Trapper Haskins & the Bitter Swill: News

Mahalia Jackson once said, “Blues are the songs of despair, but gospel songs are the songs of hope.” She ought to know a thing or two about the matter. Ms. Jackson is, after all, known the world over as the “Queen of Gospel.”

This past week we received the final product of many hours toiling in the studio last year, the first pressing of our Gospel EP, On My Way Back Home. One thousand little slices of “hope” as Mahalia called them. The disc includes five songs– Four are old holy blues material from the 1920s and 1930s + one original tune.


They are currently for sale through our website for 8 bucks, and as always at live performances. Our upcoming live shows include a return to Louisville’s Rudyard Kipling where we are sharing the stage with Sam Hadfield and Alanna Fugate. Later in the month will find us at Knoxville’s newest venue, The Well. Next month we’ll be celebrating Columbia’s famed Mule Day Festival with a show at Blue Oasis.

We’ll see you out there on the road...

Thanks to all who came out to catch last month’s shows (and a special thanks to those who kept our beer glasses full).
This month will be no less busy with the band returning to some Nashville venues. We’ll be a part of The 5 Spot’s $2 Tuesdays this week playing a set at 9:30pm. Toward the end of the month we’ll be at Nashville’s favorite dive bar, The Springwater with Travis Egnor and The Mighty Oaks. Last week I was in Louisville along with Shadwick Wilde and Sam Hadfield at the Rudyard Kipling.
Finally, I’ll be playing a farewell show of sorts on Saturday the 22nd. The Winton family of McMinnville, TN will be auctioning their land in Viola, TN at the end of the month. So, Tim and the family will be saying goodbye the best way they know how– throw a concert in the barn. Mind you, this is not your typical barn. There is a stage in the hayloft complete with lights and a black backdrop. In fact, Guy Clark played a show in this very barn 15 years ago!

Evening, y’all. This last month had us returning to Columbia, Tennessee’s The Muddy Beaver (yes, that is the name of the venue). While we were onstage and between songs someone in The Muddy Beaver shouted out some question about the title of our debut disc, Alluvium. I don’t recall the conversation exactly, but it ended with a promise to include a trivia question in our next newsletter…..
So, here’s the deal: the first person to post the answer on the band’s facebook page will get 2 free cds!!, 1 copy of Alluvium and 1 copy of the new gospel disc (On My Way Back Home is currently being pressed and will be available in a few short weeks).
Now, sharpen your #2 pencils– the test begins now: What famous singer and songwriter once worked as a janitor at Columbia Studios while Bob Dylan was recording the album Blonde on Blonde?
Again, don’t answer the question via email. Rather, post it on the band’s facebook page.

One of the beauties of rural living is the weekly trip to the dump. Not only does it free the back porch of yesterday’s beer cans, but it affords the chance to sift through other folks’ crap in search of some kind of gem.
A few weeks back I found maybe the brightest diamond in the history of trash heap treasures. Sitting there waiting for its turn with the compactor was an early 1960s Magnatone tube amp. She looked a little disheveled, but I took the thing home, plugged it in, and was stunned to find that not only did the tubes warm up, but the speakers and controls seemed to work just fine.
Also, we made some time this month in the woodshop to do some modifications to The Bitter Swill’s stable of instruments. Shane’s upright bass got its neck thinned just a touch and Ry’s telecaster got its stock single coil pickup replaced with a p-90 which required a little routing of the body.
This month I’ll be playing solo in both Paducah, KY and Tullahoma, TN. Also, the band will be returning to the Muddy Beaver in Columbia, TN. We’ll see you out there...

“On My Way Back Home” Released
At long last……our second effort, On My Way Back Home, has been released for the whole round world to hear.
Currently On My Way Back Home is only available digitally though iTunes, Amazon, and a host of other online outlets. However, a print ing of physical cds is being planned, so those of you who are steadfast Lud dites won’t have to wait long.
This five song collection of spirituals and gospel tunes features one unreleased original song in the mix of covers.
I’m On My Way Back Home is a song I wrote better than 10 years ago while living up north in Maine. I wrote it during the lunch hour in the kitchen of our little one bedroom apartment. I’m sure I was more than a bit late getting back that day to the boatyard where I worked, but here a decade later it must be worth that little loss of productivity way back when.
The other songs I learned from various sources. Up to Canaan Land is featured in the old Burt Lan caster movie, Elmer Gantry. And Je sus on the Mainline was taught to me by a homeless guy in New Orleans. I was playing as a street musician on Royal St. when this man swigging a 24oz. Steel Reserve asked if I knew it. When I told him I didn’t he grabbed my guitar and showed me the chords. I paid him for the lesson with a Pabst.



Please visit us online at any of the following:

www.trapperhaskins.com www.facebook.com/trapperhaskins www.reverbnation.com/trapperhaskins www.twitter.com/trapperhaskins
For booking info please email booking@trapperhaskins.com

On Saturday, November 21 Trapper Haskins & the Bitter Swill will begin laying down tracks in the the old Archer Studios downtown Memphis, TN. The as yet untitled work will be my first full length album and is the culmination of two years spent writing. The release date has not been set, but it is expected to be available in early 2010.

Please join the mailing list to receive up to date information about the the album's release and future shows.