Michelle Lee On Air 
‘Song of the Holler’ album is OUT and ready for your ears. Marty Falle has done it again – released another album packed with stories, tributes, emotions and filled with well-known artists.
The first song on the album, title track ‘Song of the Holler’, was written by Marty Falle, himself. The song is based on the book, ‘Song of the Holler’ which was written by an acclaimed Appalachian author K.D. McIntyre. The collaboration between Falle and McIntyre allows the story to be heard, not just read. The song, along with the book, is a tribute to all the people and traditions that lie deep in the night, roads and hearts of the Appalachia area. The music that has been created and shared over the years makes its way in ‘Song of the Holler’.
Staying with the focus on the people of the Appalachia area, the tempo picks up with the next song, ‘Blacktop Over Bone’. As you drive through the Appalachia mountains and listen to this song, let the song take you through just a brief look into what the road workers went through to build the road you’re driving on. The roads are built by hard work, sweat, long hours, heart, dedication and SO much more than the machines provide today.
From the roads to the coal mines, ‘Portal 31’ Falle keeps honoring those that have sacrificed a lot for our country. This song pays tribute to the legendary coal miners of Lynch, Kentucky. Coal mining within the Appalachian area is the path that many locals take on to provide for their families along with sacrificing a lot to make ends meet. ‘Lunch Pail Testament’ tells a story of how Marty Falle imagines a coal miner leaving a final message for his loved ones through a heartfelt bluegrass ballad.
Another strong type of hardworking man in the Appalachian area is the loggers and timber workers in Eastern Kentucky. These men leave before the sun shows it light and prays for safe return every evening. ‘Headin’ for the Hurt’ tells their stories along with capturing the view from the ridges of Johnson County, Black Mountain, Kingdom Come, and Clover Fork.
Whether the hero was a coal miner, a logger, timber worker, or a woman in the home, the spirit of the Appalachian pickers are honored in ‘Hillbilly Thunder God’. Music provides a bond like no other – grab your instrument and join in to share the echoes of the music.
As you may have noticed, ‘Song of the Holler’ is an album that is packed with songs that honor the people of the Appalachian area. ‘Feed Sack Curtain’, sang by the beautiful female voice of Carly Geer, passes a message that you don’t have to have a lot to have everything you need. Being crafty and using a feed sack as a curtain, the woman of the house helped set the family up with the values of truth, resilience, faith and love. Speaking of the women, Marty Falle wrote ‘Sweet Holler Thing’ as an uplifting bluegrass tribute to the Appalachian women. You won’t find that fancy, highly dressed, tons of jewelry and make-up in the back hills on the Appalachian woman, you will find one that is down to earth, strong family ties, faithful, humble and so much more. As Falle writes, “if you find her, boy, hold on tight – that kind of heaven don’t come twice”.
As the album ‘Song of the Holler’ honors many, Marty Falle including a couple songs that touches on the difficult topic of addition and drinking. Instead of telling the sad side of the topic, ‘Prayer for the Poisoned Man’ and ‘I Drank with Ghosts’ give hope-filled messages. The messages range from mercy to search for redemption.
There are two personal songs on the album ‘Starved Irish Strong’ and ‘The Highway’s Empty Gospel’ of Falle’s. ‘Starved Irish Strong’ is straight from his own Irish bloodline – the song demonstrates the strength of the Irish, their determination through famine, work and prayer. Marty Falle then shares his personal view on chasing freedom in all the wrong places. The song ‘The Highway’s Empty Gospel’ can be compared to the famous thought of the grass being greener on the other side – not always true. Listen to ‘The Highway’s Empty Gospel’ to help “find grace, faith and the courage to stop running long enough to discover what has been waiting all along” as Falles says.
A bluegrass album of 15 songs, instrumentals are a must! Don’t worry, Marty Falle made sure to include a few. Grab instruments and be ready for some high energy bluegrass tunes that are full of fiddle, banjo, dobro, mandolin, guitar and even a penny whistle.
If you are a Marty Falle fan, I think this album is going to go straight to the top of your favorites. If you are not, well, I think you are going to become a fan. Falle does an excellent job of telling stories, sharing emotions, combing a country and bluegrass sound, and so much more. You can get your copy and/merch at his website MartyFalleMusic.com
Musicians on the album:
Marty Falle – Songwriter, Lead Vocals, Guitar
Jonathan Yudkin – Producer, Fiddle, Mandolin
Mike Bub – Acoustic Bass
Rob Ickes – Dobro
Carl Miner – Flatpick
Jim Hoke – Specialty
Kim Parent – Backround Vocals
Jenee Fleenor – Background Vocals, Fiddle
Josh Matheny – Dobro, Lap Steel
Kevin “Swine” Grantt – Bass
Mike Waldron – Guitar
Devin Malone – Guitar, Dobro, Pedal Steel
Brian Allen – Bass
Matt Menefee – Banjo
Carly Greer – Lead & Background Vocals
Ashleigh Graham – Background Vocals
Wes Little – Percussion
Tim Galloway – Acoustic Guitar
