JD & The Straight Shot
On February 26th, 2016, Americana blues band, JD & The Straight Shot, released their latest project, ‘Ballyhoo!’, on CD and Vinyl to UK music lovers.
Leading up to the release, the band shared some of their favourite Ballyhoo! tracks during their UK tour with performances at The Convent in Stroud on 1/27, The Rocking Chair in Sheffield on 1/28, Oran Mor in Glasgow on 1/30, The Empire in Belfast on 1/31, and The Forge in London on 2/1. The band also played the Cornbury festival in July.
While lead-singer, JD, started JD & The Straight Shot in 2000, he isn’t alone in his deep-rooted passion for music. He fronts an accomplished four person band, including guitarist Marc Copely (Rosanne Cash, McCrary Sisters, Billy Squier), guitarist Aidan Dolan, bassist Byron House (Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris), and violinist Erin Slaver (Rod Stewart, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride), all of whom also contribute to songwriting.
In their stunning new album ‘Ballyhoo!‘, the band explores a stripped-down version of its distinctive sound. The completely acoustic project is storytelling at its finest, steeped in the quiet fire of Americana with elements of blues and rustic New Orleans roots music. The songs are built on emotion with musical arrangements that mellifluously interweave and effortlessly paint lyrics.
The dark and evocative track “Under That Hood” describes the unforgettably callous murder of Trayvon Martin. The title track, “Ballyhoo”, is entrenched with circus-inspired theatrics with JD positioned as the ringmaster that prompts listeners to limit their own biases, embrace individuality, and keep the “circus” alive. “Glide”, a sure to be fan-favourite, evokes “the child that’s inside” with its galloping guitar melody and soaring harmonies, reminding listeners to tap into their own boundless child-like wonder. This breadth of range and the clarity that the music brings to some universal issues and hardships are part of what makes this band unique.
In addition to their most recent project, Ballyhoo!, the band has recorded five albums: Where I’ve Been (2014), Midnight Run (2012), Can’t Make Tears (2011), Right On Time (2008), and Nothing To Hide (2005) as well as an EP, Daily News Blues (2010).
The band has opened up for the Eagles, Keith Urban, and the Dixie Chicks and boasts a range of musical accomplishments, including features in The New York Times, New York Post, Billboard, and New York Magazine. They’ve performed live on Good Day New York and recently completed a multi-country European tour in November 2015.
Ballyhoo! was released February 26th, 2016 on CD and Vinyl
Video for the track ‘Better Find A Church’
