The Canadian award-winning quartet Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys are back with their fourth studio recording, Dreamland. Joined by noted roots producer R.S. Field (Justin Townes Earle, Steve Earle, Tim O’Brien), the album features intricate bluegrass, down-home country and reckless rockabilly, in a driving set of originals, fun covers and foot-stomping instrumentals.
The group features all-star pickers and singers, each one a musical Swiss Army Knife, trading instruments and styles every song. Gordie lives up to his nickname, “Crazy Legs,” hoofing with abandon, or sawing out a solo perched on top of the doghouse bass.
Dreamland includes Cajun rocker “Sittin’ In A Bar,” the classic country of “Strength In Numbers,” and the first signature track, Gene MacLellan’s “Just Want To Be Loved By You.” Then there’s the crazy cover of “Run With Us,” the theme song to the classic ’80’s cartoon The Raccoons, already a big audience favourite.
The band spent the past year exciting crowds all over the world, from Denmark’s Tonder Festival and the U.K.’s Cambridge Folk Festival, to Merlefest in North Carolina and the Blue Mountains Music Festival in Australia. Crowds love them everywhere they go, thanks to Gordie’s charm (and flying fiddle and feet) and their unique blend of just about every roots genre going. They love it all, old and new, and put on a variety show that has the fans dancing, laughing and singing along.
The fantastic playing, the energy, and yes, the crazy legs. It can only be Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys.
