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The Steeldrivers

Specializing in a unique mix of what might be called "bluegrass soul", the SteelDrivers became one of the biggest names in progressive bluegrass after making their debut in 2005. While there's a strong traditional streak in the SteelDrivers' sound, they bring a passion to their delivery that adds a distinctive flavor, and they're not afraid of adding a forceful grit to the music that adds undertones of blues, soul, and rock. 2010's Reckless, their second album, was a particularly accomplished release that featured future country star Chris Stapleton on lead vocals and guitar, while 2015's Grammy-winning The Muscle Shoals Recordings showcased their second lead singer, Gary Nichols, and 2023's Tougher Than Nails was a spiritual effort where they explored their roots in vintage gospel music. The SteelDrivers began as a group of veteran Nashville session players looking to form a group of their own. The first lineup included Richard Bailey on banjo, Mike Fleming on bass, Mike Henderson on mandolin, Tammy Rogers on fiddle, and Chris Stapleton on guitar and lead vocals. Stapleton's bluesy, hoarse, Tom Waits-like singing really set the SteelDrivers apart in the often-generic contemporary bluegrass genre, where a high lonesome tenor lead vocal is typically heard. Stapleton's passionate croaking gave the SteelDrivers an authentic, aged, and rootsy feel. The band quickly became a favorite on the bluegrass festival circuit and released a debut album, simply called The SteelDrivers and consisting of all original compositions, on Rounder Records early in 2008. A second Rounder release, Reckless, appeared in 2010. Before recording their next album, the SteelDrivers went through some major lineup shifts, with Stapleton and Henderson both leaving, the former going on to become a Grammy-winning solo country star while the latter was his songwriting collaborator for some of his biggest hits. (Mike Henderson died on September 22, 2023.). They were replaced by Gary Nichols and Brent Truitt, respectively, and their next album, 2013's Hammer Down, couldn't help but sound different. Nichols proved to be a fine replacement, though, and the band kept rolling along. The SteelDrivers dug deeper into their soulful side on 2015's The Muscle Shoals Recordings, recorded in the Alabama town where some of the biggest and best R&B hits of the '60s and '70s were cut. The album also featured singer and songwriter Jason Isbell on two songs and went on to win a Grammy award for Best Bluegrass Recording. In 2017, before the band could complete their next album, they were once again in search of a lead vocalist after Gary Nichols decided to leave the group. Opting for a different sound, they approached Kelvin Damrell, a singer who primarily worked in rock & roll, to replace him. (Tammy Rogers spotted him when her daughter played her an online video of Damrell covering a Chris Stapleton tune.) Damrell proved to be a good fit, and in February 2020, the SteelDrivers released their first full-length release with him on vocals, Bad for You. Damrell's tenure in the group proved to be short-lived, and in July 2021, he dropped out and Matt Dame took over on vocals and guitar. In 2023, the SteelDrivers released their first gospel album, Tougher Than Nails, which featured six original songs from the group as well as five covers of bluegrass gospel classics; it was issued by the veteran gospel and country label Gaither Music Group.
© Steve Leggett & Mark Deming /TiVo

Discography

10 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller

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