From the
street corners of Manhattan to the hallowed stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln
Center to TV appearances on the BBC and ABC’s “Good Morning America,” The Ebony
Hillbillies are a true phenomenon, reviving the lost art form and American
legacy of string band music for a whole new generation.
Continuing
to bring a fresh urgency to the genre for a 21st Century world in need of some
deep musical education, the dynamic ensemble – led by Henrique Prince (fiddle,
vocals) with Norris Bennett (banjo, mountain dulcimer, guitar, vocals), Gloria
Thomas Gassaway (on vocals and bones), acoustic bassist William “Salty Bill”
Salter (3x-Grammy winning co-writer of legendary pop hits like “Where is the
Love” and “Just The Two of Us”), Allanah Salter (shaker, vocals), Newman Taylor
Baker (washboard percussion) and A.R. on “cowboy” percussion kit - are releasing
their latest full length album, 5 Miles From
Town.
Infused with
the Hillbillies’ trademark mix of pop, country, bluegrass, folk and jazz, the
full length collection reflects a soulful, gritty and alternately funky,
romantic and socially conscious place where toes are always tapping, percussion
is slapping, fiddles are jamming, front porch chairs are rocking, banjos are
plucking and voices are raised in determination and triumph.
Mixing
lively instrumentals and vocals over the course of 11 tracks and 3 alternately
playful and hard-hitting snippets/skits, the group performs everything from a
down home fiddle jam (“Hog”), the gentle romantic cautionary tale "Fork in
the Road” and an intimate cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” to
the incisive social commentaries “Another Man Done Gone (Hands Up Don’t Shoot)”
(about black men and police shootings) and “I’m on My Way To Brooklyn,” which
rolls as a lighthearted NYC inspired spiritual until the end...and three
gunshots.
The Ebony
Hillbillies started out on the streets of Manhattan, but their vibe and
influence has extended over the years to acclaimed live performances at
legendary venues like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center; appearances on the BBC,
Good Morning America, NBC, CBS, etc., international music workshops and
festivals, visual artist collaborations at museums (including The Whitney with
phenom Kara Walker and The Smithsonian Museum), Guest school programs, Foot
stomping and Hand-clapping Dance parties and more. In the digital era, they
have sold thousands of hard copies of their four CDs – Sabrina’s Holiday, I
Thought You Knew, Barefoot and Flying and 2015's Slappin’ A Rabbit – Live! – at
their shows and via their globally popular website, www.theEbonyHillbillies.com.
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