The Heartache Line

"Grab three chords and hang on" This was the way we used to introduce a song like this back in our bluegrass band days.

After posting mostly blues songs over the past few months we decided to revisit our bluegrass roots by writing this tune. The intent was to create a basic, fast, simple, hard driving bluegrass song with lyrics that felt traditional. We worked it up with Janice playing rhythm and me upright bass in order to get a tempo that would be about the speed of the fastest stuff we used to play. We were at the mercy of our talented and lightening fast banjo picker.

For the uninitiated and those who detest bluegrass you might need the benefit of a Bluegrass Exposure support group afterwards. Check your local listing for time and dates of the meetings.

A big thanks to Floyd for the harmony vocal. And thank you for taking the time to listen.

Vocal: Lead and High Harmony Janice - Rodes NT1 interfaced via Blue icicle to iMac.
Vocal: Low Harmony Floyd Jane
RealTracks:
Bass 427, Banjo R 426, Banjo S 433, Fiddle R 428, Fiddle S 434, Mandolin R 432
Mandolin S 436, Guitar R 431, Guitar S 435

All RealTracks were ported to GarageBand via BIAB's interface. All effects and mixing were done
in the DAW. Each solo track is cut and spliced from multiple RealTrack generations.

Previous submission to this forum: State Lines

Hi, Janice & Bud & Floyd !

I enjoyed your combined effort
very much, everything sounded
so smooth and effortless, a big joy
to listen to. I am also
very impressed by that "lightningfast"
banjoplayer of yours (lol) !!:)


Cheers
Dani

Three chords and hang on..... been there....

Nice BG song.

I have a few grass songs in my line up.... mot on my website.... I should fix that one of these days.

Felt like I got in my truck & drove 2 1/2 hours.... And there I was at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival!

Great Job!

Greg

Hi Janice and Bud,

Wow! That was a 2:23 flat out sprint!!! You left me breathless at the end. Loved it

The only thought in my mind at the moment is "Gosh that was mighty good". You two are an ocean of talent. I also compliment floyd on his excellent harmonies.

Really top notch work!

All the best,
Noel

Very nice guys. A real toe-tappin' knee-slapper. Reminds me. Gotta go check the still.



Regards,


Bob

Great job by all . . . little doubt this is the genre where you guys really shine, especially Janice as I could envision her on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry right along side the likes of The Whites and Bill Monroe as I listen to her voice.

Wonderful effort.

Later,

It's all been said.

That's some mighty fast picking. I was just watching the Darlins (aka the Dillards) on the Andy Griffith show. Only thing missing here is the jug.

I always enjoy your songs. I think you should go nation wide and be a Nashville star. Your are as good as anyone I hear on TV or anywhere. You are a real pro and your voice is spectacular. You could be a bluegrass star. Thanks for sharing. occ

Hi Janice and Bud,

let me quote Danny: this is the genre where you guys really shine, especially Janice.
Compliments for Floyds harmonies.
A brisk toe-tapping tune.

Guenter

Janice and Bud,

I try to comment before reading what everybody else said, so If I say stuff that's already been said... well.. the agreeing testimony of multiple witnesses adds credibility.

DANG! I want to be you when I grow up!

I especially like the fact that you so easily create new songs in old genres instead of just rehashing whats already been done. Your years spent playing to an audience really shows through in your recordings... you bring an enthusiasm to the material that is often lacking in songs that are played to a DAW.

Your presence on the forum raises the bar for the rest of us. I really like everything that you've posted. If I were an alien who could absorb your talent, I'm afraid you'd both be sucked as dry as a cicada's shell. But I can't, so you're safe.

Thanks everybody for the kind comments. We know bluegrass isn't for everyone (what is?) and we appreciate y'all both taking the time to listen and comment.

Janice & Bud

Pat, thanks very much for the remarks....but, hey, don't remind me of those #$%#@ cicadas. We suffered through 6 weeks of them three years ago (ours are on a different cycle than yours). Sounded like aliens had landed in the forest we live in, "husks" everywhere and to this day our hiking/mountain biking trails look like swiss cheese from where they emerged.

Good, fun tune and solid construction of the backing track. Mighty fine vocals, too. Super well done.

Janice and Bud -

It is such a pleasure to be a part of something SO fine - a very small part - my harmonies took all of about 15 minutes.... And most of that time was spent being "lost in the song" - listening to how amazingly well the tracks were laid in - and that HEAVENLY voice!

The banjo sounds like the guy is right there is front of you. And that HEAVENLY voice! It's like you can see that guitar picker step up to take his turn at the microphone. And that HEAVENLY voice! You somehow manage to make the band sound "so real" that you can see them all smiling at how tight they are.... And, oh, that HEAVENLY voice!!!

Everything you do is top-shelf. I am a fan.

floyd

As always, solid work.