Steep Canyon Rangers
Encyclopedia
The Steep Canyon Rangers are an American bluegrass
band from Brevard
, North Carolina
.
In 2008, the band received a nomination from International Bluegrass Music Association
for "Album and Gospel Performance of the Year".
The band were featured performers on the June 27, 2009 broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion
, with the addition of Steve Martin
on the banjo
.
It was announced on June 13, 2011 that the Steep Canyon Rangers signed with Rounder Records
, with SCR’s lead singer Woody Platt saying the Rangers “are honored to join Rounder Records and be a part of such a rich musical history."
The quintet features:
played banjo along with the Steep Canyon Rangers on the June 27, 2009 broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion
, and continued playing with the band on selected dates as part of U.S. tours with the Rangers in the fall of 2009, and spring of 2010. Martin played with the band at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
festival in San Francisco, Carnegie Hall
in New York., and Benaroya Hall
in Seattle. Martin also travelled with the band to the UK, to perform on the critically acclaimed music show, Later with Jools Holland
. Martin appeared with the Steep Canyon Rangers at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival
and at the July 4, 2011 A Capitol Fourth
celebration on the West Lawn of the US Capitol Building. The group and Martin together recorded the 2011 album, Rare Bird Alert
, on which Paul McCartney
and the Dixie Chicks
also appear.
On September 29, 2011, Martin and the Rangers jointly won the Entertainers of the Year award at the International Bluegrass Music Association
Awards.
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
band from Brevard
Brevard, North Carolina
Brevard is a town in Transylvania County, North Carolina, United States. The 2005 population estimate by the United States Census Bureau was 6,643. It is the county seat of Transylvania County....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
In 2008, the band received a nomination from International Bluegrass Music Association
International Bluegrass Music Association
The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, is a trade association to promote bluegrass music.Formed in 1985, IBMA established its first headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1988 they announced plans to create the International Bluegrass Music Museum as a joint venture with...
for "Album and Gospel Performance of the Year".
The band were featured performers on the June 27, 2009 broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
, with the addition of Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
on the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
.
It was announced on June 13, 2011 that the Steep Canyon Rangers signed with Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
, with SCR’s lead singer Woody Platt saying the Rangers “are honored to join Rounder Records and be a part of such a rich musical history."
The quintet features:
- Woody Platt — guitar, lead vocals
- Graham Sharp — banjo, harmony vocals
- Mike Guggino — mandolin, harmony vocals
- Charles R. Humphrey III — bass, harmony vocals
- Nicky Sanders — fiddle, harmony vocals
With Steve Martin
Steve MartinSteve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
played banjo along with the Steep Canyon Rangers on the June 27, 2009 broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
, and continued playing with the band on selected dates as part of U.S. tours with the Rangers in the fall of 2009, and spring of 2010. Martin played with the band at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, or HSB for short is an annual free music festival held the first weekend of October in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. From its outset, the festival has been subsidized by San Francisco venture capitalist Warren Hellman. The first festival was held in 2001, originally...
festival in San Francisco, Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York., and Benaroya Hall
Benaroya Hall
Benaroya Hall is the home of the Seattle Symphony in Downtown Seattle, Washington, USA. It features two auditoria, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, a 2500-seat performance venue, as well as the Nordstrom Recital Hall, which seats roughly 500...
in Seattle. Martin also travelled with the band to the UK, to perform on the critically acclaimed music show, Later with Jools Holland
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
. Martin appeared with the Steep Canyon Rangers at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival
2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival
The 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was held on June 10–13, 2010. The line-up was announced Tuesday, February 9, although the original line-up release date was scheduled for February 2. It was broadcast live on YouTube...
and at the July 4, 2011 A Capitol Fourth
A Capitol Fourth
A Capitol Fourth is a free annual concert performed on the west lawn of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., in celebration of the Independence Day. Broadcast live on PBS and NPR, the concert is viewed and heard by millions across The United States and the world, as well as...
celebration on the West Lawn of the US Capitol Building. The group and Martin together recorded the 2011 album, Rare Bird Alert
Rare Bird Alert
Rare Bird Alert is a 2011 Bluegrass album by Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, featuring guest appearances by Paul McCartney and The Dixie Chicks. This is Martin's second consecutive musical album, and comprises 13 songs. His first was 2009's The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo....
, on which Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
also appear.
On September 29, 2011, Martin and the Rangers jointly won the Entertainers of the Year award at the International Bluegrass Music Association
International Bluegrass Music Association
The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, is a trade association to promote bluegrass music.Formed in 1985, IBMA established its first headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1988 they announced plans to create the International Bluegrass Music Museum as a joint venture with...
Awards.
Discography
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| US Grass | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||
| Old Dreams and New Dreams |
|
— | — |
| Mr. Taylor's New Home |
|
— | — |
| The Steep Canyon Rangers |
Rebel Records In 1980, Freeland sold the label to David Freeman, the founder of County Records. Rebel currently has 140 titles in print from more than 35 different artists and groups. In 2008, the label released 8 new titles, including ones from Ralph Stanley and Larry Sparks.-Notable artists:... |
— | — |
| One Dime at a Time |
|
13 | — |
| Lovin' Pretty Women |
|
5 | — |
| Deep in the Shade |
|
3 | — |
| Rare Bird Alert Rare Bird Alert Rare Bird Alert is a 2011 Bluegrass album by Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, featuring guest appearances by Paul McCartney and The Dixie Chicks. This is Martin's second consecutive musical album, and comprises 13 songs. His first was 2009's The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo.... (with Steve Martin Steve Martin Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer.... ) |
Rounder Records Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students... |
1 | 43 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||