beautiful delivery. Wow! Homesick For The Hills, a Dixie and Tom T. Hall song, is beautifully written. Sung by Dale Ann, a Kentucky angelic songbird, it carries the message that anyone raised in the mountains, who's lived there any amount of time, yearns for the time when. The CD doesn't tell you who's playing and singing on each song so you'll have to guess - although most of the voices are identifiable. Each woman performs to the utmost of her capabilities, and believe me, that's awesome. Each song is rendered tenderly, lovingly as only a woman could, but you can also feel the heat when the pickin' picks up speed and sends a hot lick up your spine. The grassy girls do it all. I recommend this CD to anyone who makes room for the girls at the jam, who books our bluegrass women at the festivals, who buys their music and sings their songs. I'm so thrilled to see them getting the attention that they deserve. BMP

Louisville Music News
By Bob Mitchell

Daughters Of Bluegrass
Blue Circle Records (BCR003)
Produced by Lorraine Jordan
Playing time: 42:18

The opening track, "Go Back To The Well," says, "We're the daughters of bluegrass playing music that we love." Indeed they are and their effort will make any mother proud. From the moment the laser hits the disc seventeen women skillfully and tastefully wind their way through thirteen tracks that showcase phenomenal talent and commitment to traditional bluegrass. These women know how to deliver a song and, simply put, the recording is a delight to hear.

Several my favorite selections include Dale Ann Bradley's lead vocal and Vicki Simmons' harmony on "Homesick for the Hills" (by Dixie & Tom T. Hall), the "Prisoner Song" from Gena Britt, "Pocket Knives & Fiddle Tunes" with Valerie Smith, Becky Buller, and Vickie Simmons, and a poignant "Picture of Jesus (by Dixie & Tom T. Hall) from Heather Berry and Jeanette Williams.

Just as the opening track makes a statement about women's role in bluegrass so does the final track. "Daughters" contains a strong message, specifically, women can (like men) love and play bluegrass and that women deserve more recognition and acceptance.  Michelle Nixon sings her heart out on an original "Grass Angels" co-written with Loni Kirklin. The song speaks
of women's determination to keep their musical dreams alive in a "man's world." It correctly asserts that women bluegrassers are "working hard to beat all the odds in a world that's never been populated with the feminine touch" and goes on to say that women are "deeply devoted ... full of spunk and steam .. and given a chance, can fly." They certainly fly on this recording. I've always believed women are equals in the bluegrass industry and this CD is proof that women have the talent and commitment.  "Daughters" is a winner.

The "Daughters" / "Grass Angels" consist of Lorraine Jordan (mandolin and vocals), Gena Britt and Julie Elkins (banjo and vocals), Dale Ann Bradley, Valerie Smith, Heather Berry, Megan McCormick, and Mindy Rakestraw (guitar and vocals), Becky Buller, Angela Oudean, Donica Christensen, (fiddle), Vicki Simmons, Frances Mooney and Beth Lawrence (bass and vocals), Michelle Nixon and Jeanette Williams (vocals) and Louisa Branscomb and Dixie Hall
(songwriters).

DAUGHTERS OF BLUEGRASS
“Back To The Well”
BY: Remo Ricaldone, Italy
(translation from italian of a review from www.americanwest.it)


The Daughters Of Bluegrass’ “Back To The Well” project wants to pay tribute to the women in the bluegrass and acoustic music tradition. During these last decades in particular, women have always occupied a major role in bluegrass with extraordinary talents like Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Lynn Morris, Claire Lynch, Laurie Lewis and Valerie Smith among others. The ever increasing number and quality of these performers is beautifully illustrated in this album where sixteen singers, guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin players alternate as protagonists. From Lorraine Jordan and Gena Britt, Carolina Road band’s mandolin and banjo players respectively, that are the promoters and the ‘glue’ of this recording to the amazing musicality of Valerie Smith, Becky Buller (excellent fiddler with Val’s Liberty Pike), Julie Elkins (banjo with the very interesting band called Kane’s River), Jeanette Williams, Michelle Nixon and Dale Ann Bradley, all of them have a leading role in this intriguing and very enjoyable cd. The quality of these songs, the well known skills of the musicians make “Back To The Well” the ideal approach to these sounds and perfect to conquer new fans to bluegrass music. Among its highlights there are Tom T. & Dixie Hall’s three compositions, “Homesick For The Hills”, “How’s It Feel” and “Picture Of Jesus”, the tasteful cover of Grma Parsons’ “Hickory Wind”, the real manifesto of this album “Go Back To The Well”, Backy Buller’s “Come On Down The Mountain” and Michelle Nixon’s “Grass Angels”, the most interesting and outstanding moments. To know better the genesis of this project andd its development I recommend a visit to www.DaughtersOfBluegrass.com.

Album Review by Joe Ross

In the excellent opening song, "Back to the Well" (written by Lorraine Jordan & Dixie Hall), the daughters of bluegrass sing about having a story they must tell, and thanking their mothers for paving the way for them. The title track, on Prime Cuts of Bluegrass' Volume 80, achieved the top three position among reporting DJs who listened to that volume. This album project, produced by Lorraine Jordan and Dale Perry, is the sophomore release from an assemblage of 18 women in the bluegrass community. The first release, "Daughters of Bluegrass," hit the streets in 2005 on the CMH label and struck gold with a nomination for IBMA's Recorded Event of the Year Award.

"Back to the Well" will certainly be met with similar accolades for its mellifluous music from Lorraine Jordan, Gena Britt, Mindy Rakestraw, Frances Mooney, Donica Christensen, Jeanette Williams, Valerie Smith, Becky Buller, Beth Lawrence, Julie Elkins, Angela Oudean, Michelle Nixon, Dale Ann Bradley, Heather Berry, Megan McCormick, and Vicki Simmons. Besides showcasing the superb songwriting abilities of Dixie Hall and Louisa Branscomb, there are also original offerings penned by Buller, Jordan, and Nixon. The contributors for each song are listed, and a paragraph of biographical information is provided for each of the 18 women involved. Bluegrass music continues to grow, and the featured artists are a testament to the wide-ranging interest in the music - the women hail from North Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, Minnesota, Kentucky, New York, and other states. Of course, there are plenty of fine women bluegrass musicians further west too.

"Back to the Well" has many brilliant moments that revolve around sweetly wistful remembrances such as "Fools Gold," as well as some spirited numbers like "Prisoner Song" and "Grass Angels" that provide plenty of opportunities for the pickers to display their solid chops and understanding of the genre. Both traditional and contemporary styling's are included. Sparer settings are chosen to lend immediacy to story songs like "Never Made it Home" and
"Pocket Knives & Fiddle Tunes," while a robust old-time flavor is imparted to Buller's "Come on Down the Mountain." This reviewer imagined hearing a few of the more thoughtful or tranquil numbers embellished with the resophonic guitar of perhaps Sally Van Meter, Cindy Cashdollar or another woman of similar caliber. One song example is Timothy Tew's (Gena Britt's husband and Dobro-player in her band) song, "Still Feel the Nails," that is very pleasantly arranged with guitar and fiddle fills but could've used perhaps a tad more. I did enjoy hearing Heather Berry's autoharp in the mix of the "Picture of Jesus."

Throughout this very enjoyable project, the vocals are expressive, winsome and warm. And the instrumental work displays clarity, freshness and vigor. For their next release, planned in 2008 on Blue Circle Records, I'll boldly recommend that these bluegrass descendants offer up some more fast and fiery barn-burners to really shake things up.. the challenge, of course, being to do so without compromising their alluring femininity. ~(Joe Ross)

 
QUOTES

Brad Klabunde, Agent/Promoter
B.K.Prod's Bluegrass Shows, Two Rivers,WI
www.bluegrassbrad.org

Lorraine Jordan & Geena Britt have arguably put together the best Bluegrass Album of the year. Not a weak spot, with great material & excellent picking & singing. I'm proud to call alot of these girls my friends. "Daughters of Bluegrass" is essential listening.

Bill Hazel, 4DDB FM, Toowoomba Q 4350, Australia

To Whom it May Concern

Just a quick note to thank you for the copy of this album which I think is just brillaint. I have presented a bluegrass & country program on our community station for over 22 years and have played music by many of these artists for a lot of those years so I am familiar with many of them, especially people like Gina Britt, Dale Ann Bradley and Lorraine Jordan. I also love the work of Tom T and Dixie Hall. They have written many great bluegrass numbers, most of them they have sent me over the years and they certainly get plenty of air play on my progam. I first heard the Daughters of Bluegrass on the Prime Cuts of Bluegrass and was immeditley impressed so am very grateful for this excellent album. If you have other artists who would like to get some airplay "down under" I would be happy to hear from them. Thank you very much once again. Keep the good bluegrass coming.

Regards,

Bill Hazel

Remo Ricaldone, Italy

" I just received The Daughters Of Bluegrass cd and I want to thank you so much! It's one of this year's best bluegrass cds and I'll be honored to add it to my radio playlist. All the best."

 

Al Shusterman

"What a wonderful idea! I never realized there was so many talented daughters out there. Talking about setting the world on fire., this CD does that with gusto. The combination of these fine Bluegrass musicians, singers and material makes this project a collectors item. You would think that you have heard the best song, but wait until the next song and it even gets better. That's the way it was the whole way through the project, Using their voices as musical instruments they ebb & flow back & forth and come back togetherto create a beautiful sound. I knew this project was going to be something special and I wasn't dissapointed. I was totally mesmerized while listening to this project. The vocals were excellent and you could really feel the emotion and enthusiasm in their voices as they sang each song. The instrumentals were flawless and dovetailed very well with the songs being sung. You had to listen to this project several times in order to fully appreciate the wonderful lyrics and their fine voices. I played the entire CD and my request line was lit the entire time it was playing. I know this CD will be my constant companion for many weeks to come.

BOB WAALAND, WLFC

" I requested the CD at approximately 10 AM and received it at 2:00 pm that same afternoon. Now that is what I call great service! You must have a very good friend at the post office!

I have played 3 or 4 cuts off it each show. The listener response is as good or better than most new projects. Best of luck and keep that great bluegrass music coming. If you see Lorraine Jordan, please tell her for me, tha the same could be said for new very good gospel CD."

You women are taking over the business!

Kevin Lynch, WWUH Radio 91.3FM, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117

"Just letting you know we received it at WWUH in CT. I played four cuts on my show so far. Very cool concept. I hope these continue. "

Joe Wills, Host, Burlington County Bluegrass, Z88-9 (WBZC) 88.9 & 95.1 FM
www.Z889.com -


"OK; it's only March and I've got my nomination for Bluegrass Album of the Year! Just as the GRASCALS brought together outstanding male talent, the DAUGHTERS have gathered equally gifted female artists. What comes out of this project is a summit of delight and excitement. Talk about "burning it down", the DAUGHTERS absolutely nuke it!"

Dave Higgs, Nashville Public Radio, Bluegrass Breakdown

I wanted to write and thank you for sending us a copy of the new Daughters of Bluegrass project, which not only showcases some of the finest female singers and musicians in the business (including yourself) but a group of killer tunes which are creatively arranged and immaculately performed. I especially enjoyed "Never Made It Home," "Come On Down the Mountain," "Go Back to the Well" and your track, "How's That Feel." This is a special recording with lots of highlights!

Thanks again!