Sleepless Nights is a new group on the scene in NYC, purveyors of Cosmic American Music, if you will. CAM, for those in the know, and out of it, one may assume, is the brainchild of one Cecil Ingram Conner III, better known as Gram Parsons, Keith’s running buddy way back when, and the godfather of country rock, it has been said.
Sleepless Nights got together at the end of 2015. It was an epiphany of guitarist and vocalist Christian Botta and pedal steel and vocalist Ron Raymond, hatched somewhere between Nashville and the Spring Street Lounge. Nobody knows for sure exactly where but when vocalist and guitarist Ellen Croteau joined the lineup soon after, everything was set.
The trio is proud to bring you their newly minted four song demo, and the song choices should go a long way towards explaining the nature of their music and perhaps the concept of CAM, as well, although there is so much more to come.
Produced and recorded at The Lair by Raymond, the demo includes “Sweetest Waste of Time,” a duet between Croteau and RR that was written by Kasey Chambers that really sparkles (click on the links below).
The Stones’ “No Expectations” gets a bit of a he said-she said treatment with Botta and Croteau trading verses.
Then there are a pair of songs that highlight the work of one-time Byrds Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, “You’re Still On My Mind” and “Sin City,” the latter one of the grandest of the Flying Burrito Brothers’ mile high harmony excursions. You can dig SN’s three-part harmony on both of these numbers.
Sleepless Nights have appeared several times at the HiFi Bar as part of the Sunday Sessions, and recently played a highly successful dinner engagement or should we say, steel guitar engagement at Parigot, a cozy French bistro on the outskirts of SoHo. They look forward to playing many more dates in the future and hitting the recording studio again soon. Enjoy!
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