MP3 Cary Fridley - Down South

Her signature country voice evokes centuries of southern country voices from Memphis Minnie to Maybelle Carter, combining the honesty of folk music with the bluesy Americana groove of the Asheville, NC.

16 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Old-Timey, COUNTRY: Americana



Details:
Down South is an apt title for Cary Fridleyâs second solo CD release, as her singing evokes centuries of Southern voices from Memphis Minnie to Maybelle Carter. Her new band combines the honesty of folk music with the country groove of Asheville, breathing new life into classic country and blues with drums, pedal steel, and electric bass. In the past 15 years, Cary has established herself as a straight ahead folk singer, influenced by her Virginia mountain childhood and years performing at bluegrass festivals with her previous band, The Freight Hoppers. Her natural affinity for folk music and her ability to reach the heart and soul of an audience is evidenced in her show and in her new CD, Down South.

On the back of the CD jacket, Roy Andrade of the Reeltime Travelers folk circuit fame comments,

âSeveral vital threads of the roots music tapestry have come together here in fine form on Cary Fridley's second solo effort. One of the most poignant traditional artists performing today, Cary moves seamlessly across Memphis electric blues, broken-down honky tonkinâ country, and Appalachian Mountain music. We see through her music that, labels aside, its all about people expressing themselves year after year, generation after generation. Same language, different dialect.â

CARY FRIDLEY DOWN SOUTH
Nationally Acclaimed Folk Artist Highlights Personal Favorites, Collaborations and Debut Original for 17 Selection CD Available September 14 From Juba Records

âShe [Cary Fridley] sounds as if she was born to sing of the troubles and simple joys that define old-timey mountain music.â
--Brian Beatty All Music Guide

Traditional folk singer Cary Fridley retraces the back roads of her remarkable musical journey with a personalized, far-reaching CD spotlighting her favorite traditional songs and the debut with her first original country song, Cheatinâ. Juba Records showcases this highly recognizable Southern voice with a personal collection of career favorites.

The collection opens with a delicate rendition of the classic blues song When The Levee Breaks, influenced by the singing and guitar of blues great Memphis Minnie. Roy Andrade compliments Caryâs soulful singing with traditional fingerstyle guitar, anchored by the stand-up bass playing of Asheville bluesman Bill Reynolds. In the current wake of Hurricane Katrina, this old song holds heartbreaking poignancy that is hard to ignore. The next selection, Pretty Saro is a ballad from Madison County, NC that was first recorded by Cas Wallin in the 1960âs and is still being passed down. Cary presents it here with Steve Trismen as a duet, accompanied by rhythm guitar and solo fiddle. The CD moves into the classic 1920âs string band sound for several songs led by innovative Weaverville fiddler, Rob Mangum. 7 Mile Ford string band, brought together solely for this recording includes Mangum on fiddle, Roy Andrade on banjo, Daniel Coolik (One Leg Up) on guitar, and Cary Fridley on stand-up bass and vocals. Next, Daniel Coolik highlights the classic guitar of Maybelle Carter with his power-charged solo in Lonesome Homesick Blues. Mangum rides the momentum with the next traditional fiddle tune, Shuckinâ the Brush, a fiddle festival favorite. The bandâs first section of the CD ends with a waltz, North Country, by Carol Elizabeth Jones, an influential voice in Southern country and bluegrass music.

Like a sweet sunset the CD eases into Track 6 with the local blues collective The Lowdown Travelers. They keep the solid groove moving with a version of Mississippi R. L. Burnsideâs Going Down South, the inspirational track behind the CD. Musicians include Kyle Smith on harp, Scott Sharp on guitar, and Mike Ashworth on drums.

Track 7, You Led Me To The Wrong, is a favorite song of Fridleyâs since The Freight Hoppers shows. For this recording, Cary brought in an electric country band, rich harmony vocals, and Waylon Jennings-style guitar by Woody Wood. The song was written by North Carolina native, Ola Belle Reed, an innovative songwriter during the 1960âs folk revival. This murder ballad has a dark feminist side, as the narrator takes the law into her own hands after her man starts âcourting her best friend.â Appropriately, Come All You Fair And Tender Ladies is next, using the same modern country instrumentation to highlight this traditional favorite warning young girls of the wiles of dishonest men.

Cheatinâ is Fridleyâs first released original country song. Written from the manâs point of view, the lyrics offer compassion for all perspectives of the classic love triangle, a popular theme in country songs.

God Donât Like It from The Lowdown Travelers is influenced by the classic 78 Blind Willie McTell recording. The lyrics of this song express the writerâs discontent with the moonshine drinkers in the church congregation.

Lily May Ledford of Coon Creek Girls fame first recorded I Have No Mother Now at a live concert at Berea College in the 1960s, which is the inspirational recording behind this track. Research at the Archives of Appalachia confirms its popularity as a ballad collected around Johnson City, TN. Added harmonies and country drums donât distract from the timelessness of this childâs lament.

Caryâs version of Kitty Wellsâ Making Believe blends old-time and modern country ideas with fiddle, electric mandolin, pedal steel, and full vocal harmonies. 7 Mile Ford presents the final three songs in traditional stringband format, beginning with traditional old-time fiddle tune, Dolly, led by Rob Mangum. Scotland Man is also a ballad collected from the mountains of Madison County, NC, which first appeared in a 1960âs art film âThe End of An Old Songâ. Originally played and sung with banjo only, it is presented here with a full string band sound behind full voice ballad singing. For the final two tunes, Rob and Cary sing the classic Wild Bill Jones murder ballad and then close with Barlow Knife, a traditional Appalachian square dance tune.

The CD Release Date for Down South is September 14, 2007 at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC. Cary will be appearing at the Lake Eden Arts Festival in Black Mountain, NC October 19-20, 2007 and also May 19-20, 2008. Please visit www.caryfridley.net and www.myspace.com/caryfridley/ for complete listings and information.

CARY FRIDLEY â DOWN SOUTH
Track Listing

1. When the Levee Breaks 3:16
2. Pretty Saro 4:19
3. Lonesome Homesick Blues 2:53
4. Shucking the Brush 2:35
5. North Country 3:06
6. Going Down South 2:18
7. You Led Me To the Wrong 4:08
8. Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies 2:57
9. Cheatin' 3:14
10. God Don't Like It 4:30
11. I Have No Mother Now 3:44
12. Making Believe 3:50
13. Dolly 2:20
14. Scotland Man 3:48
15. Wild Bill Jones 3:17
16. Barlow Knife 7:15