Phases of the Moon Artist Spotlight — Leftover Salmon
Leftover Salmon Awakens Bluegrass with a Fresh New Spin
As someone who grew up listening to bluegrass and country music I will admit that there is a soft spot in my heart for the artists who continue to play in this genre. One of the bands that I have been a big fan of for many years is Leftover Salmon. I have loved them since back in the Salmonfest days when I used to travel to Missouri to check out their great festival. I will admit that this festival was one of the more fun festivals that I have attended my entire life.
The band started about twenty five years ago and has been touring the country and playing wonderful music ever since. The band was born in part by chance. The members had a chance meeting when Vince Herman was packed up and moving to Colorado with a friend from his native West Virginia. While he could have stopped anywhere, he just so happened to stop at the bar where Drew Emmitt was playing. Some might call this luck but I personally think of it as fate.
(Photo taken by Tobin Voggesser)
Leftover Salmon has been a part of my entire adult life. Their music has carried me through some of the best times of my life and also through some of the hardest. There are songs that I hear that make me cry because they take me to a memory that is strongly connected to strong emotions. The music has also been with me during some of the happiest and best moments in my life. Just like there are songs that make me cry, there are songs that make me smile and it can sometimes be hard to keep from giggling as I am giddy and filled with emotion.
I thought that I would share a few of my favorite memories that I connect to a Leftover Salmon song.
The song “Lovin’ In My Baby’s Eyes” is one that instantly makes me smile. I love my husband so much and I love how the lyrics depict a certain special point in our relationship. Relationships are not always easy and when the going gets tough I find songs that remind me of the beginning when we were falling in love can help me stick out the rough times. What I have learned from this is that there are even better times ahead.
I love going to festivals and concerts. Every time that I am headed to a festival one of the songs that is a must on my play list is “Carnival Time.” This song is just one that puts you in the mood to party. Who isn’t ready for a great time when they are going somewhere to have fun? I have even found that the song invokes joyful feelings me during rough times. So I play it when I am having a bad day and I find that I am transformed into a happier and more relaxed person.
“Bend in the River” is another song that always makes me smile and feel great. I love the lyrics to this one. In fact this was the first song that I ever sang to my husband when we were just friends. I sang it to him because I wanted nothing more than to hold him close under a willow tree.
(Photo taken by Tobin Voggesser)
The music from Leftover Salmon likely invokes different feelings in each person who listens to it. I personally find that my connection to music occurs when I am able to sit back and relate a specific song to a certain time in my life.