Phoenix is Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters' long-awaited band project, the first since 2001's Live in Europe. Amy Gallatin has been a staple on the acoustic music scene since the release of her Long Way Home in 1998--a collaboration with ace Nashville producer Rich Adler (Valerie Smith, Iris DeMent, John Hartford, Dolly Parton)--which featured her shimmering, heartfelt vocals and quality song selection. Veteran bluegrasser Roger Williams, long known for his masterful touch on the resophonic guitar during his tenure with White Mountain Bluegrass, Salamander Crossing, and the IBMA-award-nominated Southern Rail, is now coming into his own as a vocalist and songwriter. Together with long-time bassist/harmony vocalist John Urbanik, they form the core of Stillwaters. Frequent sideman Ben Pearce adds mandolin, along with young Mike Barnett (Northern Lights, Tony Trishka) on fiddle. CMH Pickin' On series producer Dave Dick, who lent his arranging skills to the project, layers the tapestry with banjo, mandolin, and guitar. The project was recorded by former Front Range bassist Bob Dick, who guests on bass on three cuts. The all-acoustic songs explore the gamut of American roots music, from the sprightly original instrumental Bb Polka, to the country-flavored cuts of River of Love and Buck Owens' You're For Me, from the dreamy traditional tune The Water is Wide to the bluegrass makeover of the Burns Sisters' Dance Upon This Earth.

Amy found herself at a personal and professional crossroads in 2004 after struggling to pursue music as a primary occupation for almost 20 years. After a three-month hiatus during which she traveled the world in pursuit of her other passion, scuba diving--
a trip that included Thailand, Micronesia, Australia, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and living mostly on boats out at sea--she returned to the United States to see what her future held. The commitment of dobroist/vocalist Roger Williams, who had performed with her band in the past, reinvigorated her musically, as well as personally. Together with Stillwaters veteran John Urbanik, they entered into an ambitious recording and touring schedule with virtually all new material interspersed with some vintage fan favorites. The title Phoenix speaks of all that is possible when artists surrender to the flow and live their passion. Today Stillwaters is back and better than ever!

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"Gallatin's voice is obviously well-trained, lending an effortless purity to her delivery of each song. That, combined with her willingness to feature her band, and the often-overlooked instrumental wizardry and versatility of Roger Williams and Dave Dick, allows the collective sound of Stillwaters to be exceptionally smooth and polished. Gallatin and Stillwaters have...managed the delicate balancing act of being both cohesive and eclectic...(and)...Gallatin adds her crystalline voice and fine ear for a song...Phoenix is proof that this is a group deserving of a listen from all."

Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine, December 2008
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"With a clear, true voice that's especially suited to bluegrass, Gallatin works her way through a variety of material on Phoenix...cleanly and intelligently produced, and a lot of fun to listen to."

Sing Out Magazine, Autumn 2008
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    Artists

Amy Gallatin -- Lead/Harmony vocals, fingerstyle guitar
Roger Williams -- Resophonic guitar, lead/harmony vocals
John Urbanik -- Bass, harmony vocals
Dave Dick -- Guitar, banjo, mandolin
Ben Pearce-- Mandolin
Mike Barnett-- Fiddle
Bob Dick -- Bass

      The Songs:

Montana Cowgirl (Coyote Song) (Ray Park)

Baby We're Really in Love (Hank Williams)

Wanderlust (Roger Williams)

Somewhere in Time (David Mallet)

River of Love (John Martin Somers)

40 80 or 10 (Tanya Savory)

Straight From the Heart (Richard Marx)

You're For Me (Buck Owens)

Bb Polka (Roger Williams)

Like I Used to Do (Tim O'Brien/Pat Alger)

The Quest (Roger Williams)

The Water is Wide (Trad.)

Dance Upon This Earth (Burns Sisters)

     
      Musicians

Amy Gallatin - lead / harmony vocals, fingerstyle guitar
Roger Williams -lead / harmony vocals, resophonic guitar
John Urbanik - bass, harmony vocals
Dave Dick - mandolin, banjo, lead and rhythm guitar
Mike Barnett - fiddle
Ben Pearce - mandolin
Bob Dick - bass on Baby We're Really in Love,
Water is Wide, and Bb Polka

Cover photography and design by
Susan Forbes Hansen
Interior photographs by Larry Bilansky,
LJB Special Photography
Arrangements by Roger Williams, Dave Dick,
Amy Gallatin, and John Urbanik
Engineered and recorded by Bob Dick,
Appleland Studios, Northbridge, MA
Mixed by Bob Dick, Appleland Studios,
Northbridge, MA
Mastered by Rich Adler, Soundwave Studios, Nashville, TN
Produced by Amy Gallatin and Roger Williams
Executive producer Amy Gallatin
© 2007 Happy Appy Records