NASHVILLE, TN. (CMT) - Like a vintage musical instrument, Doyle
Lawson just keeps getting better as time goes by, and 2005 is proving to be the year that the rest of the world catches on, thanks to the group's very first music video, NPR exposure and an itinerary that runs the gamut from rock clubs to old-time church revivals.
Lawson and his group, Quicksilver, recently completed production of "You Gotta Dig A Little Deeper"—a humorous take on the title track that recently made its debut on CMT's Top 20 Countdown before settling into rotation on the Wide Open Country Show (visit CMT.com for daily air-time).
The quintet's newest CD and Rounder debut, You Gotta Dig A Little Deeper has rocketed up the bluegrass charts (it currently holds the No 1 position on the National Bluegrass Survey) and has been opening new doors for the 61 year old mandolin player. National Public Radio's A Prairie Home Companion, and Mountain Stage have recently featured band performances and All Things Considered reviewed the new album, dubbing Lawson "a bluegrass legend" and wondering aloud, "How any group of human beings can achieve that sort of musical precision?"
The group's 2005 tour schedule has featured an eclectic set of stops ranging from Austin's SXSW music festival to The Grand Ole Opry and from country churches to New York City's B. B. King's club, as well as CMT's online performance showcase, Studio 330 Sessions.
Lawson created Quicksilver in 1979, picking up the bluegrass mantle from first-generation pioneers Bill Monroe and Jimmy Martin and breaking new ground with a riveting gospel bluegrass sound. With today's announcement that late 1980s band alum (and the group's first full-time fiddle player) Mike Hartgrove is returning to a lineup that includes original banjo man Terry Baucom, who rejoined in 2003, and spectacular singers Barry Scott (bass) and Jamie Dailey (guitar), the group's membership now spans virtually a quarter century—truly a band for the ages.
Incorporating impeccable musicianship, ethereal four-part harmonies, old-time, roof-raising showmanship and a palpable inner glow, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have been raising the bar for traditional bluegrass and Southern 'jubilee' gospel for a quarter-century (and counting). Gaining a clear view of greatness from years spent with the likes of J.D. Crowe, The Country Gentlemen, adding a pioneering sensibility all his own, and helming today's fluent, award-winning Quicksilver, Doyle Lawson has become a legend in his own right.
