IBMA Award-winning artist Becky Buller has released a new single "Millworker", a fresh and sprightly take on a James Taylor classic. While there have been other covers of this song, this is one of the few covered by a female artist.
Becky shares: "Back in 2018, the band and I were headed north to perform for the Boston Bluegrass Union. I wanted to do a song that mentioned Massachusetts and immediately thought of this James Taylor tune from his Flag album. We loved it so much, we’ve included it in our shows ever since. James wrote it from the perspective of a widowed mother who is enduring the drudgery of millwork to sustain her family. As a working mother myself, this woman’s story resonates with me on many levels. And I love the wistful, angsty melody. James can sure paint a picture with his words. He’s one of my all-time favorite writers."
The track features Becky's touring band (Ned Luberecki on banjo, Daniel Hardin on bass, Wes Lee on mandolin and Jake Eddy on guitar), and guest vocalists Andrea Zonn and Dan Tyminski.
Bluegrass Today had an exclusive first listen yesterday. Producer Stephen Mougin shared a story about why this was a prime choice for Buller's upcoming album of cover songs."
A number of years ago we had a Becky Buller Band retreat on the campus of ETSU, hosted by her then-guitar-player Dan Boner. I was there as band coach and producer to work through a bunch of her material, and I distinctly remember spending some healthy time re-arranging Millworker. The song was powerful and the band and I had some fresh ideas to bring it to life in the voice of Becky Buller. She sings this song with deep empathy for the character, as though she might have lived the story herself. Becky has been playing this song at her shows for a long time and as we started talking about the possibility of a covers album, I immediately asked her to include it! We are releasing a Becky Buller Christmas album later this year, so the Covers album is a way off, but we couldn’t resist getting an early start!”
The song is available for DJ download on AirPlay Direct.
ABOUT BECKY BULLER:
Buller took home two IBMA Awards in 2020, making her a 10-time IBMA Award-winning Bluegrass artist and musician. A celebrated musician and Award-winning artist, Buller made history as the first ever artist to win in both instrumental and vocal categories at the 2016 IBMA Awards, as well as being the first female to ever win IBMA’s Fiddle Player of the Year. Since 2018, Becky has moonlighted with the all-female supergroup, The First Ladies of Bluegrass, which has been recently recognized at the Country Music Hall of Fame with their own exhibit. Buller achieved a lifelong goal in 2021 as she made her Grand Ole Opry debut. An admired songwriter whose songs appear on Grammy award-winning albums, Buller has inked tracks for Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Molly Tuttle, Josh Williams, the Travelin’ McCoury’s and more.
To view upcoming tour dates and more information, visit https://www.beckybuller.com
