Originally intended to only be a side project, the Songs From The Road Band has not only persisted, but now has seven studio albums to their credit. The latest release, Just Hanging On, is out now on Lucks Dumpy Toad Records and contains ten new songs composed by bassist Charles Humphrey III together with a variety of co-writers, plus an almost ten-minute jamgrass journey through the Allman Brothers’ Dreams.
Charles founded the band while still a member of the Steep Canyon Rangers. Since leaving that group in 2017 he’s made the “Road Band” his full-time occupation. He is joined by Mark Schimick on mandolin and most of the lead vocals, Sam Wharton on guitar, Gabe Epstein on banjo, and James Schlender on fiddle.
The band is based in Asheville, North Carolina but spends a lot of time on the road, as their name suggests. And fittingly, the album is filled with songs about traveling to or from somewhere or someone. Get Me Where I’m Going, Halfway Home, Road Back to You, Where the Road Goes, Last Chance in Idaho, and the title track all explore some aspect of the nomadic life…