Award winning songwriter celebrates 50 year career with new album
Ray Edwards is celebrating 50 years in the music industry with A Golden Anniversary Celebration on Pinecastle Records.
The album features his award winning songwriting and big name guests
such as Danny Paisley, Bradley Walker, Jeanette Williams, Junior Sisk,
and a whose who of pickers including Alan Bibey, Adam Haynes, Terry
Smith, and more.
Edwards gained the confidence he needed to start his storied sideman
career after being named “World Championship Five-String Banjo Player”
at Carlton Haney’s “String Music Championship” in 1973 and at Union
Grove, North Carolina in 1974. Shortly after arriving in Nashville, he
found himself backing up artists such as Jeanie C. Riley, Tom T. Hall,
Randy Travis, Lynn Anderson, and a long list of others. Some career
highlights include recording on “Tom T. Hall – Live at the Opry House”
and playing as a staff musician on Tom T. Hall’s “Pop Goes The Country
Club” which remains in syndication to this day. His touring work with
Tom T. Hall took him to some of the most iconic American venues
including the Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall, The Smithsonian Institute
and The White House.
“Having
been nominated for IBMA and SPBGMA Song of the Year awards, I came to
know Ray Edwards as a songwriter. Many Pinecastle artists have cut his
great songs over the years. After I heard this new project, I knew we
had to do something to highlight his talents as a musician and producer
as well.” – Ethan Burkhardt, Pinecastle Records
“In
the list of firsts, this is the first project I’ve ever released that
I sang lead on,” says Edwards. “I hope you enjoy my vocal approach
to bluegrass music and my country interpretation of a couple of
traditional country songs I brought to the project from the 90’s with
the Nashville A-Team. The songs are all first-class and there’s
something here for everybody. I hope all of my fans enjoy listening to
this CD as much as I enjoyed making it.”
DJs can download the album on Airplay Direct here: Airplay Direct
Fans can preview and purchase the album here: A Golden Anniversary Celebration