The stars aligned and the strawberry moon coincided with the 2016 summer solstice. Our recording session felt like a potluck dinner - a group of interesting new friends convened and marveled at what was brought to the table. “Oh, a gut-string banjo and a clarinet? Check out this Mississippi bamboo cane fife and funky beats. Is it ok if I sing this harmony? Wow, listen to how our voices blend together...”
The music came together and flowed organically, as did the band name. The Sisters of the Strawberry Moon passed the mic, family style, backing each other up with sympathy and empathy, enjoying their new found chemistry. With instruments as ingredients and songs as recipes, the Sisters of the Strawberry Moon stirred up lovely new concoctions as well as fresh interpretations of family heirloom songs we hold dear. We believe music is a celebration of life and folk music an expression of community and family, and Solstice is an artifact of our new friendship and musical fellowship.
- Luther Dickinson (December 3, 2018)
released March 22, 2019
Allison Russell - vocals, banjo and clarinet
Amy Helm - vocals
Amy LaVere - vocals and upright bass
Sharde Thomas - vocals, fife, keys and drums
Ester Mae Wilbourn, Angelia Taylor, Della Daniels - vocals
Luther Dickinson - acoustic and electric guitars
JT Nero - acoustic guitar
Drew Lindsay - keys
Additional Musicians:
Lillie Mae Rische – fiddle on Like A Songbird That Has Fallen and Superlover. Recorded at Sputnik Sound by Koehn Terry
Will Sexton – guitars on Hallelujah (I’m a Dreamer), Cricket (At Night I Can Fly) and The Night Is Still Young
Rev Charles Hodges – Hammond B-3 on Til It’s Gone and Sing To Me. Recorded at Royal Studios by Boo Mitchell
Jim Spake - bass clarinet on Til It’s Gone
Alvin Youngblood Hart - guitar on We Made It
Lightnin Malcolm and Brian Wells - drums on We Made It
------------------
Produced by Luther Dickinson
Except
Fly With Me co-produced by Cody Dickinson at Checkerboard Lounge in Southaven, MS
Recorded by Kevin Houston at Zebra Ranch Studios, Independence, MS
Except
Fly With Me recorded by Cody Dickinson at Checkerboard Lounge in Southaven, MS
And
Additional guitars recorded at Harmony Hill Studios by Chad Cuttill
Mixed by Jeff Powell at Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis, TN, assisted by Wesley Graham
Mastered by Alex McCullough at True East Mastering in Nashville, TN
A&R: Kim Buie
Management: Patriot Management
Booking: Paradigm Talent Agency
Legal: Jaime Herman and Josh Grier
Art Direction, Design and Layout: Tom Bejgrowicz for Man Alive Creative
Front and Back Cover Art: Felix Bracquemond
(Front) La nuit, 1875
(Back) La lune, 1875
From The New York Public Library
The Como Mamas appear courtesy of Daptone Records
Amy Helm appears courtesy of Yep Roc Records
www.lutherdickinson.com
www.birdsofchicago.com
www.amyhelm.com
www.amylavere.com
www.facebook.com/fifemastor/
www.facebook.com/thecomomamas/
------------------
Special thanks to Lee and Huey Collins, Necha, Lucia, Isla Belle and Mary Lindsay Dickinson, Walt Turk, Benjamin Ballard, Stephanie Smith, Greg Goshorn, Ward Archer, Lance and Beck White, Bill and Kate Myers, Daniel Lynn, Deborah Swiney, John Allen, George Fontaine and George Fontaine, Jr and everyone at New West Records, the stars above, the sun and moon, the folks we love and the friends who helped this Songbird fly.
The Birds of Chicago thank our families: the Lindsays, Russells, Robertsons and Georges…and, especially, our evening star, Ida Maeve Robertson Lindsay.
=======
Superlover featuring Birds of Chicago
(Jeremy Lindsay)
Chicago Bird Music (BMI)
Fly With Me featuring Sharde Thomas
(Sharde Thomas)
Sharde Thomas Music (BMI)
Hallelujah (I’m a Dreamer) featuring Amy LaVere
(David Eagan)
Jasben Music (BMI)
Like A Songbird That Has Fallen featuring Amy Helm
(Bobby Neuwirth and Henry Burnett)
Dry Clam Music (BMI) administered by Wixen / Henry Burnett Music (BMI) administered by Spirit Music Group
Kathy featuring Birds of Chicago
(Allison Russell)
Po Girl Music (SOCAN/ASCAP)
Hold To His Hand featuring The Como Mamas
(Traditional arr by Ester Mae Wilbourn, Della Daniels, and Angelia Taylor)
Lucky Guitar (ASCAP)
The Night Is Still Young featuring Amy LaVere
(Amy LaVere)
Anchors and Anvils Music (BMI)
Sing To Me featuring Amy Helm
(Amy Helm)
Little Windrow Publishing (ASCAP)
We Made It featuring Sharde Thomas
(Sharde Thomas)
Sharde Thomas Music (BMI)
Cricket (At Night I Can Fly) featuring Amy LaVere
(Amy LaVere)
Minden Music (BMI)
Til It’s Gone featuring Birds of Chicago
(Jeremy Lindsay)
Chicago Bird Music (BMI)
Search Me featuring The Como Mamas
(T. Dorsey, arr by Ester Mae Wilbourn, Della Daniels, and Angelia Taylor)
Lucky Guitar (ASCAP)
