Freeman & Williams, a new fresh sound from award-winning veteran performers, Jeanette Williams, Johnny Williams and Scott Freeman. This trio comes together with an arsenal of talent... all are accomplished musicians, vocalists and songwriters and bring these talents together to create magical sounds that move from old-time straight through bluegrass to old-time country music. Each artist brings tremendous talent to the table but when combined, the result is incredible. The group has completed their first recording for Mountain Roads Recordings, a self-titled production, Freeman & Williams, released on February 7^th, 2012. This album will showcase the group with original creations along with some well-known favorites and some not so well known classics.

Stages, the title track for this project was written by 12-year-old Samantha. The song reflects not only on her experiences during her musical career but also the comfort and joy that music has provided to the Snyder Family. It is a reflection on the Stages they have performed on, the friends they have met along the way and the Stages that they hope to cross during their musical journey. Samantha sings lead on this song and is accompanied by her brother, Zeb (16), on guitar and father Bud, on upright bass.

This project, the Snyder Family’s third release, showcases the tremendous musical, vocal and songwriting abilities of this amazing family. It features five original songs by Samantha and Zeb and a variety of songs from numerous sources and genres:

Original Untitled by Wyatt Rice;

An old-time fiddle favorite, Angelina Baker;

Wren’s Waltz by Glen Alexander, Samantha’s fiddle teacher;

Daddy’s Gone, a crowd favorite at shows written by Bill Hallock

And a bonus track, The Glendy Burke, a Stephen Foster favorite, featuring 5 year-old Owen Snyder. Owen is currently following Samantha’s and Zeb’s path by studying classical guitar in the Suzuki method. He now sometimes joins the band on stage and is anxious to become a regular as they cross the Stages of their future.

Samantha recently won the prestigious bluegrass fiddle competition in the adult division at the 76^th Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention and Zeb, who is the current 2011 SC Guitar Champion, took first place in the adult Guitar category. Both gave amazing performances and were the hands-down crowd favorites.

Zeb Snyder said, “I am excited about the amount of original material we were able to include on this project and I like the direction that our music is taking as we continue to develop our unique sound as a band.”

Zeb’s and Samantha’s mother, Laine, adds exceptional family harmonies and on a bonus track they are joined by five year-old Owen. Their extraordinary musicianship and their depth of feeling for the music they play have taken them to stages everywhere from the Wayne C. Henderson Festival in VA to the Cook Shack in Union Grove, NC, the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree in Nashville and MerleFest. They were selected as an official showcase band for the 2010 World of Bluegrass in Nashville.

Open Your Mind To A Whole New Musical Experience and Sound…

Whether you’re a fan of bluegrass or old-time music, 29 artists from both sides of the aisle have come together to create a truly unique recording that combines these two musical genres and their bold styles.

The Appalachian Highlands region of Northeast Tennessee, Northwestern North Carolina, Southwestern Virginia and Eastern Kentucky is home to the origins of both bluegrass and old-time string band music.  This music has been enjoyed for generations in kitchens and back porches, school auditoriums, music festivals and venues. Many times bluegrass and old-time artists can be heard jamming off stage at festivals before or after shows or even late into the night after the crowds have gone home. Amazing sounds are created when these styles are blended together as their heritage intended and rarely heard by the fans. Close Kin brings these sounds to the fans.

Close Kin, produced by award winning songwriter/singer Johnny Williams, features superb arrangements and vocal and instrumental combinations of 16 familiar and not-so-familiar songs performed by such great artists as:

Adam & Tina Steffey  (The Boxcars & The Grayson Highlands String Band)
Johnny & Jeanette Williams  (The Jeanette Williams Band)
Scott & Mark Freeman  (Pathway)
Mickey Galyean, Greg Jones, Jay Adams, Brad Hiatt & Jordon Blevins  (Rich In Tradition)
Bud, Zeb, Samantha & Laine Snyder  (The Snyder Family Band)
Dale Morris & Jerry Correll  (Wolfe Bros String Band)
Edwin Lacy  (Skeeter and the Skidmarks)
Eddie Bond  (The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters)
Jim Lloyd & Trevor McKenzie  (Jim Lloyd and the Skyliners)
Brian Grimm  (The Konnarock Kritters)
Trish Fore  (Fox Creek Ramblers)
Tiffany Hurt  (Wheeler)
Tim White, Dave Vaught &“Fat Albert” Blackburn  (The VW Boys)
Wesley Easter  (Eastwood Studio)
Rebecca Jones  (Travis Frye & Blue Mountain)

Song Listings:

Chilly Winds; Little Bird of Heaven; Tennessee Grey Eagle; Always A Day Too Late; Rattlin’ Bones; Old Horse and Buggy; With Tears In My Eyes; Sugar Hill; Wise County Jail; Bound For To Leave; Soldiers Joy; Seven Cent Cotton, Forty Cent Meat; Come All You Coal Miners; Walk Along John To Kansas; Say Darlin’ Say & Holly Ding

Hits From the 50's, 60's & 70's Performed in Bluegrass Style

If you like music from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and you love bluegrass, then you’ll want to get your hands on the VW Boys’ new CD,Retroactive.  The first time I listened to it, I got goose bumps...and that’s always tells me, “Here’s a winner; pay attention to this one.” And pay attention I did. In fact, once you click on play, Retroactive won’t turn you loose.  It captures your attention immediately all the way from the beginning to the end...leaving you begging for more! 

Tim White, Dave Vaught, and “Fat” Albert Blackburn are impressive bluegrass musicians to begin with, but they hit it out of the ballpark with Retroactive by combining wonderful bluegrass pickin’ with these timeless retro tunes. All of us baby boomers out there will feel compelled to own this CD, not just because of the recollection of our glory days, but because these songs actually sound better played in bluegrass style and the younger bluegrass fans out there will be introduced to fine golden oldies.

1.  Amie    4:01
2.  All I Have To Do Is Dream    2:54
3.  I Feel Fine    2:30
4.  Ugly Girl Blues    2:39
5.  Fire On The Mountain    2:58
6.  Earl’s Breakdown  Instrumental  2:44
7.  Wagon Wheel    3:52
8.  Death Came Creeping In My Room    3:22
9.  Hot Rod Lincoln    3:21
10.  Keep On The Sunny Side    2:57
11.  Brown Mountain Light    3:26
12.  Rag Mop    1:51
13.  Battle of New Orleans    2:27
14.  You Won’t Ever Forget Me    3:43
15.  The Rooster Song    3:43