With his band’s new album, RHINESTONE REVIVAL, Kody Norris further affirms the fact that he is an Americana original, an artist imbued with the talent and tenacity to hold true to tradition while also making his mark as a new and important voice in the roots music world. It’s an album flush with authentic engagement as well as the sound of a remarkable young artist who holds the distinction of being a two-time SPBGMA Entertainer of the Year and SPBGMA’s Guitar Performer of the Year, and whose band, The Kody Morris Show, was crowned SPBGMA’s Instrumental Group of the Year, just as his wife and bandmate Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris was accorded the organization’s Fiddle Performer of the Year awards. It’s also no wonder that the band’s debut album, ALL SUITED UP, reached the top ten of Billboard's Bluegrass Albums Chart, along with garnering numerous SPBGMA and IBMA nominations as well.
With Kody on guitar and lead and harmony vocals, Mary Rachel playing fiddle and mandolin and sharing harmony vocals and the occasional lead, Josiah Tyree on banjo and lead and harmony vocals, and Charlie Lowman on bass— along with guests Darin and Brooke Aldridge, guest fiddler Jason Barie, percussionist Tony Creasman and harmonica player David Johnson — Kody and company have created an album that easily measures up to the early, exacting strains of archival bluegrass while also expressing the sound and sentiment so essential to today’s populist precepts.
That, in turn, is evident in each of these songs, from the decidedly fast-paced drive and delivery of “Let All the Girls Know You’re a Cowboy” and “I Call Her Sunshine” to the jaunty shuffle about the would-be gunslinger, “Otto Wood.”
Suffice it to say, The Kody Norris Show is clearly dedicated to preserving the rich, resilient sounds that constitute authentic Americana, as evidenced by songs that clearly evoke the sights and sounds of Appalachia and those that dwell within those realms. That connection resonates through songs such as “Mountain Rosalie,”“My Home in Virginia” and “Petals in the Fall,” all rich, robust narratives that capture the sights and sounds of the places that reflect the sweet sentiments and undiminished beauty of the backwoods locales that Kody calls home. So too, the heartfelt “Endless Highway,” featuring an expressive lead vocal by Mary Rachel, and “Looking at the World Through a Windshield,” each offer vibrant descriptions of life as a dedicated traveling musician forever bound to share the joys and discoveries that come through making music.
While several of the songs come from seasoned songwriters, Kody himself contributes several stand-outs — the robust narrative “Fiddler’s Rock,” the sweetly sentimental “Please Tell Me Why,” a heartfelt homage to country living as described in “Baltimore I’m Leaving,” and the rousing repast “Gotta Get My Baby Back.” All reflect Kody’s commitment to down-home dedication and unfettered desire. At the same time, the band shares a proven prowess, one that provides them with the absolute ability to bend boundaries as needed and create a sound that’s rocking, rollicking and robust, all imbued with both frenzy and finesse.
Ultimately, RHINESTONE REVIVAL is an album that retains the spirit of musicians in fine form, all of whom are intent on taking a seasoned sound forward. A revival bearing any richer resolve would indeed be hard to come by.
credits
released June 2, 2023
Kody Norris: Guitar, Lead Vocals, Harmony Vocals on 7 & 10
Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris: Fiddle, Mandolin on 2, Harmony Vocals on 3, 5, 7, 10 & 12, Lead Vocal on 8
Josiah Tyree: Banjo, Harmony Vocals, Lead Vocal on 10
Charlie Lowman: Bass
Guests:
Darin Aldridge: Mandolin, Harmony Vocals on 8 & 12
Brooke Aldridge: Harmony Vocal on 8
Jason Barie: Harmony Fiddle on 3, 5, 10 & 12
Tony Creasman: Percussion
David Johnson: Harmonica on 9
Produced by Darin Aldridge
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Van Atkins at The Shop Studio, Candler, NC
Photography by Amy Richmond, Nashville, TN
Art Direction & Design by Mark Larson, www.mlarson.com
Production Coordinator: Mark Freeman
Darin & Brooke Aldridge and Jason Barie appears courtesy of Billy Blue Records
Growing up in the mountains of East Tennessee, and sharing a birthday with the great Earl Scruggs, meant that destiny was
written in the stars for Kory Norris, who founded his band, The Kody Norris Show, more than a decade ago.
More than a decade ago, Kody distilled his years of varied experience into founding his own band, with a desire to build on the inspirations of his youth....more
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supported by 9 fans who also own “Rhinestone Revival”
1st time i heard DeathWish, i turned it off.
felt rushed, not the Isbell i've come to admire. really grab'd me when i took time to listen on the 2nd try. the writing on these songs stopped me in my tracks more than once. raw talent with just enough polish in the delivery.
thankyou Jason + 400 for another keeper swirlingmadness