The CD is available for mailorder from Festival Distribution for $20 Cdn, plus shipping, handling, and applicable taxes. Go to their secure site here.

Well folks, here it is - my very first CD project – High Rise Lonesome. This has been an amazing creative process! It all started at the British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop in Sorrento, BC, when I roomed with Janet Beazley (banjo player with Chris Stuart and Backcountry) for two solid weeks in 2003. In between teaching, we ate a lot of chips and salsa, drank some beers, and talked recording.

For several years, students of my Slow Pitch Jam workshops and people I met at festivals I attend, have been asking if I have a CD for sale. It never occurred to me to make a solo CD, since I've always been part of a band. My current band, False Creek is a part-time project for all members and not quite ready to record. I've made CDs with my previous bluegrass band, Rhythm Roundup, and my kids' group, The Buddy System. I don't consider myself a solo artist, so it just didn't seem like an option.

However ... Janet managed to convince me over those two weeks, all the chips and salsa, and beers, that it was a good idea. Not only that; turns out Janet is a fine producer. She has produced both of Chris Stuart and Backcountry's stellar recordings, 'Saints and Strangers' and 'Mojave River', Ivan Rosenberg's solo album, 'Back to the Pasture', and Eric Uglum's gorgeous recording 'Shenandoah Wind.' All were recorded, mixed and mastered at New Wine studios in Hesperia, California, with engineer Eric Uglum (of Lost Highway).

But what really sold me on the idea was when Janet whipped out her portable studio and demonstrated how it works. At that time she was working on Eric's project; editing and tweaking things whenever she had a bit of time on the road. I was blown away by the clarity of the sound, the portability of the whole system, and Janet's masterful use of the ProTools program. She helped me realize that in a solo project with some very good studio musicians, I could showcase all the styles I've enjoyed playing and singing over the past twenty some-odd years, and create something that really represents what I love to do.

It’s taken close to a year to put it all together, including two trips to New Wine Studio; first to record the vocals and most recently to mix and master. Janet and I did tons of pre-production work via email. I sent working tapes, and we chatted back and forth about ideas, personnel, song choices, and arrangements. Janet arranged and recorded all the instrumental sessions, fitting them in whenever people were available. It was tricky working around the touring schedules of two very busy bands – Chris Stuart and Backcountry and Lost Highway, during the height of the season. All the members of CSB were involved – Chris on rhythm guitar and harmony vocals, Janet on banjo and harmony vocals, Mason Tuttle on bass, and Ivan Rosenberg on dobro. Marshall Andrews played bass on several songs and Paul Shelasky added fiddle and mandolin as well as rhythm and lead swing guitar. In fact, Paul played so much on this recording, it should be called Sue Malcolm and Paul Shelasky. Having been Paul’s next door neighbour for long periods of time at the BC Bluegrass Workshop, I have heard him telling his students countless times about the importance of style. He certainly demonstrates this beautifully on this CD.

Janet recorded most of the tracks at New Wine Studio, but also did sessions in various locations on the road, including the BC Bluegrass Workshop at Sorrento BC. My False Creek bandmate, Garry Stevenson did some fabulous guitar solos there, and Paul Shelasky did his rhythm guitar tracks for three swing tunes. Paul ended up purchasing the beautiful archtop guitar that luthier David Sohn had loaned him for the session. Back at New Wine Studio, Paul added some gorgeous lead solos with his new instrument.

I am thrilled to have this great group of musicians help me put together this collection of songs the way they really should be played. There are bluegrass songs with a traditional hard-driving sound, old-time country ballads complete with twin fiddles, three western swing tunes, and one slow country ballad. I’ve included two originals – High Rise Lonesome, and Amber Eyes. I’m particularly excited about Let’s Be Sweethearts Again, a beautiful country song written by the late Betty McDaniel, and never before recorded.

P.S. Go here to see lots of candid shots of the making of the CD.