The Groundhawgs
Nashville, Georgia, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2001
Music
Press
The state of bluegrass is such that only by virtuosity or through bizarre avenues of chance and perseverance is any success gained. That's unfortunate news for The Groundhawgs, a totally happenin' bluegrass band out of Calhoun, Georgia, because they richly deserve any attention they can get. The brothers Jones -chief singer and banjo/mandolin player Clayton, and secondary singer and guitar player Clark- lead the outfit with Jason Tims on bass and Mick Kinney (brother of GA institution Kevn Kinney of Drivin' And Cryin') on fiddle.
The Groundhawgs exhibit solid writing and musicianship in this set from June of 2006. A love of tradition is demonstrated by the excellence of the gospel tune, The Old Ark's A Moving, along with Jerry Jeff Walker and John Hartford covers, and striking originals like Picker's Song and East Resaca Blues, but this is just one side of the coin. Other original compositions suggest a preoccupation with science fiction and Juliette Lewis, but rarely come off ingenuine, ironic, or novel. In fact, I can't help wondering if a song about Earthlings (Planet Alabamie Rag) might be exactly what Gram Parsons intended when he proposed his dream of Cosmic American Music.
Key tracks: Picker's Song. Go On And Shoot That Dog, Bri
Intro
East Resaca Blues
Jaded Lover (Jerry Jeff Walker cover)
Picker's Song
Honky Tonk Women (Rolling Stones cover)
The Old Ark's A-Moving
Billy Bob Alien Come To Nashville
Planet Alabamie Rag
Go On and Shoot That Gog, Bri
Steam Powered Aeroplane (John Hartford cover)
Download the whole set in a .zip file.
Enjoy (?/.),
Jason "CUBA" Rhodes - cubarhodesvance.com/blog.html
The state of bluegrass is such that only by virtuosity or through bizarre avenues of chance and perseverance is any success gained. That's unfortunate news for The Groundhawgs, a totally happenin' bluegrass band out of Calhoun, Georgia, because they richly deserve any attention they can get. The brothers Jones -chief singer and banjo/mandolin player Clayton, and secondary singer and guitar player Clark- lead the outfit with Jason Tims on bass and Mick Kinney (brother of GA institution Kevn Kinney of Drivin' And Cryin') on fiddle.
The Groundhawgs exhibit solid writing and musicianship in this set from June of 2006. A love of tradition is demonstrated by the excellence of the gospel tune, The Old Ark's A Moving, along with Jerry Jeff Walker and John Hartford covers, and striking originals like Picker's Song and East Resaca Blues, but this is just one side of the coin. Other original compositions suggest a preoccupation with science fiction and Juliette Lewis, but rarely come off ingenuine, ironic, or novel. In fact, I can't help wondering if a song about Earthlings (Planet Alabamie Rag) might be exactly what Gram Parsons intended when he proposed his dream of Cosmic American Music.
Key tracks: Picker's Song. Go On And Shoot That Dog, Bri
Intro
East Resaca Blues
Jaded Lover (Jerry Jeff Walker cover)
Picker's Song
Honky Tonk Women (Rolling Stones cover)
The Old Ark's A-Moving
Billy Bob Alien Come To Nashville
Planet Alabamie Rag
Go On and Shoot That Gog, Bri
Steam Powered Aeroplane (John Hartford cover)
Download the whole set in a .zip file.
Enjoy (?/.),
Jason "CUBA" Rhodes - cubarhodesvance.com/blog.html
Discography
The Groundhawgs, self-titled LP, 2004
www.mypsace.com/thegroundhawgs
The Groundhawgs, Little Big Easy Volume 1, EP, 2010
Photos
Bio
The Groundhawgs were originally conceived as a songwriting project that would resurrect the sound of old-time Appalachian string bands, yet evolved into a full-fledged six-piece string band through the fusion of bluegrass, old-time, jazz and swing, poetry and blues, classic country, and a little bit of Southern rock. Originally from Northwest Georgia and East Tennessee, the Jones brothers, Clayton (lead vocals and banjo) and Clark (vocals and guitar), founded the band in 2001 after the ghost of Bill Monroe visited their dream(s) and told them to do so. Later on, Mick Kinney (fiddle), brother of Drivin' and Cryin' s Kevin Kinney, and music-maker Jason Timms (upright bass) joined the lineup in 2002. Shortly thereafter the band debuted at the Howard Finster Music and Folk Art Festival where Reverend Finster's ghost cheered them on; thus, the band began performing at venues such as The Earl and Eddies Attic in Atlanta, as well as festivals such as Blueridge Harvest Festival, Americana Folk Festival near Nashville, the Tomato Art Festival in Nashville, Night Fall in Chattanooga, Dogwood Festival in Atlanta.
After a 2 year hiatus, the band is back: Clayton Jones on guitar, David Long on mandolin, Laney House on banjo, and Mickey Kinney on bass. Their live shows are intense and fiery like Bill Monroe's traditions, but in the studio, they are eclectic and innovative like John Hartford. Put simply, the Groundhawgs are a skilled group of songwriters and craftsmen who take their music seriously all the while enjoying themselves.
In fall of 2004, the Groundhawgs released their first album, an independent and self-titled effort co-produced by Mike Compton of the Nashville Bluegrass Band.
Mr. Compton also co-produced The Groundhawgs' second album, Little Big Easy Volume 1, in the spring of 2010. Most recently, The Groundhawgs recorded Little Big Easy Volume 2 in Nashville, Tn along with Shad Cobb on fiddle. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2011. The Groundhawgs can be contacted at planetalabamieproductions@gmail.com or by phone at 770-548-0263.
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