Steep Canyon Rangers Set Record for Most No. 1 Albums on Billboard's Bluegrass Chart

09-14-2024

(YRR) Acclaimed GRAMMY Award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers' have set a record for the most No.1 albums on Billboard's Bluegrass Chart with the release of their first live album of original material, Live at Greenfield Lake, out now via Yep Roc Records.

In addition to the Bluegrass chart, which now ties the group with Old Crow Medicine Show for the most No. 1 Bluegrass albums, Live at Greenfield Lake also debuted on a total of six Billboard charts, including, #18 Americana/Folk Albums and #22 Current Country Albums, along with Record Label Independent Current Albums, Current Album Sales, and Current Digital Albums.

"We don't spend much time looking back, but this is pretty cool," says the Rangers' Graham Sharp. "We've been so lucky to be able to make music together for 25 years, and now it's 10 Steep Canyon Rangers albums that have hit #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart, tying our Old Crow buddies for most all-time. Okay, enough reminiscing!"

Recorded at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington, NC, on September 29, 2023, the 16-track "collection highlights the band's songwriting prowess, their instrumental chops, and the kind of musical chemistry that only comes from years of performing together" (American Songwriter). From the spellbinding, tender performances of "Recommend Me" and "Birds of Ohio" mixed with blistering, barnburning renditions of "Afterglow" and "Sunny Days," Live at Greenfield Lake exhibits the wide breadth of styles and genres the band tackles in concert, and captures the magic of their onstage chemistry, demonstrating unparalleled harmonies, rich songwriting, and unforgettable performances.

Mixed and pressed at Citizen Vinyl's state-of-the-art audiophile facilities in the band's hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, lacquers were cut by renowned engineer Jeff Powell of Takeout Vinyl. Housed in a gatefold jacket, the first LP is pressed on deep purple vinyl and the second on yellow vinyl.

Following a sold-out Mountain Song Festival, an annual festival curated by the band, they head out on the road for the remainder of the year making a highly anticipated return to Greenfield Lake Amphitheater on September 27 and will co-headline IBMA's Bluegrass Live! Festival at Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC, September 28. A complete list of dates is below; tickets are available here.

As torchbearers of Americana and bluegrass music, the Steep Canyon Rangers have crafted their unique sound for 25 years. Comprising of Graham Sharp (banjo and vocals), Mike Guggino (mandolin, mandola and vocals), Aaron Burdett (guitar and vocals), Nicky Sanders (fiddle and vocals), Mike Ashworth (drums, dobro, guitar and vocals), and Barrett Smith (bass, guitar, and vocals), the band's music blends their Appalachian and Piedmont influences, creating a sound that is uniquely their own. The North Carolina Hall of Fame inductees have gained recognition beyond the bluegrass world, with outlets like Rolling Stone recognizing them as "one of the most sought-after groups in Americana, bluegrass, and indie-folk."

Over the band's esteemed career, the three-time Grammy nominees have released 14 studio albums, three collaborative albums with actor and banjoist Steve Martin, been inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, and appeared on some of music's biggest stages. In 2013, Nobody Knows You won the GRAMMY Award for Best Bluegrass Album, while 2012's Rare Bird Alert and 2020's North Carolina Songbook garnered nominations in the same category.

Steep Canyon Rangers: On Tour
September 13 - Pickin' in the Pines Festival - Flagstaff, AZ
September 19 - Grand Ole Opry House - Nashville, TN*
September 20 - Louisville Palace Theatre - Louisville, KY*
September 21 - Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium - Spartanburg, SC*
September 27 - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater - Wilmington, NC
September 28 - IBMA Bluegrass Live! Festival - Raleigh, NC
October 4 - Temple Theatre - Saginaw, MI*
October 5 - Rosemont Theatre - Rosemont, IL*
October 6 - Overture Center for the Arts - Madison, WI*
October 17 - The Amp Ballantyne - Charlotte, NC
October 18 - The Theater at MGM National Harbor - Oxon Hill, MD*
October 19 - Tilles Center for the Performing Arts - Brookville, NY*
October 23 - Dakota - Minneapolis, MN
October 24 - North Shore Performing Center for the Performing Arts - Skokie, IL
October 25 - Memorial Hall OTR - Cincinnati, OH
November 1 - Mershon Auditorium - Columbus, OH*
November 2 - Fox Theatre - Detroit, MI*
November 9 - The Burl - Lexington, KY
November 15 - Foxwoods Resort Casino - Mashantucket, CT*
November 16 - Foxwoods Resort Casino - Mashantucket, CT*
December 5 - Boot Barn Hall - Gainesville, GA
December 6 - Orange Blossom Revue - Lake Wales, FL
December 7 - Orange Blossom Revue - Lake Wales, FL
January 18 - Alaska Center for the Performing Arts - Anchorage, AK
January 30 - The Lincoln Center - Fort Collins, CO+
January 31 - Lone Tree Arts Center - Lone Tree, CO+
February 1 - Vilar Performing Arts Center - Beaver Creek, CO
February 2 - Steamboat Springs - Steamboat Springs, CO

* with Steve Martin & Martin Short
+ with Peter Rowan

Live at Greenfield Lake Tracklisting:
1. As I Go (Live)
2. Sweet Spot (Live)
3. Pennies on the Tracks (Live)
4. Recommend Me (Live)
5. Tell the Ones I Love > Chuck in the Bush > Tell the Ones I Love (Live)
6. Fare Thee Well, Carolina Gals (Live)
7. Alabama Calling (Live)
8. Above My Burdens (Live)
9. Can't Get Home (Live)
10. Take My Mind (Live)
11. Morning Shift (Live)
12. Birds of Ohio (Live)
13. Afterglow (Live)
14. Second in Line (Junior) [Live]
15. Fruits of My Labor (Live)
16. Sunny Days (Live)