The Honeycutters (8:00), The HillBenders (7:00)

ASHEVILLE, NC — The Honeycutters, an Asheville, NC-based original country roots band, is set to release their third studio album, Me Oh My, on April 21, 2015 with Organic Records®. Led by songwriter Amanda Anne Platt, The Honeycutters include Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith rounds out the band on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro to create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as in a church or a theater. Fueled by the powerful songwriting and vocals of founder Amanda Platt, Me Oh My moves her into the spotlight as producer, band leader, and principal creative force behind the band. With songs that are honest and relatable, part chagrin and part hope, Platt's voice carries a timeless appeal. Pre-sales for the album start Tuesday, February 17th on iTunes and includes two immediate tracks to download.

"The new album is the one I'm most proud of to date." Platt says, "I took much more of a driver's seat in it's making, and the process has forced me to do a lot of growing up… I feel like I've really found my voice. I'm very excited about the line up of the band, and the songwriting includes some of my very favorites." Platt self produced the album along with the help of engineer and assistant producer Jon Ashley. They laid down the all original 14-track album in Echo Mountain Recording Studio and Mixtown Studio in Asheville, NC and it was mixed and mastered just down the road at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC.

Me Oh My is threaded with themes of love, loss, acceptance and regrowth. It kicks off with an engaging southern swingin' song, "Jukebox," that is about taking life one day at a time and not taking yourself too seriously saying "it's only a song, so for heaven's sake won't you sing along?" The title cut is an inspirational anthem about the state of the modern woman, stating, "Some girls marry and some girls wait." Me Oh My brings more of what fans love about The Honeycutters, honestly written songs sung in Platt's authentic voice. The up-tempo, beer-raising, danceable "Ain't It The Truth" is one that will fuel audiences at live shows while melancholy ballads like "Texas '81" balance the album both in meter and mood. The upbeat "I'll Be Lovin' You" as a whole speaks to holding someone up until they are strong enough to stand on their own. Me Oh My delves deeper into the darker realms of love with "Little Bird" which gained Platt notoriety as it was chosen as a finalist at MerleFest's prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (2011).

Special guests on the album include Phil Cook on piano and organ, Aaron Wood on Telecaster, Peter James on Telecaster, Will Straughan on harmony vocals and resonator guitar, Mica Hanks electric guitar, Evan Bradford on trumpet, and Amanda's father Mark Platt on harmonica.

Music City Roots' Craig Havighurst calls The Honeycutters "… just superb, with a sweet toned and melodious aura… Today's Smoky Mountain area modern folk thing does have a certain vibe, and these guys are among its finest purveyors." Folk Music About.com's Kim Ruehl wrote, "Their music embodies a very catchy, accessible, optimistic sort of spirit so frequently lacking in folk circles (where brooding, hyper-analytical music reigns supreme). What's more, like Carolina Story, they're a great band replete with tasty harmonies."

They'll celebrate Me Oh My with an album release tour which is soon to be announced as well as a hometown album release party at Isis Music Hall in Asheville on April 17th. They are also set to perform at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC the weekend of the release date.

In both her simple composition and honest delivery it's easy to hear the influence of country legends such as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, or Loretta Lynn, and with this Miss Platt credits growing up listening to her Father's extensive record collection every Saturday morning. Despite her love for classic country, Platt cites Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty as major influences and her songwriting carries a wit and an edge that plants her firmly in her generation.

The Honeycutters formed in 2007 in Asheville, NC, the town they still call home, and had quick success with their first release Irene (2009). Me Oh My is the highly anticipated follow up to the 2012's When Bitter Met Sweet. Each album has helped to grow grow their audience and expand their tours to include notable appearances at MerleFest, Suwannee Springfest, Strawberry Music Festival, Vancouver Island Music Fest, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Folk Alliance, Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Fest and the Nelsonville Music Festival. They have also performed alongside esteemed musicians Guy Clark, Tony Rice, The Seldom Scene, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Amy Ray, Donna the Buffalo, Jill Andrews, and The Steep Canyon Rangers.

Organic Records® is an eclectic home for a variety of artists that are singularly unique and defy categorization. In a time when music is becoming less defined by genre, Organic artists are developing their own musical identity outside the confines of traditional classifications. Organic Records® is their natural habitat. Organic Records® is a division of Crossroads® Entertainment & Marketing and is located in Arden, North Carolina. More information can be found at www.organic-records.com.


Undeniably the hottest young band on the acoustic scene, The HillBenders have been winning over audiences from coast to coast with their unique style, original compositions and relentless drive. These buzz-worthy bluegrass whiz-kids are quickly rising above many of their peers and gaining international recognition for their aggressive combination of contemporary influences with traditional inspiration and instrumentation, as well as their infectiously energetic stage performances.

Claiming the championship title at the 2009 Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition helped put The HillBenders on the map, and their recent victory at the 2010 National Single Microphone Championships prove that they continue to be a force to be reckoned with. One look at their 2010 tour schedule confirms that The HillBenders have become a must-see act with appearances at some of the country's premiere music events such as the International Bluegrass Music Association's Fan Fest, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Walnut Valley Festival, Mullberry Mountain Harvest Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Silver Dollar City's Bluegrass and Bar-B-Q festival and many more.

The HillBenders released their debut album Down To My Last Dollar in spring 2010. Produced by Jeremy Chapman and featuring Jeremy Garrett of the Infamous Stringdusters on fiddle, this highly anticipated release is the first full-length effort from the group. With 11 of the 13 tracks on the album being original compositions, The HillBenders are giving listeners a truly unique experience far from the typical bluegrass fare.

Formed in the spring of 2008, the band's members hail from distant corners of the U.S. but now base themselves in Springfield, MO. Rooted in the traditions of bluegrass, The HillBenders push the boundaries of the genre by combining influences from country, rock, blues, jazz and Americana into their sound to produce something entirely new. Some say it's newgrass, some say it's bluegrass, some say it's neither, but everyone says that whatever it is, it's incredible!