Support for WDVX comes from Yee Haw Brewing Company on North Broadway in Knoxville and ORNL Federal Credit Union supporting WDVX Summer Nights… Live Music at Yee Haw. Jim Lauderdale and the Game Changers and Tidalwave Road will perform on June 11th.

At any given time, you’re likely to find Jim Lauderdale making music, whether he’s laying down a new track in the studio or working through a spontaneous melody at his home in Nashville. And if he’s not actively crafting new music, he’s certainly thinking about it. “It’s a constant challenge to try to keep making better and better records, write better and better songs. I still always feel like I’m a developing artist,” he says. This may be a surprising sentiment from a man who’s won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and taken home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. But forthcoming album Game Changer is convincing evidence that the North Carolina native is only continuing to hone his craft.

Operating under his own label, Sky Crunch Records, for the first time since 2016, Lauderdale recorded Game Changer at the renowned Blackbird Studios in Nashville, co-producing the release with Jay Weaver and pulling from songs he’d written over the last several years. “There’s a mixture on this record of uplifting songs and, at the same time, songs of heartbreak and despair—because that’s part of life as well,” he says. “In the country song world especially, that’s always been part of it. That’s real life.”

Lauderdale would know: He’s been a vital part of the country music ecosystem since 1991, when he released his debut album and began penning songs for an impressively long roster of country music greats. “When I was a teenager wanting to be a bluegrass banjo player, I never would have imagined that I would get to work with people like Ralph Stanley, Robert Hunter, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams and John Oates ,” he muses. “Getting to work with them inspires me greatly to this day, and I know it always will.” ,” he muses. “Getting to work with them inspires me greatly to this day, and I know it always will.”

From rollicking guitar riffs on “That Kind of Life (That Kind of Day)” to the slow, sweet harmonies of “I’ll Keep My Heart Open For You,” Game Changer shows off Lauderdale’s ingenuity as a singer, songwriter, and producer—while reestablishing him as one of Americana’s most steadfast champions. “Country music is constantly evolving, but I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for steel guitar and a Telecaster,” he says. “I have done my job on this record if people who love classic country feel like they can put it on, or have it in their collection, and it would fit right in.”

Respecting the past doesn’t mean he’s not breaking new ground. “We’re All We’ve Got,” a co-write with Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris, offers a timely message about healing torn relationships at home and across the world. And “Friends Again,” a grinning number about rekindling a friendship, is fresh and forward-looking. At every turn, Lauderdale’s collaborative spirit and genuine love for the creative process reveal themselves in thoughtful, well-crafted songs sure to stand the test of time. “When everything works right, it’s just magical to be able to hear them back,” he says. “You feel, at least for those three-and-a-half minutes, like life makes sense.”

https://youtu.be/Rr1dKRePdVU?si=P8ObWILg_xtOhxQ_

Tidalwave Road is made up of:

BEN PARKER
Banjo, Vocals
Benjamin Russell Parker grew up in Williamsburg and McKee, Kentucky and still makes his home in Williamsburg today.

Ben started playing music at age 19, being heavily influenced by Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley and Dave Evans. As a multi-instrumentalist, Ben plays Banjo, Guitar and Fiddle.

Before Tidalwave Road was born, he was a proud member of the ‘Colonel’ Larry Fuller Band. Fuller was a 40-year veteran musician and beloved Kentucky Colonel who was adored far and wide by his fans and sadly passed in 2007.

As a founding member of Tidalwave Road, Ben Parker brings his unique Banjo and vocal stylings to the band along with his good humor. He is a professional Barber by day and is happily married to his lovely wife Trish, with whom he has two children, Cole and Landenn.

Ben also loves to kayak, ride ATV’s, and try to build fiddles.

CARLIE PARKER
Mandolin, Vocals
Carlie Parker grew up on Tidal Wave Road in Rockholds, Kentucky and still makes his home in Rockholds today.
Carlie started playing music at age 8, and credits his Grandparent and his Uncle Nick as his biggest influences. As a multi-instrumentalist, Carlie plays Mandolin and Guitar.
As a founding member of Tidalwave Road, and kin to Ben, Carlie brings his special family blend of harmony to the band. He is a professional bus driver and mower by day and is happily married to his best friend, with whom he has one son that he is currently teaching how to play music.

DANIEL PARKER
Bass
Daniel Parker grew up in Corbin, Kentucky and still makes his home in Corbin today.

Daniel started playing music later in life at age 31, and enjoys a wide range of music from Metallica to John Prine. His favorite all-time Bluegrass artist is Tim O’Brien. Daniel is the backbone to the hard-driving Tidalwave sound with his rock solid bass skills.

He manufactures custom cutting tools by day and enjoys drawing and spending time with the love of his life and their poodle that sleeps between them every night.

ROBERT SULFRIDGE
Guitar
Robert Sulfridge grew up in Whitley County, Kentucky and makes his home in Williamsburg, Kentucky today.
Robert started playing music at 6 years old, and was heavily influenced by a diverse list of players including Tony Rice, Wyatt Rice, Cody Kilby, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Carlos Santana, BB King and Mike Riddle. He is a multi-instrumentalist, fluent in Guitar, Mandolin and Piano. Robert is also the sound technician for the band, their annual bluegrass festival, and other events. His open mind and creative vision lend a hand in pushing the boundaries of traditional bluegrass for the band on song selection for recording and stage.
By day, Robert is Vice President of Die Casting Company and also loves camping, attending live music events, ‘Mom & Pop’ coffee shops, all with his wife and best friend, Jessica. Robert and Jessica have two ‘fur-children,’ Moose, a Saint Bernard, and Max, a Bernese Mountain Dog.

https://youtu.be/doVZNBTLSuA?si=x4iyK0imMAp0f6ys