Alongside a host of Florida musicians and up to 2,000 of their biggest fans, local country band Clemons Road will be celebrating a new album with a release show and party at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill.
Clemons Road has been playing country tunes together for about two years. Last year, the band produced its first CD, “From Florida With Love.” Its sophomore album, titled “Where the Water Meets the Woods,” was released this October.
“Where the Water Meets the Woods” is mostly a compilation of singles that the band has released over the past year, with some additional all-new tracks. Lead vocalist Cliff Brown said the new album stays true to the band’s signature sounds that fans have always loved.
“It’s pretty similar. We always try to make it feel fun,” he said. “I would say it’s our banjo that’s the heart of our sound on there. It gives it more of an organic sound.”
Though some bands might have a banjo player play a few songs and rotate among instruments, for Clemons Road, Gavin Baulac is all-banjo, all the time.
Clemons Road recorded the new CD at a home studio, which was preferable to a commercial studio where high costs accumulate with every hour of work.
“We’re lucky that we can take our time and not be pressed for money,” Brown said.
Just a year ago, at the band’s first release party at Keel and Curley Winery, about 750 listeners made up the audience. But, the fan base has grown significantly since then, and Brown expects between 1,500 and 2,000 people to be at the Dec. 13 show.
“We’ve been blessed with our fan base, to be able to sell out concerts around Florida,” Brown said.
Clemons Road has toured around the Southeast and has opened up for big-name acts such as Dustin Lynch, at Boots and Buckles, in Lakeland, and Michael Ray, the first winner of the CW’s “The Next Talent” competition. The band has also played at House of Blues in Orlando.
“We travel a lot, like we’ll go on tour with different national acts … but wherever we go, we always try to put something in our music that represents where we’re from,” Cliff Brown, lead vocalist and guitarist, said.
He said he is glad to share fans with the other musicians who will be playing at Uncle Mike’s, to help them increase their renown. With so many bands in one place, Brown describes the event as a “little music fest.”
To ensure space, Clemons Road will play on an outdoor stage at Uncle Mike’s, but there will be three stages set up among which all of the bands will rotate.
Tickets to the show are $10 each and are available at Southside Western and Outdoor Wear, along with physical copies of “Where the Water Meets the Woods.” Tickets can also be ordered at EventBrite.com/e/clemons-road-cd-release-party-tickets-14142738311.
The event will also have line dancing, drink specials, games and contests.
WHO’S WHO
Additional performers include:
Rainer Berry
Hometown: Sumter County
John Rhey
Hometown: Lakeland
Lily Bridge
Hometown: Lithia
Daniel Sprouse
Hometown: Plant City
Justin Grimes
Hometown: Fort Meade
Skyler Clark
Hometown: Thonotosassa
Mixin Dixie
Hometown: Tampa
Jordan Moore
Hometown: Fort Meade
An after-party will follow with music from DJ Barry Carrew.
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.
