Fiddler Jason Carter will release a new album, Lowdown Hoedown, on November 4. Video of Carter, who is a member of the Del McCoury Band and The Travelin’ McCourys, performing a cover of a John Hartford song that appears on the forthcoming release premieres exclusively here.
Carter played Hartford’s “The Six O’clock Train And A Girl With Green Eyes,” which is one of 13 songs making up Lowdown Hoedown, backstage at The Station Inn in Nashville. The upcoming solo album features a number of guests including the likes of Phish’s Jon Fishman, I’m With Her’s Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz, as well as Dierks Bentley, Vince Gill and Marty Stuart. Additionally, Billy Strings, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas contributed to the studio version of “Six O’clock Train.”
Regarding the cover of Hartford’s “Six O’clock Train,” Carter told JamBase:
“I’ve always loved this John Hartford song. We recorded it on the first session as well but didn’t add Billy till later. The band really had a great feel on this cut and I didn’t want to change a thing about it. Jerry really put his stamp on this track! Sam played on the original recording of this tune with John Hartford so I was thrilled when he said he’d record it with me. Cody Kilby’s solo was off the charts!
“My original idea was just to have Billy sing a harmony part and not play ’cause I didn’t want to take anything off the track, but he showed up with his guitar and I’m so glad he did. Now I have two of my favorites playing guitar on this track, Billy’s playing all the guitar back up and it really added a lot. I think he was the perfect person to sing this with me and I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out.”
For the show at The Station Inn that was held during this year’s Americana Fest, Carter was joined by Ashby Frank on mandolin, Cory Walker on banjo, Alan Bartram on bass and Carter’s longtime Travelin’ McCourys’ bandmate Cody Kilby on guitar. The intimate session showcases Carter’s talents as both a fiddler and lead singer.
Follow this link to pre-order Lonesome Hoedown. Watch Jason Carter’s backstage performance of John Hartford’s “The Six O’clock Train And A Girl With Green Eyes,” via the video premiering below:
