Ed Helms’ Bluegrass Album in the Works
For years, Ed Helms' role as a TV and movie star has overshadowed his love for music, but now the multi-talented Georgia native is taking a big step forward with his musical career. "The Office" actor is spending time in the studio with his longtime bluegrass band, the Lonesome Trio, working on their first full-length album.
"We've been laying down some demos and kicking them back and forth," he tells the Hollywood Reporter. "We've been been playing together so long, we have so many original tunes. We've made recordings for friends and family for years but we've never done a proper album."
Still, while the bandmates know they want to put out a full CD, they're unsure how they want to sell it. "It''s unclear if a label is the way to go," the 42-year-old concedes. "The Louis C.K. comedy model is kind of also crossing over into the music world and obviously Radiohead kind of threw it up online for a donation of four or five dollars. We are figuring that part out."
"The Hangover" star has such a love for bluegrass music, he created his own blog, the Bluegrass Situation, to share with fans all over the world. "It's a one-stop shop for all news, events and community-related content for all Southern California roots, Americana, bluegrass music," Ed explains. "We're trying to build a community and get people together."
Now living in Los Angeles, Ed is surrounded by all kinds of music, but says it's bluegrass that he appreciates the most. "I spent summers up in the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, and [bluegrass] was always a sound that resonated for me and felt like a connection to these places that meant a lot to me," the tunesmith told NPR. "I do think people who love banjo music are cursed in some way, because most people don't like it and it's kind of an obnoxious instrument. But I just get a lot of joy out of it."
The Lonesome Trio has several concert dates on the calendar, including a show on Sunday, May 6, in Los Angeles with actor Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. Keep track of their complete schedule here.
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