Sandy Carroll - Blues & Angels (2018)

Produced by Sandy’s Grammy-winning husband Jim Gaines, “Blues & Angels” features special guest appearances from Blues Music Award winning singer Johnny Rawls, guitarists Rocky Athas and Bernard Allison, as well as many members of the famed Muscle Shoals studio crew, including bassist David Hood and keyboardist Clayton Ivy.

“Blues & Angels” is her fourth album for Catfood Records and comes after Carroll’s previous albums focused on her Americana and country music connections. Her 2016 project, “Last Southern Belle,” hit #1 on the roots charts for Contemporary Country Song for six weeks straight and was #1 on the Hot Indie 100 Charts.

“Returning to the blues is my comfort zone,” Sandy Carroll says about the new album. “This album was one of the hardest to write because I really wanted to say something about what’s going on around us, while keeping true to the genre of the music’s tradition.”

“Blues is not just about a three o’clock in the morning heartbreak or a cheating man … it’s also about giving worth to the loss of a loved one, the state of one’s world, depression, mortality, healing the hurt … I think we experience these to know the true joy of gratitude as in dancing like a child, knowing that LOVE truly is a wonderful thing,” continues Carroll. “Blues music is universal and lets us know we are never alone in times of trouble or wonderment.”

On “Blues & Angels”, Sandy Carroll touches on a wide assortment of universal feelings and truths. “Some of the songs are written for healing,” she admits. ‘Wrapped In An Angel’ and ‘Headin’ Home’ are two of those; some are songs of awareness like ‘Road Angels’ and ‘Movin’ On.’ ‘Slings and Arrows’ and ‘Blues All For Myself’ are about recognizing the dark and either being prepared with a lifelong armor or letting it run its course. Some of the songs are joyous: ‘Somebody Gotta’ Dance’ and ‘Love Is A Wonderful Thing;’ some are tongue-in-cheek songs about atonement: ‘Soak Me In The Spirit’ and the timely ‘Mama Don’t Like It,’ that speaks to the empowerment of women and a sassy blues warning to anyone ignoring the ‘me, too’ movement. “One, and only one, is a true love song: ‘Mississippi Me’ is for my husband and its delicate simplicity grants me peace,” states Carroll.

For the songs on her new recording, Carroll collaborated again with Songwriter Hall of Fame member Mark Narmore, as well as William Lee Ellis and some new writers, including Stephanie C. Brown (“Burning Bridges” – Garth Brooks). From the musician side, Hall of Fame guitarist Will MacFarlane, plus special guests Bernard Allison and Rocky Athas put the blues licks and tones in their proper place.

“I was honored to write and duet with Johnny Rawls,” she declares. “Once again we recorded at Bessie Blues but also took it on the road for a cut at East Avalon Studios in Muscle Shoals and home to Memphis for a day’s work at American Studios.” The A-Team rhythm section is Steve Potts, Dave Smith, Rick Steff and Steve Selvidge from Memphis. The A-Team from Muscle Shoals: David Hood, Clayton Ivy and Justin Holder laid it down for a glorious cut. Drummer Derrick Young worked in our studio while we were experimenting and did so well he ended up on two cuts. And I couldn’t be luckier than to have singers Reba Russell, Daunielle Hill, Barbara Blue, Nancy Apple, Lorina McMinn, Trinecia Butler, Rachel Robinson and Trey Hardin give the songs the texture and power they deserve.”