Long time local Americana standout Don Gallardo has been a friend of the site for a while, and, after getting a sneak preview of his upcoming album Hickory, we are thrilled to exclusively premiere the single “Down In The Valley.” Those who have seen Gallardo perform, like when he performed at our Acme Feed & Seed showcase, know he is a diverse performer with a lyrical depth and soothing vocal style which helps his songs weave between genres effortlessly. Based on our advance listen to the new album, he is up to the same tricks, masterfully hopping from alt-country to indie rock to classic rock in his purely Americana tracks that channel influences like Uncle Tupelo, The Band, Grateful Dead, and Wilco.
The album was largely recorded with his band How Far West, but also included contributions from all-stars like Brad Pemberton on drums (Ryan Adams, Patty Griffin, Willie Nelson, Nora Jones, Brendan Benson), Bobby Clarke on mandolin & banjo (Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill), Micah Hulscher on keys, piano, organ (Wanda Jackson, Alabama Shakes, Caitlin Rose, Steelism), Guthrie Trapp on electric guitar (Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovett, Dolly Parton, George Jones), Randall Bramblett on sax (The Allman Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Widespread Panic), Mickey Raphael on harmonica (Elton John, U2, Emmy Lou Harris, Neil Young), and Rob Ickes on dobro (David Grisman, Merle Haggard).
Needless to say, the album is packed with star power, and you’ll hear all of that in the first track “Down In The Valley” to get an idea of what you’re in store for. Hickory is set to release via Clubhouse Records in the UK on June 8th. There’s no release US release date just yet, but stay dialed to No Country for more info on the record and local show announcements.
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