Dehlia Low

Dehlia Low

Dehlia Low

Independent Label

Last weekend I managed to get my hands on a copy of the first CD by Dehlia Low, an emerging Ashville North Carolina band. They were performing in a concert presented by the Stanleytones at the Bertolin Barn in Longmont. What’s the Colorado connection? The mandolin player, Bryan Clendenin, is a former member of the Stanleytones. You’ll have to ask the band about their name. I wasn’t taking notes when they explained it. And it isn’t true that I picked up a copy of their CD just because it has a rendition of a steam locomotive on the cover. One of Aaron’s original songs on the CD is Caught by a Train, so the picture appears honestly.

Four talented pickers and singers and an excellent borrowed bass player, Paul Waitinas, put on an exceptional show. They performed a blend of original material penned by Anya Hinkle, the band’s masterful fiddle player, guitar player and vocalist and Aaron Ballance, a very talented resophonic guitar player. When you add in Stacy Claude on the six string and vocals, well, you’ve got some fine music. Kinda reminded me of home. The CD also included a tune by the Stanley Brothers and a couple of folks I didn’t recognize at first, but I’ll explain later.

Their set list for the evening covered some of the material on their CD and a few that we’ve come to know from other performances here on the front range. The provided a most excellent rendition of Bowling Green, one of my favorites. Y’all know about Bowling Green. It’s a town in western Kentucky with many claims to fame. It is home of Western Kentucky University, which just happened to have a team in competition in the March Madness this year. Oh yeah, GM has the Corvette factory there too. Hope the band includes Bowling Green on their next CD

Their requisite gospel number on the CD is When I Can Read My Title Clear by Isaac Watts. A soulful rendition was provided a cappella by Miss Anya. Good gospel singing. The main reason I didn’t recognize this tune was because Mr. Watts published this in 1707. Yeah, that second number is a seven, not a nine.

And to make sure they had the old and traditional covered, a Bluegrass rendition of Dan Welch’s Go Away With Me. If you look way back in the back of the closet in that box of old C&W records, you’ll find this song on the 1964 George Jones album Blue and Lonesome. Cool.

Talking with the band after the show they indicated that even with the thin air (not a lot of air, but it is good air), they’d like to come back and visit in Colorado again. There you go festival promoters. If you’re in to the more traditional sound, here’s the band for you. Harmony about as close as you can get without being a family band and each is a master on their instrument. Bluegrass with a touch of Country. What more could you ask for? - Colorado Buegrass Music Society Newsletter (pending)

Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

HighCountryPress.com

March 27, 2008 issue


Asheville’s Dehlia Low Makes Old Music Sound New Again

Band Plays Black Cat April 5

Story by David Brewer

For bands in Western North Carolina, roots music-oriented radio station WNCW is an indispensable part of gaining wider recognition than touring alone can offer. However, talented bands that work long and hard don’t always get the airplay they need, while others seem to just be in the right place at the right time.

In less than a year, up-and-coming Asheville roots band Dehlia Low has managed to meet, gel as a band, record a debut EP and tour beyond the borders of North Carolina. Lately, the band’s song “Yellow Mountain” has been receiving a generous amount of spins on WNCW, spreading the band’s name as they prepare for their first national tour. The band will make their first foray into the High Country with a show at Black Cat Burrito on Saturday, April 5.

Dehlia Low features the talents of fiddler and vocalist Anya Hinkle, guitarist and vocalist Stacey Claude, Dobro player and former Boone resident Aaron Balance and mandolin player Brian Clendenin. Leaning heavily in the bluegrass direction, the band also has an affinity for traditional country music, while also revealing progressive acoustic sounds, old-time and traces of modern singer-songwriter folk.

“I think we’re definitely rooted in old style traditional country, bluegrass and old-time,” said Balance. “It’s not just straight bluegrass. We don’t have a banjo player and I think that helps distinguish us from other bands.”

What truly sets Dehlia Low apart in the crowded Asheville music scene is the mesmerizing harmony vocals by Hinkle and Claude. Upon hearing Hinkle sing at a jam session at Asheville music mainstay Jack of the Wood in May 2007, Claude insisted that the two put their voices together. The pair’s earthy mountain sound immediately struck a chord with fellow musicians and by mid-summer, Dehlia’s Low’s original lineup was cemented. Soon after, the band made their stage debut at the venerable Grey Eagle and has been turning heads ever since.

“I think we’ve been real fortunate to get some gigs,” said Balance. “We’re contributing original songs and ideas and learning how to work together.”

In addition to the female harmony vocals, instrumental breaks by Balance and Clendenin keep the songs fresh, providing solid lead runs without stealing the show. With no banjo, Clendenin’s role as timekeeper and stringed percussionist is prominent in the mix.

Last month, Dehlia Low released their self-titled debut EP. Recorded at Ticknock Studio in Lenior with engineer Patrick Crouch, the eight-song effort is a stellar introduction to the band’s distinctly mountain sound and songwriting. Inspired compositions by Hinkle and Balance reside alongside a country weeper “Go Away With Me” by Dan Welch (recorded by George Jones) and the Stanley Brothers classic “If That’s The Way You Feel.”

“We just tried to attack the songs and keep that live feel to it,” said Balance. “It was just an honest and bare-bones attempt at grabbing our sound at the time.”

With their calendar beginning to fill up with festival appearances and out-of-state shows, Dehlia Low is taking their still-evolving acoustic roots sound to the masses. Committed to the music and each other, it’s likely that their upcoming Boone debut won’t be their last.

“We all came to Asheville for a reason and I think we all feel very fortunate to have found each other,” said Balance.

To preview Dehlia Low’s music, click to www.myspace.com/dehlialow.




Want To Go?

Date: Friday, April 4

Time: 10:30 p.m.

Location: Black Cat Burrito

Cost: $5











© High Country News - Boone, NC 28607 ...hcmail
- High Country Press

Meet Asheville’s newest successful offspring — Dehlia Low. The band, which features Anya Hinkle on guitar and fiddle, Aaron Ballance on dobro, Stacy Claude on vocals and guitar, Scott Shuffler on bass and Bryan Clendenin on mandolin, is poised to become the next buzz band in the inually expanding scene of new school old-time. Mixing vintage country sounds, tight picking and high lonesome harmonies, the group has quickly developed a traditionally minded original brand of mountain music. Ahead of an EP release party at The Garage at Biltmore on Saturday night, Claude talked about the band’s origins and sonic intentions.
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Question: How did this band get together?

Answer: As most bluegrass bands in Asheville do, through the local bluegrass jam scene. Anya and I met last February at a Jack of the Wood jam. We contemplated starting a band and recruited Aaron on the dobro. We knew after our first practice with him that it was a good idea. We were already friends with Scott and knew he was a very solid bassist. Then we all heard Bryan play mandolin about three weeks after he moved to town from Lyons, Colo., and asked him to play with us before any other groups got to him first. We played our first gig in August at The Grey Eagle.

Q: Describe your take on bluegrass and acoustic music.

A: I love bluegrass and acoustic music. It’s why most of us ended up settling in Asheville. It takes a great deal of talent and energy to play acoustic instruments on stage. All you have is your voice and your instrument. There are no pedals, effects or amplifiers to change or improve your sounds. It’s very exposing. I personally think there is nothing more beautiful than acoustic instruments playing in a great room.

Q: How do you try to the balance the traditional with the progressive?

A: We’re still a young band and are definitely still evolving and defining our sound. We are rooted in the bluegrass and classic country tradition, but we are putting our own spin on it. We have primarily female vocals, which is nontraditional. We also don’t have a banjo player, which ruffles some traditionalist feathers. Plus, four of us are writing original songs and instrumentals. None of us want to be strictly bluegrass or strictly country, but we all five have a great respect for the traditional tunes and take a lot of inspiration from them.

Q: Tell me about the new EP.

A: We recorded it in three sessions down at TickNock studios in Lenoir with Patrick Crouch. On the recording we have five original tunes and two traditional songs, one from the Stanley Brothers, and one of Hazel Dickens’ songs. Anya also sings a very old hymn acapella that is beautiful.

Q: Any special plans for this show?

A: The Bee’s Knees are opening the show. They are a great old-time swing band out of West Asheville. We will also have a second set full of special guests. - Asheville Citizen Times

who: Dehlia Low
what: A CD release party
where: Garage at Biltmore
when: Saturday, Feb. 9 (9:30 p.m. http://www.thegarageatbiltmore.com or 505-2663)
why: Known for bringing a fresh-faced approach to bluegrass, old-time and other roots music, local Americana band Dehlia Low celebrate the release of their new album. The Bee’s Knees open. - Mountain Xpress

Asheville-based band Dehlia Low will be performing in The Back Room in Flat Rock at 9 p.m. Saturday.

Dehlia Low is a new band focused on early country, bluegrass and original music. Songs feature hard-hitting vocals with tight harmonies backed up by Dobro and mandolin playing, fiddling and an upright bass.

Dehlia Low performs original songs as well as classic and modern bluegrass and old country numbers influenced strongly by Hazel Dickens, the Stanley Brothers, James King and others.

Anya Hinkle, originally from Blacksburg, Va., is vocalist and fiddler, who has been singing and playing fiddle and guitar since childhood.

Aaron Ballance from Winston-Salem has recently been an in-demand studio musician there on Dobro and pedal steel.

Stacy Claude, of South Carolina, on guitar and vocals, started singing in church choirs as a child, which eventually led to her interest in the guitar and acoustic music.

Bryan Clendenin of West Virginia plays mandolin and also contributes vocals and original music to Dehlia Low. Scott Shuffler, originally from Morganton, plays upright bass.

The Back Room is in The Singleton Center down the street from the Flat Rock Playhouse behind The Flat Rock Wine Shoppe. Call 697-6828 for more information. - Pisgah Mountain News