EmiSunshine Takes Center Stage On New Bluegrass Album 'SIDESHOW'

Circus sideshows are full of surprises, tales of mystery and imagination, colorful characters and creatures from exotic places. EmiSunshine's music is that way, comprised of story-songs about unusual subjects that enlighten, comfort, induce tears, or merely entertain. These are what make up her new and first bluegrass album SIDESHOW (Little Blackbird Records), now available on CD.

Though she has written and recorded bluegrass-tinged ballads before, the 13-track SIDESHOW is EmiSunshine's first complete foray into the bluegrass genre; a loving tribute to the old-style mountain music that first influenced her as a young girl growing up in East Tennessee. She also considers it a "thank you" to her fans.

"It's a way of giving back to the fans who have been here for the long haul," she said. "So many have been asking me to record a bluegrass album. It's the kind of music I grew up on. I heard Ralph Stanley sing 'O Death' at MerleFest when I was real young, and it stopped everyone in their tracks. Standing there in the crowd, I felt that reverence to my core. There were others who influenced me, like Marty Stuart, Patty Loveless and so many more."

On SIDESHOW, Emi sings of lost love, abusive relationships, a brave soldier who paid the ultimate price, and more. Some ballads are somber and thought-provoking, while others will make you smile. The title track is a humorous take on human oddities once referred to disparagingly as "freaks," but who Emi embraces for their uniqueness, diversity, and humanity. The "queen of the sideshow," as she calls herself, welcomes all into her big tent.

"The title track is about accepting people who are different than you, but it really started out being about my team," Emi explained. "We are such an odd bunch; we don't do things the normal way. We have toured most of the U.S. and Canada in an old bus fueled by faith. We have never had any real backing except from my fans. To do what we are doing on that scale seems like a circus. It helps to be a little weird if you want to work with us."

All songs on the album are original, though "Carry Me Home," "Little Black Bird," and "White Dress" were previously released on Emi's earlier albums.

"I decided to rerecord those songs as bluegrass because they represent my earlier writing," she said. "I was 7 or 8 when I wrote them with my mom, and they still hold up. I felt they deserved a revival, in a way."

For this project, Emi is joined by her band, The Rain (her father, Randall Hamilton, brother John Hamilton, Uncle Bobby Hill, and singer/songwriter Fish Fisher) as well as special guest performers Cruz Contreras (The Black Lillies) singing a duet with Emi on "White Dress," mandolin prodigy Wyatt Ellis, 4-time IBMA award winner Justin Moses (fiddle, dobro, guitar), Addie Levy (fiddle and mandolin), and more. The primary producer is Emi's mother and frequent cowriter, Alisha Hamilton.

"Mom had the early vision for the project, and the rest of us just fell in line," Emi said. "She mostly picked the songs, the concept, and the feel of it, and then when we went into the studio and basically followed her suggestions. She left the vocals and harmonies in my hands. The other musicians had full reign to play however they felt, after I recorded my vocals. Fish, my dad, and I took over when it came to mixing."

EmiSunshine's upcoming appearances

Friday, October 6, 7:00 p.m., The Lyric Theater, Loudon, TN (album release celebration)

Wednesday, October 11, 8:00 p.m., The Station Inn, Nashville, TN (album release celebration)

Saturday, October 21, 2:00 p.m., Bulls Gap Craft & Music Festival, Bulls Gap, TN

Sunday, October 22, 2:00 p.m., Farragut Harvest Fest, Farragut, TN

To post a comment, you must register and login.