It’s Just a Road is the third album by the Boxcars, released by Mountain Home Music on 30 April 2013 (MH 14622). The band had been founded by Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, Keith Garrett, John Bowman and Harold Nixon, and put out its first album in 2010. Here Garrett plays guitar, Stewart banjo, Steffey mandolin, Bowman fiddle and Nixon bass. The Boxcars are credited as producers, and Nixon and Stewart recorded, mixed and mastered the album themselves.
The twelve songs include originals by band members: Garrett wrote and sings the title track, and Stewart wrote “The Devil Held the Gun,” which Garrett also sings. Bowman takes the lead on “Southern Train.” The covers range from Jerry Reed’s “You Took All the Ramblin’ Out of Me,” which opens the album, to two Carter Family songs, “Coal Miner’s Blues” and “I’m Leaving You This Lonesome Song.” Steffey sings the old blues “Trouble in Mind,” Richard M. Jones’s song first recorded by Thelma La Vizzo in 1924, and Nixon takes a bass solo on it.
The album was one of five nominees for Best Bluegrass Album at the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014, when the Del McCoury Band’s The Streets of Baltimore won. Bowman left the band in 2014 to concentrate on preaching and singing in churches, and Gary Hultman replaced him.
Tracklist
- 1 You Took All The Ramblin' Out Of Me 2:59
- 2 It's Just A Road 2:47
- 3 When Sorrows Encompass Me Around 4:01
- 4 Cornelia 3:52
- 5 Skilliet Head Derailed 3:13
- 6 Southern Train 2:55
- 7 Coal Miner’s Blues alt version 2:42
- 8 The Devil Held The Gun 3:57
- 9 Trouble in Mind Source Recording 4:17
- 10 Never Again (Will I Knock Upon Your Door) Source Recording 2:28
- 11 Caryville 3:09
- 12 I'm Leavin' You This Lonesome Song 2:18
