After four decades as performing and recording artists, Lonesome River Band is still showing the bluegrass world how it’s done, especially with their trademark “go to h*ll” songs where an abused lover vents their spleen in the direction of the accused.
And that’s just what we get with their latest release from Mountain Home Music, Bernadette, written by Bob and Virginia Anne MInner. It’s the story of a farmer whose wife left him and their children behind to seek an easier life.
Bob Minner shared how this one came to be.
“My wife Ginger and I write a lot of songs together, and sometimes the ideas come from the strangest of places. Bernadette came from when one of Ginger’s favorite authors, Shawn Inmon, was asking his fans to offer up unique women’s names to be used in his next novel. We were driving around and joking about names like Ethel, Maude, Carly, etc., and I just blurted out, ‘How ’bout Bernadette?’ And out of nowhere I sang that name and first line.
We got home and sat down and we wrote it in no time. It just fell out, so to speak. Plus, I always wanted to use the word ‘trifling’ in a song, so it seemed fitting for a woman like Bernadette in the story. We did a guitar/vocal demo of it and I sent it right to my buddy, Jesse Smathers, because LRB was who we heard in our heads doing it as we wrote it.
Thanks to LRB for cutting this one. We’re honored.”
Smathers, on guitar with LRB, sings the lead, supported by fearless leader Sammy Shelor on banjo, Mike Hartgrove on fiddle, Adam Miller on mandolin, and Kameron Keller on bass. Sammy’s bud Rod Riley adds some chicken pickin’ on his Telecaster.
Check it out.
Bernadette is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers ia AirPlay Direct.
