Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22
Bill and Friends
Bill Downing had one thing in mind when his band was recording their recently-released CD, “Back in My Life.”
“I wanted it to sound like you’re (the listener) sitting in the room with us,” says the Kill Devil Hills-based singer-songwriter and bassist.
To that end the album was recorded in four days in April of 2022 at In Your Ear Studios in Richmond, Va. with Downing and Friends playing and singing together in the studio.
Though that was a common practice for decades, it’s gone the way of tape machines.
These days, musicians often record their parts in different studios (including home spaces) at different times, losing the group dynamic.
The sessions were engineered and produced by Karl Eriksson and Carlos Chaffin, who found the sweet spot for Downing.
“We were ready to record,” says Downing, who’s been on the Outer Banks music scene since 1992, playing in such well-known local bands as BC Powder and Missionary Stew. “They did a great capture of the sound.”
The album is subtitled “As Live As It Gets in the Studio.”
Some minor vocal and saxophone overdubs were done at the Ranch Studios in Kill Devil Hills, with Scott Franson engineering.
The Friends include Chris Francis on guitar and vocals, Dan Martier on drums and vocals, Steve Hutt on Hammond B3 organ, piano and keyboards, and Kip Germscheid on saxophones.
Eric Bylund sat in on slide guitar.
“Back in My Life” is sold at the group’s shows.
The band plays Friday at Art’s Place in Kitty Hawk and Saturday at Mimi’s Tiki Hut in Manteo.
“Who’s (sic) Cadillac is That?,” the album’s lead track, is available for download on iTunes and other digital sites.
The bluesy rocker is getting radio airplay, including on WHRO in Norfolk, Va.(Paul Shugrue featured it on his excellent “Out of the Box” show).
It’s also listed on the 20-song Indie and Major Mix/Country Chart, which tracks airplay on FM, AM and internet radio stations.
Also on the July 10 chart were such heavy hitters as Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen.
“Back in My Life” features 10 originals written by Downing, who cites influences that include Louis Jordan, Albert King and Jerry Garcia.
They’re housed in a Waring blender of musical styles, ranging from a Steely Dan-ish instrumental (“Stupid Grin”) to British Invasion rock (“Under the Bus”) to ‘60s-flavored rhythm-and-blues (“Cash Monies”) to old-school honkytonk (“Pretty Girl”) to swing-blues (“I’m Still Ready”).
The title track, which was inspired by Downing’s reconnection with his daughter Sarah, is a swirling mix of organ and saxophone fills, stinging guitar licks, rapid-fire drum beats and Downing’s fire-and-brimstone lead vocal.
He sings “you’re back in my life/now that you’re here/life is worth living/every day is like Thanksgiving.”
Sarah Downing also did the album’s cover art.
Downing says the band will play most of the songs on the album at upcoming gigs.
Bill and Friends also cover tunes by, among others, Grateful Dead, Bob Marley, the Doors, Santana and the Allman Brothers Band.
He added that he hopes to get the full album on digital sites in the coming weeks.
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If you go
Cost: No cover
When and Where: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 21, at Art’s Place, 4624 N. Virginia Dare Trail (the beach road), Kitty Hawk and 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at Mimi’s Tiki Hut, 2000 Sailfish Dr. (Pirate’s Cove Marina), Manteo
