story by Laura "Spunky" McGaughey
(Originally published in the October 2009 issue of Pow'r Pickin' magazine, the official publication of the Colorado Bluegrass Music Society. Photo of Hot Buttered Rum by Matt Sharkley.)
Bill Monroe once said, “Bluegrass has brought more people together and made more friends than any music in the world.” In that vein, Hot Buttered Rum has lived up to the bluegrass standard, generating buzz and bringing in no shortage of new fans over the seven years they’ve been together. Whether you’re a bluegrass purist or if you accept, with arms wide open, various bluegrass offshoots such as “progressive acoustic” or “newgrass,” the fact remains that this quartet has found admiration and success throughout a diverse career that is as much filled with critical acclaim as it is scores of fans.
“Bluegrass is a huge part of what brought us together. Without bluegrass music, there would be no Hot Buttered Rum,” says Erik Yates, who sings and plays banjo, woodwinds and guitar with the group. “(It’s) one of the most incredible things that ever happened in American music,” he goes on to say, citing bluegrass’ unique ability to foster interaction between not only the players of the music, but the audience as well. “I think our mission with traditional music is to not do more of it than our souls can hold. We’re primarily a band that does original material, and that material pulls from bluegrass, swing, rock, folk and world music alike.”
The interactive spirit of the band’s distinctive blend of music carries over to the band’s website at www.HotButteredRum.net. The band members are quite savvy with social marketing, posting regular blogs and Twitter updates. They also offer fun multimedia tools like “view from the stage” photos and “Butter Radio,” a portion of the site that simulcasts their live shows. Hot Buttered Rum is just as busy spreading their music across the non-borders of the World Wide Web as much as they are making it, engaging their fans far and wide in myriad ways.
Initially formed as an acoustic string band, Hot Buttered Rum broke out with their first studio album, In These Parts, landing spots at esteemed stages from the Newport Folk Festival to Telluride. Their 2006 follow up, Well-Oiled Machine, was produced by another acoustic pioneer, Mike Marshall. As the band’s sound continued to develop, they became more electric and developed a harder sound with the next album, Live in the Northeast, which they’ve proclaimed the “best representation” of their music. Based off performances that were professionally multi-tracked and mixed, the disc captures the unique, improvisational energy of what drives them the most: live performance.
Likewise, the live performances are what die-hard Hot Buttered Rum fans seem to appreciate the most. The “Butter Family” atmosphere persists: fans know each other, they hoot and holler, they dance and have a great time, following the improvisational cross-dimensional lead of the band wherever it may take them. The energy and excitement is infectious. Anyone new to the band and their shows are welcomed into the camaraderie. The band’s street team members are affectionately referred to as “Butter Spreaders.”
Hot Buttered Rum just released their latest studio recording this September, Limbs Akimbo, marking another milestone in the band’s evolution. Produced by Tim Bluhm, front man for the Mother Hips, the album takes a new course in showcasing the songwriting side of the band. “Everything Tim does is about the feel and the song. There’s very little fancy picking on the record, but then, that’s never been our strongest suit,” Yates says. “Our mission is to create the best songs we can, the songs that speak the loudest and most clearly, and Tim helped spearhead that mission in the studio, every step of the way.”
Those who refuse to acknowledge the importance of innovative bands, who cling to the purist faction of bluegrass, might take a note from the lyrics of the title track: “Let this be your chance to grow, with your arms outstretched and your limbs akimbo.” Hot Buttered Rum may not be the traditional sound bluegrass enthusiasts would rather hear, but the band’s uncanny connections through multi-generational lines and fans who appreciate myriad musical sounds will likely lead more fans back to the roots of tradition. After all, bluegrass is a mutt all its own, born out of a mixture of old-time influences from the English, Scots and Irish, a banjo that has roots in Africa, the Spanish-born guitar, Italy’s fiddle, upright bass and mandolin, and the dobro, an instrument made in the U.S. by immigrant brothers from the Slovak Republic (the Dopyera Brothers, hence the origin of the instrument’s name: DOpyera BROthers).
Hot Buttered Rum will be bringing the new album with them as they make a stop at Boulder’s Fox Theatre for a special two-night engagement October 9 and 10. Tickets are on sale now at www.FoxTheatre.com. “We’re overjoyed to be coming back to the Front Range!” Yates proclaims. No doubt fans will be equally as ecstatic.
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