Steep Canyon Rangers Offer Video Teasers, Free Download From Upcoming Album

Steep Canyon Rangers are only a few weeks away from the Sept. 10 release date for  their latest album, 'Tell The Ones I Love.' The 12-song project was recorded almost entirely live in the late Levon Helm's revered studio, with Grammy-winning producer Larry Campbell.

The bluegrass band reached outside of their comfort zone for the new set of tunes, especially with the title track, which features plenty of drums and percussion throughout the song.

"We didn¹t want something that was just a bluegrass track with drums laid on it like an afterthought," band member Graham Sharp explains. "We wanted something that was really integrated." They called on the talents of drummer Jeff Sipe (Susan Tedeschi, Aquarium Rescue Unit), whom Sharp cites as "one of the best drummers around," to record the song.

The band earned an entirely new set of fans when they toured with musician and actor Steve Martin, with whom they recorded the Grammy-nominated album, 'Rare Bird Alert.' They say they were keenly aware of that while recording 'Tell The Ones I Love.'

"It took a lot of work for us to nose our way into the bluegrass world and become a de facto representative," Sharp notes, "and we think it¹s a real responsibility." The new set of tunes, he adds, "will hopefully be a bridge between the bluegrass crowd and a wider audience that may not be die-hard bluegrass fans."

Steep Canyon Rangers hint that this new album, more than any of their previous projects, will showcase their high-energy live performances, and give listeners a taste of what their live shows deliver each night. Possibly the most diverse project of their career, the songs range from uptempo hits to vocally rich ballads.

In anticipation of the release of the upcoming album by Rounder Records, the band are offering fans video teasers of the title track (above), and another song called 'Lay Myself Down' (below).  The title song is also available as a free download here. Pre-order the entire CD here.