Mountain Fever Records is proud to announce the release of the debut CD from Edgar Loudermilk, bass player with Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out. Roads Travelled has been shipped to radio and is due in the hands of programmers this week.
Influenced greatly by his father and grandfather, Edgar Loudermilk cut his teeth on bluegrass by learning to play bass to the legendary record, “Bluegrass Album Band Volume 1”. Surrounded by music at an early age, he was only nine when he began playing bass in his family’s band, Loudermilk was also exposed to the great music of some of his famous relatives, The Louvin Brothers. He continued to play in his family’s band until he was 20 years old when he joined a group called Carolina Crossfire. The band had quite a following in the Georgia area and it wasn’t long before he decided to expand his options and try his hand at playing professionally, a decision that has made him a staple for elite artists in bluegrass music. In 2001, Loudermilk auditioned for and was hired by Rhonda Vincent. About a year later, he was encouraged to audition for one of the greatest voices in country music who he had heard was making a move to bluegrass. In December of that year, Loudermilk became the bass player and tenor singer in the newly formed group Full Circle and would back up Marty Raybon for almost five years. “I really enjoyed playing with Rhonda and Marty,” stated Loudermilk. “My first professional job was with Rhonda and I learned so much from her. Working with Marty was really a great experience because we not only played bluegrass, but we got to play some of the old Shenandoah music, too.”
In 2006, Loudermilk heard that Ray Deaton was leaving IIIrd Tyme Out and that opened up a whole new prospect for the bass-playing singer. “I’d been singing tenor for Rhonda and Marty and knowing that Ray was a great bass singer, I practiced really hard for that audition with Russell.” Loudermilk became the newest member of IIIrd Tyme Out, replacing Deaton in July, 2007. “I really love the music of this band,” stated Loudermilk. “Singing with Russell Moore is the compliment of my life because I don’t believe there’s a better singer anywhere.”
With his new CD, Roads Travelled, Loudermilk not only showcases his vocal talents and his sold bass playing, but also his songwriting skills, having written or co-written each of the 12 tracks on the project and he calls on the talents of his musician friends and bosses, former and current, as well. Accompanied by Tim Crouch; fiddle, Randy Kohrs; Dobro, Scott Haas; banjo and former Full Circle band-mates Ashby Frank; mandolin and Shane Blackwell; guitar, the musicianship on the CD is second to none. Guest vocalists include Marty Raybon, Cia Cherryholmes, Rhonda Vincent , Russell Moore, Randy Kohrs and another former Full Circle band-mate, Glenn Harrell. The first single from the new project, “Can’t Live Life”, a duet with Rhonda Vincent has already received tremendous response and debuted this month at #28 on BMP’s Top 30 Hot Singles chart.
“This record is a good breakthrough for me with my writing and I am hoping to continue in that direction,” stated Loudermilk. “I’ve got many of my musical mentors and heroes on this record and I am a very happy and blessed man.”