Songs From The Road Band - Pay Your Dues (2023)

This project may be the most fully-realized recording from the band to date, with strong material top to bottom. And that is saying a lot as the group initially got together to record music the various members had written in 2006. After a number of releases as a special project band, they began touring together in 2018, and have been on the road ever since, other than the forced restrictions during the COVID times.

The concept behind this group is interesting as well, with several artists who had made their bones in the jamgrass and progressive bluegrass world coming together to create a more mainstream bluegrass band, with songs that would appeal to bluegrass radio. With bassist Charles Humphrey III, late of Steep Canyon Rangers, as the primary impetus, Mark Schimick on mandolin, who had toured with Larry Keel and as a bandleader, and Sam Wharton on guitar from the Colorado bluegrass scene, they added two-time National Fiddle Champion James Schlender, and a number of different banjo pickers to create the band. Kyle Tuttle, who also tours with Molly Tuttle, is featured on the five on this latest effort.