New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Steep Canyon Rangers have made a near-annual tradition of performing at MerleFest, their home state's (and perhaps the country's) preeminent roots music festival, but the group's most recent stop through Wilkesboro, North Carolina was an experience completely unique from those that have come before it. Over the course of eight songs, Steep Canyon Rangers played their way through North Carolina musical history - reinterpreting the work of cross-generational NC icons like
Elizabeth Cotten, Doc Watson, Ben E King and
James Taylor in their own unmistakable style. On November 29, the band will share that extraordinary MerleFest set as a live album called 'North Carolina Songbook,' which will be released on LP and CD via Yep Roc Records as part of Record Store Day
Black Friday. Find more information on the release here: yeproc.com/yep-roc-record-store-day-black-friday-2019
On 'North Carolina Songbook,' one of the Rangers' boldest covers is a take on Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk" that sees them swap the jazz great's grand piano and tenor sax for banjo and mandolin. As the band described it on stage at MerleFest, "we're not sure if Bill Monroe and Thelonious Monk ever met on the road, but if they did, it might've sounded like this." That "Blue Monk" live performance is now available to watch in full via Garden & Gun: gardenandgun.com/articles/steep-canyon-rangers-play-thelonious-monk
'North Carolina Songbook' is the latest in what has already been an incredible, unconventional 2019 for Steep Canyon Rangers. Over the summer, the group collaborated with
Boyz II Men and the Asheville Symphony for "Be Still Moses," which was praised for its "sublime haromines and soulful ad-libs" by Rolling Stone. Next week, they travel to Australia for another leg of shows supporting comedy legends
Martin Short and (frequent collaborator) Steve Martin. A full list of announced Steep Canyon Rangers tour dates is below.
NORTH CAROLINA SONGBOOK TRACKLIST
1. Stand By Me (Ben E King)
2. Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (Earl Scruggs/Charlie Poole)
3. Blue Monk (Thelonious Monk)
4. Drunkard's Hiccups (Tommy Jerrell)
5. Shake Sugaree (Elizabeth Cotten)
6. Sweet Baby
James (James Taylor)
7. I've Endured (Ola Belle Reed)
8. Your Lone
Journey (Doc Watson)
STEEP CANYON RANGERS TOUR DATES
Fri., Nov. 1 | The Weinberg Center for the Arts | Frederick, MD
Sat., Nov. 2 | Academy Theatre | Lynchburg, VA
Fri., Nov. 8 - Sat., Nov. 9 | Riverside Theatre | Perth, Australia*
Mon., Nov. 11 | Adelaide Entertainment Centre | Hindmarsh, Australia*
Wed., Nov. 13 | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Boondall, Australia*
Thurs., Nov. 14 | Spotted Mallard | Brunswick, Australia**
Fri., Nov. 15 | Melbourne
Arena | Melbourne, Australia*
Sun., Nov. 17 | International Convention Centre Sydney | Darling Harbour, Australia*
Tues., Nov. 19 |
Spark Arena | Auckland, New Zealand*
Wed., Jan. 8 | Historic Temple Theatre of Viroqua | Viroqua, WI
Thurs., Jan. 9 | Grand Theater | Wausau, WI
Fri., Jan. 10 | University of Dubuque Heritage Center | Dubuque, IA
Sat., Jan. 11 | Dominican University | River Forest, IL
Fri., Jan. 17 | Variety Playhouse | Atlanta, GA
Sat., Jan. 18 | Manchester
Music Hall | Lexington, KY
Fri., Jan. 24 | Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA
Sat., Jan. 25 | Haugh Performing Arts Center | Glendora, CA
Sun., Jan. 26 | Clark Center for the Performing Arts | Arroyo Grande, CA
Tues., Feb. 4 | Rudder Auditorium | College Station, TX
Fri., Feb. 7 |
Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX
Sat., Feb. 8 | Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts | Amarillo, TX
Sat., Feb. 22 | Helena Civic Center | Helena, MT
Fri., Feb. 28 | Ponte Vedra Concert Hall | Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Sat., Feb. 29 | Lyric Theatre | Stuart, FL
Sun., Mar. 1 | Nancy and
David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre | Clearwater, FL
Mon., Mar. 9 | Arizona Musicfest | Scottsdale, AZ
Thurs., Apr. 2 | Mount Baker Theatre | Bellingham, WA
Sat., Apr. 4 | Rialto Theater | Tacoma, WA
Thurs., Apr. 30 | Community Arts Center | Williamsport, PA
