Category Archives: Album Review

Album Review, Americana, Artist Profiles, Folk, Music, Pop Music, rock, Virginia Artists

Caleb Meyer:  Most of the Days EP: Now Released

Since I started publishing DJ Dave’s Musical Musings in 2018, I have regularly written about musical artists from a variety of musical genres who perform in the Roanoke area and throughout the state of Virginia. With this in mind, I am featuring an up-and-coming Americana folk-rock artist.

For my first music blog of 2025, I am glad to introduce to you musician and singer-songwriter Caleb Meyer.  This artist is from Roanoke, Virginia and has just released a 5-song EP called “Most of the Days.”

Meyer is a native of Roanoke and is 25 years old. Besides living in South Carolina and Colorado, Caleb has spent the majority of his life residing in Virginia.

I first met Meyer when he was a student at Hidden Valley High School in Roanoke, when his family started attending Anglican parish, Church of the Holy Spirit (CHS) where I have worshipped since 2002. I got to know Caleb well during my time as a volunteer small group leader with the CHS senior high youth group.

After Meyer graduated from Hidden Valley High School, he studied audio engineering and music business from 2018 to 2022. After beginning his professional career in Colorado, Caleb moved back to Roanoke and started utilizing his audio engineering skills.

I recently spoke with Church of the Holy Spirit (CHS) Chief of Staff Tim Henderson, and he told me that Meyer was hired to work in the CHS Audio/Visual department in 2022. Caleb has flourished with various duties such as audio engineering and heading up live streaming of church services over the past 3 years.

Quigg Lawrence, CHS Senior Pastor and Bishop in the Anglican Church says “Caleb is like a Swiss army knife, and functions well with any task he is assigned within the CHS worship arts ministry.”

All of the professional skills Meyer has gained over the past few years have been beneficial to his budding singing career. Caleb has amassed audio equipment and uses it to mix and master recordings of his own music inside the comfort of his own home.

 Meyer can also freelance and produce music for other local Roanoke artists at his home studio. With the growing music scene in the Roanoke Valley, Caleb is hoping to tap into recording, mixing and mastering music by fellow Virginia singers and musicians.

Since 2022, Meyer has a history working with Nashville record producer and engineer Evan Sieling, world-renowned instrumentalist Scott Mulvahill, and Artimus Pyle of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Some of Caleb’s professional sound credits are listed below:

  • A Robin Built a Nest on Daddy’s Grave–Bent Mountain
  • Say You’re Gone–Luke Lively
  • Mushroom Song–Landon Carder
  • Most of the Days–Caleb Meyer
  • Peaks–Brenidy O’Dea

The outstanding audio engineering skills of Meyer were evident as I listened to Caleb’s new EP called “Most of the Days.”   It is impressive that Meyer wrote lyrics to all of the songs, sings on every track, played acoustic guitar, then mixed, and produced this EP himself. Credit goes to Evan Sieling for mastering the 5 songs.

Released on December 23, 2024, “Most of the Days” does have input from some fellow Roanoke area musicians. These guys play a variety of instruments which gives the album a full, rich sound. Acoustic guitar was handled by Meyer on the EP.

Below are the names of the 5 tracks on “Most of the Days” by Caleb + Co.

  • Hard to Say
  • Convicted (Estranged)
  • I Might Understand
  • Suffer Well
  • Coming Through

As I listened to the tracks on Caleb’s “Most of the Days” EP for the first time, I realized the tracks were an outstanding mix of musical genres:  Rock, Pop, Folk and Americana.  To hear Meyer’s music, you can access via these sites: YouTube, Apple Music, Amazon and Spotify.

Just after New Year’s Day 2025, I met Caleb at Mill Mountain Coffee in downtown Roanoke to discuss his new EP and glean information for this blog article. During our time together, Meyer shared with me about his music career, producing songs for other artists and his desire to one day create a recording studio in Roanoke.

After my interview with Meyer, I emailed him a list of questions about on his music career and life experience highlights. Caleb’s responses to my questions are found below:

DJ Dave: At what age did you start having aspirations of becoming a singer-songwriter, musician and recording artist? Briefly describe how you came about your decision to be in the music industry.

Caleb: When I was 6 years old, I wrote my first song called “Burn the Idols”. As bad as that song was (and it was BAD), it was the start of a great passion for me. Soon after writing the lyrics, my parents got me a guitar so I could start putting some music to it. My dad taught me my first few chords on guitar, and I went on to continue to teach myself from there.

 DJ Dave: Now as a musician and singer-songwriter, how do you classify the type of music that you perform? Why have you selected the multiple musical genres you sing and record?

 Caleb: I call my own style folk-rock and/or alternative. I have a pretty eclectic music taste, and that shows in my writing. That is probably why I am comfortable working in so many different genres, but some genres I am definitely more comfortable in than others. Bands like Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers were big inspirations for me, as well as artists like Ed Sheeran and Jon Bellion.

 DJ Dave: When writing new songs, do you have a particular type of subject matter you prefer or do you pen a variety of topics with your compositions?

 Caleb: It is more difficult for me to write happy songs, but I still try to incorporate a sense of hope into all my songs. Most of my lyrics have a bittersweet tone to them. The theme of this EP specifically could be described as “learning and growing from pain and past mistakes”.

On a surface level, this EP was inspired by a breakup. But if you listen to the lyrics, the content goes much deeper than that.

DJ Dave: Being an indie artist, you write, sing, record, produce, mix and master your own songs. Can you describe the process of totally creating new music?

Caleb: Whether it’s one of my own songs or a song for a production client, the process always starts as a demo or voice memo recording. From there, I normally start to develop a vision for the instrumentation and structure I want the song to have.

Next, I will record whatever instrument that will act as the backbone of the song first. For my own music, this is often acoustic guitar. After that, I will record a scratch track of the lead vocal so I can start building the rest of the instrumentation around it.

Once this is complete, I will go back and record the final vocals and put any final touches on the sound design. Once the instrumental and vocals are in a good place, it’s time to mix and master!

 DJ Dave: On your recently released “Most of the Days” EP, who are the musicians that accompanied you and what instruments did they play on your latest project?

Caleb:    EP Personnel:

  • Parker Brown: Keys
  • Ayden Young: Banjo and double bass
  • Nathan Folta: Violin
  • Taylor Folta: Cajon
  • Caleb Meyer: Guitar and vocals

Dj Dave:  In the summer of 2025, you shared with me that you are planning to perform some live gigs with some fellow musicians in the Roanoke Valley. What types of venues are you playing this summer?

 Caleb: The possible gigs I’ve got lined up for the band are backyard concerts that my friends will host. Intimate venues with close friends, and whoever else is wants to come. I will likely have a few gigs at restaurants and breweries in the Roanoke area as well, but those come up sporadically. I will be posting about any upcoming events on my Facebook page.

Looking ahead to the future, Meyer has a couple of goals in relation to his own songs, as well as recording other Roanoke Valley/Southwest Virginia artist’s music.

  • His short-term goal is working towards creating a recording studio with sound equipment inside of a mobile trailer. Meyer could then record local Roanoke artists, plus expand his services to Central and Southwestern Virginia.
  • A long-term goal that Meyer has is to create a free-standing building to house a commercial recording studio in Roanoke by the year 2030. This would allow musical artists from all across the Mid-Atlantic region to utilize this type of facility.

The official Caleb Meyer Blue Ridge Fellows photo. Courtesy Caroline Crawford.

One take away I received from my time speaking with Meyer is his desire to be a positive Christian witness with every aspect with his music and audio engineering duties.  Colossians 3:23 (English Standard Version) sums up Caleb’s belief: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

As a Christian myself, I appreciated learning about Meyer’s dedication to rely on faith in his interactions with others. His aspiration to follow biblical teachings is encouraging to me. Without a doubt, I feel that Meyer is heading in a positive direction.

Obviously, no one knows what the future will hold. I look forward seeing how Meyer’s musical career blossoms and his desire to create recording studio opportunities for other artists in the next few years. Caleb’s future looks promising and bright here in Roanoke.  Rock on!

To subscribe to my blog via email, please click the “Follow” button in the menu above.

Standard
Album Review, Broadcasting, Music, Music Countdowns, Pop Music, Radio, Retro Rock

The Beatles Abbey Road Album at 55

Photo above:  Yours truly, DJ Dave with my three-year old dog Abbey Road, whom I named after the legendary album by the Beatles. Photo credit: Stephanie Woodson.

It is hard to believe that it has been 55 years since the Beatles “Abbey Road” (AR) album was released during the fall of 1969.  Arguably, the last studio album that was recorded by the British rock band is among the most renowned rock albums from the late 60s.

The “Abbey Road” album had two release dates:  In the United Kingdom, the LP came out on September 26, 1969 while in the United States, AR became available almost a week later on October 1st.

On this 55th anniversary of the 1969 Beatles album, I am sharing my thoughts on how the music of Abbey Road has aged, along with historical significance of individual songs.  I will also have a countdown on what I consider to be the 8 best full-length tracks on AR.

 I must note: this message is not a review of the Fab Four’s AR album.  For those wanting to read opinions on the 1969 LP, there are plenty of online sources to view what others have written about “Abbey Road.”

The Beatles masterpiece LP is rated at #5 on Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” listing. Most music historians in 2024 praise AR as an outstanding Fab Four compilation.  

“Abbey Road” contains 17 songs: It starts with 8 full-length tracks and ends with a 16-minute medley of 9 short songs. I will be describing the AR songs in a couple of groupings.

The first category will be breaking down the 9-song medley, while in the second section I will countdown my ranking of the AR 8 full-length tracks.

Here are the 9 medley songs:

  • You Never Give Me Your Money
  • Sun King
  • Mean Mr. Mustard
  • Polythene Pam
  • She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
  • Golden Slumbers
  • Carry That Weight
  • The End
  • Her Majesty

As I recently re-listened to the Beatles 16-minute medley, I came away appreciating the brilliance of what some have nicknamed “The Abbey Road Suite.”

I believe the AR medley was a foundational building block for the progressive rock sub-genre of music that became popular in the early 70s. This outstanding medley utilizes a variety of musical instruments, many that weren’t normally associated with pop rock sounds in 1969.

Some main characteristics of the 9-song medley and interesting facts:

  • Classical and jazz music elements
  • Multiple tempo changes within songs
  • Subject matter with lyrics in songs are mostly unrelated
  • Songs tied together by chord transitions and/or sound effects
  • The last song “Her Majesty” is considered a “hidden track” and is only 14 seconds long

My favorite 3 songs on the medley are “Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End.”  I have seen Paul McCartney twice in concert during the past ten years and at both shows, he ended his encore performance with these 3 songs from the AR medley.

Now it is on to my countdown of the 8-full-length tracks on AR.  Here are the songs in order of placement on the album:

  • Come Together
  • Something
  • Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
  • Oh! Darling
  • Octopus’s Garden
  • I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
  • Here Comes the Sun
  • Because

My countdown goes from what I consider to be the least significant song to the number 1 overall best Beatles track on “Abbey Road.”

8.    Maxwell’s Silver Hammer

Primarily written by Paul McCartney 

Credited as a Lennon/McCartney written song

McCartney has lead vocals on song

A tune that has an upbeat sound, is catchy and sounds pleasant but the song is actually Paul McCartney’s contribution to “death pop.”  A student named Maxwell Edison commits homicides with a hammer.  Ringo Starr cleverly plays an anvil on this avant-garde ode.

 7.    Octopus’s Garden

Written by Ringo Starr & Beatles drummer sings lead vocals

This whimsical ditty was only the 2nd song written by Ringo recorded by the Beatles.  Starr created “bubbling sound effects” for his country flavored tune. Jim Henson’s Muppets covered the song with multiple Sesame Street videos.  Starr published a children’s book called “Octopus’s Garden” in 2013.

6.     Because

Primarily written by John Lennon

Credited as a Lennon/McCartney written song

Lennon has lead vocals on song

The Beatles Bible states that John Lennon wrote “Because” after he heard Yoko Ono play Ludwig van Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata on a piano. The track features a harpsichord and Moog synthesizer. Has dreamy 3-part harmonies by Harrison, McCartney and Lennon.

5.    I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

Primarily written by John Lennon

Credited as a Lennon/McCartney written song

Lennon has lead vocals on song 

An almost 8-minute tune. Written as a love song to Yoko Ono by John Lennon. It incorporates progressive rock sounds. The most psychedelic composition on the AR album. Billy Preston is guest organist. Multi-tracked guitars, driving bass and a Moog synthesizer blend together for a superb musical delight.

4.    Oh! Darling

Primarily written by Paul McCartney

Credited as a Lennon/McCartney written song

McCartney has lead vocals on song

The British band paid tribute to 50s rock ‘n’ roll, R&B and doo-wop sounds on this throwback track with a catchy melody. The Trio of Lennon, Harrison and McCartney recorded outstanding three-part doo-wop vocal harmonies to backup Sir Paul’s larynx-shredding lead vocals.

3.    Come Together

Primarily written by John Lennon

Credited as a Lennon/McCartney written song

Lennon has lead vocals on song

“Come Together” was released as a double-A-sided 45-rpm single along with “Something” on October 6, 1969. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hard driving blues rock tune. Paul McCartney’s exceptional melodic bass line riff rocks on this tune.

Who knows what this John Lennon sardonic nonsensical lyric actually means? The phrase, “Here comes old flat-top” is a direct quote from Chuck Berry’s, 1956 song “You Can’t Catch Me.”  Ringo Starr proclaimed in 2021 that “Come Together” was his favorite Beatles song of all time.

2.    Something

Written by George Harrison & Beatles guitarist sings lead vocals

“Something” was released as a double-A-sided 45-rpm single along with “Come Together.”  This George Harrison penned love ballad to his first wife Pattie Boyd, is the only Beatles #1 song not written by Lennon/McCartney.

The opening lyric was taken from the title of “Something in the Way She Moves”, a track by another Apple Records artist James Taylor. Harrison’s guitar riffs on this tune are exquisite.

 This song received the Ivor Novello Award for “Best Song Musically and Lyrically” in 1969, ranked as the 17th-most recorded song of the 20th century and is #110 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” listing.

  1.   Here Comes the Sun

Written by George Harrison & Beatles guitarist sings lead vocals

Without a doubt, I consider “Here Comes the Sun” as the best song on “Abbey Road.”  I place this melodic acoustical tune as my 5th favorite Beatles song of all-time.

Together with his second contribution to AR, “Something”, many music historians place Harrison’s song-writing on par with that of Lennon & McCartney.  The “Quiet Beatle” wrote his beloved composition when he was outside visiting his friend Eric Clapton’s home in early 1969.

An exceptional acoustic guitar part by Harrison was enhanced by producer George Martin’s hiring of an orchestra of violas, cellos, piccolos, flutes and clarinets.  It gives this cheerful pop song a classical feel.

During the 21st century, Harrison’s track is the most streamed Beatles song on Spotify and other online music platforms around the world.  Folks of all ages love the positive, encouraging message of Harrison’s number 1 AR song on my countdown: “Here Comes the Sun.

That wraps up my musical musings of the Beatles “Abbey Road” album at 55.  I look forward reading your comments below on any aspect of AR, including what you consider to be the best song on the album.

As music historians state, the Beatles had much tension when recording tracks for “Abbey Road” and were on the verge of breaking up.  Hardly anyone knew that AR would be the swansong achievement for the greatest rock band of the 20th century.

I rate the Beatles “Abbey Road” as a masterpiece and one of the best albums from the late 60s.

I close this article by quoting lyrics from the last song recorded collectively by all four of the Beatles and also the final song of the AR medley, “The End.”  Rock on!

“And in the end, the love you take, Is equal to the love you make.”

To subscribe to my blog via email, please click the “Follow” button in the menu above.

Standard
Album Review, Artist Profiles, Music

Locks: Fresh New Sara Niemietz Single from Upcoming Superman Album

Sara Niemietz with guitar. Photo credit: Xanderphotography.com

I describe the new single “Locks” by Sara Niemietz as hot, hip and happening indie rock. The song is now available for purchase and is the first track from an upcoming October 2022 Niemietz album release called “Superman.”

The “Locks” single and the remaining 13 other tracks from the new “Superman” LP are a collaboration between Sara Niemietz and her musical partner Linda Taylor.  This dynamic duo merged their musical talents together over the past two years: Niemietz-Taylor are co-producers for “Superman” and co-wrote every song on their collaborative project.

Niemietz is a singer-songwriter, musician, actor and member of PostModern Jukebox, who has recorded 3 albums during her career.  Taylor is a superb guitarist, composer, music producer and plays guitar on ABC TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”  Together, the Niemietz-Taylor team creates musical magic!

Sara Niemietz and Linda Taylor before a Smith Center concert in Las Vegas, Nevada May 2022.

With the production of “Locks” and “Superman” by Niemietz-Taylor, the duo employed session musicians for their recordings. Personnel on all 14 songs include:

  • Sara Niemietz – vocals
  • Linda Taylor – guitars
  • Léo Costa – drums
  • Ed Roth – keyboards
  • Daniel Pearson – bass

Here are my thoughts about the new Niemietz-Taylor single.   When I heard “Locks” for the first time, I responded back to Sara and Linda via email with the following reply: “The track is a good choice for a first single. It is a catchy, up-tempo groove.  Excellent interplay with the drum, guitar and bass. I love the special effects with the switching of tune tempo. Outstanding vocals and harmonies. A Superb production. Pleasing to my ear.”

What does the co-producer team of Niemietz-Taylor have to say about their new single?  I asked Sara and Linda about “Locks” and they answered my inquiry from two different continents.

Sara Niemietz and Linda Taylor in studio during the “Superman” album recording sessions. Early 2022.

Taylor’s answer came to me from her Los Angeles, California home, submitting a quote from an official press release on “Locks” and the “Superman” album: “The bluesy “Locks” captures the bittersweet side of getting through life challenges. Here, Sara’s rich and sultry vocals imbue the song with a sense of burnished hope befitting the lyrics. One choice passage reads: “Who’s that looking out from the mirror/A little bit leaner, meaner/She figured it out/Can’t believe what I see/It’s almost hard to believe/This other side of the street I’m standing on.”

Album art for new Sara Niemietz single “Locks.”

My question for Niemietz: “Why did she and Taylor choose “Locks” as the first single to be released?  Sara replied via email, on a bus somewhere in Austria, as she was touring with PostModern Jukebox last month: “We have new versions of some previously released songs on “Superman” but “Locks” was the first idea specifically for the album. It went through several re-writes and re-records before we found its heart. In fairness, it got a little beat up, but we weren’t willing to let it go. Now we find it just feels like the start, the start of the setlist, the start of the album, the opening chapter, it sets everything in motion and the obvious first single.”

“Super” Sara in costume.

Link for purchasing “Locks” single: https://tinyurl.com/saralocks

Sara’s official website: www.saraniemietz.com

Linda’s official website: www.lindataylormusic.com

 As I mentioned above, “Locks” and all the songs on “Superman” were written and produced by Niemietz-Taylor.   The album will feature five new studio versions of previously released singles of the past two years: “Come to Me”, “Superman”, “Lovely Lies”, “The Dimming”, and “GOODX3.” From these five existing songs, the last two have already become fan favorites for those who follow the Niemietz-Taylor musical pair.

A second single from “Superman” called “I Want You” was released on September 23.

Considering that Niemietz has recorded three excellent albums during her career, “Superman” promises to be a musical delight.  The collaborative Niemietz-Taylor album is now available for pre-ordering from Bandwear. Link to purchase album is below:

Sara Niemietz
Album art for Sara Niemietz “Superman” album.

For anyone searching for new music to purchase this summer, look no further than “Locks” and the upcoming “Superman” album from Sara Niemietz and Linda Taylor.  I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.  Rock on!

To subscribe to my blog via email, please click the “Follow” button in the menu above.

Standard
Album Review, Artist Profiles, Music, Virginia Artists

Come Home: Album from Bent Mountain: Encouraging Bluegrass Music

The CD cover of Come Home by Bent Mountain. **All photos on this music blog message were provided courtesy of Quigg Lawrence.

In my home state of Virginia, many bluegrass song lyrics are written about topics pertinent to living life in the valleys and mountains of Appalachia.  Besides the universal subject of love, many Virginian bluegrass songs mention hard living, working the land, feeding families with wages below poverty or permanently loosing coal mining jobs.

In contrast to the lyrical content of most traditional bluegrass created within the Appalachian region of Virginia, others are producing music that is full of hope and encouragement. One such project is an album called “Come Home” by Bent Mountain.

The overall message with this new Roanoke, Virginia bluegrass compilation, can be found on the album’s front CD cover, referencing Matthew 11:28 from the New Testament of the Bible: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

The spiritual aspect of this project comes as no surprise, as the genesis for this new 10-track bluegrass music album comes from Dr. Quigg Lawrence, who is senior pastor at Church of the Holy Spirit, an Anglican parish in Roanoke, Virginia. Lawrence has ministered with his Roanoke congregation for 32 years.

Bishop Quigg Lawrence

In addition to his pastoral duties with Church of the Holy Spirit, Lawrence also serves as a Bishop for the Diocese of Christ Our Hope, which is part of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). Lawrence was consecrated Bishop in February 2013.

My family and I have been members with Church of the Holy Spirit (COTHS) since 2002, so I have shared many experiences with Pastor Lawrence over the past 19 years. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Lawrence about his new bluegrass album project.

During the beginning of my first interview with Bishop Lawrence, I asked two main questions:

1. Why was the name Bent Mountain selected?

2. What is the purpose and goal for recording the album?

Scott Mulvahill and Eric Imhof at Church of the Holy Spirit Roanoke during Bent Mountain recording session.

Bishop Quigg replied, “Bent Mountain is not the name of a band but is a collaboration of musical talent by my friends. Those friends include folks from Church of the Holy Spirit, plus musicians from Roanoke, Southwestern Virginia and even Nashville, Tennessee.”

Answering my second question, Lawrence stated the purpose and goal of the album: “It is a bluegrass style offering, created during Covid and a time while I was watching my mom battle cancer and go home to Jesus.

Lawrence continued, “The common theme with the 10 tracks on “Come Home” is death, resurrection and the “life of the world to come.” It is an invitation to come and experience the peace, rest and joy of the Lord”

The Inspiration behind “Come Home.” Quigg Lawrence TV Interview with Lindsey Ward WSLS Channel 10 Roanoke.  Daytime Blue Ridge show. May 24, 2021.

Bluegrass music has always been a passion for Bishop Lawrence.  His fondness for acoustic stringed instrumental music, formulated during his high school years in Richmond, Virginia.

While growing up, Lawrence loved listening to bluegrass records on his parent’s stereo system.  He also showed fondness of watching his father, Quigg Lawrence Senior play bluegrass music.

Lawrence’s dad owned Alpha Audio recording studio in Richmond where albums from many genres of music were recorded.  Quigg Senior also played in his own bluegrass band called BlueRidge.

Photo of Quigg Lawrence Senior and his band BlueRidge during 1982.

Over the years, Lawrence’s father would often have jam sessions and play with other talented bluegrass musicians. Included in the mix of talented performers that Quigg Senior played with are Ben Eldridge, Bill Clifton, Ralph Stanley and the Country Gentleman.

As a side note, Quigg Lawrence Senior once owned a 1954 Martin D-28 guitar back when he played bluegrass music.  The guitar is said to be “one of the best on the planet” according to Bishop Lawrence. Photo below is of the vintage 1954 Martin D-28 guitar.

Just before Quigg Lawrence Senior passed away, he sold his guitar to an unidentified buyer. Eventually, this famous guitar ended up being owned by Chris Eldridge, who is a guitarist and member of Punch Brothers band. Ironically, Eldridge is one of the musicians who performed on the “Come Home” album and he actually played the celebrated 1954 Martin D-28 guitar on many of the album’s tracks.

Chris Eldridge playing the 1954 Martin D-28 guitar during Bent Mountain recording sessions, that had once been owned by Quigg Lawrence Senior, father of Bishop Lawrence.

After graduation from high school, Lawrence attended the University of Virginia for two years and then earned a degree in emergency medicine from Central Washington University.

It was during this time period that Lawrence found his main pathway for living: Becoming a Christian and following Jesus.

 During the summer of 1980, a surfer friend of Lawrence gave him the book, “Basic Christianity” by John Stott.  By reading Stott’s book, Lawrence started understanding things in the Bible and began his journey as a Christian.

Obviously, proclamation of the gospel is important for Bishop Quigg.  He shared with me about his unique album set, “It has been my dream for several years to record the wide breadth of styles of music COTHS uses.  We regularly use banjo, mandolin and cello alongside electric guitars, keyboard, and bass.”

Julie Wright and Scott Mulvahill at Bent Mountain recording session: Church of the Holy Spirit Roanoke.

Two years ago, the COTHS worship team recorded an EP which included 4 original songs (both contemporary and traditional worship in style) and one cover tune. The brand-new Bent Mountain collaboration features a pleasing mixture of bluegrass and Americana genres of music.

Scott Mulvahill singing backup vocals for Bent Mountain album. Church of the Holy Spirit Roanoke.

Producer for the “Come Home” album is Scott Mulvahill, with Quigg Lawrence as executive producer and Evan Sieling handling engineering duties.

Besides Bishop Lawrence, there are four members of his COTHS congregation that contributed to the “Come Home” project:

*Eric Imhof:  Son-in-law of Quigg Lawrence, Worship Arts Pastor/Stewardship Pastor for COTHS.

Eric Imhof, Scott Mulvahill and Julie Wright taking break during Bent Mountain recording session.

*Julie Wright:  Former Worship Arts Pastor at COTHS and a current member of the praise/worship team.

*Ayden Young and Blane Young: The Brothers Young are a sibling bluegrass duo. Ayden is 15 and plays banjo with the COTHS praise/worship team. Blane age 10, is a mandolin player. Last October, I featured the Brothers Young with one of my music blogs here on DJ Dave’s Musical Musings:

Blane and Ayden Young: The Brothers Young duo from Roanoke, Virginia.

The remaining personnel who are part of the Bent Mountain collaboration, are all excellent musicians and performers.  In fact, Bishop Lawrence brought together a world-class, all-star ensemble for his debut compilation.

*Annie Lawrence:   Singer-songwriter who lives Nashville and has recorded multiple albums. She is the daughter of Quigg Lawrence and grew up in Roanoke. Two years ago, I featured Annie Lawrence’s musical story on my music blog:

awrence.

Annie Lawrence performing at Church of the Holy Spirit. Roanoke, Virginia.

*Scott Mulvahiill:  Front man, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and world-renowned upright bassist.  Has played with Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby.  Now has a solo career. Mulvahill is producer of the Bent Mountain album.

Scott Mulvahill with upright bass during recording session for “Come Home” album.

*Junior Sisk:  Lead guitarist, vocalist and front man for the Junior Sisk Band.  Lives in Ferrum, Virginia. His past bands include Rambler’s Choice and BlueRidge.  Sisk has won numerous accolades including the 2013 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Male Vocalist of the Year award.

*Chris Eldridge:   Singer and guitarist.  Member of Punch Brothers: A hybrid bluegrass/classical/country/chamber band. In 2018, Punch Brothers won a Grammy for Best Folk Album with “All Ashore.”  Past member of the Infamous Stringdusters bluegrass band. His father is Ben Eldridge, founding member of the Seldom Scene.

*Justin Moses: Dobro maestro and multi-instrumentalist. Prominent Nashville session musician. Versatile musician in all forms of acoustic music. Named Dobro Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Married to singer-songwriter and mandolin player Sierra Hull since 2017.

Justin Moses playing a dobro guitar during Bent Mountain recording sessions.

*Sierra Hull: Virtuoso mandolinist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.  Debut on Grand Ole Opry stage at age 10, played Carnegie Hall at 12 and had first recorded album at age 13. Married to Justin Moses. Performs and tours with husband as a duo.

*Russ Carson:   Superb banjo player.  Member of Ricky Skaggs’ band Kentucky Thunder. Started picking banjo at age 10. Bluegrass Today online considers Carson to be “among one of the top banjo players in the world.”

Russ Carson playing banjo at Bent Mountain recording session.

*Ryan Ogrodny:  Polka prodigy as a teen and plays the fiddle.  Nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Polka Album in 2004. Ogrodny is a violin/fiddle professor at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

* Doug Bartlett:  Fiddle specialist and multi-instrumentalist, formerly with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Currently with Junior Sisk band. Received a couple of Grammy nominations in 1999 and 2000 for two separate bluegrass albums.

* Jonathan Dillon: Mandolin is main instrument with exceptional banjo skills.  Plays in the Junior Sisk band. At age 17, Dillon was nominated for “Mandolin Player – Performer of the Year” at the 2013 Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America Awards.

*Heather Mabe: Lead and harmony vocalist. Heather and her husband Tony are members of Junior Sisk Band.  Ms. Mabe is known for excellent harmonies, amazing tones and perfect pitch vocals.

Heather Mabe, Junior Sisk and others playing a bluegrass song.

There are a total of 10 tracks on the Bent Mountain album:

  1. Shoutin’ On the Hills of Glory (Featuring Quigg Lawrence)
  2. The Darkest Hour (Featuring Quigg Lawrence)
  3. Mother’s Only Sleeping (Featuring Eric Imhof)
  4. Little Birdie (Featuring Junior Sisk and the Brothers Young)
  5. Forever Ain’t No Trouble Now (Featuring Quigg Lawrence)
  6. Down the Road (Featuring Quigg Lawrence)
  7. You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive (Featuring Eric Imhof and Julie Wright)
  8. Eulogy for Dr. Ralph Stanley (Spoken by Ricky Skaggs)
  9. Come to Jesus (Featuring Annie Lawrence)
  10.  Softly and Tenderly (Featuring Julie Wright)

Four songs on the album feature vocals by Bishop Lawrence. Eric Imhof and Julie Wright sing on three tracks: Both artists have lead vocals with a single song and the pair also perform a duet together.  Rounding out the singing tracks from the Bent Mountain assemble are vocalists Annie Lawrence and Junior Sisk.  

The tenth selection is not musical but actually the spoken word:  It is a eulogy that country/bluegrass superstar Ricky Skaggs gave at the funeral for the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley, the Southwestern Virginia pioneer of bluegrass and country music genres.

Audio for “Eulogy for Dr. Ralph Stanley” by Ricky Skaggs. From Bent Mountain album.

Inclusion of Stanley’s eulogy on a bluegrass album may seem odd to some. However, Bishop Quigg says of Skaggs’ oratory, “I have never heard a clearer explanation of the Gospel.”

In breaking down the musical tunes from the “Come Home” production, the Gospel message pervades throughout each selection, and proclamation of Christian themes is at the forefront on this project. The musicianship on the album is outstanding.

Since I had an advance copy of “Come Home” last month, I have listened to the album multiple times. Before I heard the four songs where Bishop Quigg performs lead vocals, I was curious how Lawrence would sound, since he is not trained as a singer.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear Lawrence’s ease of delivery, showing confidence with his phrasing and comfort within the bluegrass genre of music. Bishop Quigg sounds assured with his debut recordings.

Bishop Quigg striking a pose while recording a song for the Bent Mountain album.

Besides Lawrence’s four tracks, the remaining 5 musical tunes are strong and showcase excellence among the various artists. 

  • You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive:  Duet vocals by Eric Imhof and Julie Wright.  Cover of folk song written by Darrell Scott. The duo harmonize superbly and perform the album’s most melodic tune. Additional backup vocals are provided by Scott Mulvahill.
  • Come to Jesus: Annie Lawrence vocals.  Mindy Smith’s written song was a hit on multiple formatted radio stations in 2004.  Annie’s rendition is compelling and expressive. One of Lawrence’s best vocal performances during her recording career.
  • Little Birdie: Junior Sisk vocals.  Traditional bluegrass song. Most famous cover is by Dr. Ralph Stanley. The Brothers Young play on this tune performing their first recorded song. Sisk’s strong vocals are prominent on this selection.
  • Mother’s Only Sleeping:  Eric Imhof vocals.  Written by Bill Monroe in 1946. Song has been covered by the Stanley Brothers and many other bands. Imhof is effective with his engaging vocals on this traditional bluegrass tune.
  • Softly and Tenderly: Julie Wright vocals.  A Christian hymn composed and written by Will L. Thompson in 1880. The last song on the album features Wright singing a cappella and is absolutely transcendent. This outstanding vocal performance is the crown jewel on the “Come Home” album.

The new Bent Mountain album is now available on all major streaming platforms and can be purchased online at Amazon and Apple itunes.

I highly recommend the “Come Home” Bent Mountain compilation set.  Musically, it is top-notch, with nationally acclaimed instrumental performers.  One would be hard pressed to find a similar grouping of world-class musicians together, on any other music album collection.

The message of “Come Home” encompasses many different attributes:  It is calling, challenging and questioning, but also is hopeful and encouraging.  

Without a doubt, the essential theme for the Bent Mountain album is found within the “Softly and Tenderly” chorus, the traditional hymn that closes this superb album: “Come home, come home, you who are weary come home.”

To subscribe to my blog via email, please click the “Follow” button in the menu above.

Standard