Old Salt Union’s lead vocalist, bassist and songwriter Jesse Farrar has been in the Compass Sound Studio working on a solo project slated for release on Compass Records in 2022. In contrast to his work with alt-string-band Old Salt Union, Farrar’s solo debut is a more textured, Americana-leaning affair, placing him squarely alongside angst-driven indie folk singer/songwriter luminaries like Elliott Smith and Sufjan Stevens. Joining Farrar in the studio is a cast of legendary musicians including Dan Dugmore (pedal steel, guitar, dobro), Mark T. Jordan (Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt), Doug Lancio (Bob Dylan). Co-producers Alison Brown and Garry West contribute guitar, banjo and bass respectively.
Farrar will embark on a 70 date cross country tour in support of Son Volt beginning this month.
Jesse Farrar co-founded Old Salt Union in 2012 and over the past decade, the band has built a reputation as one of the most engaging alt string bands on the scene today playing 200+ shows a year including club dates, theaters and festivals including Bluegrass Underground, John Hartford Memorial Festival, ROMP and Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Festival. In the process, they have shared the stage with the best in bluegrass and string band music including Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon and Greensky Bluegrass. In 2015, the band won the FreshGrass band contest and were introduced to Compass Records co-founder and banjo virtuoso Alison Brown who produced several tracks for the band. They subsequently signed to Compass Records in 2017 and released 2 albums including 2019’s WHERE THE DOGS DON’T BITE which reached #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart. Spotify playlist engagement for their single “Madam Plum” coupled with recent collaboration with veteran bluegrass artist Bobby Osborne on “Tell Me So” has fueled the band’s rapid trajectory.
