An Indiana original
Bladen
to preview new album
at upcoming show in Madison
Local
singer’s sixth album
features 11 original works
By
Konnie McCollum
Staff Writer
(April 2010) – Singer-songwriter Rusty Bladen
of Madison, Ind., has scheduled an album release show in his hometown
at 8 p.m. Friday, April 9, at the Historic Broadway Hotel and Tavern,
313 Broadway St. The show, free and open to the public, will include
original works that will be on the album, and it will offer fans a chance
to hear and buy the record before it is released on April 20.
 |
|
Photo
provided Singer-songwriter |
Recorded live at former John Mellencamp bass player Toby
Myers’ studio in Nashville, Ind., Bladen’s sixth album, “Homegrown
Treasures,” features 11 originals and was taped in front of a live
audience of 100 longtime fans.
“This is one of those albums that was fun to record, and easy because
we were essentially taping a show that I’m on the road with all
the time,” said Bladen. “The audience was hot and the sound
was good. If those two things are happening, then we’ve got a good
show.”
For the past six months, he has been performing at shows around the
region some of the original song on the new album, and he has had a
great response from the audience for them, he said during a telephone
interview while on tour in Florida.
He said he draws his inspiration for his songwriting from his family
and surroundings. “I get an idea or come up with a catchy phrase
or story line, and I work it into a song,” he said. “Normally,
it takes a couple of days to finish.”
“Diggin’ Folk Music,” one of the songs on the album,
was written by Bladen after performing in the 2009 Ohio River Valley
Folk Festival, an annual event held in Madison each May. This year’s
folk festival will be held May 21-23, and Bladen is scheduled to perform
at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 23.
Bladen has four southern Indiana album release shows scheduled. The
one at 8 p.m. April 10 in Salem, Ind., at the American Legion will include
special guests Josh and Holly from Country Music Television’s “Can
You Duet.” Other shows include a 10 p.m. performance on April 17
at Idle Zone in North Vernon, Ind., and a 9 p.m. show on April 23 at
St. Paul Tavern in St. Paul, Ind.
With a song list of more than 400 popular cover songs and original music,
Bladen’s show are a high-energy mix of Americana, “hippie
country-rock tunes.”
The new “Homegrown Treasures,” will be available at local
Indiana music stores, venues where Bladen is performing, and online
at iTunes, CD Baby and all major digital download sites.
• For more information about Rusty Bladen, visit: www.RustyBladen.com.