THE SOGGY BOTTOM BOYS REUNITE AS "O BROTHER WHERE
ART THOU?" TURNS 10
This year marks the 10 year anniversary of O Brother, Where Art
Thou?, the landmark film and soundtrack that sparked a cultural
phenomenon. To this day it still has a significant influence and impact
on modern pop as evident in some of today’s top acts, from
Neo-traditional Americana bands from The Secret Sisters, The Civil Wars
and Carolina Chocolate Drops to alternative mainstays Mumford & Sons,
and Fleet Foxes.
For the first time since their notable O Brother, Where Art Thou?
appearance, the fictional Soggy Bottom Boys reunite with original cast
member Tim Blake Nelson joined by the scene stealing yodeler Pat Enright
(guitar), Alan O’Bryant (banjo), and Mike Compton (mandolin), all from
the Grammy® Award-winning Nashville Bluegrass Band, for a video shoot at
the Tennessee State Prison for the song “In The Jailhouse Now” from the
original motion picture soundtrack. Director Stephen Shepherd, who has
worked with numerous artists including country star Gary Allan, was
called in to direct the video.
Produced by 12-time GRAMMY® Award- and Academy Award-winner T Bone
Burnett, the original O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack from
the 2000 film -- written, directed and produced by the Coen Brothers and
starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson and John Turturro -- shot to
No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Country charts and became a bona fide
music phenomenon. Along with ALBUM OF THE YEAR honors, the album won
GRAMMYs® for “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” performed by Dan Tyminski,
Harley Allen and Pat Enright, and “O Death” by the legendary Dr. Ralph
Stanley.
Earlier this year, UMG celebrated the 10th Anniversary with an
expanded two-CD set, O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Deluxe Edition,
with legendary original producer T Bone Burnett personally involved in
all aspects of this release.
The album that rocketed bluegrass, roots and even Americana music
from the 20th Century into the new millennium features a 14-track bonus
disc. Twelve of these newly-released songs were recorded during original
sessions for the film, most of which went unheard on-screen. This
release marks the first time these tracks have been made available in
any format.
The second disc of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Deluxe Edition
features artists who appeared on the original album (John Hartford,
Norman Blake, the Fairfield Four, the Cox Family and the Peasall
Sisters) plus some who did not (Colin Linden, Alan O’Bryant, Ed Lewis
and Van Dyke Parks). The disc’s previously recorded tracks are “Tom
Devil” by Ed Lewis and the Prisoners, and “I’ll Fly Away” by the Kossoy
Sisters. An alternative version of “In the Jailhouse Now”, sung by the
late Harley Allen, with Pat Enright’s signature yodel, is also on the
bonus disc.
