×
×
homepage logo

Bluegrass at Its Best with Dave Carroll

By Staff | Mar 26, 2008

Dave Carroll hails from eastern Kentucky and is the lead of New River Line, the renowned Bluegrass band. His big break came during his first recording session: Tim Austin of The Lonesome River Band, heard and recorded one of his songs. The Lonesome River Band’s album took off and the rest is history. Dave has had his songs recorded by Lou Reid and Carolina, Ernie Thacker and Route 23, Jeff Parker, and his song, “This Old Martin Box,” is nearing the top of the national bluegrass charts. For more info, check out www.newriverlinebluegrass.com.

Graffiti: What are your latest projects?

Carroll: My latest recording project with my band New River Line is titled, “Chasing My Dreams.” It has 12 songs, all of which either I, or my band mates, wrote. I wrote seven of the 12 and co-wrote one other. The project is on Kindred Records, and the second cut, “Scorcher Carroll’s Farm,” was the No. 1 for 2007 on the America’s Bluegrass Charts.

Graffiti: What are the inspirations for your songs?

Carroll: Inspirations for songs come from lots of different places, sometimes none at all. I guess a lot of my songs have a kind of a “down home” theme to them, my eastern Kentucky upbringing serves as large influence in my writing.

Graffiti: Do you come from a musical family?

Carroll: I do. Although neither of my parents played, nor my siblings, I have several cousins on both sides of my family that play. I also have a 13-year-old son who is becoming quite an accomplished musician. My youngest, my eight-year-old daughter, is starting to show interest in learning to play.

Graffiti: What instruments do you play?

Carroll: Guitar is my “weapon of choice” but I also play banjo, bass and a little mandolin.

Graffiti: How old were you when you got involved with music?

Carroll: Even as a toddler — so my mom says — I was always infatuated with music. But I didn’t take up playing anything seriously until I was 17 years old.

Graffiti: Who are you musical influences?

Carroll: I have a ton of them. Many first generation bluegrass artists such as Bill Monroe, Flat and Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, The Stanley Brothers, I could go on and on. Also, artists like Doyle Lawson, Larry Sparks, and The Lost and Found, who were all very popular when I was actually first learning to play and sing bluegrass music. Singers like the late and great Keith Whitley and Charlie Waller were great influences along with Tony Rice.

?

Contact Tamar at tfleishman@graffitiwv.com