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Welcome Home

by Michael & Nell

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Digital package includes all the original artwork in digital format.
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      $10 USD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    CD Case with artwork. Comes with a booklet that contains all the lyrics and a short bio of the artists.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Welcome Home via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days

      $15 USD or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    7
    releases

    Get all 7 Michael & Nell releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Banjo & Fiddle, Down That Road by Michael J August, Welcome Home, Reach High, Joe Hill Roadshow, East Nashville Rag, and A Well Traveled Porch. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $41.60 USD or more (35% OFF)

     

1.
Jerusalem 03:35
lyrics
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I woke up this mornin’, and none of the news was good Death machines were rumblin' 'cross the ground where Jesus stood And the man on my TV told me it had always been that way And there was nothin’ anyone could do or say And I almost listened to him Yeah, I almost lost my mind Then I regained my senses again Looked into my heart to find That I believe one fine day all the children of Abraham Will lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem Well maybe I'm only dreamin' and maybe I'm just a fool But I don't remember learnin' how to hate in Sunday school Somewhere along the way I strayed and I never looked back again But I still find some comfort now and then Then the storm comes thunderin' in And I can't lay me down And the drums are drummin' again And I can't stand the sound But I believe there'll come a day when the lion and the lamb Will lie down in peace together in Jerusalem And there'll be no barriers then There'll be no wire or walls And we can wash all this blood from our hands And all this hatred from our souls Yes, I believe there'll come a day when the lion and the lamb Will lie down in peace together in Jerusalem Yes, I believe one fine day all the children of Abraham Will lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem (Steve Earle, BMG Gold Songs o/b/o Primary Wave Earle)
2.
Days Gonna Come 03:22
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3.
Light in the Forest (Henry David Thoreau) 03:35
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4.
Make A Date 02:48
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5.
Boss Called A Meeting 03:20
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6.
Talking With Their Hands 03:34
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7.
Displacement Blues 02:41
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8.
Election Year Rag 02:02
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9.
Queen For A Day 04:15
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10.
No Man's Land 04:22
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11.
Hot Chicken 02:32
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12.
Welcome Home 04:04
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about

Michael & Nell (Michael J. August and Nell Levin), on their WELCOME HOME album, take us from East Nashville to Los Angeles, to Indianapolis, to Vera Cruz, to Concord, to Washington DC, to Jerusalem, by telling some of the important stories of our time along with entertaining flights of whimsy, all in the tradition of Joe Hill, Woody Guthrie, and Phil Ochs.

Michael & Nell live in Nashville, the home of 10,000 songwriters. The corporate Nashville music industry does not encourage the writing of “issue” songs but the craft of songwriting can certainly be learned here.

On this collection Michael & Nell meld crafty songwriting to social commentary and sprinkle in some lighthearted songs “to take the edge
off” as labor icon/songwriter Joe Hill put it.

On WELCOME HOME, Michael & Nell touch on critical issues such as peace in the Middle East (Jerusalem), environmental destruction and war (Day’s Gonna Come), non-violent resistance (Light in the Forest- Henry David Thoreau), the outsourcing of American jobs (Boss Called A Meeting), gentrification (Displacement Blues and Welcome Home), the plight of the immigrants called the Dreamers who were brought to the USA as children (No Man’s Land), and the life of a woman in the Los Angeles barrio (Queen For A Day).

They use humor to describe one guy’s frustration with the dating scene (Make A Date), Nashville’s obsession with a strange culinary invention (Hot Chicken) and include Steve Goodman’s light hearted take on elections (Election Year Rag). Talkin’ With Their Hands looks at ways we can do better in the world beyond just verbalizing. Michael can be
heard on this collection playing acoustic guitar, singing lead and harmony and Nell plays fiddle, piano, sings backup harmony and lead on two songs.

This collection would not have been possible without the help of producer/engineer/multi-instrumentalist Brad Benge. Brad played guitar for 4 years with legendary fiddler Byron Berline, provided sound for 4 years with another legend, guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and helped engineer Tommy’s Accomplice album which spent 17 weeks as #1 on the national bluegrass charts. Brad helped us arrange these songs and played drums, electric guitar, keyboard, upright bass and sang background vocals.

The album was largely recorded at Tunesmith Studios in Goodlettsville, TN. Michael & Nell formed the “formidable” Shelby Bottom String Band in 2008. This six-piece unit broke up in 2015 and Nell and Michael continued performing as the Shelby Bottom Duo. In 2016 they created their acclaimed multimedia Joe Hill Road Show and released a companion CD.

They have performed the Show live 27 times for colleges, unions
and community groups. Thanks to funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission and Metro Nashville Arts Commission, they have made the Show available on YouTube. Michael & Nell have performed at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and at other prominent venues, house concerts and benefits for environmental, community and social justice organizations.

credits

released April 21, 2021

Michael J August - guitar, lead vocals, harmony vocals
Nell Levin - fiddle, piano, lead vocals, harmony vocals
Brad Benge - upright bas, drums, electric guitar, keyboard, bell, harmony vocals
Julie Adams - cello
Bruce Baxter - accordion
Corey Fritz - trombone
Al Goll - dobro
Stan Lawrence - mandolin
Chris Leidhecker - drums
Bob Mason - mandolin
Jeremy Stephens - banjo, mandolin
Holly Tashian - upright bass
Barry Tashian - banjo, drums
Dave Thomas - drums, whistle
Jon Weisberger - upright bass
Mike Wyatt - percussion

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Michael & Nell Nashville, Tennessee

Michael & Nell's Welcome Home album was #5 on the August 2020 Folk Alliance Chart. Michael's Down That Road CD came out in 2021. The Joe Hill Roadshow CD features songs they perform in their live Joe Hill presentation. They led the “formidable” Shelby Bottom String Band from 2008 to 2015. The band's East Nashville Rag CD is now out of print. This site also promotes friends of Michael & Nell. ... more

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