The addition of Ramblin’ Ricky Tate to this series was somewhat unusual in that he reached out to Dan after recording had been completed for the year. Dan said if they held the session quickly then it was possible and two days later it took place, with Dan saying Ricky was one of the most dialled musicians he had worked with. Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Ricky mixes together Blues, Folk, & Bluegrass, while he is also a founding member of jug band hall of fame inductees (2017) Steel City Jug Slammers where he provides jug and banjolin.
One can tell he thrived in this environment as he is full of confidence and is a real storyteller, taking us into dark places with songs like “Catch Some Hell”, “Devil’s Due” or “The Witch”. Unlike some, Ricky is a master of his instrument as well as being a powerful singer, and somehow, he really fills out the sound, so it never comes across as being one man and his guitar. It is fulsome and whole, traditional yet somehow also feeling modern so it would not sound too out of place in the alt country scene. One gets the impression that here is someone who lives for his music, a real troubadour selling his wares whenever and wherever people will listen, and this collection is a great introduction. Ricky says, “I hope folks can picture themselves with me in a dark field under the stars and really feel something when they hear these tunes.” I hear and feel plenty and wish I had been there that night.
Rating: 8/10
Links:
https://www.ramblinrickytate.com/
https://anticorpmusic.com/