The Right Road seems an appropriate title for the latest album by the bluegrass gospel band Solid Ground, because the group also seems to be on the right road to success.
The band has been on many right roads lately, with its bookings last year taking them to more than 60 shows in 11 states, including a Dec. 22 performance at the Eclipse Lawn near the White House in Washington.
"We didn't see George (Bush), but we had a good time," said Trent Harrelson, guitarist and vocalist, who also is the art director of the National Wild Turkey Federation in Edgefield, S.C.
Solid Ground will perform at 6:30 p.m. Sunday in First Baptist Church of Edgefield, at 212 Church St. Call (803) 637-6139.
Other members include Mr. Harrelson's son Alan, a student at the University of South Carolina Aiken (banjo and vocals); Bill Carr, the director of marketing for School Dynamics software company in Hartsville, S.C. (upright bass and vocals); his daughter Jenny, a student at Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C. (vocals); and Chase Johner, a high school student who lives in Chilhowie, Va. (mandolin).
They first heard 17-year-old Chase jamming at the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Bluegrass Festival in 2004 and were impressed, so they asked him to join Solid Ground. They needed a fourth instrumentalist to be eligible to compete at the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Gospel Music of America convention last year.
"We came across him by divine intervention," Mr. Harrelson said jokingly. The band didn't win but plans to compete again next month.
Solid Ground also will perform at the Piney Woods Bluegrass Festival (April 1) in Dublin, Ga., and Rudy's Bluegrass in the Woods Festival (Sept. 7-8) in Anderson, S.C.
Other bookings range from Bean Blossom, Ind., to Bellville, Texas. Solid Ground members are excited about being booked to play four shows a day for four days (Aug. 31-Sept. 3) at Silver Dollar City in the country music tourist mecca of Branson, Mo.
"This will be our first time performing in Branson. We're hoping it will lead to even better things," Mr. Harrelson said.
Solid Ground's current CD and its previous CD, Little Mountain Church, sell for $15 each, or $25 for both. They are available at concerts and the Web site solidgroundmusic.net.
Don Rhodes has written about country music for 35 years. He can be reached at (706) 823-3214 or at don.rhodes@morris.com.
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