When bluegrass powerhouse Della Mae bounded onstage at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley Saturday night and launched into “Dry Town,” the crowd knew they were in for a treat.
In town to celebrate release of their album Magic Accident, the Dellas gave a solid, high-energy, vastly entertaining show, performing original songs from their 16-year career along with several covers. Joined by banjo virtuoso and Compass Records founder Alison Brown, who produced and played on the album, Della Mae gave a fluid, fun-filled performance.
All four members earned songwriting credits on the album, which, with one exception, consists of all original songs.
It’s a joy to witness a live performance from musicians who have played together a long time. The Dellas instinctively made space for one another while remaining perfectly in sync. With each member’s musicianship and personality on full display, the group still made a cohesive whole.
Lead vocalist Celia Woodsmith’s high energy established an immediate rapport with the audience. Her throaty alto carried every number with aplomb, whether a rollicking bluegrass number, a sizzling torch song, a gentle love ballad, or a rousing social anthem. She contributed instrumentally as well, playing rhythm guitar and sometimes a blinged-out antique washboard. Vickie Vaughn, reigning IBMA Bass Player of the Year for the third year, also took an occasional vocal lead and provided searing harmonies.
Building on Vaughn’s strong bass foundation, two-time Grand National Fiddling Champion Kimber Ludiker and guitarist Avril Smith added instrumental riches with soaring melodies and nimble guitar runs while elevating select phrases with their added harmonies. And Alison Brown’s inimitable banjo brought the sparkle: lightning-fast chromatic sequences, depth, movement, and a whimsical charm.
As this partial listing shows, Saturday’s set list ran the gamut. “Family Tree,” the Della Mae song currently receiving airplay, was written by Avril along with co-writer Becky Warren and humorously addresses a “generational dysfunction.” Celia’s enduring marriage inspired the sweetly intimate “Nothing at All,” co-written with Caroline Spence.
“Boston Town,” about a 19th-century women’s strike in Lowell, Massachusetts, provided social commentary, along with a strong cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Ohio,” John Hartford’s “You Don’t Have To Do That” and a surprise cover of “Sixteen Tons.”
But no Della Mae show would be complete without an overt assertion of women’s hard-earned place in bluegrass and music in general. They sang the Hazel Dickens song “You’ll Never Keep Us Down” and “Outrun ‘Em,” penned by Avril and Caroline Spence. And finally, “Magic Accident” and “Little Bird” rang with an effervescent joy that pulsed through the show from first note to last.
It’s clear why Della Mae is an audience favorite at festivals across the country. They’re on the road through late May, so visit https://www.dellamae.com/tour to find their next stop!