Railroad Earth stays on track after the passing of one of its original members
It’s not easy for a quintet to stay intact for nearly 20 years. However, Railroad Earth featured the same lineup from 2001 until the passing of multi-instrumentalist Andy Goessling in 2018.
Just after Goessling died from cancer, the New Jersey-based band decided that the show must go on. Within months of Goessling’s death, Railroad Earth crafted “All for the Song,” which is understandably the most emotional album of the eclectic bluegrass band’s career.
“We planned to make this album with Andy in New Orleans and he got sick and we lost him a year and a half later,” drummer Carey Harmon said while calling from his Verona, New Jersey home. “It was so difficult to go on without him for so many reasons. We were all very close with Andy, who was a wonderful person and he was this Swiss army knife of a musician, who could play anything. Andy wanted us to continue and we made this album with such a heavy heart.”
“All For the Song” was crafted in the Big Easy with Anders Osborne producing and adding some guitar work. “It helped so much having Anders in the studio with us,” Harmon said. “He’s got great ears and is a tremendous musician. Anders helped us get through everything after Andy passed away.”
The album opens with “The Great Divide,” a moving, old-timey tune that’s a meditation on death and what’s next. “There’s tellin’ of a better home a-waiting’, waitin’ on the other side,” singer-songwriter Todd Sheaffer belts out.
“Todd has an interesting way of working things out lyrically,” Harmon said. “He nailed it.”
Sheaffer finds joy in the pain with the horn-driven “It’s So Good.” “Showers of Rain” is one of the most gorgeous songs in the Railroad Earth canon. “We laid it all out there for Andy and for ourselves,” Harmon said. “I think we showed after all this time that we still have something to say.”
Railroad Earth, which will perform Tuesday at the Bing Crosby Theater, had released nine albums before “The Great Divide” but it’s no nostalgia trip for the venerable band. Railroad Earth, which also includes violinist Tim Carbone, multi-instrumentalist John Skehan and bassist Dave Speranza, still has much to express. “With all that we’ve experienced over the last 20 years, after all of the adventures, it feels like it’s time to pull up a barstool and let the fans know what it’s in us,” Harmon said. “It’s exciting for us that we still have a story to tell. With this album, it all just gushed out. “Showers of Rain” is just raw with emotion. Andy is all over this record.”
It’s clearly cathartic for Railroad Earth, which features elements of folk, rock, country, jazz, Celtic and Americana, to get so much off of their collective chest in the studio and now on the road. “It feels good after every show,” Harmon said. “We know Andy would love for us to continue doing what we enjoy so much. Railroad Earth has to continue. But it wasn’t easy taking this step. We had massive shoes to fill.”
It took two musicians to bridge the gap. Keyboardist Matthew Slocum and pedal steel and banjo player Mike Robinson have been added as touring musicians. “We needed Matt and Mike to come in to fill the void left by Andy,” Harmon said. “We’re doing our best to continue.”
Railroad Earth, which enjoys improvising in concert, has been working on new songs. “Like all of our material, what we have coming up is from an honest place,” Harmon said. “It’s possible that we’ll play some new songs when we go on the road. After this tour, we’ll find time to get into the studio and write a new chapter for Railroad Earth.”
Harmon is surprised that Railroad Earth’s Spokane show at the Bing is only the band’s second time in the Lilac City. “That’s crazy that after all this time we’ve only been to Spokane once,” Harmon said “We’ll have to come back more often.”