The Bryce Canyon Wranglers release “A Song Like Me”
By Alex Sousa
The Bryce Canyon Wranglers pay homage to the world-famous national park for which they are named. Their full-length debut album, “A Song Like Me,” features many of the songs that shaped the country music genre from its niche roots to its current mega-commercial status. As the house band playing nightly at the famed Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill dinner show, The Bryce Canyon Wranglers are sure to leave you inspired with a sense of pride and history for Bryce Canyon and Country Music.
The recording took place in Nashville, produced by award-winning songwriter/producer Jason Deere. The record also enlists the help of renowned studio personnel lending their talents to the project, re-creating the hits of yesteryear in a 2019 fashion.
Album standouts include remakes of early genre classics such as Hank Williams’ “Lovesick Blues” and Patsy Cline’s “Walking After Midnight.” The journey continues through the ‘70s and ‘80s with Willie Nelson’s travel icon “On The Road Again” and Ronnie Milsap’s chart-topper “Smokey Mountain Rain” and finally rounds out the unbroken circle with versions of current genre staples by the likes of Florida Georgia Line and Dierks Bentley. Fan favorites include a rendition of southwestern flavored “El Paso,” originally recorded by the legendary Marty Robbins and honky-tonk anthem Louisiana “Saturday Night,” originally recorded by the late Mel McDaniel.
The band is helmed by singer/songwriter and former Nashville resident Tim Gates. His unmistakable and powerful voice graced the radio waves in the 2010s as the lead singer of the popular country trio Due West. Under his vocal leadership, that band enjoyed Billboard single and album chart success along with chart-topping videos on CMT and GAC. He has penned songs for such award-winning artists as Blackhawk, Bellamy Brothers, Bucky Covington, William Shatner, and Lucas Hoge.
Gates’s rich passion for the tradition of country music, his credentials as a songwriter, and his seasoned performing chops serve as a magnet to attract fellow Bryce Canyon Wranglers band members with deep, impressive resumes and a passion equal to his own. Newcomer Kyler Brown dazzles on lead guitar with musical abilities that could be coveted even by seasoned veterans. Chad Truman brings energetic life to the keyboards as he showcases the craft he honed as the child of a Grand Ole Opry star. Leslie Adams kindles a flame in the strings of her fiddle to provide a country authenticity. Celeste Carter’s humble charm and powerful, sultry voice are reminiscent to the country greats of days past. And finally, Ward Williams offers the glue that melds the band together with his smooth, impeccable stylings on the steel guitar. Individually, the members of The Bryce Canyon Wranglers have backed up such artists as Randy Houser, David Archuleta, The Nashville Tribute Band, Shooter Jennings, and Diamond Rio. Together, they bring a depth and musical integrity to Bryce Canyon that leaves an unforgettable impression on its world-wide guests.
Through the sequential anthology of their first studio effort, “A Song Like Me,” and the lyrics of the title track, The Bryce Canyon Wranglers suggest that the true superstars in country music are not merely the ones who stand on stage performing but rather the songs that are sung by such. At the core of the project, the band pays homage to the compositions that were born on a piece of paper in Nashville and then in time traveled through the sound waves of a set of speakers straight into the hearts of millions of people across the globe. This unique compilation is a must-have for country music fans of all ages.
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