The Railsplitters

Were bluegrass to be classed as a communicable infection it would be right up there with something like bubonic plague. Devastatingly infectious and once you come in contact you’re lost. Add a rocky tinge, soul-deep writing combined with a warm bluesy edge to the fundamental essence and you’ve got an even more deadly concoction. Listen to the self-titled debut from The Railsplitters bluegrass band – who are Lauren Stovall, Dusty Rider, Peter Sharpe, and Leslie Ziegler – and you’ll find that male and female lead vocals, instrumental dexterity and great chunks of talent liberally dusted with committed enthusiasm serves up a highly infectious blend.

Yes, I’ll always confess to an affinity for Colorado’s musical melange from its traditions to its latest innovations - you can take the man away from the Rocky Mountains but you won’t ever take the Rocky Mountains out of the man. Their influences stay forever. That’s pretty much what you get with the range of influences you’ll hear coming through The Railsplitters music. It’s equally wide – roots, country, blues and rocking and rolling bluegrass - from self-penned through tradition this is virulent music.

From the nostalgia-fuelled opener ‘Jackson Town’ with its reflective lines, through the gentle memories of ‘Boarding Pass’ and the sparkling instrumentation and mournful lyrics in ‘Room at The Top of The Stairs’ to the magical fascination of ‘Longs Peak’ and the definitive tale ‘No Stranger to the Blues’ this is music of finely matched harmonies, intricate picking and sensational songwriting. The Railsplitters are another innovative band putting out their own idiosyncratic brand of bluegrass – long may that river run.

Reviewer: Tom Franks - Folkwords

Here’s a video of a song called “Boarding Pass” from the Railsplitters, one of the more auspicious new bluegrass groups I’ve heard in a while. The Boulder, Colorado quartet—Lauren Stovall, Dusty Rider (real name!), Peter Sharpe and Leslie Ziegler—are all noteworthy songwriters and singers. They convey the enthusiasm of eager newcomers along with the sort of polish you’d expect from consummate professionals. The tracks on their eponymous debut album are typically more upbeat than this plaintive ballad but it’s my favorite. As this performance of the song demonstrates, the Railsplitters mix just a little pop and folk with their bluegrass and their greatest strength may be Stovall, who combines a strong stage presence with emotive, unaffected vocals. That high, lonesome sound has rarely sounded better. - Jeff Burger

"This is an amazing album! Newgrass and conventional Bluegrass combine to make this the best new project I’ve heard all year. It’s all very accessible, and pleasant for the ears. Everyone needs to hear The Railsplitters!" --Dan Joseph, CKWR-FM

"As if you need another reminder that Boulder, CO is the Bluegrass capital of the West, along comes the Railsplitters. Expert picking and lovely vocals. Watch out for this band!" --David Glasser, Chief Engineer, Airshow Mastering -

Many Colorado bands that are rooted in bluegrass are self-consciously on a boundary-breaking mission, but The Railsplitters tread lightly beyond the genre's borders. Their music is sometimes universal enough to qualify the Boulder-based Railsplitters simply as a band, rather than a bluegrass band. But they have no problem playing good ol' bluegrass music.

Why not? Few bands in the state do it better. That's what we learned when The Railsplitters visited Second Story Garage last week. And that's what the audience at the RockyGrass bluegrass festival learned in July. The Railsplitters took top honors in the RockyGrass band competition. They join Spring Creek, Hit & Run Bluegrass and other top bluegrass acts that won the competition in years past.

The Railsplitters' sound is exquisitely balanced — the quartet brings together the time-tested instrumentation of guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass (sometimes Dusty Rider — yup, an incredibly fortunate bluegrass name — trades his banjo for a pedal steel), and their two-guy, two-girl lineup allows for some candy-cake harmonies on their songs, especially the ones they played for us: "Boarding Pass," "My World" and "Jackson Town." Their personalities also shine in their interview with Quentin.

--Second Story Garage Staff - The Daily Camera