Folk Soul Revival
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Folk Soul Revival

Bristol, Virginia, United States | SELF

Bristol, Virginia, United States | SELF
Band Americana Folk

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Music

Press


"UVa-Wise Magazine (Excerpt)"

"Take Folk Soul Revival, a local band – formed at UVa-Wise – billing themselves as “just the right mix of rowdy and roots.” Band members Daniel Davis ’06, Justin Venable ’09, UVa-Wise student Brandon Sturgill, former UVa-Wise student Jordan Bledsoe and Allun Cormier have camped out, slept in tents and shared a cramped Dodge truck to Nashville during their time on the road playing gigs.

Of course, it’s all a part of the journey for these laid-back guys, whose attitude is reflected in their down-to-earth sound. Their first album, “Good Enough,” juxtaposes folk, bluegrass, Americana, traditional and even a tendency toward pop across its 10 tracks. The band’s attitude toward their debut set is respectably humble and self-effacing, with a resulting ambition to perfect their sound day by day.

“The economy really affected that first album,” Davis says with a sarcastic laugh. “We knew this was good, but we could do better.”

“Well, that’s the title, ‘Good Enough,’ ” Venable says, sparking a round of laughter from his band mates.

It’s good that they can find humor in their work, as they have faced challenges and learned lessons the hard way. When the band first started playing in bars, they didn’t sign any contracts, and their resulting take was less than stellar.

“We’ve been paid $90 before,” Venable says. “It’s not a good feeling to walk away from an act disappointed. We put all this in and then we weren’t even given enough respect to be paid what we deserve.”

And that’s the harsh reality for these budding entertainers: They love their music, but it’s also one of their jobs (if not their only job). Venable coaches baseball, Sturgill is student teaching and taking classes fulltime, and Cormier is a waiter and roofer, while Davis is pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy, and Bledsoe is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.

“This is my priority,” Cormier says. “Everything else I do, this comes first.”

“I’m a full-time student,” Davis says. “This is my job, and it works out well.”

The guys agree that writing and performing are only part of the job. Part of their success stems from their use of social networking Web sites MySpace and Facebook, but something more grassroots has worked even better.

“Honestly, word of mouth is the best social network for us,” Bledsoe says. “We’re a little farther than I thought we would ever be.”

The band is now hard at work on their second album while doing bigger and better gigs, including the Rhythm and Roots Reunion in Bristol in September (not to mention an outdoor concert by the lake at UVa-Wise).

“Musically and vocally, we’ve evolved,” Sturgill says. Despite their evident progress, the guys remain humble. When told they’re comparable to the popular folk band, the Avett Brothers, the band members are clearly flattered. Their aspirations are equally humble.

“We just want to live comfortably,” Cormier says.

“Yeah, no $15 million mansions,” Venable jokes.

“Of course, we’ll be as big as they’ll let us be,” Bledsoe quickly adds."

- UVa- Wise Magazine


"UVa-Wise Magazine (Excerpt)"

"Take Folk Soul Revival, a local band – formed at UVa-Wise – billing themselves as “just the right mix of rowdy and roots.” Band members Daniel Davis ’06, Justin Venable ’09, UVa-Wise student Brandon Sturgill, former UVa-Wise student Jordan Bledsoe and Allun Cormier have camped out, slept in tents and shared a cramped Dodge truck to Nashville during their time on the road playing gigs.

Of course, it’s all a part of the journey for these laid-back guys, whose attitude is reflected in their down-to-earth sound. Their first album, “Good Enough,” juxtaposes folk, bluegrass, Americana, traditional and even a tendency toward pop across its 10 tracks. The band’s attitude toward their debut set is respectably humble and self-effacing, with a resulting ambition to perfect their sound day by day.

“The economy really affected that first album,” Davis says with a sarcastic laugh. “We knew this was good, but we could do better.”

“Well, that’s the title, ‘Good Enough,’ ” Venable says, sparking a round of laughter from his band mates.

It’s good that they can find humor in their work, as they have faced challenges and learned lessons the hard way. When the band first started playing in bars, they didn’t sign any contracts, and their resulting take was less than stellar.

“We’ve been paid $90 before,” Venable says. “It’s not a good feeling to walk away from an act disappointed. We put all this in and then we weren’t even given enough respect to be paid what we deserve.”

And that’s the harsh reality for these budding entertainers: They love their music, but it’s also one of their jobs (if not their only job). Venable coaches baseball, Sturgill is student teaching and taking classes fulltime, and Cormier is a waiter and roofer, while Davis is pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy, and Bledsoe is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.

“This is my priority,” Cormier says. “Everything else I do, this comes first.”

“I’m a full-time student,” Davis says. “This is my job, and it works out well.”

The guys agree that writing and performing are only part of the job. Part of their success stems from their use of social networking Web sites MySpace and Facebook, but something more grassroots has worked even better.

“Honestly, word of mouth is the best social network for us,” Bledsoe says. “We’re a little farther than I thought we would ever be.”

The band is now hard at work on their second album while doing bigger and better gigs, including the Rhythm and Roots Reunion in Bristol in September (not to mention an outdoor concert by the lake at UVa-Wise).

“Musically and vocally, we’ve evolved,” Sturgill says. Despite their evident progress, the guys remain humble. When told they’re comparable to the popular folk band, the Avett Brothers, the band members are clearly flattered. Their aspirations are equally humble.

“We just want to live comfortably,” Cormier says.

“Yeah, no $15 million mansions,” Venable jokes.

“Of course, we’ll be as big as they’ll let us be,” Bledsoe quickly adds."

- UVa- Wise Magazine


"Trail Mix- July 2010"

Folk Soul Revival /Sam’s Gap

That rumble you hear emanating from down in Southwest Virginia is the music of Folk Soul Revival, a quintet of musicians fast making a name for themselves out in the mountains. Anchored by a core of three of the finest young songwriters in the Appalachians and four part harmonies reminiscent of the old time pickers found in the hills and hollers of the band’s stomping grounds, Folk Soul will release its second record, Words Off A Tongue, in early August. Both rowdy and reverential, the band will return to both FloydFest and the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion for the second time this festival season. Check them out at www.folksoulrevival.com.
- Blue Ridge Outdoor Magazine


"Trail Mix- July 2010"

Folk Soul Revival /Sam’s Gap

That rumble you hear emanating from down in Southwest Virginia is the music of Folk Soul Revival, a quintet of musicians fast making a name for themselves out in the mountains. Anchored by a core of three of the finest young songwriters in the Appalachians and four part harmonies reminiscent of the old time pickers found in the hills and hollers of the band’s stomping grounds, Folk Soul will release its second record, Words Off A Tongue, in early August. Both rowdy and reverential, the band will return to both FloydFest and the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion for the second time this festival season. Check them out at www.folksoulrevival.com.
- Blue Ridge Outdoor Magazine


"Folk Soul Revival Mixes Rowdy, Roots"

What began as a hobby has turned into a local sensation with “just the right mix of rowdy and roots.”

Folk Soul Revival combines an energetic live performance with original material to create a crowd-pleasing acoustic sound straight out of Wise, Va. In fact, band members Brandon Sturgill and Justin Venable say the group has broken a few washboards along the way and tend to leave some debris behind after a show.

When not creating controlled chaos, Folk Soul Revival incorporates a variety of instruments into their shows.

Sturgill plays the bass, ranging between the upright, acoustic and electric. Venable adds the banjo, guitar, guitjo, kazoo and harmonica, while fellow bandmate Allun Cormeir plays guitar and piano, followed by Jordan Bledsoe on the mandolin, guitar and washboard. Daniel Davis rounds out the lineup on guitar and melodica.

Having a hard time keeping instruments and players straight? It’s not much easier when it comes to Folk Soul Revival’s singers and songwriters either because all five members bring vocal and writing skills to the table.

“A lot of time people expect for there to be one [lead singer],” Venable said in a recent phone interview. “That’s what makes us unique – having many high quality voices in one band makes us stand out.”

“Everybody does their own part with the writing, Venable said. “Somebody might write their own song or bring in something that’s missing. We usually put chunks together.”

“Our songs usually start out one way but the finished product is completely different,” Sturgill said.

Folk Soul Revival seeks influence from the mountains, as well as the struggles and funny tendencies of people around the area.

One example is “Sam’s Gap,” a gritty slow tune inspired by the beautiful scenery between the North Carolina and Tennessee state line that Cormier wrote during a trip back to Johnson City from Asheville, N.C.

Every band has a breakup song. Folk Soul Revival’s is “Deeper Shade of Blue,” which transpired from one of Venable’s personal experiences.

“It’s pretty much about heartache and going through it with an ex-girlfriend,” he said. “She actually helped me write it. We put our real life into a song.”

“Almost Over” is one of the group’s more upbeat songs, but no one is sure what it’s about. Not even the writer, Jordan Bledsoe.

“When we asked him if he really knew what it meant, he didn’t even know,” Sturgill said. “Some songs are just dancing songs.”

Some are funny too, such as “Love in Lot 9,” a humorous ditty about romance in a trailer park. It began as a joke, but has turned into one the band’s more popular songs.

Other than their original work, Folk Soul Revival cranks out covers of Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers, and a unique rendition of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity.”

In February 2009, the band released its first album “Good Enough” and recently finished recording a new one in March at Maggard Recording Studio in Big Stone Gap, Va.

Within two years, Folk Soul Revival has been able to find a steady following in the Tri-Cities, but how did they do it?

“We have a lot of friends,” Sturgill and Venable said with a big laugh.

“You can’t fake a live show,” Venable said.” If you’re feeling it, most of the time the people who are seeing you will feel that music, too, which has attributed to our fan base. People get into seeing us having a good time.”
- Kingsport-Times News


Discography

Albums:
Good Enough - Released April 4, 2009
Live EP - Released November 1, 2009
Words Off A Tongue - Released August 12, 2010
Prompting The Dapperness- released August 5, 2012

Singles:
Part II from Good Enough featured on King Easy Radio Sampler Vol. 6

Photos

Bio

Folk Soul Revival is a harmony drenched, boot stomping, rowdy, rootsy Americana band from the Appalachian mountains.

The band released their second album "Words Off A Tongue" in 2009, which was given favorable praise from 'No Depression' magazine as one of the top 15 albums of 2010. The album features quest appearances from
Fred Eltringham (of the Wallflowers), the famed McCrary Sisters and Grammy nominated cellist Dave Eggar.

Thanks to a hugely successful KICKSTARTER campaign, work on a follow up album, "Prompting The Dapperness", has already begun.

FSR has successfully toured the southern states for the past three years, and have opened for such high profile acts as Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Dr. Ralph Stanley, John Cowan, Lonestar, Jason Isbell, Goose Creek Symphony, The Felice Brothers, The David Mayfield Parade, The Black Lillies and the late Mel McDaniel, among others.

FSR was also a featured artist on the acclaimed Rhythm and Roots Reunion in Bristol, VA, were spotlighted at Floydfest, and has been highlighted on Nashville's Music City Roots Syndicated radio program and Sirius/XM's 'Outlaw Country, and recently was awarded the '2011 Virginia Band of the Year' by the Virginia Tourism Corporation.' The band recently was featured in 'Hittin' the Note' magazine alongside The Alabama Shakes as an artist to watch.