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We’re thrilled to share that the Rifters’ The Enchanted World, on Howlin' Dog Records debuted at #25 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Americana Country Albums Chart last week! We are darn proud of this one ourselves. In fact, Country Standard Time says, “Acoustic music doesn't get any better.”

The Enchanted World is the seventh album release from the northern New Mexico based trio the Rifters. The Rifters, Don, Jim, and Rod are known across the Southwest and beyond for their "Southwestern Americana" rhythmic acoustic-based music. Their songs feature excellent musicianship and soaring harmonies, reflecting the high desert land of mountains, mesas, valleys and canyons they call home.

Reviews of The Enchanted World note the: 

“...exquisite mandolin playing and three-part harmonies to die for. Simply spellbinding." (Americana UK)

And

“...superb playing & wonderful songs.” It’s a musical experience that caresses your ears & is hard to forget.” (Americana Highways)

And 

“Every song on the Rifters’ seventh album serves up a heaping helping of perfection. THE ENCHANTED WORLD is one of those albums that shouts out ‘Drop me on the turntable and listen!' Wisdom, humour, reflection, tradition, originality, reverence for the landscape and an unsentimental love of living amidst one’s fellow humans, all join to create this impressively out of the ordinary recording.” (Alan Cackett – Americana, Roots and Bluegrass Music)

The album features 14 songs, 10 of which are originals or co-writes. Several of the songs in The Enchanted World are an homage to the ranching and western life, with all of its idiosyncrasies and challenges, and the glory of the landscape of the ranching west. Along the way the journey explores many issues of finding our way through our lives and our days, such as the challenges of maturity, environmental awareness and just paying the bills. Through it all runs a thread of wonder and gratitude for this amazing, enchanted world we are all so fortunate to inhabit.

The Rifters welcome many friends into The Enchanted World, including Eliza Gilkyson, Michael Hearne, Diamond Jim Richmond, and Pete Wernick. As Eliza says, it’s "my new favorite cd on constant play in my car. Beautiful songs, lyrically rendered with sweet harmonies and a sense of real camaraderie between the band mates. This is the musical soundtrack of our rugged, glorious southwest, authentically expressed by this trio of artists who so clearly love their high desert home." The Rifters hope you enjoy the grand journey through The Enchanted World!

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Don Richmond and David Clemmer are two long time friends and musical collaborators, who also happen to be founders of Howlin' Dog Records. Don is the primary engineer and multi-instrumentalist producer of hundreds of projects at HDR, and both Don and David are dedicated singer-songwriters and musicians in their own right. They have released two earlier projects on Howlin' Dog, Promised Land and Holy Roller and a Rolling Stone. Over the years of their collaborations in the studio they have written and recorded a number of Holiday and Christmas themed songs, giving them the superb acoustic folk- Americana production for which Howlin' Dog is known, and they feel like it's time to send them out to meet the world! Some of the Richmond and Clemmer songs ("Sangre de Cristo Christmas", "New Mexico Moon", "El Nino Christmas") are regionally themed, celebrating the rich culture and the dramatic landscape of their homeland of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Other originals ("Come Home for Christmas", "Make Room for the Magic", "Kindness Is Your Guiding Light", "The King", and "A Fevery Little Girl Christmas") speak of many of the things that make the Holidays a time of celebrations - love, light, fond memories, and the joy of family and friends. "Having a Vegan for Christmas" is a light-hearted romp through the traditions of Holiday meals.

Then Don and David sprinkled several familiar old friends in the song list - some as brief interludes ("Jolly Old St. Nicholas", "White Christmas", "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"), and some as full-blown productions ("Deck the Halls", "Here We Come a Wassailing"). The collection closes with a hauntingly beautiful rendition of "Away in a Manger", played on hammered dulcimer and pennywhistles.

Howlin' Dog Records joins Don and David in wishing everyone the very best of the Holiday season, and hope that this unique collection of original and traditional Holiday songs adds a bit of extra warmth and sparkle to your celebrations!

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The Ties That Bind Us

Album Release August 12, 2022

Howlin’ Dog Records is excited to announce a new release from the well-known veteran east Texas folk duo Adler & Hearne, titled The Ties That Bind Us. The album will be released August 12, 2022.

Don Richmond, producer of The Ties That Bind Us says: "Fresh from the verdant piney woods of Northeast Texas, and the beautiful Goolsby's Pool where they have their cabin home, Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne have a new crop of songs from their Song Farm, and we at Howlin' Dog Records are thrilled to be able to help send them out into the world! Their songs are lovingly crafted and beautifully played, and full of the warmth and heart that anyone who meets Lynn and Lindy immediately feel. The songs display many facets and aspects of The Ties That Bind Us – the love, connections, interactions and challenges we all feel in our varied and complex lives. There is also a beautiful kindness and compassion in the window on the world these 14 beautiful songs offer, that is so comforting in our lives today. One of the highest compliments I can say about good music and good art, is that it makes you feel glad to be alive. These songs remind me of the glory and goodness in the world, and the wonder and mystery of it all.”

The album begins with the title cut  "The Ties That Bind Us" a mid-tempo ballad of memories and connection to home followed by "Sweet Texas Songs" a soaring homage to nature and mystery of stories and music that spring from water, wind and legends surrounding the duo’s East Texas piney woods home. Then we move into "Let’s Do It" a breezy love song about taking a chance on love. We get a classic folk song vibe with "Come Harvest Time" (featuring cousin and Santa Fe icon Bill Hearne) then a tender bluegrass ballad laced with treasured hymn lines and titles with "Standin' Next To Mama." Then travel west with "River of Wind" where the song’s rider roves and rambles, and "Snakeskin" a slithering, spaghetti Western of a song. "Just When I Got To Know You" honors the memory of a dear friend who has moved on, and "Heart Of The Country" tells of folk legends. Commenting on the world "I've Been Here Before" is a dreamy floating ode to throwing caution to the wind, jumping into your boat and pushing off from the shore and "It’s Summer And We’re Burning" is a wildfire cautionary tale about our planet (environmentally speaking; politically too). The "Long Slow Drive features Eliza Gilkyson on vocals in a bare bones song about giving yourself some grace while grieving takes its time. We close with the meditative "Wayfaring Stranger" and the reassuring lift of "O Angels Are Coming."

Adler & Hearne’s music is a signature blend of original folk with deep Texas roots. With 13+ recordings and decades of touring between them, the couple’s repertoire is playful, poignant and poetic – including sparky love ballads, historically based tributes, quirky story songs, and anthems of justice and peace. Raised by musical families and nurtured by music ensembles through college, the husband-and-wife duo met in Nashville, and now pay it forward together in performances from listening-room venues, festivals and community events to churches, libraries, schools and house concerts. Lynn co-wrote the theme song for the hit PBS children’s TV series Wishbone. Her diverse writing background brings added experience to the duo's workshops and presentations. Lindy sang in the famed Texas Boys Choir as a child, and for several years he and his band were Roy Clark’s backup group performing with Roy from Las Vegas to Hee Haw to Carnegie Hall. 

Adler & Hearne’s songs share a common bond with the human experience of us all. The vibe of their shows is a thoughtful balance: equal parts campfire song circle and concert hall polish, punctuated with humor and spirit. The two pride themselves on their multigenerational audience appeal. In June 2014, the duo was honored by the Texas Commission on the Arts, being named to the state’s official Texas Touring Roster – an honor they’re pleased to continue to enjoy through August of 2024. 

For tour dates and more info go to https://adlerandhearne.com 

“Duets done well are extraordinary musical creations. Duets showcase individual voices, but in their finest moments, they merge two voices that somehow create a third. The best examples include the Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, Tammy Wynette and George Jones. It’s a healing experience to hear such a duo as Adler & Hearne. In their case, two voices are better than one…”

- Michael Granberry (Dallas Morning News)

"Since a young age I was exposed to Lynn and Lindy's music, and attended a songwriter's workshop they hosted where I learned some great songwriting techniques. They are salt of the earth people with many years of songwriting experience and great harmonies"

- Kacey Musgraves

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Track list - 

1. The Ties That Bind Us 3:05
2. Sweet Texas Songs 4:12
3. Let's Do It 2:28
4. Come Harvest Time 3:41
5. Standin' Next To Mama 3:43
6. River Of Wind 3:21
7. Snakeskin 4:02
8. Just When I Got to Know You 2:48
9. Heart of the Country 3:44
10. I've Been Here Before 3:52
11. It's Summer And We're Burning 3:52
12. Long Slow Drive 3:38
13. Wayfaring Stranger 2:52
14. O Angels Are Coming 3:28

Contacts -

Press: Heather Kilgore heather@howlindogrecords.com

Radio: Erik Balkey hudsonhardingmusic@yahoo.com 

Booking: Lynn Adler lynn.adler.songfarmer@gmail.com 

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You’re all invited on a grand tour through the warm and wonderful world of Dave Miller with “Prayers in the Wind!” You can order your copy (right here) from Howlin’ Dog, and you can download MP3s from us too. And of course, the album is available on all the streaming and download sites out there, so listen away. And spread the word - tell your friends!

Dave is a great songwriter and storyteller, and this newest album takes listeners on a journey to meet some salty characters and unsung heroes from his past. We’re happy to help make sure these stories get told, and are excited to be getting this music out to the world.

As Bryan Hayes, the Executive Director of the Roots and American Music Society says, "Dave Miller is a songwriter’s songwriter. He's prolific. He's passionate about the craft. But most important...he's a great storyteller! Like Guy Clark, he has that unique ability to connect with the listener in just a few lines. You can hear and feel the emotion in his voice. He'll make you laugh. He'll make you cry. He'll make you listen. His music makes our world sound a little better...thanks Dave!"

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Howlin' Dog is proud to announce the release of “Jenkins' Plan”, the second single from HDR artist Dave Miller's upcoming Prayers in the Wind album. “Jenkins' Plan” tells the true story at an enterprising Arkansas farmer/moonshiner “hillbilly entrepreneur” who sent three kids to college on the proceeds from his roadside stand and moonshine still. The story is told with the trademark wit, warmth, and twinkle of Dave, who can spin the stories of the southern country folk and their lives like no one else. Check out the new single on your favorite streaming and download platforms here!

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In April, the Howlin’ Dog family of artists is feelin’ charitable. If you’re looking for a great cause, supported by great live music, check out these shows:

• On Saturday, April 23, Shake Russell is playing for the Shake, Rattle, and Row event in Richmond, TX. This is a fundraiser for the Pink Phurree Dragon Boat Racing Team and Texas Heart Strings, which was inspired by Shake and Michael Hearne’s song “Today is the Day.” Texas Heart Strings uses music to help support efforts to fight breast cancer.
• On Saturday, April 30, The Rifters are playing for the Generosity on Tap event in Alamosa, CO. This is a fundraiser for the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley.

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One of the things we love about Howlin’ Dog Records is that the artists get to play together so often. We’d say it’s like a two-for-one deal for you all, but really it’s just a chance for talented folks to work together and collaborate to bring you great music. If you’ll be around, come check out Bill Hearne and Don Richmond together in Colorado!

• Friday, April 22 at the Black Rose Acoustic Society at 3:00 PM
• Saturday, April 23 at La Veta Mercantile at 4:00 PM

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