"Abbie Gardner gives the grit to Red Molly with her Dobro playing. On her new solo CD we get to hear not only her instrumental and songwriting prowess, but her marvelously versatile voice, which can convey pain or playfulness or pure bad girl blues power." - John Platt, WFUV

Coming five years and three Red Molly albums after her last solo CD, Hope is Abbie Gardner's latest solo recording- set to be released on April 1, 2011. The CD features her versatile voice backed by 3 types of slide guitar (dobro, lap steel, and National bottleneck) and a band comprised of not only her father, Herb Gardner (piano), but also her sister, Sarah Gardner, on organ. Ben Wittman (the drummer on Red Molly's James) locks in with upright bassist Craig Akin, who is featured on the first instrumental Abbie has ever recorded (a bass and dobro duet). The songs range from heartache to hope, from gritty lap steel to singing cellos, courtesy of Emily Hope Price. Folk sweetheart Robby Hecht lends his voice to three tracks and fellow member of Red Molly, Laurie MacAllister, is heard throughout. Longtime friends and collaborators Fred Gillen, Jr. and Beaucoup Blue also lend their voices.

"I feel like the songs revolve around Hope, both the song and the idea. Rather than having all hopeful songs, this CD reflects the glimmer of hope we all look for when in the midst of darkness." - Abbie Gardner

NOVEMBER 2013

Here I am writing to you from Clearwater Beach, Florida.  Rough life, eh?  We’ve got a couple days off on the Red Molly “Endless Summer” Tour and are happily staying with our new friend, Tom.  I think we’ve finally got this touring thing down.  Starting with Australia in March (that’s the end of their summer) and ending up in Florida and Texas in November.  :)

Even on our days “off” we end up busy, though.  This time we’re working up harmony parts for Ellis Paul’s upcoming record.  Let me tell you, some of the best songs he’s ever written are on this one.  Really great stuff and fun to sing with.  We even found a Florida studio to record in!

Next week I head to ResoSummit in Nashville, TN.  That’s the annual Dobro players conference- a weekend of learning from the pros.  I’m really looking forward to seeing my pals again, as well as taking classes like “Duane Allman Transposed” and “Advanced Concepts for Solo Dobro Performance” and even “Imitating 8-String Swing Licks on 6-String Dobro.”  It’s going to be a blast.  Plus, I get to sing in the “Backing Up a Vocalist” workshops.   Seeing what the pros would do on my songs (and hearing them explain why) is an incredible learning experience.

Abbie

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