Barnstar!
with Celia Woodsmith (from Della Mae)
All right, folks! Barnstar! is very excited to welcome you into this new year with some big news… A NEW RECORD!
After literally years of delays and postponements, Barnstar! will be releasing their third full length album “Furious Kindness” on April 19, 2024! This album is a reflection of the Barnstar! manifesto – to unapologetically shout in your face about just how awesome you really are.
There will be a whole tour supporting this release in the Northeast (including a May 3rd stop at the Crystal Ballroom).
C’mon out and let’s do this thing! We are very excited to see you.
-BS
About Barnstar!
The brainchild of bassist and impresario Zachariah Hickman, Barnstar! features some of the Boston area’s most dynamic seasoned musicians: Mark Erelli (vocals, guitar), Charlie Rose (banjo, vocals), Taylor Armerding (mandolin, vocals), and Jake Armerding (fiddle, vocals). Their music resonates with audiences who appreciate the artistry of traditional bluegrass as well as those who are drawn to the band’s innovative and boundary-pushing approach. The band continues to record and perform, while navigating solo careers and high profile side-person gigs (with the likes of Josh Ritter, Rodney Crowell, Lori McKenna, Elephant Revival, Ray LaMontange, ROSIN, and many more).
Building off the success of their previous efforts “C’mon” (2011) and “Sit Down! Get Up! Get Out!” (2015), “Furious Kindness” showcases the diverse songwriting talents within Barnstar! Featuring original compositions such as Jake’s soulful and plaintive “Anybody Got A Light?” and the collaborative effort “Believer” by Mark, Zachariah, and Charlie, there is a sense of hope and rebirth that underlies the whole project. Noteworthy co-writes with Chuck Prophet and Dinty Child add an extra layer of depth and creativity to the album.
Influenced by their musical peers, the band draws inspiration from the likes of Elizabeth and the Catapult, Dennis Brennan, and Dave Talmage, especially Taylor’s powerful reinvention of Brennan’s “Boulder On My Back.” The covers on the album pay homage to musical legends, with reinterpretations of songs by Elliot Smith and Van Morrison adding some unexpected new contributions to the contemporary bluegrass landscape.
“Furious Kindness” is poised to be a musical manifesto, seamlessly blending originality, collaboration, and a touch of nostalgia into an unforgettable experience. Barnstar! invites both dedicated fans and newcomers alike to brace themselves for the powerful and uplifting dose of “Furious Kindness” that awaits in 2024.
_
Celia Woodsmith is a GRAMMY Nominated performer, vocalist, percussionist, and songwriter. With a style that can be described as “one of a kind: gritty, muscular, folksy and intimate sometimes all at once” (Bluegrass Situation) she has been a fixture of the New England Roots Music scene since 2005.
For the last 12 years, Woodsmith has predominantly performed with the Americana string band, Della Mae. In 2014 Della Mae was nominated for a Best Bluegrass Album GRAMMY for their record “This World Oft Can Be”. Their 2020 album “Headlight” has been described as “…powerful writing, soaring vocals, and moving musical unity — challenge us, energize us, and touch us as they light the way. This is an album on which you can feel the emotions of the group in each song as they evoke anger, sadness, hopelessness, and joy”. (No Depression)
The all-female Della Mae has performed in 20 countries with the US Department of State’s cultural diplomacy program “American Music Abroad”. Woodsmith spoke about her experiences with travel and music at TEDx Piscataqua River in Portsmouth, NH in a talk called “A Soft Drink and a Song in the Hills of Pakistan”.
When not on the road with Della Mae, Woodsmith performs with Boston Based roots-rock band Say Darling and has released two albums of original music with them.