Susie Glaze & The Hilonesome Band

I must admit I asked my editor for this disc because I liked the cover, a black and white old-time photo of a little girl with a banjo bigger than her, her mouth open in song, sitting next to a happy dog. I wasn’t disappointed. This expressive album is chock-full of pleasing bluegrass, swing, old-time and Celtic, played by a sharp band featuring Susie’s classic bluegrass voice. The band wrote some of the songs, with guitarist Robert Ralph Carlson at the helm, and played with enough energy and talent to power an entire town. It’s all produced by Herb Pedersen, a man with accolades longer than your arm; he’s worked with everyone from Emmylou Harris to his own Desert Rose Band.

A Celtic leaning instrumental, “Independence,” starts off the release. Rich with many textures, it features a soaring fiddle and excellent contributions of guitar, mandolin, bouzouki and bass. The title cut offers some tasty flatpicking from Rob Carlson, and Herb Pedersen on backing vocals. “Heartland” and “The Last to Leave” are melancholy pieces while “Never Give Up” presents a more positive view. It’s got a great toe-tapping groove, but contains an odd reggae beat in the middle.

I love the twin fiddles in the swing tune “Don’t Resist Me,” a plea to a would-be sweetheart, and the more modal sound of the fiddle in the heartbreaking traditional song “Dens of Yarrow.” Susie’s emotional vocal on that one reminds me of a young Jean Ritchie. “The Mountain” is a standout with lyrics about the destruction of the environment from mining, “God made the mountain/Only God could tear it down.” The lively banjo is a contrast to the biting lyrics. And speaking of biting, the acerbic David Olney offering, “Millionaire,” is a good choice for this band. Steve Rankin sings the lead and also plays mandolin and bouzouki.

While Susie does most of the lead vocals on this disc, the guys occasionally take the front. It’s a little puzzling since her name is featured. The men have good voices, but if you’re going to feature a vocalist, use her out front on all the songs. (Harmonies are a different kettle of fish.) The band aptly covers John David Souther’s “Prisoner of Disguise” in a more rootsy way than he did, and features some fine mandolin work from Chris Hillman.

If you’re an Americana fan, and a sucker for those high pretty bluegrass sopranos, you’ll want to pick up this great collection.

— Jamie Anderson - Sing Out!

From the influence of Celtic folk, to the haunting echoes of the ageless voices from our Blue Ridge Mountain kin through the honky-tonk shadows of dusty West Texas taverns, Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band’s new album Not That Kind of Girl, produced by Herb Pedersen of Desert Rose and Dillards fame, have gathered stories in song that weave a timeless tapestry of the durability of the American spirit through the power of song.

This album confirms the band’s passion for the American root traditions as they forge ahead innovating their way through song craft with instrumental skill and soaring vocal distinction provided by Susie Glaze and Steve Rankin who also excels on mandolin. No small credit, however, goes to Mark Indictor whose fiddle work streaks sonic lightening through the songs, lead guitarist and primary songwriter, Rob Carlson and Fred Sanders on sturdy and dynamic stand-up bass. In the truest sense, they are a great band.

While Susie Glaze and Hilonesome have set out from their beginnings to stake out a legacy that reaches beyond genre limitations while honoring past musical traditions in a way that is timeless over nostalgic, this album succeeds in ways beyond the usual expectations often set in Americana music. That is, there is a resonate authenticity and unique dynamic to the proceedings that is a joy to experience.

The opening song, “Independence” written by lead guitarist Rob Carlson, sets the pace for the celebration and soulful blend of an Irish jig with Kentucky mountain music. The title track, “Not That Kind of Girl,” is another Carlson tune. It calls to mind where the journey of early honky-tonk music began with bluegrass instruments and a downhome character-driven vocal by Susie Glaze.

Belfast sacred singer songwriter Denise Hagan’s “Heartland, “is a stirring and beautifully realized performance of this song about hardship and grace. Covering this obscure song from Ireland is stroke of brilliance giving Tennessee native Glaze a chance to bring to the American heartland the universal theme of Hagan’s song. “The Mountain,” another original song by Rob Carlson, is a near instant classic which resonates with a driving rhythm and searing fiddle accompaniment by Mark Indictor and a passionate vocal by Susie Glaze which gives life to this lyrical story of turmoil and loss in heartland mountains.

There is humor to spare on songs like “Don’t Resist Me,” with a new twist on star-stalking and romance. The song bounces us along with a happy-go-lucky honky-tonk arrangement that is both disarming and alarming-even managing to weave “I’m in the Mood for Love,” into the arrangement. Carlson’s “This Old House,” keeps the bluegrass kinship alive with a fresh take on the bittersweet memories of an old home gone but still achingly real.

The traditional stream flows through hauntingly on a Grammy worthy vocal by Susie Glaze and a spare accompaniment by Mark Indictor on fiddle and Skip Edwards on a beautifully rendered accordion on “Dens of Yarrow.” A sweet homage is given to Linda Ronstadt on a gentle interpretation of J.D. Souther’s “Prisoner in Disguise,” featuring Chris Hillman on mandolin with Herb Pedersen on harmony vocal and resonator/lead acoustic guitar. L.A. singer-songwriter Ernest Troost’s “Last to Leave” is an eloquently rendered bluegrass torch song. “Never Give Up,” completes the collection with a dynamic song which comes as close as bluegrass will ever come to rock & roll energy. A clearly inspired gospel finish, it is a danceable song of perseverance that fulfills the sweet optimism and joy which underlies this entire album.

Not That Kind of Girl, is a vibrant and energetic an album which serves to challenge the common assumptions about how traditional music can be created with a contemporary feel. It is not so much a fusion as a transfusion of tradition with fresh new vibrant blood. With a skill, expertise and authority that is uncommon even in a genre where these qualities are expected, Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band have broken new ground in the growing legacy of Americana music. Not That Kind of Girl has a place, not only in the fabric of the best of contemporary Americana music, but in the years to come, as a classic example of music’s ability to draw from the deepest part of our common American soul to inspire and root us in our heritage. - No Depression

The death of Jean Ritchie at age 92 this past June signified the sad loss of one of the most vital and beloved of American folk artists. Ritchie, whose family were visited by Cecil Sharp in his song-collecting travels across the States in 1917, and whose 1962 album Jean Ritchie Singing Traditional Songs of Her Kentucky Mountain Family was the first folk LP to be issued by Elektra Records, epitomizes Appalachian authenticity for many.
Few contemporary groups have been more vocal about Ritchie’s importance and influence than Susie Glaze and the HiLonesome Band. Tennessee native Glaze has featured on several tribute projects dedicated to Ritchie; in addition, not only did the group’s last album, 2013’s splendid White Swan, sign off with a cover of Ritchie’s “The Soldier”, but the record also came complete with a complimentary quote from “The Mother of Folk” herself: “With people like this to trust, my music will go on living, and soaring. And so will I.”

Ritchie’s spirit is indeed kept soaring on Glaze and co.’s new album, their fourth studio release. Not That Kind of Girl (and it seems doubtful that a Lena Dunham homage is intended in this title) sees the band continuing to develop and hone the synthesis of bluegrass, Celtic and other folk traditions in a way that would doubtless continue to win their mentor’s approbation. What sets this quintet apart from more staunch and staid traditionalists, however, is their choice of material, which mixes original songs penned primarily by the group’s lead guitarist Rob Carlson with some often surprising contemporary covers. In fact, Not That Kind of Girl features only one traditional track: a spare and haunting take on “Dens of Yarrow”, built around Mark Indicator’s fiddle, Skip Edwards’ accordion and Glaze’s shimmering, Judy Collins-channelling vocal.

The consistency of the group’s interplay is such that the album flows seamlessly, with much of the new material sounding at once time-honed and fresh. The instrumental opener “Independence” is as clear and bracing as a stream. The title track is a charming affirmation of faithfulness on which brisk picking of fiddle, bass and guitar is perfectly complemented by Glaze’s perky vocal. “Heartland”, from Belfast singer-songwriter Denise Hagan, is stunningly beautiful, with mournful fiddle and Glaze’s moving vocal digging deeply into the song’s sentiments of homesickness and longing. Bouzouki and mandolin player Steve Rankin gleefully takes the lead on a taut cover of David Olney’s unrepentant-criminal narrative, “Millionaire”, and also contributes a hilarious spoken word part to “Don’t Resist Me”, a wry stalker’s anthem (written by Carlson) that finds Glaze’s singing at its wittiest. And Chris Hillman joins the party on “Prisoner in Disguise”, contributing mandolin to a heartfelt and wistful rendering of the JD Souther song made famous by Linda Ronstadt.

Two of the stand-out tracks on White Swan, the murder ballad “Evangeline” and the sublime family reminiscence “Harlan County Boys”, came from the pen of Kerrville New Folk award-winning songwriter Ernest Troost, and Glaze and co return to Troost’s writing for one track here. In this case, it’s a lithe and lovely reading of “The Last to Leave” (drawn from Troost’s 2014 release O Love) that turns the track into a gorgeous parlour waltz. Taking its title from a Harriet Beecher Stowe quotation (“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn”), the closing track, “Never Give Up”, is defiant, dynamic bluegrass infused with a hint of gospel (and a nod to Pete Seeger) in the harmonies, epitomizing the generous spirit of this timeless and hugely appealing album. - Pop Matters

“unadulterated Americana folk from a mix of influences – poetic narrative, a soupcon of bluegrass, a touch of mountain-muse and pure invention to create a folk-fusion of that’s both steeped in tradition and fresh as the sunrise…‘White Swan’ blends the inspiration of tradition with the charisma of contemporary - and does it faultlessly…” Tim Carroll, FolkWords (www.folkwords.com – UK) - FolkWords, UK

“A bluegrass crew that could easily stand toe to toe with Union Station, this crew has elected to widen the lens and take newgrass into the wide open mixing in Celtic, folk, roots, Americana and a full range of indigenous sounds that blend into a wonderful down home, home grown stew. Boldly powering their way down their own new cut road, if you haven't had the chance to enjoy the Glaze sound yet, this is the place to jump in to be totally blown away. This is the perfect record for anyone that's ever wondered what the big deal about roots/Americana is to find out what‘s what.” - Chris Spector, Midwest Record

Random Lengths, San Pedro, CA, Reviews "Live at The Freight & Salvage"
March 25-April 7, 2011, by Noel Barr (exerpts):

"I first saw Susie Glaze and The Hilonesome Band at the Grand Annex on 6th Street in downtown San Pedro. That evening was filled with great music, laughter and education on the origins of American music throughout Appalachia....Here we have a live recording done in July of 2010, a stellar example of the new and the traditional bluegrass music blending like a sweet high lonesome harmony. The opening track "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies" is like a finger sweep aside a lover's temple. The ethereal beauty of Susie Glaze's acappela vocal reaches out across time from an Appalachian hollow. In less than 30 seconds with an empathy that speaks volumes is the warning of the frailty of love, possibly won or loss. The following song is one written by Jean Ritchie titled, "One More Mile." This is an up tempo number that hits like KGJ&E locomotive pulling hard on a heavy load of Kentucky coal....The songs, "Old Dirt Road" and "Maggie Bailey" feature banjo player Bill Evans. The in-demand Evans, a Virginia native (who now resides in San Francisco), sat in for this show in Berkeley. He's probably one of the best banjo players in the world, adding to the evening's excitement...Five of the songs performed during this set are traditional mountain songs written and arranged by Jean Ritchie. Ritchie, a seminal figure during the folk revival of the 50s and 60s was brought up in the Appalachian Mountains. Her family, who has influenced generations of artists, collected the bits and pieces of these songs making them whole....The next three songs are works of Rob Carlson who knows how to write strong acoustic songs tinged in hues of the country. These songs are custom-made vehicles for Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band to shine. Track seven is a dreamy piece taking the listener to a place that sweeps along a "River Road." The next track "Albuquerque" is an acoustic Texas swing number, giving a nod to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. The ninth is the title to the group's 2005 release "Blue Eyed Darlin'," which touches on the Euro-Appalachian vein through contemporary bluegrass - an amazing bit of music...This whole CD is a beautiful collection of traditional and original acoustic music." - Random Lengths, San Pedro, CA

Random Lengths, San Pedro, CA, Reviews "Live at The Freight & Salvage"
March 25-April 7, 2011, by Noel Barr (exerpts):

"I first saw Susie Glaze and The Hilonesome Band at the Grand Annex on 6th Street in downtown San Pedro. That evening was filled with great music, laughter and education on the origins of American music throughout Appalachia....Here we have a live recording done in July of 2010, a stellar example of the new and the traditional bluegrass music blending like a sweet high lonesome harmony. The opening track "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies" is like a finger sweep aside a lover's temple. The ethereal beauty of Susie Glaze's acappela vocal reaches out across time from an Appalachian hollow. In less than 30 seconds with an empathy that speaks volumes is the warning of the frailty of love, possibly won or loss. The following song is one written by Jean Ritchie titled, "One More Mile." This is an up tempo number that hits like KGJ&E locomotive pulling hard on a heavy load of Kentucky coal....The songs, "Old Dirt Road" and "Maggie Bailey" feature banjo player Bill Evans. The in-demand Evans, a Virginia native (who now resides in San Francisco), sat in for this show in Berkeley. He's probably one of the best banjo players in the world, adding to the evening's excitement...Five of the songs performed during this set are traditional mountain songs written and arranged by Jean Ritchie. Ritchie, a seminal figure during the folk revival of the 50s and 60s was brought up in the Appalachian Mountains. Her family, who has influenced generations of artists, collected the bits and pieces of these songs making them whole....The next three songs are works of Rob Carlson who knows how to write strong acoustic songs tinged in hues of the country. These songs are custom-made vehicles for Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band to shine. Track seven is a dreamy piece taking the listener to a place that sweeps along a "River Road." The next track "Albuquerque" is an acoustic Texas swing number, giving a nod to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. The ninth is the title to the group's 2005 release "Blue Eyed Darlin'," which touches on the Euro-Appalachian vein through contemporary bluegrass - an amazing bit of music...This whole CD is a beautiful collection of traditional and original acoustic music." - Random Lengths, San Pedro, CA

The life of legendary singer Jean Ritchie and the essence of her authentic folk music style is captured in ...an evening filled with happy and sad, serious and humorous stories told with love and grace...the brightest star of the evening is Susie Glaze...her clear, clean angelic voice could not be more perfectly suited to the music she performs, from the most mournful ballads to...upbeat tunes. Glaze delivers the kind of performance that audiences hope never ends, filled with love for the material and the life it captures. - Centre Daily Times - Harry Zimbler

...Pennsylvania Centre Stage's world premier production of "Singing the Moon Up" delivers the music and times of an American folk legend...Director Steve Rankin's adaptation of writings, songs and commentary by folk icon Jean Ritchie is rich, complex slice of American music and culture...The wide range of songs and snippets from Ritchie's life are delivered with reverent presence, matter-of-factness and clean technique by an ideal cast…Susie Glaze is nothing less than transfixing as the youthful Ritchie, with warm, piercing eyes and unpretentious, angelic voice. Glaze's delivery has a mesmerizing quality as she draws a song from deep inside and delivers it straight into the eyes and heart of her listener…and fiddler Kenny Kosek, who played with Ritchie in the 1970s, lend brilliant yet subtle detail and polish to make each tune resonate newly. The performance belies more than a reverence ~~ there is a relishing of the song and the moment in which it lives...
- Altoona Mirror - Michael Casper

"…her singing is impressive at all ranges. There is a difference between someone's voice being described as piercing or as clear as a bell. Glaze's singing falls in the latter category, along with a strong folk influence thrown in the mix and a vibrato at the lower registers that is smooth and beautiful." - Bluegrass Unlimited

Susie Glaze doesn't just sing a song. She grabs hold of a song's deepest emotion and purpose and wraps it tightly around your soul, forcing you to listen to every note and word. And when she's done, you swear you've heard the song before but, at the same time, you know this is the first time you've really listened to it. Susie's debut album release, 'Home on the Hill' is...a gallery of pictures that bares the human soul, revealing heartaches and tears - and sometimes the sweetness of true love...Susie Glaze does something with a song that only great singers can do...Susie turns it into something unique that demands your attention...all the while you wonder how one individual can make so many experiences sound as if she herself was the key player in each one. 'Home on the Hill' is fresh and classic at the same time. The instrumental work is solid, precise, and exciting. And the singing of Susie Glaze will touch that deepest part of your emotional being in a way most modern singers, with their plastic and executive-structured performances, never do. Rest easy, folks. Traditional music is in good hands! - KCSN Northridge, California

At a time when too many singers are hopping on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" bandwagon by hiring a freelance fiddler, putting a little twang in their pop voices and yowling mournfully, Susie Glaze sings forthrightly, unaffectedly, about life's travails, with a sense of musical history that suffuses every note. 'Home on the Hill' is one of the rare recent albums in which the vocalist sings with restraint--because she knows that holding back can pack a big emotional wallop; because she knows her material can be most effective if it's delivered with precision, not overwrought passion; and because she's confident enough to know she can blow the roof off any joint lucky enough to book her. - Entertainment Weekly, Ken Tucker

Susie Glaze is an enticing folk singer from California's gold coast, possessing a sultry soprano vocal style that contains a distinct Jean Ritchie influence.
"Home On The Hill" is her debut recording and includes material extracted from a variety of sources ranging from bluegrass ("Making Plans," "Wichita," and "Who Will Watch The Home Place") to public domain pieces like "Lightning Express" and "Go Dig My Grave" (i.e. "Butcher Boy"). Also included are several pieces from friend and mentor Jean Ritchie. Of the 13 selections, some of the more noticeable standouts include the Celtic-flavored "Brightest And Best," "One More Mile," and Lucinda Williams' "Prove My Love." For a first time effort, "Home On The Hill" definitely scores a musical home run and is one of the more significant folk efforts of recent memory. - Bluegrass Unlimited

Bluegrass Unlimited Reviews "Blue Eyed Darlin'"

"One of the most significant aspects of this latest Susie Glaze recording project is that it introduces the songwriting talents of bandmember Rob Carlson with such pieces as "Hurricane," "My Own Backyard," and "The River Road"...Susie is supported by her Hilonesome Band who augment her emotionally-charged vocal arrangements. "Blue Eyed Darlin'" is a wonderful collection of contemporary bluegrass music from an important voice on the California Bluegrass scene." - Bluegrass Unlimited

"Though surrounded by premier pickers, Glaze's lilting lead vocals and down-home phrasing light up bluegrass standards such as "West Virginia Mine Disaster," swing tunes, and folk-rock songs like Dylan's "Lay Down Your Weary Tune." Glaze explores an eclectic mix, but her special vocal style unites the divergent sources into a cohesive and artistically satisfying bluegrass album." ~ Steven Stone - Steven Stone

"Susie Glaze is relatively new to the Southern California bluegrass scene, but her rise to the ranks of nationally known talent has been fairly well documented here in the pages of FolkWorks. Glaze was raised in Tennessee, and first chose the artistic path of theater. After some success in the New York stage scene, she discovered a love for bluegrass music and moved to California. First she became a member of The Eight Hand String Band, and then began her solo career. "Green Kentucky Blues" is her fourth solo project, and most likely the one that folks will look back to as her "breakout" recording. Don't be surprised if "Green Kentucky Blues" finds its way to a nomination at IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) music awards.

Where "Green Kentucky Blues" is not a major conceptual change from Glaze's prior work, it builds upon the formula established in her earlier recordings. This time around, Glaze enlisted a "who's who" of bluegrass talent, beginning with producer Laurie Lewis, who also lends her musical and songwriting talents to the mix. The musicians working the project include Bill Bryson on bass; Dennis Caplinger on fiddle; Rob Carlson on guitar; Rick Cunha on vocals and steel guitar; Lewis on fiddle and vocals; Herb Pedersen on guitar; Tom Rozum on mandolin and vocals; Patrick Sauber on banjo; Tom Sauber on fiddle; and Mike Witcher on resophonic guitar. Superstar musicians do not guarantee a great recording, but in this case they guarantee that the excellent material and Glaze's performances are accompanied both professionally and passionately.

Glaze has a mentor in Jean Ritchie, and includes Ritchie's best known song, "The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore" and two more of Ritchie's tunes. Glaze has also been a champion of local bluegrass songwriter Rob Carlson, and includes seven of his tunes, two of which were co-written with Lewis. With twelve songs on the project, that leaves Iris Dement's "Hotter than Mojave In My Heart" and Bob Dylan's "Lay Down Your Weary Tune" as the last two pieces.

Although the vocal harmonies and the overall arrangement of Dylan's tune are incredible, and the covers of Dement and Ritchie's tunes are well done, it's Carlson's songs that are the bread and butter of the project. The title tune may well be in the repertoire of a lot of festival parking lot pickers this summer. Two other standouts are "Albuquerque" and "I Only Dream of You." Glaze hasn't tackled western swing on her past recordings, but her voice is well suited for this genre, and Carlson's melody and lyrics for Albuquerque not only pay tribute to swing, but capture the genre's fun based sound quite readily. "Albuquerque is a word that rhymes with turkey" is a line Bob Wills would've loved.

Carlson's "I Only Dream of You" has all the components of a country standard. Rick Cunha does the male voice in this duet, and he and Glaze present a story of love lost and the loneliness that ensues. Cunha and Glaze's voice blend and intertwine quite well. And Carlson's melody and the tag line are the sort that stick in your brain. Someone should hep Tim and Faith about this song.

Lewis' production brings out the best in Glaze. Glaze and her husband Steve Rankin share co-production credits, and Rick Cunha carries the recording credit. This is major league, pristine sound quality.

As the keynote speaker at a mid-1990s IBMA convention, Marty Stuart spoke eloquently about the need to recognize tradition in bluegrass music, but not to be bound by it. Stuart spoke to the need for new material. "Rocky Top is a great song, but we've all heard it many times," said Stuart. With "Green Kentucky Blues," Glaze not only honors tradition in embracing Ritchie's songs, but also brings solid, fresh new material in Carlson's songs. It's the best of both worlds.

"Green Kentucky Blues" is a fine project that should help propel Susie Glaze into the starting lineup at bluegrass festivals nationwide."

- Dennis Roger Reed for Folkworks
June 18, 2008
- FolkWorks (www.folkworks.org)

"Susie Glaze has one of the most beautiful voices in bluegrass and folk music today. She performs a song straight from her heart and soul." - Roz Larman, FolkScene - Roz Larman, FolkScene (KPFK)

"Though surrounded by premier pickers, Glaze's lilting lead vocals and down-home phrasing light up bluegrass standards such as "West Virginia Mine Disaster," swing tunes, and folk-rock songs like Dylan's "Lay Down Your Weary Tune." Glaze explores an eclectic mix, but her special vocal style unites the divergent sources into a cohesive and artistically satisfying bluegrass album." ~ Steven Stone - Steven Stone