Mountain Heart Premieres New Track, “BLUE SKIES”

Credit: Andrea Behrends

(Press Release) Mountain Heart are set to return with Blue Skies, their first studio album in five years on May 6th via Compass Records.  Blue Skies find Mountain Heart completely reinventing themselves without a single founding member.  Frontman Josh Shilling is the only member previously featured on a Mountain Heart release with their final arrival, violinist Molly Cherryholmes (of 5-time Grammy-nominees Cherryholmes) joining just weeks before Blue Skies studio sessions were to begin.  Jeff Partin, Aaron Ramsey, and Seth Taylor complete the new lineup. Rolling Stone Country premiered the title track from the album today, stating “Though no original members remain, the new Mountain Heart manages to straddle the line between complete reinvention and staying true to their roots - there’s a palpable electric current running through ‘Blue Skies,’ while still maintaining the relaxed, festival-ready pulse they’ve become known for over the course of more than a decade.”  The band have also announced US tour dates kicking off April 7th in Richmond, KY.   

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The same soulfulness that gave the band its name in the first place is still there, but now voiced through a blend of musicians that make room not just for their bluegrass legacy, but for the excitement of R&B, the introspection of singer/songwriter ballads, the simplicity of classic country, and the atmospherics of modern folk pop.  The 10-song set was produced by the band and was cut live to tape without edits or studio trickery.
 
Shilling, barely into his 30s, is the group’s senior both in age and tenure.  A sought after songwriter, he wrote most of the material appearing on Blue Skies, with a Chris Stapleton & Ronnie Bowman co-write and a stellar rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Maggie’s Farm” rounding out the set.  The group’s pool of talent has been profoundly deep and rich since it’s inception and the new configuration allowed Shilling the opportunity to handpick his favorite musicians on the planet.  Every member of the new Mountain Heart could be considered a lead singer and are also multi-instrumentalists, which makes the possibilities both onstage and in the studio limitless.  Shilling states, “Imagine being in a band full of producers, and sought-after songwriters, session players, and singers!  It’s a dream come true musically speaking.  This reinvention and the time between our last record has allowed us the creative space to create the best batch of songs we’ve ever released.”  
 
Shilling states, “‘Blue Skies’ is not only the title track from the new album, but in so many ways, it’s also the new Mountain Heart mission statement.  Rather than focusing on the past, rather than clouding our time with negativity or anxiety, we’re focusing on living in the here and now, and celebrating every opportunity we have together.  Our love and passion for each other and the music we create is transparent on and off stage.  We live our lives doing what we love while making lifelong memories every night with our friends and supporters around the world.   What more could we possibly ask for?”

​For tour dates and more: www.mountainheart.com ​