Winner of 147 Grammys (or so), Ron Block is the banjo-ninja portion of Alison Kraus and Union Station. When he's not laying down a bluegrass-style martial-arts whoopin' on audiences around the world, he's taking care of his donkey named "Trash" and keeping himself busy by being one of the most well-read and thoughtful people we know.
Old Favorites: Andy Gullahorn’s Fault Lines
Andy Gullahorn is a fixture on the Behold the Lamb of God tour. I’ve watched him play and sing nearly every year at the Ryman, marveling at the clarity of his voice, his touch, dynamics, tone, and sweet sense of taste on the guitar. He seems to do everything with ease, a kind of graceful, offhanded carelessness.
Read More ›Rise and Walk
Rise and walk. He was saying this to a man who had lain there begging in dirt and filth for years. It was ridiculous to expect any action at all. To require such a man to rise, and even walk, was beyond any sense of decency. It was pointless and cruel.
Trouble Go Down: “O, How I Love Jesus”
When we were rounding out the record at the end of the process Jeff mentioned this hymn written Frederick Whitfield in 1855 and recorded it as a short interlude to go after “Come Away With Me.” Read More ›
Trouble Go Down: I Am Hidden Away In The Bosom of Christ
The song “I Am Hidden Away In The Bosom of Christ” began with Rebecca Reynolds’s poignant lyrics that speak of having peace and assurance in troubled times. She sent them to me in an email, and one day Read More ›
Artists of a Large and Wholesome Vitality
I saw a quote-photo posted on Twitter the other day:
“I dread writing poetry, for, I suppose, the following reasons: Read More ›
Trouble Go Down: Alight Thou In Me (featuring Ellie Holcomb)
One day Rebecca Reynolds sent me these poetic lyrics combining the imagery of a dead leaf falling to the ground, evensong floating out from a cathedral, and sunlight through stained glass Read More ›
Trouble Go Down: Everything Broken and Everything Beautiful
Rebecca Reynolds and I began writing songs together in August, 2011, and in Spring of 2012 she sent me these image-filled lyrics, inspired partly by an early morning she spent on Lake Barclay duck hunting with her Dad. Read More ›
Five Reasons To Buy Kate Rusby’s Life In A Paper Boat
Kate Rusby, if you’ve never had the good fortune to hear of her, is a fantastic singer and songwriter from Barnsley, England, in Yorkshire. I first encountered her music when Alison Krauss & Union Station played some shows in the U.K. Read More ›
Trouble Go Down: Come Away With Me
“Come Away With Me” began with Rebecca Reynolds’s beautiful lyrics inspired by the Song of Solomon, and I added the chords and melody. Like the Song of Solomon, “Come Away With Me” is a depiction of Read More ›
Trouble Go Down: Title Track
The song “Trouble Go Down” began as a clawhammer banjo melody written by Jeff Taylor. We were sitting in my studio going through songs and Jeff said, “Hey, I’ve got this melody I want you to hear. Can I use your banjo?” Read More ›
New Release: Trouble Go Down
Congratulations are in order for Ron Block, Jeff Taylor, and Rebecca Reynolds. Their new record, Trouble Go Down, has finally arrived! The album is now available in the Rabbit Room Store.
Here’s Ron with a peek at another track.
Trouble Go Down: “Like A River Glorious”
Trouble Go Down is a new record by Ron Block and Jeff Taylor, with lyrics by Rebecca Reynolds. It releases October 21st.
“Like A River Glorious” is the first track on Trouble Go Down, done instrumentally with banjo, piano, and Barry Bales on bass.