Red Beet Records

Last Train Home
 
"One of the country's most formidable roots-rock bands."
 
  That's the assessment of Nashville's Tennessean newspaper about Last Train Home. And while roots-rock is at the heart of LTH's sound, don't overlook the country, bluegrass, swing, blues, folk, pop, and Tin Pan Alley influences you'll find if you lend this band an ear. What began as a part-time band in Washington D.C. back in 1997 has evolved into an acclaimed full-time touring group based out of Nashville.
   LTH frontman Eric Brace is a former staff writer for The Washington Post  where he was a columnist covering the local music and nightlife scene. Prior to Last Train Home, Eric played in several Washington area bands, including B-Time, the Beggars, and Kevin Johnson & the Linemen. He also ran a local rock label, Top Records, for many years, before focusing on his own music.
   It was in late 1996 that Eric began pulling together a band to record some of his songs. Those recordings became the band's eponymous debut, "Last Train Home," released in 1997 on the D.C. indie Adult Swim Records (run by Dischord Records co-owner and punk rock legend Jeff Nelson). In 1999, the band returned with the deeper and richer release, "True North." With rave reviews coming in on a regular basis, the band started touring the east coast more widely, and took a couple of trips to Nashville to play its music.
  Soon there was a Christmas EP, another EP of cover tunes, and another full-length CD, "Time and Water." The band's path was becoming clear. In January, 2003, just as it was being declared Washington D.C.'s "Artist of the Year" by the Washington Area Music Association, Last Train Home went full-time. With its profile rising, the band opened for Willie Nelson at the Wolf Trap amphitheater outside Washington, and for Dolly Parton at DAR Constitution Hall. After relocating to Nashville, LTH quickly became an integral part of Nashville's independent music scene, and was named by the Tennessean newspaper as one of the finest live acts of 2005: "Best Show: Tie between Neil Young at the Ryman and Last Train Home at the Family Wash."
   In 2005, the band released the CD "Bound Away," and followed that in 2007 with "Last Good Kiss," both widely-praised CDs that showed the band's extraordinary growth. That artistic evolution was rewarded with appearances on the CBS "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and on the syndicated radio show "Mountain Stage." 
  To celebrate its tenth anniversary, LTH recorded and released a live concert DVD and CD, "Last Train Home Live at IOTA," a vivid document that captures the dynamic live performance that has become the hallmark of this band.
  Eric contributes most of the songs to LTH's recordings, but he also champions the works of such Washington area artists (and part-time LTH members) Alan Brace, Karl Straub, Steve Wedemeyer, Scott McKnight, and Bill Williams. He also finds lesser-known gems from the likes of Buck Owens, Tom T. Hall, Paul Kelly, Bob Dylan, and Barry White to add to the band's CDs and sets.
  Over the years, Last Train Home has included many superb musicians, including:
Jim Gray: Bass
Kevin Cordt: Trumpet
Tom Mason: Electric guitar
Dave Van Allen: Pedal steel
Tim Carroll:  Guitar
Paul Griffith:  Drums
Eric Fritsch: Guitar, keyboards
Chris Watling: Saxophone, accordion
Pete Finney: Pedal steel 
Martin Lynds: Drums
Steve Wedemeyer: Electric guitar
Jared Bartlett: Electric guitar
Scott McKnight: Electric guitar
Jen Gunderman: Keyboards, accordion
Bill Williams: Electric guitar
Alan Brace: Mandolin, harmonica
Doug Derryberry: Guitars, keyboards, mandolin
 
  The band has played more than a thousand shows over the years, including tours of Australia, Germany, Switzerland, and the Virgin Islands. With its 11 releases, Last Train Home is a prolific band that gets better with each release, and continues to be one of the most interesting bands on the landscape of American music.

The Skylighters


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Track Listing

  1. 1. See What Love Can DoListen
  2. 2. Close The Door LightlyListen
  3. 3. Last Train From Poor ValleyListen
  4. 4. NeverthelessListen
  5. 5. Are You Missing MeListen
  6. 6. Maybe TomorrowListen
  7. 7. Dear OneListen
  8. 8. Carolina StarListen
  9. 9. Are You Wasting My TimeListen
  10. 10. Guess My Heart Has A Mind Of It's OwnListen
  11. 11. I Wish You KnewListen
  12. 12. Going Up Home To Live In Green PasturesListen

Reviews

  • Sing Out !
    By SPL

    The rich voice of Eric Brace greets listeners on this album of bluegrass-infused, light country music on his original "See What Love Can Do." The Skylighters is a mostly studio, occasionalgig, group comprised of the roots-rock Last Train Home frontman Brace and bandmates Martin Lynds (drums, percussion) and J. Carson Gray (electric bass), joined by bluegrass legends Mike Auldridge (pedal steel and resophonic guitar) and Jimmy Gaudreau, who alternates with lead vocals and picks mandolin, mandola, and guitars (acoustic and electric). Guest Jen Gunderman contributes piano and accordion.

    The song selection is striking in its diversity and depth. Norman Blake's "Last Train From Poor Valley" is powerfully portrayed while songwriter Eric Andersen's "Close the Door Lightly" is refreshing. the Louvin Brothers, a staple in many a repertoire, are tapped for a fabulous rendition of "Are You Missing Me," as well as for the often overlooked "Are You Wasting My Time" and the much recorded "I Wish You Knew," still a welcome choice.

    "Bonaparte's Retreat" is a fancy dance swing tune here, bouncing along to Brace's vocals and Auldridge's pedal steel. The bluesy "Nevertheless" is sappy, sweet, and seductive, slowing down the pace for a classic love song and making for a standout cut. There is a first-rate treatment of Hugh Moffatt's "Carolina Star," while Jim Croce's "Maybe Tomorrow" absolutely captivates.

    "Dear One" sneaks up and throws you onto the dance floor, an excellent track for airplay. With an Everly Brothers approach and a driving electric guitar, it is fabulous fun. But the highlight of this ensemble album is "Guess My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own," a hit in the making.

    "Going Up Home To Live In Green Pastures" leaves listeners wanting more. Maybe this entourage can be convinced to take this show on the road? Highly recommended.
  • Lonesome Road Review
    “The Skylighters” by The Skylighters
    May 12th, 2007 by lonesomeroadreview
    The Skylighters
    The Skylighters
    Red Beet Records
    4 Stars (out of 5)

    The Skylighters might not be a familiar name, but some familiar names comprise the quintet: bluegrass stalwarts Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Gaudreau and three members of Nashville’s Last Train Home: Eric Brace, Jim Gray, and Martin Lynds. Their self-titled studio release captures the magic of their infrequent on-stage get-togethers.

    Oddly enough, the album’s lone original – Brace’s “See What Love Can Do” – sets the tone, with Brace backed by Auldridge’s (resophonic guitar) and Gaudreau’s (mandolin) bluegrass breaks while bassist Gray and percussionist Lynds keep time. From there, it’s as if The Skylighters is an in-house all-request hour; as the collective culls bluegrass, country, folk, gospel, honky-tonk, and swing gems into a cohesive collection of terrific music.

    Selections span four Louvin Brothers classics, Eric Anderson’s “Close the Door Lightly,” Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart’s “Bonaparte’s Retreat,” and Avril Gearheart and Ralph Stanley’s “Going Up Home to Live in Green Pastures.” The mix also affords less common configurations. Auldridge’s pedal steel transforms Norman Blake’s “Last Train from Poor Valley” and Jim Croce’s “Maybe Tomorrow” into classic country weepers. Gaudreau sings lead on five tracks and plays electric guitar on “Dear One.”

    The driving force behind this music is the music itself. Fancy licks are few; these tremendously talented musicians simply are playing songs they love with passion and sincerity. Consequently, the Skylighters have whipped up a winner!

    by Tim Walsh
  • Dirty Linen
    The Skylighters is a new ensemble consisting of Nashville-by-way-of-D.C. alt-country group Last Train Home augmented by acoustic music veterans Jimmy Gaudreau and Mike Auldridge, who trod similar territory in Chesapeake. Their eponymous CD focuses on traditional bluegrass tunes, including a trio of Louvin Brothers songs, mixed in with some folk and country fare, such at Hugh Moffatt's "Carolina Star" and Eric Anderson's "Close the Door Lightly." LTH lead singer and Gaudreau trade lead vocals, and the disc opens with one of Brace's brisk tunes, "See What Love Can Do." The five musicians gel nicely as an ensemble. Auldridge's steel guitar work and Gaudreau's lively mandolin picking enrich every track, and the tight rhythm section of drummer Martin Lynds and bassist J. Carson Gray shows its power and versatility, whether the target is Western swing on a soulful "Bonaparte's Retreat" or a slow ballad like "Nevertheless."

    by MP
  • Joe Ross Reviews
    Aiming for new heights in the Americana market, The Skylighters have the necessary luminescence to go far. The also have the ability to see through and beyond any perceived or self - imposed ceiling in the music market. With solid footings in multiple genres, the ensemble is a collaboration of three members of the Nashville - based group Last Train Home (Eric Brace, J. Carson Gray, Martin Lynds) with mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau and pedal steel guitarist Mike Auldridge. Brace's expressive lead vocals are warm and good - natured, and they wrap agreeably around the breaks, fills and vocal harmonies provided primarily by Jimmy and Mike.
    The Skylighters' likable repertoire draws upon both successful established oft - recorded hits and balances them with more obscure songs. Clearly fans of The Louvin Brothers, the band covers four of their songs. An appetizing and spirited rendition of Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart's "Bonaparte's Retreat" gets the toes tapping. Another favorite is Jim Croce's "Maybe Tomorrow" that incorporates the piano of Jen Gunderman who also flavors "Carolina Star" with some laid - back accordion. That Hugh Moffatt composition is also given a slightly different mood with the use of Gaudreau's mandola. While the steel and mandolin are integral elements of their band sound, some diverse guest instrumentation is always a wise move for greater attention - grabbing variety in a 45 - minute set. A heavier drum track and Gaudreau's electric guitar seem problematically overbearing for "Dear One," but another listener might actually like this more raucous rendition. While I love the classic country wail of pedal steel, I personally found some of the more acoustic numbers with Auldridge's resophonic guitar to be satisfying treats for a little change.
    I was impressed by the band's interest in songs from various decades. Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar's "Nevertheless" (a hit for Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee) dates to 1931. Eric Andersen first released "Close The Door Lightly" in the mid - 1960s, and I think Norman Blake and Tony Rice released "Last Train to Poor Valley" about 1990. Eric Brace's bluegrassy murder ballad "See What Love Can Do" also appears on Last Train Home's 2003 "Time and Water" release and is a warning to any father who stands in the way of true love.
    The Skylighters have songs that impart ample variation in tempo, tones and rhythms. "Going Up Home To Live In Green Pastures" closes the album on spiritually - tinged note. Given the great potential and proficiency of this group, I hope they'll dig even deeper into the archives for lesser known western swing, jazz, bluegrass, blues and classic country numbers. They're building a musical vision together, and a combination of their innovative nimble - fingered musicianship coupled with a strong belief in their own ideas could lead to some real cutting - edge contemporary sounds that both recall a bygone era and offer new originals with that classic sound. I can hardly wait to hear their next volume.
  • No Depression
    FIELD REPORTING
    by Barry Mazor
    "Men of Steel and Mild-Mannered Reporters:
    Well, maybe they're not all that mild-mannered. but in a true 'that's Nashville' double-bill event at the storied Station Inn on Jan. 19, 2007, Peter Cooper and Eric Brace, two talented singing-songwriters who happen also to be well-known journalists, both fronted new bands featuring legendary steel guitar innovators: pedal steel master Lloyd Green in Cooper's case, and Dobro ace Mike Auldridge (of the Seldom Scene) in Brace's. What may have been the majority of working steel players in Music City (among many other listeners) were on hand to catch this show--a unique display not of guitar pyrotechnics but subtlety.

    Green, the A-team steel legend who played on 10,000 recordings, from Tammy Wynette's 'D-I-V-O-R-C-E' to the Byrd's 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' LP, was recently dubbed, 'the Conscience of Steel' in a Journal of Country Music appreciation by Robbie Fulks for his devotion to quality use of the instrument. He had not been seen in a club setting in decades, and has only been back recording and playing at all for a little over four years, after being sidelined by an ear infection in the 1980s. He joined an impressive band Cooper assembled for the occasion, including power-pop star Bill Lloyd on guitar and ex-Jayhawk Jen Gunderman on keyboards.

    Green's live musical contributions ventured dramatically beyond 'steel guitar fills,' working as a virtual musical conversation with Cooper's original lyrics and tunes--pointed, textured songs the listener could easily imagine being broken into news, editorial, comics, entertainment news (musings on Townes Van Zant and Charlie Rich), and even sports section in theme. They were written for an album currently being shopped to record labels.

    'The album has more steel on it than anything recorded in thirty years,' said Cooper, a staff reporter for Nashville daily The Tennessean and an occasional contributor to No Depression. 'the songs are almost duets between Lloyd's steel and me."

    'Peter and I talked about how to use the steel on these songs,' Green added, 'instead of guitar or piano, which has been done so much. Steel's been relegated further and further into the recesses of the darkness in recent years, except for effect, as kind of a mark that "it's from Nashville" or "it's country." They use steel guitar as a cartoonish instrument these days, and I don't play that kind of stuff. If I'm gonna play, I'll play like I think the steel should sound.'

    The steel treat continued as Brace, a former Washington Post correspondent, took the stage to front the Skylighters, a harmonious modern bluegrass band with a particular taste for vocal harmonies on Louvin Brothers tunes. Their new disc on Brace's label Red Beet features Auldridge and mandolin master Jimmy Gaudreau (of the Country Gentlemen), plus the rhythm section from Brace's regular alt-country rock band Last Train Home.

    Keeping up the evening's string of surprises, Auldridge switched back and forth from dobro to pedal steel, and at one point Gaudreau grabbeda a Telecaster to rip into 'Dear One,' a bit of rockabilly he'd played as a teen with the somehow forgotten Jimmie G & the Jaguars.

    Auldridge and Green, mutual admirers, had worked together once, it turned out, when Mike saluted Lloyd on a mid-'70s tune called 'Lloyd's of Nashville.'
  • Philadelphia Inquirer
    The Skylighters
    The Skylighters
    (Red Beet ***1/2 out of 4 stars)

    By Nick Cristiano

    The Skylighters are a collaboration between three core members of Last Train Home, the superb Americana band now based in Nashville, and bluegrass pickers Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Gaudreau. It turns out to be a seamless and stirring mesh of talent.
    While this nearly all-acoustic set does feature some bluegrassy moments, the album defies easy categorization. Honky-tonk, folk, swing, Tin Pan Alley, and gospel also figure into the mix. All of it is held together by the sublimely soulful feeling that is a hallmark of Last Train Home. A lot of that comes from front man Eric Brace, who sings lead on most of the tracks, but a good deal also comes from the heavenly harmonies supplied by him, Auldridge, Last Train's Martin Lynds, and Gaudreau, who also takes the lead on three numbers.
     
  • Audio Audition Magazine
    By Hermon Joyner

    ***** (Five Stars)

    The Skylighters (Red Beet Records): Thoroughly enjoyable country-alt music with masterful vocals and breathtaking instrumentals.

     In their self-titled debut album, The Skylighters succeed in blowing some decidedly fresh air into some musical areas that desperately need it. That's not to make disparaging comments about commercial country music, but it has become about as stale and sterile as it's possible to get, where individualism is avoided. If I were conspiracy minded, it almost seems as if some secret medical facility in Nashville (maybe in a hidden basement at Vanderbilt University Medical Center?) is churning out singing clones for the big name record labels. But if you are tired of that sound and you long for unique voices and performances within the country genre, then The Skylighters will satisfy your cravings. While their music references older musical styles and genres, they manage to make it sound brand new and original. You could classify this band as alt-country, but that's far too simplistic and limited. They combine aspects of classic country, swing, roots rock, rockabilly, bluegrass, and even jazz to create a new amalgamation.

    The core of The Skylighters is made up of another Nashville band called Last Train Home, an award-winning roots rock band with its own recipe of eclectic tastes, from pop to punk. Eric Brace (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Jim Carson Gray (bass guitar), and Martin Lynds (drums) formed the part-time band in Washington, D.C., but later they all went full-time and moved to Nashville, where they have become a favorite band in a town packed with first-rate musical talent. After recording six albums, and showing no sign of stopping, they started jamming with Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Gaudreau, long-time stars of bluegrass music. This configuration became known as The Skylighters, downplaying the rock influences and focusing on the country.

    Eric Brace handles most of the lead vocals, his voice combining the worn resonant baritone of Waylon Jennings with the lyrical phrasing of Gordon Lightfoot, while at the same managing to sound completely original-not an easy or simple accomplishment. Brace has one of those voices that I just cannot get tired of. Jimmy Gaudreau (a legendary bluegrass mandolinist from groups like the Country Gentlemen, JD Crowe and the New South, and the Tony Rice Unit), steps in with his sweet and breathy tenor on several tracks, like the wonderful Louvin brothers tune, "Dear One." Gaudreau also contributes some spot-on mandolin solos, of course. He's always facile and so lyrical, never sacrificing tone for pyrotechnics, while not shying way from technical displays. Probably my favorite soloist on the album is Mike Auldridge, a master Dobro and pedal steel guitar player. Track after track he practically steals the show with flawless runs and cascades of notes, always in touch with the soul of the music. This is music for musicians and those who appreciate the highest levels of performance. Highly recommended.

    TrackList: See What Love Can Do, My Baby's Gone, Close the Door Lightly, Last Train From Poor Valley, Bonaparte's Retreat, Nevertheless, Are You Missing Me, Maybe Tomorrow, Dear One, Carolina Star, Are You Wasting My Time, Guess My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, I Wish You Knew, Going Up Home to Live in Green Pastures
  • FolkWax
    By Deborah Douglas

    "Another Night in Nashville"

    Jan 19, 2007: The Station Inn (The Skylighters, and Peter Cooper)

    Two rows and the parking lot is already full and a pickup truck is offloading at the stage door. It is an hour and a half before show time, isn't it? Anxiety begins to gnaw, but the Station Inn often has unannounced showcases at 6, this must be one. After a few futile attempts at street parking, wherein I back up, maneuver, peer at signs, and generally look like the fool to a lone pedestrian observer in stocking cap and inscrutable beard, I elect the free valet parking across the street, clearly labeled with the names of prestigious nearby restaurants.

    Who's in charge behind the valet desk? How about the least busy? She tries to dodge but I inform her that I'm eating at one of "these," but want to check out the Station Inn for the show time later. She nods, but clearly has never heard an explanation before!

    After clearly establishing myself as an eccentric I stride on and query the woman smoking outside the Inn. It's not another show, she assures me, I should go in and take a seat as Peter Cooper 's showcase starts soon, at 8:00, not 9:00. Bad news. The pizza here is crisp, thin, and nigh unpalatable and the beer is defiantly mass market American, but the music is always a feast: world class, mountain river and mudslides melodious, wind-in-the-pines whining, Western wildfire, and Stone Mountain granite-in-the-veins American Bluegrass.

    Peter Cooper I've seen before, a pleasant, earnest, up-and-coming singer-songwriter with a solo guitar. He also does a fine job as music critic at the mainstream newspaper. In Nashville that's acceptable. But I'm here for the headliners.

    The double-barrel shot of ownership right at the door, Ann and J.T., seem very excited. I pay my money and in I go. Got the seating advantage tonight of being alone and pursue it to a single empty folding chair amidst the full ones. I've got a great view of the stage, all of the instrument necks, with the bonus of being in front of the pedal steel - about three seats back. Folks are seated at long tables, church supper style, with the stage to our side. It's abuzz, agog, ahummin' tonight! I confirm the warm-up band will be on at 9:00 after all, greet the loving couple next to me, leave my coat, and head for sushi across the street.

    On my way to the door, studio steel player Pete Finney, just back from the Dixie Chicks tour, tells me that every steel player in town is here. "Lloyd Green will be playing with Peter and he produced his record. He hasn't been seen in a club for at least twenty years!" I ask Pete if he's playing with his friend Eric Brace later tonight. "No, Mike Auldridge is." Oh yeah, that's one reason I put that on my calendar. The other one is Eric Brace, whose band, Last Train Home, I much admire, has put this band, The Skylighters, together. It's gonna' be a great night in Music City!

    Satisfied at Ru San's, where the service at the bar was fast and being alone meant beating out the waiting mob, I'm on my way back to the Station Inn. It stands alone too; a small, aging, one-story structure surrounded by trendy giants. I see the huge, star-blocking sign picturing another building about to rise on the other side. Good thing music plays at night and jackhammers play in the day. Still the Nashville skyline's distinctive "bat building" illumines a night in a small, country town. The Inn's incongruous concrete handicap ramp sets me wondering: Is it indicative of the age of Bluegrass fans? Not tonight.

    My reader's mind takes in the capacity limit on a sign by the door: 124. There must be at least twice that inside. It is truly the most crowded I've ever seen the Inn. Thankful for my primo seat, I settle in, speaking to the strangers and nodding to familiar faces. The band has yet to sound a note so I read the local music Scene and note tonight's show is featured. Lloyd Green, it says, played with the Byrds on Sweethearts of the Rodeo. Check the bio on his website - this veteran of 10,000 recordings from the 1950s-1990s is on a blazing comeback trail.

    Whaddayaknow, he's that familiar face with the gentle demeanor who nodded earlier. A full band takes the stage; the first song's vocals don't impress me much, but the lyrics are interesting and the steel prominent. Cooper refers to his throat momentarily, saying he interviewed Kim Carnes today and she kindly gave him advice for care of the throat! An audience familiar with her distinctive growling, expressive voice, the opposite of a Faith Hill's, laughs at his understated irony.

    As the show progresses Cooper's voice warms up and he begins to take on different demeanors and voices of his characters as he sings their stories. It's clear that music is his life, his influences. Song after song deals with metaphors or clear references to Country music.

    "Charlie Rich sings," while we picture the scenes in "All The Way To Heaven." Is Green really throwing in sound effects of whizzing bullets? Hell, yeah! The sound tonight is crystal clear, every note. Cooper moves to a song in the classical Country tradition, "Wine," but the last line rephrase an old Rock classic "Bottle of Wine."

    Enjoying the lyrical poetry of these story songs, the audience is riveted and happy. So am I! Much like Todd Snider, whom he also co-writes with, Cooper often does a story as an introduction - and they're good ones! In this one he gives us a quick reprise of the theory of predestination and how that works in a football and drinking subculture in a small Minnesota town. "Sheboygan" is short and funny.

    "715 (Hank Aaron)" takes me back to the Braves fever that gripped us all in Georgia when the team was riding high to the World Series, before and beyond. We were so proud of Aaron at that time. But Cooper's song not only reveals the man through pictures, but the times around him, when Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record of 715 home runs. The song not only has a sing-along chorus and true tale, but Cooper, in the best Folk tradition, tells more of the story, faster, by talking Blues in the middle of the story song. From that rap I realize Cooper was a few years younger than I, a teen when Aaron was out winning games. He was a child with his granny in a beauty shop in Atlanta, maybe the same one my granny took me to, full of the smells of permanent solutions, when Cooper encountered a dark and ugly, jealous world view that denigrated Aaron. " The more truth and beauty he put out into the world/The more ugliness came back to him/Maybe that's the way it works sometimes..." chanted the song.

    But that Hank Aaron, "He took it all in stride/Stridin' to the ball/Turn of the wrist, crack!/Jog and touch 'em all." 

    A find in a used record bin results in Take Care. Cooper tells of encounters with Townes Van Zandt, the man and the music: "hot on the trail of a cautionary tale/A stumbling scarecrow waving on the pale/Blew it all for the sake of the song/The song goes on, but the man didn't last long ."

    Later, a song recreates an encounter between Dylan and Phil Ochs. It's then I realize that Cooper is a researcher, a reader, a journalist; the word "Dylan" was threw out as an epithet. He's a story searcher, a star singer, a balladeer, a town crier, a historian in the grand poetic tradition of chanted verse. "Thin Wild Mercury" is a grand song about one moment and a famous beginning. You've gotta hear it.

    At times you could hear some talk, inevitable and acceptable in the crowded room. It had a warm tone, as musicians exchanged news that could help them play again and still feed families. Cooper had a few guests on, a background and featured singer from South Carolina and the versatile keyboard-accordion player from Last Train Home, Jen Gunderman.

    But the tall brunette with startling blue eyes filled the stage with his word like a revival preacher and the magic steel wove under and rang between like John Henry's hammer driven by pumping pedals and metal claws and a floating, gliding bar; underneath the bass ran and Pat MacInerny's percussion kept time for the hammer. What would Phil Ochs have said about drums on the Bluegrass stage? Bet Cooper would know.

    After 12 songs Cooper told us he's looking for a label home for the CD - it has the set's songs and I hope it's available for you soon.

    Look up -  time for the Skylighters! Eric Brace told of watching Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Gaudreau as a teen in Washington; fate or Lady Luck? No details available, but here were more legends and Brace was fronting them.

    Since Brace is a strong writer himself, I was surprised when most songs were Bluegrass standards. Well done by masters. The band did give Brace a nod with his "See What Love Can Do" and featured Auldridge's "Carolina Palms."

    The faint blush on Mike Auldridge's pale cheeks that arose at applause contrasted beautifully with the flashy, toothy smile of Gaudreau as he would switch from his gleaming dark wooden mandolin to the lighter tone and golden wood of the mandola - in mid-song. Auldridge played both "The Beard Mike Auldridge Resophonic Guitar" and a pedal steel.

    Gaudreau was downright funny in his knowing innocence. As he fiddled time after time with various strings and the band pattered to cover, he turned and told us, "I played for nine years with the Tony Rice Unit and Tony won't allow tuners. We had to tune by ear. So I don't know how to use one!" This was appropriately followed by a plaintive "Are You Wasting My Time"! No one seemed to notice the irony, for he tuned fast and sweet and Brace kept us entertained meanwhile.

    Eric Brace carefully referred to writers with each song, a wonderful trait of Nashville musicians and fans. So I was surprised to learn that Norman Blake wrote the beautiful and popular "Last Train to Poor Valley." The Louvin Brothers were cited so much that now I'm looking for a compilation that Brace referred to. Maybe Livin', Lovin', Losin'? Tonight the band plays the beautiful "I Wish You Knew."

    The two leads of mandolin and steel perfectly complemented, probably from long years of practice together, Auldridge and Gaudreau smiling in appreciation of each others' talents. This was a musical treat as somehow they never stepped on each other and yet both shone. Brace provided steady Bluegrass rhythm guitar and bass player Carson Gray and percussion/drummer Martin Lynds kept the beat.

    Brace also provided lead vocals, strong and tender as needed, with Gaudreau singing tenor harmony at times. These songs were played to their very best, with some fresh interpretation on some of the oldies like "Bonaparte's Retreat" and "Dear One."

    The room continued to be warm, absorbing the sound and returning good vibes and resonation to the players. It was comfortable awe.

    This old girl, I confess, couldn't make it to the end of the show; I was too inspired. Returning home I lit some candles, cracked a beer, which I never drank, tuned the guitar, and started a few songs myself. Whether they're ever played by masters or spun by a fan doesn't matter, but I'm so glad I'm here. Here for another night in Nashville. 
     
     
  • Rambles.Net
    By Jerome Clark

    A word or two of explanation: There is a Nashville-based Americana band called Last Train Home. While I have heard of it, I have not heard any of its recordings. I learn from the promotional material that the Skylighters are a sort of side-project for LTH: three members (Eric Brace, J. Carson Gray and Martin Lynds) joining forces with two key figures in bluegrass and acoustic country: the revered dobro master Mike Auldridge and the veteran mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau, who has picked with just about everybody, from the Country Gentlemen to Robin & Linda Williams. On a solo album released early in 2006, Gaudreau recorded "Rumble," a song I co-wrote with the Williamses.

    The Skylighters consists of 14 tastefully chosen songs of the sort one might expect to encounter on a Country Gentlemen or Seldom Scene disc. They range from folk-oriented material to traditional country to older melodic pop tunes. But unlike the Gentlemen or the Scene, the Skylighters is not a bluegrass band, even if bluegrass influences are all over the place. Besides the acoustic instruments, there's some electric guitar (by Gaudreau), some steel guitar (Auldridge), drums and percussion (Lynds) and even a dash of accordion (guest Jen Gunderman).

    If you're asking for some characterization of the Skylighters' sound, country-folk is close enough. It would take a stern disposition indeed to resist such abundantly evident charm as dazzles in these grooves. Take, for example, the Western-swing arrangement of "Napoleon's Retreat," the melody (with embellishments) drawn from the antique fiddle tune, with lyrics added a century and a half later by Peewee King and Redd Stewart, who together also wrote "Tennessee Waltz." The lyrics are dumb, yet amiably so. The Skylighters' arrangement swings and shines, beaming through LTH's Eric Brace's light-tenor vocal nestled alongside bouncy mandolin (Gaudreau) and steel (Auldridge) interludes. In another nice touch, the band resurrects the minor 1962 pop hit "Dear One," by Larry Finnegan, also co-author of the song. Though I recognized it instantly, I was also surprised it was still somewhere in memory. Unlike many other period pieces that the oldies industry has driven well past their expiration date, "Dear One" has faded into the ghostliest of recall. It deserves a better fate. "Dear One" tells its sad, simple story -- the narrator receives a Dear John letter from a now-departed but obviously kind-hearted girlfriend -- atop an unfancy but distinctive melody that lingers agreeably in the listener's psychic jukebox.

    In common with many bluegrass groups, the Skylighters are fond of the Louvin Brothers. No fewer than three LB compositions show up here -- "Are You Wasting My Time," "I Wish You Knew" and "Are You All Alone?" (this last known as well from the Jim & Jesse recording familiar to any bluegrass fan) -- plus Hazel Houser's "My Baby's Gone," the LBs' cover of which rode high on the country charts of 1958. The folk-based material includes a version of Eric Andersen's "Close the Door Lightly," from the sound of it inspired less by Andersen's original than by the subsequent version the Dillards cut in their late-1960s country-rock period. Norman Blake's melancholy ballad "Last Train from Poor Valley," done in neo-bluegrass style in 1972 on the Seldom Scene's fabled first album, rides again in high style. The Skylighters aren't just playing music, they're casting spells. This is one powerful and lovely recording.
  • Vintage Guitar magazine
    By Steve Stone

    Seldom Scene alum dobroist Mike Auldridge and mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau join guitarist
    Eric Brace, electric bassist J. Carson Gray, and drummer Maritn Lynds to
    create a group equally at home with swing, honky-tonk, tin pan alley and
    even gospel. The album highpoints include all of Auldridge's solos, as well
    as their fine versions of "Bonaparte's Retreat" and the Louvin Brother's
    classic "Are You Wasting My Time."
  • The Nashville City Paper
    By Ron Wynn
    (Concert preview)

    Eric Brace has been involved in the bluegrass and folk scenes for years in both the performing and critical ends. As an acoustic guitarist and lead vocalist, Brace’s singing is a key element in the group Last Train Home, while he’s written numerous features, conducted interviews and been a forceful advocate for the music he loves as a contributor and staff writer for the Washington Post.

    But one thing Brace had never done until last year is record with a pair of his heroes, Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Gaudreau. They teamed with Brace, electric bassist J. Carson Gray and drummer/percussionist Martin Lynds to comprise The Skylighters, a band whose collective and diversified sound unites vintage bluegrass and traditional country with Western swing, honky-tonk and gospel on its self-titled debut release (Red Beet).

    The Skylighters will perform Friday night at The Station Inn along with area singer/songwriter and music journalist Peter Cooper, who will also make his first appearance with a local band and showcase tunes from his solo release Mission Door, which was co-produced by legendary Nashville steel guitarist and session contributor Lloyd Green.

    “It’s kind of like both a dream come true and a summit meeting for acoustic music,” Brace said. “Playing with musicians as amazing and creative as Mike and Jimmy really tests your skills, yet these guys are so nice and supportive they act as if they’re as thrilled as we are to be working with them. Then Mike’s a bit nervous about playing in front of Lloyd, because he respects and admires him so much.”

    Auldridge’s flashy solos on resophonic guitar and pedal steel, coupled with Gaundreau’s equally inventive and flawless playing on mandolin, mandola, acoustic guitar and electric guitar have been featured in landmark dates with the Seldom Scene and The Country Gentlemen, plus other collaborations. But the collaborative spirit resounds throughout The Skylighters, from the tasty reworking of Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart’s “Bonaparte’s Retreat” to the Louvin Brothers’ “Are You Wasting My Time” and “I Wish You Knew,” plus some unexpected numbers like Jim Croce’s “Maybe Tomorrow” (rhythmically and acoustically adjusted) and Eric Andersen’s “Close The Door Lightly.” Whether doing breakdowns, blues, stomping swing or the closing reverential number “Going Up Home To Live In Green Pastures,” the Skylighters’ music seems like that of a long-time band rather than a first-time recording project.

    Brace, who’s also relocated to Music City and previously issued an anthology of rock, pop and folk tunes by East Nashville residents on his Red Beet label, plans another Last Train Home date soon, but also hopes to do future Skylighters’ projects.

    “We’re really grateful that Mike and Jimmy seem so thrilled to participate in our project, and hopefully we’ll do another one soon.”

    What: The Skylighters and singer/songwriter Peter Cooper
    When: 8 p.m. Friday
    Where: The Station Inn, 402 12th Ave.
    Cost: $15
    Info: 155-3307
     

  • The Nashville Scene
    by Jack Silverman

    This side project arose out of a 2002 Washington, D.C., jam session that sounded so good the participants decided to record an album last year. The Skylighters feature a couple of bluegrass heavyweights—resonator guitarist Mike Auldridge, a founding member of the legendary (and aptly named) Seldom Scene, and mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau (The Country Gentlemen, The Tony Rice Unit, J.D. Crowe and the New South)—along with three members of Nashville-by-way-of-D.C. roots-rock band Last Train Home. A collection of well-chosen covers (including a Louvin Brothers hat trick) and one original, The Skylighters’ self-titled debut touches on bluegrass, honky-tonk and Western swing and, as you might expect, features superb playing and harmonies. Opening the show is Tennessean music scribe Peter Cooper, whose musical alter ego may get short shrift due to his journalistic career, though he’s as good or better than many full-time singer-songwriters (and he can conjugate a verb). He’ll be showcasing material from his upcoming CD Mission Door. Cooper’s set will feature the first club appearance in many years by steel guitar legend Lloyd Green, who co-produced the record and who played on a gazillion classic country records, not to mention The Byrds’ seminal Sweetheart of the Rodeo. At the Station Inn Friday.
  • Freighttrainboogie.com
    FOUR STARS!
    Last Train Home is a fine young Americana band from Washington DC who moved to Nashville recently to find their fame and fortune. Eric Brace is LTH's lead singer, who enlisted bluegrass masters Jimmy Gaudreau and Mike Auldridge to help form this "moonlighting" band. They discovered a common love for the Louvin Brothers— evidenced by covering no less than five of their songs— and found a nice loose chemistry that shines through in their music. Brace and Gaudreau share the lead vocals; I especially enjoyed the voice of the former. Some swingin' tunes offset a few bluegrass classics and some resurrected gems like Norman Blake's “Last Train From Poor Valley” and Jim Croce's “Maybe Tomorrow”. Mike Auldridge, one of a handful of Dobro masters, sits behind the pedal steel guitar a lot with this band, playing with an unexpected amount of skill and brilliance. Definitely a great choice!
    -- Bill Frater
  • The Yummy List
    Take three of the big strong men from Americana/roots/country comers Last Train Home, add bluegrass icons Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Gaudreau and you have a loose-strumming gumbo of bluegrass-based acoustic songs from the pens of Charlie and Ira Louvin, Dr. Ralph Stanley and Avril Gearheart, PeeWee King and Red Stewart, as well as modernists (by comparison) Hugh Moffatt, Norman Blake and Jim Croce. Not quite a collection of standards, and that's part of the joy of it: The Skylighters is a jewelbox of songs you would love, if you only took a chance on getting to know them.
    With pristine sonics, plenty of room for the instruments' sheen to shimmer and resonate and swinging grooves (and tear-stained steel work on the ballads), this is one of those nudge'n'share records that the tastemakers will be turning each other onto all year.

    -- Holly Gleason

  • Village Records
    "This is probably the best disc in this mailer. Fronted by Last Train Home’s Eric Brace this group has made a classic album. With Mike Auldridge sitting in and a batch of original tunes along side some well chosen covers it’s a can’t miss set. If the Jayhawks would have been able to stick to the sound of their earlier albums then this is what they might have eventually come up with. This is about as fresh and non pretentious as the folk and country rock genre gets these days."
  • The Washington Post
    The Skylighters' self-titled debut has a lot to recommend it, not least Mike Auldridge's stellar contributions on resophonic and pedal steel guitars. Eric Brace's soulful vocals and Jimmy Gaudreau's sparkling mandolin rank right up there, too. But best of all, the quintet, neatly propelled by electric bassist J. Carson Gray and drummer Martin Lynds, has chemistry to spare.

    The whole trumps the parts early on, as the band harmoniously moves through a diverse collection of tunes that embraces lovesick ballads, western swing pulses, and gospel refrains. Brace, well known for his ongoing work with Last Train Home (and his former tenure on the Post's Weekend staff) shares the lead vocals with Gaudreau, and borh do justice to the songs the band has chosen for his maiden session. Brace never sounded better than when lamenting his fate on "My Baby's Gone," a terrific showcase for Auldridge's pedal steel as well., while Gaudreau's wistful tenor sounds as if it were tailor-made for Eric Anderson's "Close the Door Lightly."

    Norman Blake's "Last Train From Poor Valley" recalls Brace's vocals with LTH for more than obvious reasons, but then it's likely that fans of Auldridge's stints with the Seldom Scene and Chesapeake, or Gaudreau's multifaceted discography, will find similar references and rewards too. In fact it's not hard ro imagine longtime followers not warming up to these tunes, whether it's a brush-stroked version of the vintage pop tune "Nevertheless," Pee Wee King's infectiously spirited "Bonaparte's Retreat," or Louvin Brothers gems "Are You Missing Me," "I Wish You Knew," and "Are You Wasting My Time."
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ARTISTS: Eric Brace | Last Train Home | Peter Cooper | Fayssoux | The Skylighters | Compilations