Songs of America Project

The LONG RATTLING CHAIN “Songs of America” Album and Tour project.

    With the “Songs of America” project, Minneapolis’ The LONG RATTLING CHAIN will present a new song for each state.  Forget, Sufjan Stevens, the LRC will follow the lineage of American folk music and add to the unique tradition to create a work of grandiose proportions.  The songs will not define or summarize the state, they will try to capture a feeling or tell a story.  They will be in context to the state, and also to the journey itself. 

    In addition, the band will be recording each song live in the proper state.  They will be traveling and spending one week in each state.  At the end of the week, the band will play a show and record their song about that state.  Fans in attendance will receive their state song for free, via email.  A blog run by the band will be updated once a week with new photos and a new streaming song.  The tour will begin with a classic repertoire of old folk, blues, country, and gospel.  As the new "State" songs are written and recorded, they will be added to the later shows.  The tradition of old will meet the new as the past and the present blend together.

    To give you a brief history of the band: The LONG RATTLING CHAIN formed in Minnesota in 2002.  They’ve been touring since 2006.  They play folk-based music with a focus on songwriting.  They are highly influenced by murder ballads, lonesome country, delta blues, prison songs, banjo breakdowns, fiddle tunes, union songs, train harmonica and child ballads.  In 2007, they recorded their self-titled debut and toured all over America.  In 2008 and 2010, they performed in Europe, playing France, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland.

    The band has always greatly admired the work of Alan Lomax, Harry Smith, John Cohen, and other folk pioneers (who searched the country for undiscovered talent).  The “Songs of America” project is not far off from that idea.  In the same way they searched the backcountry for music, the LONG RATTLING CHAIN will be searching for their own songs.

THE TOUR WILL KICK OFF ON JULY 4, 2011 in North Dakota.  The ND song will be released July 8, and a new song and state will follow for 49 weeks; with one pause (for the holidays).  Below is a schedule. 

TO FOLLOW THE BAND ONLINE :
Songs of America BLOG
Long Rattling Chain on BANDCAMP
Long Rattling Chain on MYSPACE
Human Remains on BANDCAMP