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| ’Cherryholmes II: Black and White’ Cherryholmes, the harmonizing, hard pickin, ' rhinestone outfitted bluegrass family band, will release their latest album, "Cherryholmes II: Black and White, " June 12 on Skaggs Family Records. Fluidly moving from heartbreaking ballads to blistering jams, the album features richly constructed songs built on effortlessly blended harmonies and masterful instrumentation, with many of the tunes sure to become future bluegrass standards. Truly the next generation of bluegrass, the Skaggs protege's traditional song structures play out not as songs from a bygone era, but as tunes played with the high voltage of a group with four members between the ages of 14 and 23. The album opens with "You Don't Know What Love Is, " a kiss off to a noncommittal lover featuring Cia Leigh Cherryholmes' powerful lead vocals and skillful picking from the rest of the band. Other standouts include the driving bluegrass of "I Don't Know" and the album's title track, a mournful, cautionary tale of redemption in the face of life without parole, named for the protagonists black and white striped prison jumper. An honest to goodness family band, Cherryholmes are made up of the improbably bearded Jere and wife Sandy Lee Cherryholmes and their four children: Cia Leigh (vocals, banjo), B.J. (vocals, fiddle), Skip (guitar, vocals) and Molly Kate (fiddle, vocals). Cia Leigh, B.J. and Sandy Lee handle the majority of lead vocal duties on the album, but all 6 members share lead during the bands exhilarating live performances. "Cherryholmes II: Black and White" was recorded at Skaggs Place Studio with producer Ben Isaacs. The groups self-titled 2005 release, their first for Skaggs Family Records, garnered them a Grammy nomination for best bluegrass album. Voted International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainers of the Year in 2005, the group has been bringing their sweet family harmonies and incredible musicianship to fans since 1999. The Cherryholmes tour over 300 days a year, literally calling their tour bus home. In fact Jere has been known to tell a tall tale or two backstage about mishaps with the "house." write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |