WoodSongs 1005: Bill and the Belles and Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike

BILL AND THE BELLES have captured the freewheeling, lighthearted approach to music that has endeared them to listeners of every generation. With a spirited sound that falls somewhere between old-time country and vaudeville, the group puts its own spin on a golden era of music, specifically the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The band’s latest singles mark a new chapter for the Johnson City, TN-based stringband: a bigger, moodier, more decade-ambiguous American sound. VALERIE SMITH & LIBERTY PIKE have developed a unique style and sound that has rocked the bluegrass world for almost two decades with a string of national and international tours, critically acclaimed recordings, and Grammy, IBMA and Dove Award nominations. Originally from Missouri and now based in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Val's vocals are impressive. She has a staggeringly expansive range and the ability to portray an amazing array of emotion. Her East Coast-based band, Liberty Pike featuring legendary Hall of Famer , Tom Gray on bass, are consistent audience pleasers and skilled musicians. The band’s latest release is ‘Small Town Heroes.’ WoodSongs Kid: Grace Koch is a sixteen-year-old blues musician from Fort Collins, Colorado.