Overmountain Men The Next Best Thing
David Childers’ impact on music in the Charlotte area is unquestioned. Over the past few years he has joined forces with Bob Crawford of Avett Brothers fame, son Robert, long time friend Randy Saxson, Scott Daley, and Geoffrey White in Overmountain Men. Their creative take on traditional folk and Americana continues on their recent release The Next Best Thing.
Childers once again crafts some of the most unique lyrics around and tells a story like no one else. He describes the affects of drug abuse and alcoholism in “Smoke And Mirrors” with references on lying to oneself to create a false truth. On “For The Warmer Lands”, he tells the tale of a man who joined the Tories during the Battle Of Kings Mountain in 1780. He eventually fell during hand to hand combat and says “I must leave you now for the warmer lands”, which is written on a stone on the mountain today and inspired the song’s creation. Childers and company also prove that Americana isn’t all banjos, fiddles, and mandolins as they rock out on “Grackles”. Then comes the fun and spontaneous “Hard Loving You” with a rollicking piano that will be sure to get your toe tapping.
This collaboration is at the heart of what Childers and Crawford are all about. Although they are at different places in their musical journey, Crawford busy on the road with The Avett Brothers and Childers playing more sparingly these days, hearing them come together is satisfying for any fan of either musicians’ other work.
