Catching up...

Wow, it has been a long time. With that said I welcome you back to my oh so sporadic blog. Where to start? I guess I'll start with a quick catch up.

I had the best IBMA I think I've ever had. I wrangled up a great group of musicians at the last min to join me for my songwriters spot in the Acoustic Trail Suite! A great big thank you to Courtney Hartman, Joe Walsh, Jodi Boyce, Seth Rhinehart, and all the folks who came out and listened!

After that, I was off to Colorado to teach a workshop in Montrose. I had a great group of students and such a great time!

It didn't hurt that I got to spend some time with my niece, Kenna... oh and the rest of my family too.

I've been playing some awesome shows with Nikki Talley lately. I even got to go to Florida in October! Swam in the river... didn't get eaten by alligators... didn't get to eat any alligators... saw some great music!

I guess the biggest news I have to share is that I'll be moving to Nashville in January. I'm planning on staying for at least a year. I'm going to miss the mountains, I'm going to miss North Carolina, but I'm excited to give Nashville a try. I've been threatening to do it for years, so thats right folks, you heard me right... Nashville Tennessee.

Well, I hope to update sooner than later, but we'll see if that happens or not. So just in case, have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Ashleigh

Where did the summer go?

Where did the summer go? Temperatures have been soaring all summer long, but its finally starting to cool off at night... almost cold enough for a sweatshirt, and the other day while I was walking through the woods I found the most perfect fall leaf! This summer, like most summers just flew by. I'm excited about the fall. I'm always excited about the fall, but I'm not ready for Winter and unfortunately it usually comes right after fall.

So, I've been seriously slacking off on this blog lately, but I guess that is almost as sure a thing as Winter following Autumn. That said:

I went to my very first fiddler's convention in Galax and it was awesome! I was only able to be there for Monday and Tuesday so I missed seeing a lot of friends that showed up later in the week. Next time I plan on staying for the whole week, camping and all, and maybe dragging my parents and a few friends along.

My Grandma Caudill at Galax watching the fiddle contest:

Last time I blogged I had just gotten back from a little trip with Rorey Carroll down to the coast. Since then I've taken a band down to Georgia to play at Sawnee Mountain Music in Cumming (where the odometer in the van rolled over 200,000!),

taken a few day hikes, and played the most awesome show with Nikki Talley at the Porter Center in Brevard.

On my way home from Galax, I stopped at the Linville Caverns and took the cave tour. Now I want to book an entire tour where we play everywhere there is a cave tour... I'll call it the Ashleigh Caudill Cave Tour!

Anyway, Nikki called me while I was in Virginia for the fiddler's convention and left me half a dozen voicemails (I don't get cell service there, or hardly anywhere, thanks to Sprint, but thats a different story) to see if I was available to play with her that Saturday. I was, and boy am I glad!

The show was at the Porter Center in Brevard, probably the biggest venue I've played at in a while, and it was a benefit for SAFE , a program that provides help and services to victims of domestic violence. Songwmith Gathering features four very talented songwriters, Julie Lee, Nikki Talley, Shannon Whitworth and Beth Wood, with a big awesome finale at the end.

When we first walked in the door I met Julie Lee who was sitting in the green room playing the cutest little 4-string banjo that I have ever seen, and about five minutes later she was teaching me one of her tunes, a super awesome haunting tune called Plague of Blood, which she had Shannon and I back her up on at the end of her set.



I love last minute collaborations!

Everyone else filtered in, sound checks happened, I met the rest of the musicians (everyone seemed to know each other pretty well from the last year) and then we ate. We ate the most delicious food I think most of us had eaten in a long time. Not only is it awesome to get to play a great venue for a great cause with great people but on top of everything to get fed gourmet food before hand! Above and beyond!

The show was great, the turnout was awesome and the finale wasn't bad either. It was fun to get to play with such a large group of musicians. Seven people doesn't quite compare to an actual big band, or even Lyle Lovett's large band, but I'll take it!

So, now on to upcoming things... I've got more shows with Nikki coming up, I've also got a few with Matt Purinton and Charles Hedgepath... check out my schedule for more information on those and all AC&NG shows. This fall and winter I'll be doing quite a few solo shows, and some duo shows as well. I'll also be teaching a few songwriting workshops!

The first workshop will be in Montrose Colorado on October 8th and 9th. There might be one on the Front Range too, but I'll keep you posted on that.

IBMA is also coming up and I might, just might, make an appearance at Folk Alliance in Memphis this year... We'll see...

I think thats all I have time for now... Thanks for reading!

A few days in Charleston SC

Yesterday it was so hot and humid that you could see the moisture hanging in the air over the city. Today we were lucky enough to be cooled down significantly by a couple thunder storms.
We're getting ready to play our last show in the Charleston area. We're fortunate that we get to play the same bar two nights in a row! We're also fortunate that we met some truly interesting people on this trip... most of them musicians. The other night after we finished playing on James' Island and the crowd dwindled a little there was still a large handful of people lingering... come to find out, almost all of them are musicians!

Last night I broke an E string. Thats probably the third time in my life that has ever happened. I thought it might be a good idea to auction it off at the show, but that didn't work out very well... the only reason I can think of is because I'm not a very good auctioneer. I'll try again tonight, but this time I'm gonna try marketing it as a key chain to up its commercial value. Everyone likes a key ring!

I have yet to buy another camera charger, so I don't have a whole lot of pictures, but we did have quiet a few talented photographers stop by various shows and they captured some pretty cool shots. Here are some of my favorites:

Rorey as a Zombie:

Band shot at Home Team BBQ:

Playing a little banjo at The Tucker Fountain:

Today we wandered around Charleston, looked a lot of historic buildings, and checked out the wares on Market Street. Ruby made friends with a couple of draft mules that were working down town. They were almost entirely disinterested in her but she was fascinated with them. I'm sure they've seen quiet a few dogs in their time... and they were the first draft mules she had ever met.

Well, as much as I'm looking forward to tonight's show, I'm also really looking forward to getting back to Asheville and having a little bit of down time.

Colorado and back then to the beach!

Happy birthday America! I know thats a little late, but I'm usually late on birthday wishes...

I flew out to Colorado after being back in Asheville for a little more than a week. I flew into Denver where my mom picked me up from the airport and promptly took me to meet my brand new niece, Kenna!

The week in Colorado was a whirlwind. I spent some more time in Lyons than I did on the last trip. I didn't even make it up to Fort Collins. The drive over to Montrose was beautiful as usual and it was good to spend a little time hanging out as well as playing music with some of my very favorite musicians, Jodi Boyce, Zebulon Bowles, and David Richey. The show went well, the weather held up and the fireworks were AWESOME! The trip was too short and before I knew it I was back on an airplane at 6am for a big fat layover in Texas. Top it off with the fact that I left my phone on the coffee table of my brother's house in Loveland. So I am feeling rather old fashioned in not having a cell phone for the week.

I'm currently in Charleston SC on tour with the Rorey Carroll Band. We're having a blast and trying to stay cool in the oppressive heat and humidity of the South Eastern Coast. I'll be sure to post some pictures a little later, right now I think its time for a little rehearsal.

Ah, Asheville, its good to be back!

Hello!

I'm back in Asheville again, and it sure feels good to be here. Its been a whirlwind summer, and it doesn't look like its slowing down any time soon.

First things first, I am now officially "Aunt Ashleigh!" My brother Lucas, and his wife, Stephanie had their first child on June 23rd. Please welcome the newest addition to the Caudill clan, Kenna Marie Caudill!

Now, lets catch up on things musically related.

Thrusday I had the honor to play with the likes of Gary Mackey, Griff Martin, Jason Fournoy and Matt Purinton at a lovely private party in Unicoi TN. The setting was beautiful, and there were peacocks running around everywhere, even an all white one. Can't say that I've ever seen that before. Another first was getting a request for William White from a 9 (I think) year old girl. I think she would have to be our youngest fan, and one after my own heart, who loves the murder ballads!

Friday I was thrilled to be part of the Nikki Talley band at Jack of the Wood. The bar was full to the gills and Nikki rocked it as usual.

Saturday we were thrilled to be a part of the Where the Hills are Blue Concert Series at the White Horse in Black Mountain. The other band on the bill with us was Bobby & Blue Ridge Tradition. I haven't had the chance to hear them before, but was glad I did this time! What a great show! After that we all slipped off for the after party pickin at the By Water in Asheville, where we got to catch up with a few hometown folks we haven't seen in a while.

Currently, I'm blogging while working on a few tunes on the banjo... I thought it was hard to play banjo to begin with, now typing and picking is becoming quite the challenge. So lets wrap this up...

I'll be in Montrose for the 4th of July for Fourth Fest. I can't wait to get to spend some quality Montrose time, and little more Colorado time before I run back to the South East to play a few shows with Rorey Carroll.

I"ll post some pictures soon!

Ashleigh

Colorado Springs... What a beautiful sight!

Hello!

We are currently in Colorado Springs. I'm getting in some serious, computer work time in. I'd rather be romping around in the mountains. Its torture sitting here answering emails while the sun is beaming down, and a light breeze rustles the leaves outside. I guess I'll make this one as quick and through as I can.

Last I wrote we were in Wray before the first Colorado show. We are now about to play our second to last Colorado show for this month... I've really been slacking off!

The show at 4th & Main was awesome! Its always awesome to play in Wray, so we expected nothing less. It was the first time the four of us (Matt Purinton, David Richey, Zebulon Bowls and myself) had all played together at the same time. We've all picked in various configurations, but all four of us at the same time was even better than I had expected! We had a blast, and continued to have a blast into the early morning hours with the few stragglers who didn't want to go home yet.

Thursday, we all drove to the Front Range. I thought the drive across Kansas was long (and it was) but being so close yet so far out
on the plains... lets just say it was a longer drive than I had expected.

Matt and I arrived at my brother Lucas, and sister in law, Steph's house in the late afternoon, said hello to the pets and dropped Ruby off to play with her doggie cousin Kingston for the afternoon. Then we headed over to David's house for some more pickin, followed by catching a show at Avos. Funny thing is, the show we went to see was the Town Mountain show. Thats right, we drove from North Carolina to Colorado to hear a band from our home town. We never get to see them when we're in Asheville. I'm not really sure why, but the show was great and we tried not to stay out too late...

Early Friday morning we went up to play on the Radio in Fort Collins. KRFC is a great radio station, they play great music and they have bands play live every weekday from noon to 1pm! We lucked out and had an exceptional host, an awesome sound tech and a super fun time! After the radio show, we all split off... some to the river, some to the mountains, some for a nap... then we regrouped at the Bar SS in Laporte. The place is a lot different now that its not the Swing Station, but we adjusted pretty quickly. We played outside... it was colder than we expected, but we managed. It was great to see so many people out who heard us on the radio!

Saturday was another bright and early morning... taking off for Pueblo, to spend two days down by the river playing at Bluegrass on the River! One of my favorite festivals! We have a few videos up online... I'll see if I can figure out how to post them onto the blog... we'll see if I can remember how... Pueblo was a whirlwind. We saw so many friends, family, pickers, campers, tents, vendors... the list goes on. We had two main stage sets and one acoustic set, late night pickin, jumping in the river time, lounging in the sun time... too much fun!

Since then, Matt and I have been playing a plethora of duo shows. We were lucky enough to score some great afternoon concerts, that took us to beautiful places like Walden Colorado. If you don't know where that is, its in North Park. North Park is North of South Park. We drove there through the Poudre Canyon on a bright and sunny day... drove from sunny Fort Collins right up until the side of the road was covered with snow... but it was still sunny and warm. Thats Colorado for ya!

So much for making this a quick entry. I'll go ahead and remind you of a few shows we have coming up:

This Friday, June 17th, We'll be in Montrose for the Skylark Concert Series at Cobble Creek. We're also planning on dropping by an open mic on Thursday with my dad... I'm pretty sure that takes place at the Red Barn

On June 25th we'll be in Black Mountain NC at the White Horse along with Bobby & Blue Ridge Tradition. That show starts at 8:00pm and it will be our first time at the White Horse, so if you're around we'd love to see you!

June 27th we'll be at the Mast Farm Inn! This will be another first for us. We've been trying to find a time to get out there to play and we finally worked it out. I'm really looking forward to this one. I hear its beautiful out there and I can't wait to see it!

July 4th, I'll be back in Colorado with a great group of guys for Fourth Fest in Montrose CO! We play right before the fireworks! I do love fireworks!!!

Well I hope your eyes aren't burning from staring at the computer screen for too long! Thanks for reading!

Colorado shows!

Hey everyone! Hope to see any of you that dwell in Colorado in the next week.

Our first show is tonight in Wray. We're hanging out enjoying the nice weather until its time to play. The drive over went off without a hitch, but it was, as usual, a long drive. By the time we got a little more than half way through Kansas, we couldn't take it anymore and we had to stop. We ended up stopping in Salina Kansas and decided to have a beer. We ended up hanging out for a while and bringing our instruments and picking some. The plan was to sit in a corner and play a few tunes and be ignored, but the plan changed as soon as we started playing. Everyone in the bar came over and listened and were very excited to have live music. We played until close and then listened to the rain and thunder while we fell asleep, hoping that there would be no tornados.

The next day, after much driving, we stopped at a state park and swam, ran, walked, and lounged in the sunshine. Of all of us, I think that Ruby was the most excited to be there. She didn't stop zooming from the time she got out of the car until it was time to leave. Upon arriving to Wray we stopped into 4th & Main and had some of the best food we've had in a very long time, and hung out with our gracious host EJ and later with Briar playing a strange full body video game where you have to jump over things and pet cats and ride in boats.

That should catch you up on most of our adventures thus far, and we haven't even played a show yet!

I'm really looking forward to tonight. I couldn't have asked for a better group of musicians for this tour. We'll have Zebulon Bowles on fiddle, David Richey on guitar and dobro, Matt Purinton on Mandolin and of course, me playing bass!

Some pictures from the last couple of months

A close up of my new banjo, photo by Sandi Purinton:

My CD's on sale at MerleFest! I can still hardly believe it!

Singing Row by Row at MerleFest!

A funny little duck that I lured to me with my banjo duck walk song:

Ruby's life is so hard!

Window art:
Playing in Isle of Palms with Nikki Talley:
A snapping turtle resting on a log:

I guess this one speaks for itself

My tour office in January:

Spanish Moss.

Ruby and Matt Jump over me in the snow:

There you go. Some highlights from the last couple months in photo form.

In New Jersey...

I'm in New Jersey and once again I'm sitting in my van using the McDonald's WiFi.

Very soon, any moment now, we'll start the drive up to East Wareham MA for Bluegrass on the Bogs. We don't play until Sunday, but who can resist hanging around a festival? Certainly not I.

The night before last we were in Fredericksburg, VA, where we waited out the hail in the van and then wandered around in the pouring rain until we stumbled upon a bar that had everything... There were pin ball machines, big buck hunt, a bean bag toss video game, live music, cheap beer, cheap pizza AND alligator tail! We ordered some beer, some alligator chunks and played pinball until we ran out of change. I haveto say that alligator is pretty tasty! I never expected to be eating alligator in Virginia. I guess that just goes to show that you really never can tell whats going to happen.

Yesterday we spent most of the afternoon driving through somepretty heavy rain and stopping for the night somewhere in New Jersey, where we still are. What I enjoyed most of all yesterday was getting a chance to listen to my friend, Rorey Carroll's CD, Roadside Lullabies. I've heard it before, but this was the first time I got to listen to it beginning to end, uninterrupted. If you don't have this CD yet, I highly recommend that you purchase it. My three favorite tracks are the first track, about heading to the south, the murder ballad (of course) and the fun and bouncy, Rhythm. I'm not going to tell you which tracks they are, you'll just have to get the CD and listen all the way through.

Oh, and don't forget that Rorey will be opening for us out in Colorado at Bar SS on Friday June 3rd.

Which reminds me: I am so excited to go to Colorado! It seemed like it was so far away, and now here it is, right in front of me! I'm also excited to get home to my sweet little Ruby dog, and Lump and spend some quality time before we hit the road again, this time, with Ruby along for the ride.

Alright, Here's a preview of one of our Colorado Tour posters!

See ya!

Stealing WiFi from McDonald's?

I am currently sitting in the van outside of a McDonald's in Petersburg VA using the free WiFi. We're slowly making out way up to our final destination (for this trip anyway) Bluegrass on the Bogs in East Wareham Massachusetts.

We stared the whole trip off just outside of Wilmington NC, in Kure Beach, where Matt's grandparents live. Unfortunately I can't find the charger for my camera, so there aren't going to be too many pictures of this trip... unless I take them with my phone I guess. Anyway, we had a blast at the beach! Its hard not to have fun at the beach, but the climate was right for the perfect beach trip, the only thing that could have been better is if we got to stay longer.

The biggest highlight for me was getting to surf. I had a chance to learn in Mexico last summer but for some reason I chickened out. Either way, I finally tried it and it was awesome! I'm pretty lousy at it, but I was getting better and better, swallowing more and more water and then getting progressively worse. Its takes a lot more energy than one might think, and I ended up with a couple bruises that are about golf ball sized if not a little misshapen from loosing my grip on the board in the shallower water. I would say that it was worth it and Matt was a fine surf instructor and I will certainly try it again next time I get the chance.

I'm really looking forward to getting back to New England soon, but the trip is going to be so short that I don't think I'll get to see any of my old buddies in Boston, New Hampshire or Maine! Looks like I'll have to be planning another trip soon!

A video from Shakori Hills Festival

I wanted to share a video from the Shakori Hills Festival a few weeks back, so, here it is!



Thats Nikky Talley, with Lyndsay Pruett on fiddle and me on the bass!

MerleFest and summer shows!

MerleFest was a blast! Matt and I got to go to MerleFest and perform Row by Row in the onsite Chris Austin Songwriting Contest! We had a blast and got the royal treatment. We played, we listened to the other contestants, we waited and results are in... Row by Row came in 2nd in the bluegrass category! We're thrilled!

Now, moving right along, Summer shows!

We'll be spending quite a bit of June in Colorado, but before then, Matt and I (the Narrow Gauge Duo) will head up to New England to play at Bluegrass on the Bogs in East Wareham MA! We'd love to see old friends and make new ones as well. This one looks like its going to be a lot of fun! Sunday May 22nd is the day we'll be playing.

Then we'll head west.

June 1st we'll be playing at 4th & Main in Wray Colorado. We played here last year and had so much fun that we just had to come back and do it again.

Friday June 3rd we'll be at Bar SS in Laporte Colorado (formerly the Swing Station). This will be our first time here, so come on out and join us! The wonderful and talented Rorey Carroll will be opening up the show and may be sitting in on a few throughout as well.

On Saturday & Sunday (June 4th &5th) we are pleased to be part of the great lineup for Bluegrass on the River in Pueblo Colorado. Its one of my favorites and it will be yours too if you decide to go!

After Pueblo, we'll cut half the band loose and head over to Montrose, where Matt and I will play as part of the Skylark Concert Series at Cobble Creek on June 17th. If you miss out on this concert, be sure to catch the full band on July 4th right before the fireworks, where we'll of course be sporting our best patriotic outfits!

Oh and how could I forget to let you know who the band is for this trip! I'm thrilled to be playing with such fine musicians as Matt Purinton, David Richey & Zebulon Bowles!

Thats all we have for our Colorado adventure, and I'll be sure to update you on the rest of the summer plans as we go. To find out where we'll be playing and when, be sure to check out our calender!

Hope to see you this summer!

Taking off on a little tour with Nikki Talley!

As I mentioned before. I'll be doing a lot of shows with Nikki Talley. We take off from Asheville tomorrow around noon and here is where we are going:

04-08 Morgan Creek Grill - Isle of Palms, SC - 6:30 pm
04-09 house concert - Charleston, SC - 7:00 pm
04-10 Lulu's Chocolate Bar - Savannah , GA 7:00 pm
04-11 The Casbah - Jacksonville, FL - 9:00 pm

For more information on the shows visit www.nikkitalley.com

I'll also try and upload pictures and stories as we go along... if not, I guess you'll just have to wait until I return to hear of all our wonderful adventures!

Have a wonderful day, week, and weekend!

Ashleigh

Welcome, spring!

Its beautiful here in Asheville! The grass is green, the sun is out, the flowers are blooming, and my kitty, Lump, is telling me that its time for her lunch.

With spring comes some exciting news, new shows and the season for travel!

I'll start with the shows. We've got some pretty exciting ones coming up. We'll be at one of my favorite festivals in Colorado, Bluegrass on the River in Pueblo. Unfortunately this is going to be the last year that their having it, although I am glad that we are going to be a part of it.
We'll also be playing a handful of full band shows on the Front Range (I'll post specifics later) and another handful of duo shows (featuring Matt Purinton, and myself). Be sure to check our schedule to find out about where we'll be.

In other news I'll be playing quite a bit with the lovely and talented, Nikki Talley. She's a great singer, guitarist, and songwriter from the Asheville area. I'll be posting the shows that I'll be joining her for in a bit. One that I'm particularly excited about is the Shakori Hills Spring Grassroots Festival.

And now for the very most exciting news: my tune, Row By Row, was selected as a finalist in the Bluegrass category of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest! What this means is that I will be traveling to Merlfest and performing my song (along with Matt Purinton) on the Chris Austin Stage in the final competition! I am very excited about it, and I feel so honored to have made it this far.

Thats all the news I have for you today. If you're free tonight, come to Black Mountain North Carolina and hang out with us at the Town Pump Tavern. I've got a great group of guys pickin with me tonight: Gary Mackey (fiddle), Matt Purinton (mandolin), Griff Martin (guitar), and maybe a few special guests!

Happy spring!
-Ashleigh

Warmin up the winter

Hello and happy February!

Its been a cold winter so far. I think that goes for most of the country this year. While I was in Colorado for Christmas, I was thinking it was never going to get cold and snow. Well I guess I really asked for it. Its been cold in North Carolina. We had a great deal of snow in January, and now its cold (and I mean really cold) in Colorado, as well as everywhere else!

As cold as it is, we're going to try and warm up the winter, and I suggest you do the same. We've got some shows coming up and I think if we fill these places with as many bodies as possible we'll all be a little warmer. The food and drink might help, and hopefully the music will draw you out of any winter doldrums.

Here's the weekend schedule... starting on Thursday...

February 10th, we'll be at Smiley's Acoustic Cafe at 7pm. We'll be playing with the illustrious Charles Hedgepath (a fine guitar picker and great singer). Anyone who's ever been to Smiley's knows that they have great food, and an awesome selection of beverages, so bring your family and bring your friends!

February 11th, we'll be at Barley's in Spindale. Yet another great place to eat, drink, be merry, and hear some bluegrass!

February 12th, We'll be at the Mount Gilliad Music Barn! This is a dancing venue, so be sure to bring your dancing shoes and be prepared to be wowed by the regulars. Just watching them dance wears me out! This will also be the first 4 piece of the weekend. The lineup will be Matt Purinton, Myself, Charles Hedgepath and banjoist, Nick Coker.


Saint Valentine's Day is coming up, but I'm sure you all remembered that.

In case you didn't know February is also:
African American History Month
American Heart Month
Cat Health Month
Grapefruit Month
Library Lover's Month

and who could forget, Potato Lover's Month

So, get out there and celebrate, keep warm, and support live music!

-Ashleigh

Matt & Ashleigh fly south for the winter...

Well... we didn't fly south... we drove... and we're not staying for the whole winter, just a little while.

When we left Asheville, it was a winter wonderland! I'm so happy that I got to spend some time in the snow this winter, and Asheville certainly looks lovely under a blanket of white. However, I'm glad we got the chance to go to the beach and hang out in the sunshine, while at the same time play a whole lot of music.

We've been playing a lot of private parties, and afternoon concerts. So far, we've been well received and we're having a blast! I wish we brought along a video camera, because I'd love to share some of our new arrangements and new tunes!

What I can give you for now is a little glimpse into our tour via some pictures:

Our porch when we left Asheville:







Ruby's first trip to the beach:


Still a little cold:







Collected a few shells:


Savannah (right after we were serenaded by a street performer singing, Georgia. It was pouring, but he kept on playing):











Last but not least, a beautiful sunset:




Its been a fun trip so far. I spent most of today taking pictures of all the Spanish Moss hanging from the trees here in Brunswick. I'm a little disappointed that there isn't more stew here, but I guess I'll get over it.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

-Ashleigh

December Drawing winners!

Congratulations to our December Drawing winners!

Bernie Galus and Mike Singer!

Thanks to everyone who participated and better luck next time to everyone except for Bernie Galus and Mike Singer!

Stay tuned for more drawings in the future!!!

Nice review in Bluegrass Unlimited!

2011 has already been good to me. Check out the latest Fruit of the Vine review in Bluegrass Unlimited!

ASHLEIGH CAUDILL
FRUIT OF THE VINE
No Label
AC0002

Usually promo quotes on album covers must be taken in context. In the case of Ashleigh Caudill’s new recording, they prove true. Ashleigh Caudill, as Claire Lynch writes, does indeed “have an undeniable gift for songwriting.”

While the themes of her 12 originals are the basic themes of poor but happy, hard times, wishing for love, working toward the promised land, murder, death and the joys of being in love, what raises them to a superior level is her creativity at blending contemporary touches with older traditional forms and rhythms. The insistent 3/4 pulse of “Toil & Shame,” for example, has a chorus that calls to mind the old folk tune “Wind And Rain,” but also has a short interlude that makes me think of The Band. “Fruit Of The Vine,” the title song, uses clawhammer banjo and mixes the oldtimey image of wishing to be an apple on a tree with the contemporary wordplay of “vying with the fruit of the vine,” while “Pluckin’ The Hen” is an original happy go lucky fiddle tune with words and is reminiscent of “Down The Road” or “Cumberland Gap.” Perhaps the most impressive example of her use of older forms is the ballad “William White.” Many have written murder ballads in bluegrass of late, but most of them sound forced. “William White” doesn’t suffer that fate. Caudill cloaks her tale in archaic form and language structure, making it sound like she found a lost notebook from Cecil Sharp.

All four of those are highlights, but there are many others, including the religious anthem “Row By Row,” the quickpaced, joie de vivre of “Saturday Afternoon Man” and the lilting and pensive waltz of “Sad Song.” Caudill renders them all in a voice that is smooth and light, at times skipping and playful, at times drifting and soulful. Such vocal skills and good arranging and good backing work go with her fine songwriting skills and result in an exceptional album. (Ashleigh Caudill, 426 Deaverview Rd., Asheville, NC 28806, www.ashleighcaudill.com.) BW

To read the same review on the Bluegrass Unlimited site, just click here!


I'm thrilled about the great review! I'm also thrilled to draw more names out of the hat for our December drawing. I'll have the results posted by tomorrow, so be sure to check and see if you're a winner!

Happy New Year!

-Ashleigh