We Banjo 3 will release a new album, Open The Road, on July 15. The album’s latest single, “Gift Of Life,” premieres today exclusively via JamBase.
We Banjo 3, who hails from Galway, Ireland and perform self-described “Celtgrass,” is made up of pairs of brothers: Enda Scahill (banjo, vocals) and Fergal Scahill (fiddle, guitar, bodhran, percussion, Wurlitzer piano, vocals, viola) as well as Martin Howley (mandolin, banjo, vocals) and David Howley (lead vocals, guitar, electric guitar, banjo, clawhammer banjo, mandolin, harmonium, percussion, synth, bouzouki). The new record, Open The Road, follows their previous full length, 2018’s Haven, along with their 2019 live album and 2021 holiday LP.
Among the guests who appear on Open The Road include Abigail Washburn adding banjo and vocals to “Garden Song,” drummer Steve Ferrone playing on “Alive With You” and The Infamous Stringdusters dobro player Andy Hall contributing to the previously shared single, “Hummingbird.” A horn section consisting of trumpeter Steven Nichols, trombonist Max McCleish and tenor saxophonist Matthew Berrill can be heard on “Gift Of Life.”
Regarding the second single, “Gift Of Life,” David Howley told JamBase:
“In May 2020, in the usual haze of ‘waiting for more information’ and with a cup of coffee on the piano lid, I played one chord and the phrase ‘Over the ditch and into the wilds’ popped out. I sat there in the grips of realising a fear of failure can keep you on the ‘safe path,’ but what about the woods? There’s a lot of life to be lived under the trees. The song came from trying to convince myself that sometimes you might have to stumble into the unknown and trust yourself to choose the right turns.”
Pre-order We Banjo 3’s new album, Open The Road, ahead of its release on July 15. Stream the single “Gift Of Life” below:
