Steep Canyon Rangers Announce New Live Album & Share Thelonious Monk Cover

Steep Canyon Rangers announced the release of a new live album, North Carolina Songbook, due out November 29 via Yep Roc Records. The North Carolina-bred bluegrass outfit also shared the record’s lead single, a cover of Thelonious Monk’s “Blue Monk.”

Steep Canyon Rangers captured North Carolina Songbook during their performance at the 2019 Merlefest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. For their set, the band paid homage to North Carolina’s rich musical history with tunes from some of the state’s most celebrated musical icons including Elizabeth Cotten, Doc Watson, Ben E King, James Taylor and more. They preface their cover of Monk’s “Blue Monk” by saying “we’re not sure if Bill Monroe and Thelonious Monk ever met on the road, but if they did, it might’ve sounded like this.”

Watch Steep Canyon Rangers performing “Blue Monk” live at Merlefest 2019 below:

North Carolina Songbook Tracklist:

1. Stand By Me (Ben E King)
2. Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down (Earl Scruggs/Charlie Poole)
3. Blue Monk (Thelonious Monk)
4. Drunkard’s Hiccups (Tommy Jerrell)
5. Shake Sugaree (Elizabeth Cotten)
6. Sweet Baby James (James Taylor)
7. I’ve Endured (Ola Belle Reed)
8. Your Lone Journey (Doc Watson)