The Story Of A Cover Band That Cleaned Up

How can anybody remain unmoved, unconvinced, unimpressed by The Earls Of Leicester?

After they cleaned up at the IBMAs earlier this month, some indie reporter (yawn) groused that they were no more than “a Flatt and Scruggs cover band”.

If that’s true, folks, this ain’t your daddy’s Flatt and Scruggs.

Jerry Douglas brings the funk from the first note. Banjo ace, Charlie Cushman answers, carrying the whole thing back down home. Douglas roars into overdrive again and fiddler, Johnny Warren responds with lovely, sorghum-drenched country fiddling.

You think it’ll go on like that until Cushman takes his second break – a mind-bending fusion of textbook Scruggs licks, bluesy twang, and playful Americana that beats Douglas at his own game.

By the time you notice Barry Bales laying down bass lines as rock-solid as they are tasty, he’s soloing, and his break is so revelatory that the crowd bursts into applause even before he’s finished.

Recorded live at the D.C. Bluegrass Union this past February, these are The Earls Of Leicester with “Foggy Mountain Rock”.

Sparkling Bluegrass From The Earls of Leicester

Ah, The Earls Of Leicester, showing once again the dazzling musicianship that won them this year’s Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.

It takes real confidence to stretch and slink your way into an intro, the way Shawn Camp does in this first number. Think about it: Anyone else would be hammy, heavy-handed, goading the audience to cheer and whistle, in that tired old way that so many entertainers have.

That’s not good enough for these guys. Listen to the interplay between Camp and Jerry Douglas’s singing dobro lines. The way banjoist Charlie Cushman holds back so tastefully, surprising you with sparkling fills late in the number.

As for the second number, all I can say is, Johnny Warren! Split-second timing; beautiful, clean articulation; and having fun all the while. There’s not a sterile moment to be had, thank God.

These are The Earls of Leicester with “Big Black Train” and Black-Eyed Suzie”.

Exploding Mandolin Players, and Still, Rock Solid

Excuse me while I fangirl over The Earls Of Leicester. Even with a constantly-revolving stream of mandolin players (Jeff White in this clip, sounding more like Cousin Jake Tullock on tenor vocals than anybody has a right to), they maintain a crisp, cohesive sound. As if that weren’t enough, they seem to have more fun with every show they do.

This one in particular was taped for the Bluegrass Underground series on PBS, just three weeks ago. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the show, the reason they look like they’re standing in a cave is because … they are.

Aside from Jeff White’s tenor, Johnny Warren’s fiddling is sheer perfection. These are The Earls Of Leicester with “You’re Not A Drop In the Bucket”.

The Earls of Leicester always have a good time on stage, but it takes more than that for a band to lodge itself in the minds of an audience. Whether lead vocalist, Shawn Camp, has ever had these feelings or not, he makes the listener believe that he has. That ability is what makes an artist as beloved as he is successful. It helps that the instrumental work is just as emotionally-invested.

These are The Earls Of Leicester with “I’ll Go Steppin’ Too”.

It’s a darn good thing Jerry Douglas’s impression of T. Tommy Cuttrer didn’t make it onto the debut album by The Earls Of Leicester. Otherwise, they might not have won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.

T. Tommy, btw, was the emcee of the Flatt and Scruggs TV show, as well as the face of the show’s sponsor, Martha White. Here are The Earls Of Leicester to sing the Martha White jingle, and to follow it up with “Hot Corn, Cold Corn”.

“Bring along a demijohn” indeed. There’s a-gonna be a party!

From way back in 2013, here’s a look at why The Earls of Leicester cleaned up during awards season last year. When you’ve mastered technique, you can just have fun onstage, without worrying that your performance will suck – that’s the secret.

This is “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”.

Oh, you know – just The Earls of Leicester hanging out backstage waiting for the bass player to show up. Yup, they sound this good without Barry Bales, but it wouldn’t be the same without him. He arrives just as his bandmates are finishing “Salty Dog Blues” in one of those fabled Opry dressing rooms.

This was a teaser for the debut release from The Earls of Leicester, recorded in the breathtaking Studio A at Ocean Way in Nashville.

This is my favorite Earls vocal from Shawn Camp to date. He puts his heart and soul into a Flatt & Scruggs favorite called, “On My Mind”.

As promised, here’s more from the dynamite Ryman set by the Earls of Leicester. This is “Dig a Hole In the Meadow”, aka “Darling Corey/Cora”. Love the down ‘n’ dirty lick that closes Johnny Warren’s fiddle break.

This band is so tight that every bluegrass musician could take lessons. And when I say “tight,” I mean that in the ‘50s jazz sense of the word.

Anyway, Earls of Leicester with “I Won’t Be Hangin’ 'Round”.

Charlie Cushman’s guitar alone will bring tears to your eyes! Add the harmonies and the insanely stellar level of picking, and your heart will be captured for good.

These are The Earls of Leicester with “Who Will Sing For Me?”

This band. This BAND!

Between them, they’ve played just about every kind of music imaginable. Yet, they get together to dust off these moldy, old chestnuts from the Flatt and Scruggs catalog.

Why? Because they’re having fun, and their fun is infectious — from the pun in their name to Shawn Camp’s silly Lester Flatt impressions.

Did I mention that their musicianship will knock you, um, flatt?

That’s Barry Bales on bass, Charlie Cushman on banjo, Johnny Warren (son of long-time F & S fiddler, Paul Warren) on fiddle, Tim O’Brien on mandolin, Jerry Douglas on dobro, and Shawn Camp on guitar.

Distinguished guests, The Earls of Leicester with “Get In Line, Brother”.