The Muellers Sign with MasterShield Records Sunday, March 4, 2007
Bridgewater, VA
MasterShield Records announces they have signed an exclusive recording contract with the New England-based family band, The Muellers. Branching Out,The Muellers third album, is scheduled for a late May 2007 release.
We are excited for the opportunity to have this lively group on our label. They are such a fine set of brothers and sisters and a lot of credit has to go to Curt and Karen, their parents, for setting such high standards for them to follow. Their musical abilities are just unbelievable for ones so young. Our expectations are very high for them, and I cant wait to just watch them branch out into many good bluegrass areas, said MasterShield Records President, Verna Rodes.
Branching Outfeatures the efforts of four Maine songwriters. Before Its Too Late is a gospel song written by 11-year old Sarah Mueller. Nancy Merrill and Steven Peterson contributed Lichen-Covered Stone, and fiddler Ed Howe wrote the energetic instrumental, M.O.M. The disk features a mix of new and old, the traditional and more modern. Another highlight is a triple-fiddle arrangement of the Kenny Baker tune Washington County, played by fiddlers Sarah, 11; Laurah, 14; and John, 8. The Muellers eldest son Tom, presently working on a Masters of Sacred Music at the University of Notre Dame, did the arrangement. Upon graduation in May 2007, Tom will be joining the family band.
From Maine but with family roots in Missouri, The Muellers mark the beginning of their band as fall 2003 when eldest daughter Annah, then 16, learned the guitar and joined in with her five younger sisters and brothers, and mom Karen and dad Curt, who were already learning stringed instruments and playing bluegrass with friends. The band won first place in the KSMU Youth in Bluegrass contest held at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, in October 2004. Their first two projects are Family Favorites (2005) and Silver Dollar (2006). The band currently consists of the six Mueller childrenAnnah, Bob, Laurah, Sarah, John and George (ages 19 to 5) and parents Curt and Karen Mueller.
Everyone in our family is excited about this new relationship with MasterShield Records, and we count this as another new beginning in the life of our band, said bass player and mom Karen Mueller.
Again, I say watch this group with their dedication and talent, we expect they will go far, said MasterShield Records President, Verna Rodes.
