After many years of living in Athens and touring the country, Scott Low quit drinking, packed his bags and headed to the mountains of North Georgia. In the past decade since his relocation to the small town of Clayton, he’s launched Hatch Camp and Art Farm, a campground, fly fishing business and summer camp that also doubles as a venue for live music and art experiences.
This weekend, Low will make his way back down to Athens to share his sixth solo album, The Appalachian Blues. Below, Low shares a video for the title track of the new album.
“I got a resonator guitar last year and started learning to make those sounds that come from the Delta to the Piedmont,” says Low. “I wanted to make a record that celebrated the old but also has threads of songwriter, and be the blues without a lot of guitar solos. A lot of modern blues is very guitar virtuoso/pytrotechnics. I wanted to take the blues back to call and response and a collective groove. I also wanted to make art, not try to write hits. I feel this and I hope folks do too!”
Wearing his influences on his sleeve, Low’s wide-ranging musical background stretches from jazz, jam and punk to Southern rock, folk and Americana. With his own Appalachian twist on this new collection of tunes, he found inspiration from delving deeper into the history of blues traditions from and beyond the region. In addition to artists such as Doc Watson, Elizabeth Cotton, Mississippi John Hurt and Blind Willie Johnson, he says listening to Minnesota country bluesman Charlie Parr in particular had a major influence on finding his own voice and guitar style.
“I wanted to create an album that kind of bridges the blues across these Appalachian mountains, Piedmont/Southeast blues to Delta blues with a little traditional mountain music mixed in,” says Low. “I made an album that made me happy.”
Scott Low & The Blue Bouillon will play an album release show at The Foundry on Saturday, Mar. 2 with Heart of Pine, who will celebrate the release of a new single of their own that night. Doors open at 7 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or with a UGA ID, or $15 at the door.
Additional upcoming release shows include the following. Stay tuned to Facebook for event details.
Mar. 1 in Tallulah Falls, GA
Mar. 7 in Highlands, NC
Mar. 23 in Dahlonega, GA
Mar. 27 in Murphy, NC
Mar. 29 in Blue Ridge, GA
Mar. 30 in Long Creek, SC
Apr. 4 in Atlanta, GA
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