MARTY STUART SHARES NEW SONG "SKIP A ROPE"
WATCH VIDEO HERE
HENSON CARGILL COVER IS THE THIRD SINGLE OFF SONGS I SING IN THE DARK,
COLLECTION OF SONGS INCLUDING ORIGINALS AND OLD FAVORITES
NEW SONG TO BE HIGHLIGHTED EACH MONTH
Photo: Jennifer + Marty Stuart at The Stuart Family Stereo. Photo by Hilda Stuart
Today, Marty Stuart shares his new cover of Henson Cargill’s “Skip A Rope” the third single off Songs I Sing In The Dark , a collection of songs recorded acoustically at Marty's former home outside of Nashville. Watch the video for “Skip A Rope" here.
Stuart shares about the song:
When I was growing up in Mississippi, we had a console stereo in our home. It was outfitted with a combination record player, tape deck, AM/FM radio, and the bonus feature of a bass boost button, which, when engaged, would send low-end tones to the moon and back. Country music sounded so good coming through the speakers of that machine.
The Summer of 1968 was a season of falling deeper and deeper in love with the music of Nashville. So many of the songs from that era still touch my heart today, the same as they did back when I first heard them. “Skip A Rope” by Henson Cargill is one of those. The song is a socially conscious treasure from those times, relevant literature with a beat. The recording had a built-in cool factor that set it apart from most of its competitors. The Nashville Cats again lived up to their stellar reputation. They laid down a slinky groove that served as a rock-solid musical bed for Henson to glide on while telling his story. I’ve always pictured Henson Cargill in the recording studio with a burning cigarette in his left hand while he sang. I imagine he never touched the cigarette after he lit it. I’m thinking when the take was over, there was nothing left but smoke and ashes. That’s about all that was left of me after I heard “Skip A Rope” for the first time. I’m still mesmerized by the song. The song’s three-note, plaintive, drone-like intro beckons me inside the walls of the piece and then drops me off at a heart-to-heart level with the message in the song. It’s a message that’s just as relevant today as it was during the song’s heyday when it reigned on the charts. As a matter of fact, “Skip A Rope” stands as an eternally relevant, statesman-like monument of a song.
Henson Cargill was the perfect messenger to deliver the words of this song. “Skip A Rope” was to be his biggest hit. Nothing of its magnitude followed. But I did hear one of the “A” Team musicians that played on the record once say, “When you’ve got a ‘Skip A Rope,’ you don’t need anything else.”
Marty Stuart will share a new song from the album a month, alongside a personal statement about each song’s importance, both personally and in the context of country music. Stuart previously shared a video introduction to the series along with the lyric video for “Ready for the Times to Get Better,” the first song from Songs I Sing in the Dark. Rolling Stone says of the song: “Stuart’s version is stripped down to its basics of vocals and guitar. the somber minor-key melody adding to the sense of melancholy and an intricate fingerpicked solo showing off Stuart’s formidable instrumental talents.” Listen to “Ready for the Times to Get Better” here.
Stuart said of his new collection, “The title tells the story. I have a long line of songs that range from obscure, originals, to old favorites from various musical worlds that I often sing to myself when I’m alone. Until recently, I had never formally made a list of all the titles. When I did, I saw in those titles so many great songs that need to be remembered and passed down. There was a mighty congregation of names of profound songwriters whose presence and lyrics are to be cherished. And, looking into those songs I could hear the music of those brilliant musicians, arrangers, and singers who brought those tunes to life, and gave the world reason to love them. In the wake of these revelations, I was inspired to finally go to work on the idea of Songs I Sing in the Dark.”
Recently, The Country Music Association announced the induction of Marty Stuart into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2020 in the Modern Era Artist category. Stuart is inducted alongside Dean Dillon (Songwriter Category) and Hank Williams Jr. (Veterans Era Artist). “It is the ultimate honor in Country Music,” says Stuart. “I’m so honored to be included in this class and I’m honored to be included alongside Hank Jr. and Dean Dillon. I love those people. To be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond words. I’m usually not at a loss for words.” Details regarding a formal induction ceremony for Dillon, Stuart and Williams will be released as information is available. Full information about the class of 2020 inductees is available on the CMA site.
Stuart is currently raising funds and awareness for The Marty Stuart Congress of Country Music (MSCCM) in Philadelphia, Mississippi which will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of country music through live musical performance and educational programming. This tribute to the culture and rural ethics of America will be presented in a world-class country music museum and performing arts center. Marty Stuart has assembled a collection that spans over 20,000 pieces to tell a rich, emotional, and personal story of the lives of our common heritage. The $30 million project will create a 50,000+ square foot campus featuring the historic and recently renovated Ellis Theater, a newly constructed museum, classrooms, a community hall, meeting and event space, and a rooftop performance venue. MSCCM will embrace the roots of country music in its educational curriculum and programming. Changing displays will include internationally travelled artifacts and memorabilia, photography, outsider/folk art and Native American crafts. These art forms represent country music’s history and foreshadow its future. Musical programming will feature both legendary stars and the emerging artists of tomorrow.
Marty Stuart is a five-time GRAMMY-winner, platinum recording artist, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Americana Music Association, Grand Ole Opry star, country music archivist, photographer, musician, and songwriter. Since starting out singing gospel as a child, Stuart has spent over four decades celebrating American roots music. His teenage years on tour with bluegrass legend Lester Flatt in the ’70s were followed by six years in Johnny Cash’s band in the ’80s, and a chart-topping tenure as a solo artist in the ’90s.
Marty Stuart on the web:
Official Website – www.martystuart.net
Facebook – www.facebook.com/martystuarthq
Twitter – www.twitter.com/martystuarthq
YouTube – www.youtube.com/martystuartofficial
Instagram- www.instagram.com/martystuart
For more information, please contact Mary Moyer (mary@qprime.com) or Emilio Herce (emilio@qprime.com) at Q Prime 212.302.9790.