Merlefest photo
2014 Merlefest
The Steep Canyon Rangers were one of the headline acts of 2014’s Merlefest, held annually in Wilkesboro, N.C.
The Steep Canyon Rangers have partnered with soul legends Boyz II Men and the Asheville Symphony to overhaul the Rangers’ original “Be Still Moses,” which was first recorded on their 2007 breakout album Lovin' Pretty Women.
The idea to rework “Be Still Moses” was spearheaded by Steep Canyon Rangers’ producer Michael Selverne: Contrast Woody Platt’s bluegrass-flavored, sonorous baritone with the vocal arrangements that defined Boyz II Men's stratospheric rise in the '90s.
“We always get this chill when we know we are in the right place,” says Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman. “And we got a few chills working on this project.”
Banjoist Graham Sharpe said producers brought together “two very different musical worlds for a moment that transcends any genre designation. Boyz II Men took the song to a whole new level, and as a songwriter it's mind-blowing to hear."
You can listen to the song here.
“The Steep Canyon Rangers were a natural choice for our third studio collaboration,” Asheville Symphony Executive Director David Whitehill. “the opportunity to bring Boyz II Men onto the title track is a great pollination of musical stylings.”
Billboard reported that Boyz II Men recorded 16 tracks of vocals over the "Be Still Moses" arrangement, blending with Platt’s baritone and the bluegrass band's hometown Asheville Symphony and boosting the track's spiritual flavor.