Nu-Blu, 10 years on: (from left) Levi Austin, Carolyn Routh, Austin Koerner, Daniel Routh
Nu-Blu, ‘It’s a Good Day to Be With You’
The traditional bluegrass band Nu-Blu, led by stellar vocalist Carolyn Routh (who doubles on bass) and her husband Daniel (vocals/guitar), with the lineup further enhanced by Levi Austin (banjo-guitar-vocals) and Austin Koerner (mandolin), marked its first decade of musicmaking with a new album, appropriately titled Ten, released late last year on Rural Rhythm. Now comes a three-video blitz promoting songs off the album. The first of the videos, for ‘Trains I Didn’t Take,’ appeared in Deep Roots on March 5; posted here is the second of the video trifecta, a warm, rustic ballad titled “It’s a Good Day To Be With You,” featuring a tasty, low-key solo from Levi Austin on banjo and emotive fiddling further enhancing the soothing atmosphere. (Jim Van Cleve and Ron Stewart both play fiddle on the album, and it don’t get much better than those two.)
Each year of Nu-Blu’s existence is another triumph for Carolyn, who in 2003 suffered a series of debilitating strokes that left her unable to speak and barely able to walk. Leaning on her faith and the support of her doctors, husband and family, she has made a remarkable recovery—so much so that in watching her perform here you’d be hard pressed to believe the story of her health crisis. In lauding the album, Bluegrass Unlimited noted: “Carolyn’s show-stopping pipes and courageous powers of renewal are merely the tip of the iceberg. These ten well-chosen songs also highlight the highly accomplished picking and harmony singing that this four-member ensemble brings to the show.”
Watch this space for the final new video release from Nu-Blu and visit the band’s website for more information.
