REBEKAH LONG
Luk Records
Luk 100
Run Awayis Rebekah Long’s new solo album and highlights why she’s a needed fresh face in the bluegrass world. Simply put, her voice is as pure as her musical heart. She makes music that’s unique, quirky (in a great way), and authentic. Long was one of the first-ever alumna of Buddy Griffin’s Bluegrass Studies Program at Glenville State College in West Virginia. She also did production, engineering and session work at Tom T. and Dixie Hall’s studio before making her own recordings.
On Run Away, Long once again rekindles her wonderful songwriting collaboration with Donna Ulisse, a Grammy Award winner and IBMA Songwriter Of The Year. Long and Ulisse co-wrote eight songs on this project and Jerry Salley, Becky Buller, and Rick Stanley also have songwriting credits here. Produced by Ulisse, the musicians featured on the project include Rick Stanley, Cody Kilby, Mike Bub, Patrick McAvinue, Scott Vestal, Mark Fain, Jarrod Walker, Gene McDonald, Shad Cobb, and a lead vocal from Long’s late husband, gospel great Ben Speer.
When Long writes songs about life in the countryside in her native Georgia, as on the rollicking “Georgia Bound,” she’s lived it. When she sings about “Fishin’ On The Cumberland,” she’s really out there on her boat on the Cumberland River near her Nashville home throwing lures and setting trotlines. Other highlights include a wonderful acoustic version of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s anti-big-city song “Honky Cat,” the upbeat banjo-driven title track, the beautiful “Welcome Me Back Home,” and an emotional tribute to her husband Ben’s last dayson Earth with “Woodland Street.” (www.rebekahlong.com)DH