Steep Canyon Rangers officially added guitarist/vocalist Aaron Burdett to the band’s lineup. The Western North Carolina singer-songwriter and performer began performing with Steep Canyon Rangers this month in the wake of Woody Platt’s departure and is now on board full time.
The band — banjoist/vocalist Graham Sharp, mandolinist/vocalist Mike Guggino, fiddler/vocalist Nicky Sanders, drummer/vocalist Mike Ashworth, bassist/vocalist Barrett Smith and Aaron Burdett — are currently working on a new album. Steep Canyon Rangers have a busy fall of touring planned that includes a handful of shows with frequent collaborator actor/banjoist Steve Martin.
“Aaron showed up on our radar late in the audition process, and we were all struck by the honesty and power of his music,” explained Steep Canyon Rangers in a joint statement. “He arrives as an exceptional North Carolina artist in his own right, and our connection feels fresh and familiar at the same time. His talent as a singer and songwriter is already pushing the band to new heights.”
“I got the call out of the blue from SCR on a Monday morning a couple of months ago, and although I’d never imagined collaborating with them, the closer I looked at it, the better fit it seemed to be,” added Burdett. “And as we’ve tested the waters and played gigs and traveled and hung out together, that feeling has only grown and solidified. It’s a dream come true to have an opportunity to play with musicians of this caliber and at this level.”
