Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches sophomore album Get Us Out Of Fearland: #2 album, #2 artist, #5 song with 6 of our songs in top 20 on April 2018 International Folk Music DJs Radio chart!
Release Dates:
Americana Radio Impact to Americana Stations: June 18, 2018
Single “Get Us Out Of Fearland”: August 3, 2018
Full Album “Get Us Out Of Fearland”: September 7, 2018
Led by Betina Hershey and multi-instrumentalist Nick Russo, the album features standout work from musicians from New York, Suriname, Mexico, and Sapelo Island, who have performed live on NBC affiliate KSHB-TV, for the Extended Play Sessions (Alternate Root TV) and on nationally syndicated shows such as Woodsongs, and Blue Plate plus stages such as Kansas City Folk Festival, Club Passim, Rockwood Music Hall, Isis Music Hall, WFUV, John Platt’s “On Your Radar” and Jalopy Theatre.
Band members have performed with artists such as Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Julia Roberts, Willie Nelson, James Taylor, Jerry Garcia and Wynton Marsalis.
Plus they have made appearances in movies such as Disney’s “Enchanted,” “Mona Lisa Smile,” “Away We Go” and PBS Masterpiece, “The Chaperone.” The band had a 2017 NERFA semi-formal showcase and their debut album Very Next Thing was #6 Album (#5 Artist #7 Song) on the International Folk DJ Radio Chart 2016.
“A heart as big as the sky…full of high energy and higher spirits.” Elmore Magazine
“Unfailingly high-spirited.” London Times
“This is a band that must be heard to be believed!” WFUV
“…an amazing group which a lot of us dreamed would happen some day where the different genres of music all get together…” David Amram
“It’s unlike anything most listeners will find elsewhere.” San Diego Troubadour
“Remarkable musical dexterity with songs that bask in a genuine roots regimen and a sense of timeless tradition.” Elmore Magazine
“Fresh and vital” Classical Arts
Nick Russo, guitar, 5 string banjo, tenor banjo, resonator, mandolin, electric bass, organ (track 3, intro/verse track 5), Fender Rhodes (track 7), trike ballake, harmonium (track 8), rainstick (track 8), hand claps & foot stomp (track 6)
Betina Hershey, voice, guitar Betina Hershey, voice (all tracks), guitar (tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 8), hand claps (track 6)
more Scooches:
Miles Griffith, voice (tracks 1, 3, 10)
David Pleasant, drums/voice (tracks 3, 9)
Emiliano Valerio, tambourine (tracks 1, 6, 7, 9)
Harvey Wirht, drums (tracks 1, 5, 7)
Art Hirahara, Kong Kronos 2 organ (track 5)
Kenny Kosek, fiddle (track 6)
Stephanie Rice and Charenee Wade, additional voices (track 5)