Homeward Bound

Black Stone Cherry returns to area

By GINA KINSLOW

GLASGOW — Black Stone Cherry’s music has taken them all over the United States and even to Europe, not once, but four times to perform with such rockers as Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Whitesnake and others.

And that’s after recording only one album.

The band with members from the area is about to find out where a second album will take them.

“Folklore and Superstition,” the group’s latest album on Roadrunner Records, is set for release Aug. 19.

“We recorded this album in Nashville at Blackbird Studio, which is owned by country singer Martina McBride and her husband, John. It has 13 tracks on it and it’s jam-packed with a great mixture of our brand of rock n’ roll,” said vocalist/guitarist Ben Wells, a Glasgow native.

Band members say the new offering is better than their first release because the band has grown since the self-titled album “Black Stone Cherry” was cut in 2006.

“With the new album we didn’t leave any doors unopened. We expanded our horizons and tried everything,” said vocalist/guitarist Chris Robertson. “This record shows sides of the band some people may have never known existed.”

John Fred Young, drummer, said he and the other band members are very proud of the second album.

“It is our stories and feelings that we have collected from touring over two and-a-half years all over North America, Canada, the UK and Europe,” said Young. “We have met so many amazing people and hope to continue making records for the rest of our lives.”

The band will be home when the album is released. At 6 p.m. on Aug. 19, they will be on hand for an acoustic performance at Wal-Mart in Glasgow.

“We decided to come home for the release of the album to do a couple of shows and a few meet and greets,” said vocalist/guitarist Jon Lawhon. “When the last album came out, we were on the road so we wanted to be able to celebrate the new album with all of our friends and families back home.”

The band’s acoustic performance in Glasgow will be followed by two concerts at the Cave City Convention Center on Aug. 22-23.

“The cool thing about the concerts this time is that we’re having some of our good friends kick the shows off for us,” Wells said. “The first night, Aug. 22, will be Casting Shadows, which is Chris’ younger brother playing bass, and Chasing Layne. The second night we’re having Southern Thunder and Sixth Floor kick it off. It’s great to have bands from our area play with us because we’re all friends and really supportive of each other.”

Frank Froedge with Southern Thunder said his band is honored to be invited to open for Black Stone Cherry and can’t wait for the show.

“The southern Kentucky area really has a rock scene that is second to none and it’s great of Black Stone to give all of us local guys a chance to showcase that talent, especially considering they could have brought anyone they wanted from a national level to do this show,” Froedge said.

John King with Sixth Floor said it will be good for his band to get the exposure in front of a large crowd by opening for Black Stone Cherry.

“We’ve opened for national acts such as Skynrd and Disturbed, but it’s cooler when it’s some fellow Kentuckians from this music scene,” he said. “We’re proud of what they’ve done in a short time.”

Whenever Black Stone Cherry performs locally, they usually play to a sold-out crowd, according to Brian Dale, director of the Cave City Convention Center.

“The remarkable thing is they seem to have a following,” he said.

The convention center sells tickets to fans who travel from Florida, Ohio, Indiana and other states just to hear the band play.

After the concerts, Dale said band members hang around to sign autographs.

“Sometimes they are here longer after the show than they are during the show,” he said.

Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased at the convention center, as well as at George J’s On The Square in Glasgow, Sunshine Dayz in Edmonton and Chuck’s Liquors Louisville Road location in Bowling Green. Doors open at 6 both nights.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit Toys for Tots and Boys and Girls Clubs.