Appalachian Trail to perform at CD signing

On Saturday, July 3, local bluegrass band Appalachian Trail will be at the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance Museum and Gift Shop at 1:00 pm to play and hold a CD signing for their new release entitled ‘Time For Movin’’.

Appalachian Trail will also perform live at the Birthplace Of Country Music Alliance Pickin’ Porch located on the upper level in the Bristol Mall, on Thursday, July 1 at 7:00 pm. This performance will be broadcast live on WGOC-AM 640 radio.

Appalachian Trail consists of husband-and-wife team Tommy and Vickie Austin of Fall Branch, Tennessee, both on lead vocals and mandolin and upright bass respectively; journeyman fiddler and mandolin player Tim Laughlin of Bristol, Tennessee, also on harmony vocals; Jonesborough, Tennessee resident Glen Rose (cousin of banjo great Buddy Rose) on five-string banjo; and stellar-student of the ETSU Bluegrass music program and Marshall, North Carolina native, Josh Goforth on guitar and lead vocals. Appalachian Trail (L to R): Josh Goforth, Glen Rose, Vickie Austin, Tim Laughlin, and Tommy Austin.The new CD – Time For Movin’ – was recorded over a one year period at Hugh Sturgill’s ‘Hugh’s House Studio’ in Boone, North Carolina. An award-winning producer, Sturgill was responsible for J.D. Crowe’s classic ‘Old Home Place’ album, and has worked with Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice in recent years as well.

Tunes on Time For Movin’ include Headin’ West, and several original numbers written by Vickie, Tommy, and Josh such as Pale Rider, Pocket Knives and Fiddle Tunes, Sunday Mornin’ Feeling, and Drivin’ Blind. Tommy’s song, ‘A Christmas Tear’ was selected as third-place winner out of 894 entries in the 2004 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at Merlefest. A song written by Vickie – Can’t Hold On To Much – has made the top ten out of 110 entries in the International Bluegrass Association’s Songwriters’ Showcase contest. Tommy’s Pale Rider and Pocket Knives and Fiddle Tunes were selected as alternates in that contest as well.

“We think this album will do real well for us,” comments bassist/vocalist Vickie Austin, “We’ve worked hard for a long time on it. There is some incredible original material on this recording. We have three songs that have placed highly in important songwriting contests, and we do a beautiful four-part harmony a’capella gospel song as well”. “I’m also excited about the album’s cover design,” she continues, “my sister Shanna came up with the idea. We show a back view my three children pulling a Radio-Flyer wagon down a dirt road. Alongside the road is a billboard depicting the band. On the back cover, the wagon is broke down, but the kids are now lugging the cases that were in the wagon –they’re still movin’!”

The Birthplace of Country Music Alliance is a non-profit group dedicated to the music and culture of Appalachia and the role played by the region in the development of Country Music. To learn more about the BCMA, call (276) 645-0035.