Phil Barker of Town Mountain

During Merlefest I had the opportunity to sit down with Phil Barker, mandolin player for Town Mountain.  If you listen to bluegrass music on Pandora then you have heard their cover of “I’m On Fire”, but check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2242K2oz750 – from their website www.townmountain.net- “Another fan favorite is their Jimmy Martin-esque original “Lawdog,” penned by Barker in 2012, which music  journalist Juli Thanki instantly called an “unearthed classic” when the album was released… and continues to be a barn burner to this day with the entire crowd singing along as Barker sings, ‘I make my livin driving, I’m a bluegrass music man… Chasin the horizon, for another one night stand… I got a lot of miles to travel, and I’m runnin’ a little late…  And a no show gets me nothin, so don’t you get in my way. I got no time for ya lawdog…'”

“While it remains a bluegrass band in all things instrumentation and touring the bluegrass and festival circuit, (Town Mountains) sound crosses into American roots and even outlaw country, perhaps as a result of the gritty, mournful tone of Greer’s vocals.” Durango’s KDUR radio’s DJ, Bryant Liggett says, “It is reminiscent of the 1970s truck-driving film sound, the perfect accompaniment to a car chase through the south á la ‘Smokey and the Bandit.’”

 

Photo courtesy of www.townmountain.net