Raleigh-based roots rock quartet 6 String Drag is back after more than 16 years in hibernation. Front man Kenny Roby came into the WUNC studios recently to talk about getting the band back together, and their new album.
Before Roots Rock ‘N’ Roll was released last year, Steve Earle produced 6 String Drag's celebrated album, High Hat in 1997. After that, Roby says, the band drifted apart.
"A lot of it was family obligations, not too much artistic differences," Roby says, of bandmates having kids and wanting to spread out commitments. "It was a little bit more of life guiding us in different directions."
But Roby wasn't ready to slow down. He says he was "lazily ambitious" at that time. He kept writing music and embarked on a solo career, where he says he learned the value of hard work.
But some of the songs he wrote during that timedidn't feel right to keep for himself. He says "Chopping Block" never fit on a solo record, and now it ended up with "Me and My Disease" on Roots Rock ‘N’ Roll.
"Kingdom of Getting it Wrong" is another hit off the new album. Here's a video of their Acoustic Asheville performance: