BILL BOOTH
About "RIVER TOWN"
Bill Booth album River Town release 13.october 2023
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After critical acclaim and radio play including the UK, Ireland, Benelux and
USA as well as his home turf in Norway comes Bill Booth with his latest
album River Town. All songs on the new album are inspired by the life and
characters in and around a typical American mill town, not unlike the town
where Booth was born and raised in New England.
The thirteen original songs combine blues, rock and folk tones with lyrics
often inspired by true life events. Booth's music style is frequently
compared to Dylan, Springsteen and Knopfler but with his trademark blues and
folk fiddle tones he is far from a copy artist. In addition to vocals and
violin on the album Booth also plays acoustic and electric guitars and
mandolin. He is joined by Bill Troiani (Billy T) on bass, Alex Pettersen on
drums and Paul Kirby on banjo and backing vocals. There are lyrics inspired
by stories of the working class, crime and heartbeak but also love, hope and
humor.
Bill Booth was born and raised in the State of Maine USA and arrived in Oslo
with a band from New York City. He quickly received offers from several
successful Norwegian bands that lead to an eventual relocation. He has
received Norwegian grammy award nominations (Spellemannpris) in both country
and blues categories.
Song synopsis;
1 ICE HOUSE 3:47 Swing blues and folk. Inspired by an American working
class neighborhood bar in coastal Maine.
2 PELTOMA AVENUE 4:59 A moody minor blues inspired by life and events on a
small town street.
3 UNDER THE PINE 4:18 Country ballad. Life long childhood love.
4 ETHAN ALLEN JAMES 4:40 Folk ballad. Love in a country dance hall leading
to disloyalty, heartbreak , homelessness and alcoholism.
5 RIVER TOWN 4:00 Upbeat folk and country. Youthful wanderlust in an
American mill town.
6 TOWN FARM 3:57 Minor blues ballad. Family tragedy and poverty after the
local mill shuts down
7 ST ALBANS MARCH 2:45 Instrumental featuring fiddle, banjo and mandolin.
8 SLAVE TO THE MAN 3:34 Swing blues. Social injustice at work and travel.
9 WYATT HAD TO TRY IT 2:49 Folk ballad inspired by a local small town
rascal.
10 BAXTER MOUNTAIN RANGE 3:04 Folk and celtic inspired ballad of a boy lost
in the deep woods.
11 TROUBLE DOWNTOWN 4:53 Rock and country. A series of tragic events in a
small town.
12 CHICKEN COOP 3:28 Blues and country rock. Tongue in cheek on work in a
local poultry farm.
13 SNAKE ROOT REEL 1:42 Instrumental fiddle tune with a bit of Celtic and
French Canadian flair.
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