Big Wing
By The Lonesome Ace Stringband
Streaming release – Friday, October 24
Vinyl and CD release – Tuesday, December 3

The Lonesome Ace Stringband’s seventh album, Big Wing, finds bandmates John Showman and Chris Coole delving even deeper into the shadows of bluegrass and old-time music. The six originals and four covers (The Band, Hank Williams, Darrin Hacquard, and Doug Paisley) paint stories in darker hues than the band’s previous work — the bright spots living in the edges and cracks, made all the more vivid by contrast.

The story of this album is best told through its process.

Showman and Coole’s twenty-five-year musical partnership has been defined by a work-a-day attitude and a DIY approach to navigating the music industry. In the late-teens, as it became clear that the old rhythm of releasing an album every few years was giving way to a steady stream of singles, they didn’t resist the change — they adapted. They built a simple but professional remote recording rig and learned how to use it, allowing them to record in settings that felt naturally inspiring and relaxed. This flexibility gave them space to blend the writing and recording process, and to explore musical textures more freely than a studio environment would allow. In short, they became a band that’s always recording.

Though this modern release cycle might seem new, it actually harkens back to the golden days of old-time and bluegrass, when 78s — and later 45s — were the medium of choice. The band finds it empowering to approach each track as a standalone project, letting the larger album reveal itself in time. Big Wing emerged naturally from among the twenty singles the band has released over the past few years — with one new track, the Doug Paisley cover “Drinking with a Friend.”

Sonically, the record reflects that freedom: layered strings, gourd instruments run through Fender amps, and psychedelic acoustic soundscapes all find a home above the foundation of old-time fiddle and banjo. Thematically, it speaks to the heaviness of our times, while gently reminding us that family, resolve, and a sense of wonder for the natural world might just see us through.

Produced by John Showman and Chris Coole
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered by John Showman 
Additional Recording by Andrew Collins and Gavin Gardiner

John Showman -Fiddle, Vocals
Chris Coole – Banjo, Guitar, Percussion, Vocals

Guests
Sam Allison – Bass (1)
James Mceleney – Bass (2,3,4)
Andrew Collins – Mandolin (3)
Adam Shier – Guitar (3)
Charles James – Bass (5,10)
Alan Mackie – Bowed Bass (8), Bass (9)
Steve Roy – Bass (8)
Gavin Gardiner – Mellotron (10)
Lyle Molzan - Percussion (8)