Acclaimed Americana blues band, JD & The Straight Shot, have announced details of new single ‘Better Find A Church’. Taken from latest album, 'Ballyhoo!', the single comes as dates in both the U.K. and Ireland are confirmed.
Due for release on 20th May, the soulful 'Better Find A Church' reflects the intimate vibe of 'Ballyhoo!', where the band explore a stripped-down version of its distinctive sound. The completely acoustic project is storytelling at its finest, steeped in the quiet fire of Americana with elements of blues and rustic New Orleans roots music. The video for 'Better Find A Church' can be viewed below.
Described by The Arts Desk as; “country rock, bluegrass and swamp blues with a topping of scorching fiddle” while the The Blues Magazine hailed them; “a sophisticated blend of American roots music”, the quartet make their return to the Ireland and the U.K. with four dates in late April / early May. The respected act play Kilkenny's Roots Festival on 30th Apr and 1st May, before heading to the U.K. for a stop off at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival on 2nd May and their own show at The Convent in Stroud on 3rd May. Full details plus links to all shows can be found below.
While lead-singer, Jim Dolan started JD & The Straight Shot in 2000, he isn’t alone in his deep-rooted passion for music. He fronts an accomplished four person band, including guitarist Marc Copely (Rosanne Cash, McCrary Sisters, Billy Squier), guitarist Aidan Dolan, bassist Byron House (Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris), and violinist Erin Slaver (Rod Stewart, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride), all of whom also contribute to songwriting.
With songs built on emotion with musical arrangements that mellifluously interweave and effortlessly paint lyrics, the breadth of range and the clarity that the music brings to some universal issues and hardships are part of what makes this band unique.
JD & The Straight Shot has opened up for the likes of The Eagles, Keith Urban, and the Dixie Chicks and boasts a range of musical accomplishments, including features in The New York Times, New York Post, Billboard, and New York Magazine. They’ve performed live on Good Day New York and last year completed a multi-country European tour.
For further details visit the official JD & The Straight Shot site.
JD & The Straight Shot Ireland and U.K. 2016 dates:
30 Apr - Kilkenny Roots, The Rafter, Kilkenny Ireland
1 May - Kilkenny Roots, Kytelers Inn, Kilkenny Ireland
2 May - Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Cheltenham, U.K.
3 May - The Convent, Stroud, U.K.