Split Lip Rayfield

Last updated
Split Lip Rayfield
SplitLipRayfield.jpeg
Background information
Origin Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Genres Bluegrass, alternative country
Years active1995–present
LabelsBloodshot Records
MembersJeff Eaton
Wayne Gottstine
Eric Mardis
Past members Kirk Rundstrom (deceased)
David Lawrence
Website Official Site

Split Lip Rayfield is an American vocal and acoustic instrumental group from Wichita, Kansas, United States. Though they are sometimes classified as a bluegrass, alternative country, or cowpunk band, their music draws on a wide array of influences.

Contents

History

Split Lip Rayfield is a band from Wichita, Kansas featuring Kirk Rundstrom (guitar), Eric Mardis (banjo), Wayne Gottstine (mandolin), and Jeff Eaton (bass). Early on, the group's gimmick was Eaton's homemade one-string bass, named Stitchgiver, built from the gas tank of a 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis and a piece of hickory and strung with one piece of Weedwhacker line. [1]

The name "Split Lip Rayfield" was inspired by a real-life person who went to high school with Eaton's parents in Desloge, Missouri. He acquired the nickname "Split Lip" due to constant chapped lips so bad his lip would split.

The trio of Rundstrom, Eaton and Mardis recorded the album Split Lip Rayfield in 1998; Bloodshot released it that same year. [2]

In 1999, Split Lip Rayfield released In the Mud , the first album on which the group was joined by Gottstine and performed as a quartet. This album contained fan favorites such as Gottstine's "3.2 Flu", Rundstrom's "Devil", Mardis' "Hounds" and a cover of the George Jones/Melba Montgomery song "Easy Street". The band followed up the album's release with a nationwide tour.

The band's next album, Never Make It Home (2001), also achieved success, as did the subsequent tour.

Following the Never Make It Home tour, Split Lip Rayfield took a short hiatus so that its members could refocus on family life and side projects. Upon reassembling, the group traveled to New Orleans to make a record with friend and fellow performer Mike West. The resulting disc, Should Have Seen It Coming (2004), won critical praise.

In 2005, Gottstine left the touring group for personal reasons, but the remaining trio continued to tour. Gottstine returned in summer of 2006 after Kirk Rundstrom's cancer diagnosis.

In 2008, the group guest wrote various music pieces for an episode of the Adultswim show Squidbillies entitled Mephistopheles Traveled Below to a Southern State Whose Motto is 'Wisdom, Justice and Moderation'.

In 2008, the group released "I'll Be Around." The album was dedicated to the late Kirk Rundstrom and the title track is a tribute to him.

On January 7, 2017, the group released its sixth studio recording, "On My Way", their first in over eight years.

Jeff Eaton is the nephew of 1950s and 1960s fashion model Evelyn Tripp.

Illness

Early in 2006, while on tour in Colorado, Rundstrom sought medical attention for pain in his throat and difficulty in swallowing. Doctors quickly concluded that he had esophageal cancer and would need immediate, intense treatment. [1]

Heavy doses of radiation and chemotherapy were unable to completely reverse the damage, and Rundstrom's health suffered greatly from the treatments. However, by early autumn, he was playing shows again. Rundstrom was administered doses of intravenous vitamin C. He lived a year-and-a-half longer than doctors expected.

A fully reunited Split Lip Rayfield embarked on another tour and played what was billed as its final show on December 8, 2006, Live at the Cotillion Ballroom, in Wichita.

Rundstrom died on February 22, 2007, in Wichita. He is survived by his father, wife, and two daughters. [3]

The group decided to continue playing without a replacement dedicating each show to Rundstrom. Gottstine rejoined the band permanently, and their first show without Rundstrom was in August 2007.

In 2011, the feature documentary Never Make It Home was released. It was originally intended as a concert film, but eight months into filming, Rundstrom's diagnosis changed director G.J. Echternkamp's plans. The result is an intimate portrait of the musician's final days. [4]

Influence

Split Lip Rayfield helped pioneer what came to be known as the "Stage Five" sound, named for the notorious "unofficial" Stage 5 at the annual Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas.

Typically, bluegrass musicians played traditional folk and country songs on acoustic string instruments. Bands like Split Lip faithfully used traditional acoustic instruments but played songs that were more closely related stylistically to rock, punk, or heavy metal.

Although Split Lip was not the first of its kind — other groups such as the Bad Livers came before — a growing number of acoustic "thrash-grass" bands owe a great debt to Split Lip for helping to define the genre.[ citation needed ]

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

7" record

DVDs

Related Research Articles

For many decades, Kansas has had a vibrant country and bluegrass scene. The Country Stampede Music Festival – one of the largest music festivals in the country – and the bluegrass/acoustic Walnut Valley Festival are testament to the continued popularity of these music genres in the state. Among current leading country artists, Martina McBride and Chely Wright are natives of Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Farrar</span> American singer-songwriter

Jay Stuart Farrar is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis. A member of two critically acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001. Beyond his established talents as a songwriter, he is a guitarist, pianist, harmonicist, and a vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot Water Music</span> American post-hardcore band

Hot Water Music is an American punk rock band formed in October 1994 and based in Gainesville, Florida. Since their formation, the group has consisted of Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard on shared lead vocals and guitars, bass guitarist Jason Black, and drummer George Rebelo. Since 2017, the band has also included guitarist-vocalist Chris Cresswell. The band initially broke up in August 1998, but reformed by October 1998. The group split up again in 2006, but has remained active since 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayseed Dixie</span> American bluegrass band

Hayseed Dixie is an American band formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2000. Their first album was A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC. The band performs bluegrass cover versions of hard rock songs and also original songs of a mostly satirical or absurdist nature in a self-created musical genre which the band calls "rockgrass." The band's name is a linguistic play on the name of the band AC/DC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Langford</span> Musical artist

Jonathan Denis Langford is a Welsh musician and artist based in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, which specializes in alternative country music.

<i>Split Lip Rayfield</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Split Lip Rayfield

Split Lip Rayfield is the First studio album by the American Bluegrass band Split Lip Rayfield, released in 1998.

<i>In the Mud</i> 1999 studio album by Split Lip Rayfield

In The Mud is the second studio album by the American bluegrass band Split Lip Rayfield, released in 1999.

<i>Never Make It Home</i> 2001 studio album by Split Lip Rayfield

Never Make It Home is the third studio album by the American Bluegrass band Split Lip Rayfield, released in 2001.

<i>Should Have Seen It Coming</i> 2004 studio album by Split Lip Rayfield

Should Have Seen It Coming is the fourth studio album by the American bluegrass band Split Lip Rayfield, released in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Khan (musician)</span> Canadian musician/producer/artist/writer

Arish Ahmad Khan, better known by his stage name King Khan, is a Canadian musician/producer/artist/writer. He is best known as the frontman of King Khan and the Shrines and for being one half of The King Khan & BBQ Show.

<i>Ill Be Around</i> (album) 2008 studio album by Split Lip Rayfield

I'll Be Around is the fifth studio album by the American bluegrass band Split Lip Rayfield, released on October 15, 2008. It is significant in that this is the first studio album after former guitar player Kirk Rundstrom's death, and its dedication to his memory. Also of note in the liner notes is a set of instructions for the building of the famous "Gas-Tank Bass" of Jeff Eaton.

<i>Live</i> (Split Lip Rayfield album) 2004 live album by Split Lip Rayfield

Live or Split Lip Rayfield Live is the first live album from the bluegrass/punk band Split Lip Rayfield. It was recorded live on New Year's Eve of 2003 at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas. It contains music from their first three albums and the music is significantly faster than the studio-recorded versions.

Live at the Cotillion Ballroom is the first live DVD from the bluegrass/punk band Split Lip Rayfield. It was recorded live on December 8 of 2006 at The Cotillion Ballroom in Wichita, Kansas. It was billed as the "last show" after the deteriorating health of band member Kirk Rundstrom made it difficult to tour. The DVD contains songs from all five studio albums, including "Rig or Cross", which was unreleased at the time, but later appeared on I'll Be Around. It also contained the songs "How Many Biscuits Can You Eat?", "Orange Blossom Special", and "Old Time Religion", not on any studio album.

<i>Live at the Bluebird</i> 2004 live album by Split Lip Rayfield

Live at the Bluebird or Split Lip Rayfield / Live at the Bluebird Theatre / Denver, CO is the second live album from the bluegrass/punk band Split Lip Rayfield. It was recorded live on January 28 of 2006 at The Bluebird Theatre in Denver, Colorado. It contains music from their first three albums and the music is significantly faster than the studio-recorded versions. It is significant that this is the only work by Split Lip Rayfield that does not contain the contributions of Wayne Gottsine, the band's mandolin player, who was on hiatus from the band at the time.

The Cotillion Ballroom is a concert venue in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is located between Maize Road and 119th Street West on the north side of Kellogg in west Wichita.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Livers</span> Musical artist

The Bad Livers were an American band from Austin, Texas, United States, whose inventive musical style defied attempts to categorize them according to existing genres. Their influences included bluegrass, folk, punk, and other musical styles. The original lineup, formed in 1990, included Danny Barnes on banjo, guitar and resonator guitar, Mark Rubin on upright bass and tuba, and Ralph White III on fiddle and accordion. Barnes composed the majority of the group's original songs. When White left the group at the end of 1996, he was briefly replaced by Bob Grant on mandolin and guitar. Barnes and Rubin then continued to perform and record as a duo until unofficially dissolving the band in 2000. The band has neither toured nor recorded since then, but Barnes and Rubin have played a few live shows with Grant in 2008, 2009, and 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain Standard Time (band)</span>

Mountain Standard Time is an American bluegrass fusion band from Nederland, Colorado. The sextet is composed of Stan Sutton on guitar, mandolin and vocals; Nick Dunbar on mandolin, guitar and vocals; Adam Pause on banjo and vocals; Jeff "Curly Collins" Schroeder on bass and vocals; Kyle Stersic on saxophone and electronic wind instruments; and Zach Scott on drums. The band is managed by Brian Heisler. Originally formed in 2006, the band has undergone several line-up changes, before settling into its current form in the fall of 2010. They released their self-titled debut album, recorded by Grammy-award winner David Glasser in February 2011 in support of their second annual "Mardi-Grass" celebration at the Fox theater in Boulder, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hooten Hallers</span>

The Hooten Hallers are an American blues and rock and roll band that formed in Columbia, Missouri, in 2007.

Ghost Light is a five-piece American jam band formed in 2017 by Tom Hamilton, Raina Mullen, Holly Bowling, Scotty Zwang, and Steve Lyons. Ghost Light's debut album, Best Kept Secrets, was named one of Glide's top 20 albums of 2019. Ghost Light has performed on major festival stages and in historic venues including Lockn' Festival, Jam Cruise, Electric Forest Festival, Mission Ballroom, Brooklyn Bowl, The Peach Music Festival and Terrapin Crossroads. Ghost Light toured as an opening act for Greensky Bluegrass in the winter of 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 Finn, Timothy (June 20, 2012). "Split Lip Rayfield keeps alive the music and a legacy". The Kansas City Star . Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  2. ↑ Weeks, Lisa (August 9, 2001). "Split Lip Rayfield". Phoenix New Times . Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  3. ↑ Weight, Rachel (March 3, 2007). "Splitlip Rayfield's Kirk Rundstrom Passes Away". Santa Barbara Independent . Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ Olszewski, Tricia (June 17, 2011). "Never Make It Home". Washington City Paper . Retrieved November 14, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.