[Cover photo credit to Trent George Grogen – Mountain Trout Photography]
Andy Hall of The Infamous Stringdusters has collaborated with Grammy-award-winning guitarist Billy Strings for his newest single “Muscle Car,” off of his forthcoming album Squareneck Soul out via Americana Vibes on June 23rd, 2023.
The new single is accompanied by an animated, video game-themed music video depicting a pixelated Hall in a red Ford Mustang that is powered by a magic dobro. On a quest to make it to a performance, the journey takes him through the mountains of Colorado, the Grand Canyon, and outer space, before soaring above the California Aqueduct in Ventura County to arrive at the show.
Joined by fellow Infamous Stringduster Travis Book on bass, Bluegrass artist Sierra Hull on mandolin, and banjoist Wes Corbett of Sam Bush Band, Hall presents 10 new compositions in Squareneck Soul that are “meant to serve as templates for improvisation and pickin’.” He aims to showcase the evolution and awareness of the dobro, as the title alludes to.
Hall comments:
I love being an ambassador for this weird, strange instrument. When people hear the sound of the instrument and see it, they light up. I don’t think people are exposed to it much and I just love seeing reactions to it.
The release of Squareneck Soul comes after a 2020 solo album 12 Bluegrass Classics for Resophonic Guitar, a collection of classic bluegrass songs and influences that inspired his musical journey. He also released a 2021 ambient album, A Universe Within, created out of “curiosity and catharsis” during the pandemic.
Hall will be on the road with The Infamous Stringdusters for the duration of the summer with club shows and festival dates that include appearances at Suwannee Spring Reunion, Charm City Bluegrass Festival, DelFest, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and more.
A full list of dates can be found here:
5/6 – Baltimore, MD – Charm City Bluegrass Festival
5/20 – Clive, IA – Greenbelt Music Festival
5/26 + 27 – Cumberland, MD – DelFest
5/28 – Greenfield, MA – Strange Creek Campout
6/1-3 – Oak Hill, WV – Mountain Music Festival
6/17-18 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival
6/22 – Eau Claire, WI – Blue Ox Festival
6/23 – Owensboro, KY – ROMP Fest
6/24 – Caneadea, NY – Estival Festival
6/29-7/2 – Quincy, CA – High Sierra Music Festival
7/14 – Durham, NY – Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
7/15 – Charleston, SC – The Refinery
7/21-23 – Redmond, OR – Fairwell Festival
8/4 – Bellvue, CO – The Mishawaka
8/5 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater
8/6 – South Fork, CO – Rhythms on the Rio
8/10 – Ketchum, ID – River Run Lodge
8/11 – Alta, WY – Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival
8/12-13 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge
9/1 – Mill Springs, NC – Earl Scruggs Music Festival
9/2 – Brunswick, ME – Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival
9/15-16 – Martinsville, VA – The “Infamous” Weekend
9/17 – East Aurora, NY – Borderland Music Festival
10/6 – Pelham, TN – Cave Fest
10/8 – Monterey, CA – Rebels & Renegades Music Festival
12/6-10 – Puerto Morelos, Q.R. – Strings & Sol
