Arden, North Carolina (November 19, 2021) — The last time Chris Jones & The Night Drivers recorded a Christmas song, the year was 2010 and Jones’ co-writers on the downhome original, “Kentucky Noel,” were his long-time friends, the legendary Tom T. and Miss Dixie Hall. Now, at a time when the feeling of community that family and old songs alike can create seems more important than ever, it’s no surprise that Jones brings his singer/songwriter wife, Sally, into the studio to join him in new versions of two traditional songs to herald the season.
“In the Bleak Midwinter” and “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow” offer luminous readings delivered in Jones’ restrained yet evocative style, backed by Night Drivers Mark Stoffel (mandolin), Grace van’t Hof (ukulele) and Marshall Wilborn (upright bass), along with guests Tony Creasman (percussion) and long-time friend and musical associate April Verch (fiddle, “In the Bleak Midwinter”). Each selection, whether it’s the poetic, contemplative former “Midwinter” or the gently swinging “Rise Up Shepherd,” gets a classic Night Drivers treatment — tasteful, yet infused with a quiet energy that demands the listener’s attention from the first note to the last.
“This is a song I’ve been listening to and singing along with since I was a kid,” Jones says of “Rise Up Shepherd.” “I first heard it on a record by Odetta; I was probably five years old at the time. In spite of that long history with the song, I’d never performed it until a couple of Christmases ago. Marshall Wilborn is well-known for his traditional bluegrass bass playing but he doesn’t always get credit for his versatility as a bass player. He shows that versatility in his lead work on this recording.”
And of “In the Bleak Midwinter,” he notes: “This is a 19th century poem by Christina Rossetti set to a traditional melody. I learned a harmony part to it while caroling when I was 11 years old. I’ve always loved it and had so much fun recording it.”
Listen to “In The Bleak Midwinter” HERE and “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow” HERE.
About Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
Whether it’s in the studio or on stage, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers are making some of the most distinctively elegant yet driving music to be heard anywhere today, and they’re delivering it with a unique blend of dry wit, emotional authenticity and broad humor that’s won the loyalty of a growing number of fans across the country, from MerleFest in North Carolina to California’s Huck Finn Jubilee, and around the world.
Steve Martin referred to the Night Drivers as “. . . some of the best players in bluegrass! Chris Jones’ voice is there with the great masters.” Americana artist Jim Lauderdale said of Chris, “He continues to have one of the most distinctive and best voices in music, period.”
The band — which is Mark Stoffel on mandolin, Grace van’t Hof on banjo and ukelele and Marshall Wilborn on bass — is led by Chris’ soulful lead-singing, songwriting, and solid rhythm and lead guitar. Chris boasts extensive performance credits as a sideman with artists like Lynn Morris, Vassar Clements, Special Consensus, Dave Evans, Earl Scruggs, and the acclaimed Irish band The Chieftains.
Altogether, members of Chris Jones & The Night Drivers have won more than a dozen IBMA awards and have recorded more than ten #1 songs. The Night Drivers also bring name recognition in related fields, as bluegrass fans are well-familiar with Jones for his award-winning work as a SiriusXM DJ, on both Bluegrass Junction and Willie’s Roadhouse.