<p><strong>Pinecastle Records</strong> has announced December 9, 2016 as the release date for <em><strong>Hanging Tree</strong></em>, the laest project from <a href="http://penguinpublicity.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5695fb593fc3e0407e4587380&;id=bc9747b473&;e=5226c9130c"><strong>Blue Mafia</strong></a>, the spirited group that has been called &#8220;unabashedly bluegrass.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Hanging Tree</em> is the band&#8217;s second release on the North Carolina record label. <em>Pray For Rain</em> was released to wide acclaim in 2015. Blue Mafia&#8217;s independently released debut album, <em>My Cold Heart</em>, was released in 2013 and quickly shone a light on the Indiana band, leading to their signing to <a href="http://penguinpublicity.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5695fb593fc3e0407e4587380&;id=dd9ab6941f&;e=5226c9130c">Pinecastle</a>.</p>
<p>Blue Mafia was founded in 2011, the brainchild of husband and wife team, <strong>Dara Wray</strong> (mando, vocals and rock solid songwriting) and <strong>Tony Wray</strong> (guitar, vocals). The skilled ensemble is rounded out by <strong>Mike Gregory </strong>on bass, <strong>Kent Todd</strong> on fiddle and vocals, with the recent addition of<strong> Curtis Bumgarner </strong>on banjo.</p>
<p>A preview single, &#8220;Like A Mining Man,&#8221; has already been released to bluegrass radio.</p>
<p>Blue Mafia is characterized by Tony&#8217;s dynamic guitar playing; three strong vocalists in Dara, Tony and Kent; plus skillful harmonies with consistently tight picking. Dara has proven to be an exciting new songwriting voice in the genre and she contributes three originals to this new album: &#8220;The Man You Know,&#8221; &#8220;You Belong To Me,&#8221; and &#8220;Life.&#8221; Ironically, Dara is reluctant to label herself as a &#8220;songwriter,&#8221; yet she has demonstrated a brilliant gift for crafting illustrative lyrics and melodies with a familiar feel.</p>
<p>Additional songs were culled from various sources, like &#8220;With Body And Soul,&#8221; which Dara&#8217;s father and uncles used to perform. Blue Mafia gives it their touch in homage to those elders. The group chooses songs that truly move them personally, like &#8220;Who You Are,&#8221; which was written by Kevin Hayes, a fan and friend of the band. The title cut caught the attention of Tony and Dara as they watched the popular movie, &#8216;The Hunger Games,&#8217; for which the tune was originally composed.</p>
<p><strong>TRACK LIST</strong><br />
Like A Mining Man<br />
Hanging Tree<br />
Sweet Mary Of The Mountains<br />
The Man You Know<br />
With Body And Soul<br />
Baby You&#8217;re Gone<br />
Midnight Rain<br />
Loneliness And Desperation<br />
Say Won&#8217;t You Be Mine<br />
You Belong With Me<br />
Life<br />
Who You Are</p>
<p><strong>www.bluemafiaband.com</strong></p>
New Album “Hanging Tree” Due Dec 9th from Bluegrass Group Blue Mafia
