Premiere: Bob Bradshaw on a powerful blues ride

"Niagara Barrel Ride Blues"

Irish-born, Boston-based Bob Bradshaw has been exploring many facets of Americana music in the 30 years he’s lived in the States—from the Texas singer-songwriters he strives to emulate to the roots-rock he plays in bar bands any night of the week. He received a degree from the Berklee College of Music in his 40s, playing mostly in Bluegrass ensembles there.

His seventh studio album, American Echoes was released in late 2017 to rave reviews and heavy airplay around the world. His sixth collection of original songs, Whatever You Wanted, was named as one of the best Americana/Country albums of 2015 by the Telegraph UK.

Bradshaw is eager to explore the current appetite for singles/videos over albums, and plans to release a new video each month for the foreseeable future. He’s done the first four songs, and he’s headed back to the studio in October to complete the next four.

On the bluesy, playful “Niagara Barrel Ride Blues,” Bradshaw is singing and playing a National Tri-cone Resophonic guitar. He is joined by Andrew Stern on electric guitar, Ed Lucie on acoustic bass and Mike Connors on drums.

“We did the song live in one-take at Woolly Mammoth Sound Studio in Massachusetts,” Bradshaw told Elmore Magazine for this video premiere. “We’re not exactly sure why our barrel-rider is heading for the Falls—something about ‘that girl of mine’ cutting the ‘tether-line’—but either way, dead or alive, he is surely ‘glory-bound’.”