After playing at bluegrass festivals from around 2005 they signed to Rounder Records and released a self-titled debut in 2008. The album peaked at No. 57 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The group was nominated for a Grammy award in 2009 for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for their song "Blue Side of the Mountain." In 2010, the group received two nominations for its second album, Reckless. The album has been nominated for both Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song "Where Rainbows Never Die."
The band’s self-titled debut album, released in January of 2008 by Rounder Records, is simply startling: a set of eleven new originals that profoundly resonate with classic bluegrass soul while exploring entirely modern lyrical and harmonic byways. The blistering, soulful vocals of guitarist and songwriter Chris Stapleton immediately announce that this is dark and dangerous terrain, which the SteelDrivers’ proudly rugged ensemble playing quickly confirms. Fiddler and harmony singer Tammy Rogers knows just when to lay off the notes and let the tone take over, while banjo player Richard Bailey neatly segues from cold modal Stanley-style passages to incisive melodic turns. Mike Henderson (mandolin) and Mike Fleming (bass) are the SteelDrivers’ engine room, laying out the sparse, driving rhythm on which hangs the songs, mostly co-composed by Stapleton and Henderson.
Stapleton’s voice, when melded to his sturdy, vivid songs, immediately distinguishes the SteelDrivers. It is testament to the value that the SteelDrivers place on quality original songs that band actually formed as a result of the songwriting process. Henderson and Stapleton are both accomplished Nashville tunesmiths, with innumerable cuts to their credit. “Chris and I had been writing songs for several years,” Henderson explains. “We would write a lot of them as though they were bluegrass songs. But then, when we would get ready to demo them, we would demo them with drums and B-3. And I was thinking, here’s all these perfectly good songs just sitting around going to waste.”
“My recollection,” continues Stapleton, “is that I went to write at Mike Henderson’s house one night. And he said, ‘do you want to play some bluegrass?’ I said, sure. And then next thing I knew, we were in a room with the rest of these guys…”
“These guys” included maverick fiddler and vocalist Tammy Rogers, a longtime fixture on Nashville’s alt-country scene and respected session and touring musician. “I had kind of done the big left turn into country and Americana, and thought I had left the bluegrass world behind me in charred remnants,” she says. “So when Mike Henderson called me up and asked me, ‘Do you want to play some bluegrass?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I do.’ And when we all got together, I was just knocked out by the songs, and by Chris’s voice.”
Rogers is not the only musician in Nashville taken aback by the band’s charisma, power, chops, and songwriting. In a short time, the SteelDrivers had worked up three sets of all original material and were performing to capacity crowds at local haunts like the fabled Station Inn. “I get more inspired listening to their songs, singing, and playing than anything else I've heard in a long time,” raved producer and musician Buddy Miller, while songwriter and guitarist Al Anderson summed up the SteelDrivers succinctly: “Great band: new and different. Songs are incredible. They bring something new to the party. I love 'em all. Muscle Shoals meets bluegrass.”
The band is quick to credit the informal, casually organic nature of their founding. “We just want to go out and play music that we write and that all of us like,” says Bailey. “We want to play our kind of music.”
The SteelDrivers’ brand of bluegrass – intense, dark, poetic, and inescapably human – is a refreshing reminder of the timeless power of stringband music, and is captured perfectly on The SteelDrivers. Produced by Nashville ace Luke Wooten, The SteelDrivers was recorded mostly live on the studio floor, vocals and all. Its songs grapple with classic themes of regret, love, and redemption, from the escalating prison lament of “Midnight Train to Memphis” to the chilling murderer’s plea encapsulated in “If It Hadn’t Been for Love.” “East Kentucky Home” is a timeless traditional bluegrass lament, with its strains of homesickness, loss, and abandonment, but ingeniously reinvented with off-kilter rhythmic accents and a decidedly contemporary chord progression.
The willingness to set aside the unspoken rules that ruthlessly govern bluegrass set the SteelDrivers apart from the innumerable faceless acts vying for the bluegrass spotlight.
“Certainly we want to keep one foot in the bluegrass world—that’s a great thing,” says Tammy Rogers, “but I think our music is broader than just a traditional bluegrass format and that’s what we all hope for it to be.”
The SteelDrivers are:
Richard Bailey - Banjo
Grammy nominated banjo player, Richard Bailey has recorded with such diverse artists as Al Green and George Jones. Featured in the book Masters of the 5-String Banjo, Bailey has performed with Bill Monroe, Roland White, Vassar Clements, Loretta Lynn, Chet Akins, Larry Cordle, Laurie Lewis, Dale Ann Bradley, and countless others. He has also recorded with Kenny Rogers, Michael Martin Murphy, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and Ronnie Milsap and has played at Carnegie Hall and on Austin City Limits.
Mike Fleming - Bass/Vocals
A versatile veteran, Mike Fleming lays down the firm foundation and sings the baritone harmony that rounds out the SteelDrivers’ sound. A self-confessed “recovering banjo player,” Mike has recorded with Holly Dunn, Joy Lynn White, and with groundbreaking singer/songwriter David Olney. In addition to traveling the world during stints with Dunn and Kevin Welch, Mike has appeared on Austin City Limits, Nashville Now, Crook and Chase, and too many Grand Ole Opry shows and festivals to count.
Mike Henderson - Mandolin/Vocals
Mike Henderson is a veteran songwriter and award-winning musician, with several solo albums on both RCA and Dead Reckoning to his credit. He has recorded with such artists as Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Mark Knopfler, Albert King, Hank Williams, Jr., Johnny Lang, Peter Rowan, Guy Clark, John Hiatt, Sting, Delbert McClinton, Bob Seger, Bo Diddley, Faith Hill, Lucinda Williams, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and many others. His songs have been recorded by the Dixie Chicks, Kenny Rogers, Daryl Worley, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Travis Tritt, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Solomon Burke, Marty Stuart, Gary Allan, and Randy Travis.
Tammy Rogers - Fiddle/Vocals
Growing up in a family bluegrass band that also included banjo great Scott Vestal, Tammy brings a lifetime of instrumental and vocal experience to the SteelDrivers. She was also in the legendary pre-Union Station bluegrass band Dusty Miller with Barry Bales, Tim Stafford, Adam Steffey, and Brian Fesler. No stranger to the studio, she has recorded with Neil Diamond, Wynonna, Rodney Crowell, Radney Foster, Bill Anderson, Iris Dement, Randy Scruggs, Patty Loveless, Buddy and Julie Miller, Jim Lauderdale, and many more. She has toured the world with Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Patty Loveless, Maria McKee, and the Dead Reckoners. Her songs have been recorded by Terri Clarke and Frances Black.
Chris Stapleton - Guitar/Vocals
A rising star on the Nashville scene, Chris Stapleton is a Paintsville, Kentucky native whose powerful “sandpaper to silk” voice gives the SteelDrivers their distinctive sound. He has recorded with Daryl Worley, Gary Allan, Lee Ann Womack, Trent Wilmon, James Otto, and others, while as a songwriter his compositions have been covered by Tim McGraw, Brooks and Dunn, Julie Roberts, Daryl Worley, Trent Wilmon, Gary Allan, Patty Loveless, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Lee Ann Womack, Montgomery Gentry, and the Lonesome River Band. He recently scored a number one singles as the writer of “Your Man,” recorded by Josh Turner and Kenny Chesney’s “Never Wanted Nothing More.”
Sticks That Made Thunder
The SteelDrivers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My colors that change with the sun
My branches, we're higher
Than anything on the hillside
On the day that I watched them all come
Some wear the color of the sky in the winter
Some, we're as blue as the night
And they fell through the whole day and night
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
When the light came again
There was death on the wind
As the buzzards made way for the worms
And the little white trees that don't bend in the breeze
For the ones that will never return
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
Those that have fallen, come when I call them
And answer the best that they can
But all they can see is what they used to be
And that's all that they understand
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
The SteelDrivers' song Sticks That Made Thunder appears to be a reflection on the passage of time, the cycles of life and death, and the power of nature. The lyrics suggest a connection between the singer and a tree, which serves as a symbol of continuity and resilience. The first lines, "My roots are deeper than the bones, the others/My colors that change with the sun/My branches, we're higher/Than anything on the hillside," suggest that the tree has been present for a long time and has grown strong and tall.
However, the next lines refer to a sudden and dramatic event, described as a storm: "They came like a storm with the light of the morn/And they fell through the whole day and night." The "they" in question are not specified, but the following lines suggest that they may be other trees that have fallen or been cut down. The chorus seems to describe the aftermath of this event: "Colors flew high and they danced in the sky/As I watched them come over the hill/Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder/Such a great number lay still." The "colors" likely refer to the leaves or branches of the fallen trees, which have been scattered across the landscape.
The final verses of the song suggest a sense of sadness and loss. The fallen trees are "ones that will never return," and the singer can only communicate with them in memory: "Those that have fallen, come when I call them/And answer the best that they can/But all they can see is what they used to be/And that's all that they understand." The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the finality of the loss and the powerful impact of the storm.
Overall, Sticks That Made Thunder seems to be a meditation on mortality, impermanence, and the beauty of nature. The tree serves as a powerful symbol of resilience and continuity, but the storm that destroys other trees is a reminder that even the strongest and most enduring things can be brought down by unexpected events.
Line by Line Meaning
My roots are deeper than the bones, the others
My origin is firmly planted and goes far beyond the surface level, unlike others
My colors that change with the sun
My appearance varies with the sunlight
My branches, we're higher
Than anything on the hillside
My influence and stature is greater than anything around me
On the day that I watched them all come
On the day I witnessed a significant event
Some wear the color of the sky in the winter
Some resemble the winter sky
Some, we're as blue as the night
Some are as dark and deep as the night
They came like a storm with the light of the morn
They arrived en masse at dawn like a storm
And they fell through the whole day and night
Their arrival lasted throughout the day and night
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Various colors filled the sky as I witnessed their arrival over the horizon
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
To my amazement, there were an enormous amount of sticks on the ground that had caused a thunderous sound
When the light came again
There was death on the wind
After everything seemed settled, death was approaching
As the buzzards made way for the worms
The scavenging birds cleared the way for the worms
And the little white trees that don't bend in the breeze
For the ones that will never return
The trees that won't bend with the wind will serve as a reminder of those who won't come back
Those that have fallen, come when I call them
And answer the best that they can
The fallen ones respond to my calls and do what they can to answer me
But all they can see is what they used to be
And that's all that they understand
Their perception of themselves is limited to how they used to be and that's all they can comprehend
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Various colors filled the sky as I witnessed their arrival over the horizon
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
To my amazement, there were an enormous amount of sticks on the ground that had caused a thunderous sound
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Various colors filled the sky as I witnessed their arrival over the horizon
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
To my amazement, there were an enormous amount of sticks on the ground that had caused a thunderous sound
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER STAPLETON, MIKE HENDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JohnPaul-rd7zd
My roots are deeper than the bones, the others
My colors that change with the sun
My branches, we're higher
Than anything on the hillside
On the day that I watched them all come
Some wear the color of the sky in the winter
Some, we're as blue as the night
They came like a storm with the light of the morn
And they fell through the whole day and night
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
When the light came again
There was death on the wind
As the buzzards made way for the worms
And the little white trees that don't bend in the breeze
For the ones that will never return
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
Those that have fallen, come when I call them
And answer the best that they can
But all they can see is what they used to be
And that's all that they understand
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
@theradracer1847
lyrics
My roots are deeper than the bones, the others
My colors that change with the sun
My branches, we're higher
Than anything on the hillside
On the day that I watched them all come
Some wear the color of the sky in the winter
Some, we're as blue as the night
They came like a storm with the light of the morn
And they fell through the whole day and night
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
When the light came again
There was death on the wind
As the buzzards made way for the worms
And the little white trees that don't bend in the breeze
For the ones that will never return
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
Those that have fallen, come when I call them
And answer the best that they can
But all they can see is what they used to be
And that's all that they understand
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
As I watched them come over the hill
Then to my wonder, sticks that made thunder
Such a great number lay still
@glynncampbell3930
I'm a 69 year old black guy from The Bronx and no music ever touched my soul as much as bluegrass mountain music!
@letaheavrin5654
Hello from Kentucky
@jasonrussell2680
We are still in our stick's! Looking at this country and crying.
@JeffreyGlover65
Anyone who gives this song a thumbs down is already dead inside...no soul, no feeling, no warmth.
@cassandrastone1874
This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It's beautifully written, both the lyrics and the music. One of my favorites of all time.
@jasonrussell2680
Sad thing is that I can't show you my babies with stick's of thunder!
@HUNTERCOPELR
Today I stood at a massive white oak tree where 1,683 men both blue and grey lost their lives I couldn’t help but feel that I stood with those men at that tree looking out over the massive pasture that once was covered with smoke from the cannons and muskets , blood that was shed by those brave men running into the nearby creek turning it a ruby red I felt the chill bumps run down me and that chill from my head to toes at the humble thought of what they went through their and to think the men was standing their with me just starring out over this beautiful pasture shadowed by rocky face ridge brought a tear to my eye as kin may have fought on that hollowed ground and never made it home to the wife and kids the moms and dads... god rest their souls and may we meet again in the promised land when I finally cross over Jordan....
@deannaluster4205
Well said!! As a matter of fact, were'nt Stone Wall Jackson's last words "lets cross the river and rest beneath the shade of the trees for just a little while..." ?
@SStupendous
@@deannaluster4205 Yes it was, but he didn't say "for just a little while". just the first part.
@lynnhunley7597
Yes, indeed! We owe those brave souls who fought on both sides. They believed in their cause , right or wrong. They deserve our Love and respect and should be remembered with honor.