User:Heyeric/Last Train Home

Last Train Home is a roots-rock Americana band formed in Washington D.C. in 1997 and based in Nashville, TN. The band was named the Washington D.C. "Artist of the Year" for 2002 by the Washington Area Music Association. Last Train Home is "one of the country's most formidable roots-rock bands," according to Nashville's daily paper, The Tennessean. And while roots-rock is at the heart of LTH's sound, they add elements of country, bluegrass, swing, blues, folk, pop, and Tin Pan Alley into the mix as well. LTH frontman Eric Brace is a former staff writer for The Washington Post where he was a columnist covering the local music and nightlife scene from 1996 to 2003. Prior to Last Train Home, Eric played in several Washington area bands, including B-Time (where he was teamed with his brother Alan Brace), the Beggars, and Kevin Johnson & the Linemen. He also ran a local rock label, Top Records, for many years before focusing on his own music.

It was in late 1996 that Eric began recording the songs that became the band's eponymous debut, "Last Train Home," released in 1997 on the D.C. indie Adult Swim Records (run by Dischord Records co-owner and punk rock legend Jeff Nelson). In 1999, the band returned with the deeper and richer release, "True North."

Soon there was a Christmas EP ("Holiday Limited") another EP of cover tunes ("Tributaries"), and another full-length CD, "Time and Water." The band's path was becoming clear. In January, 2003, just as it was being declared Washington D.C.'s "Artist of the Year" by the Washington Area Music Association, Last Train Home went full-time. With its profile rising, the band opened for Willie Nelson at the Wolf Trap amphitheater outside Washington, and for Dolly Parton at DAR Constitution Hall. After relocating to Nashville in 2004, LTH quickly became an integral part of Nashville's independent music scene, and was named by the Tennessean newspaper as one of the finest live acts of 2005: "Best Show: Tie between Neil Young at the Ryman and Last Train Home at the Family Wash."

In 2005, the band released the CD "Bound Away," and followed that in 2007 with "Last Good Kiss," both widely-praised CDs that showed the band's artistic growth. That artistic evolution was rewarded with appearances on CBS's "Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and on the syndicated public radio show "Mountain Stage."

To celebrate its tenth anniversary, LTH recorded and released a live concert DVD and CD, "Live at IOTA," a vivid document that captures the dynamic live performance that has become the hallmark of this band.

Eric contributes most of the songs to LTH's recordings, but he also champions the works of such artists (and part-time LTH members) Alan Brace, Karl Straub, Steve Wedemeyer, Scott McKnight, and Bill Williams. He also finds lesser-known gems from the likes of Buck Owens, Tom T. Hall, and Barry White to add to the band's CDs and sets.

BAND MEMBERS Over the years, Last Train Home has included many musicians, with Eric Brace being the only constant: Jim Gray: Bass Kevin Cordt: Trumpet Tom Mason: Electric guitar Dave Van Allen: Pedal steel Paul Griffith: Drums Eric Fritsch: Guitar, keyboards Scott McKnight: Electric guitar Chris Watling: Saxophone, accordion Jared Bartlett: Electric guitar Pete Finney: Pedal steel Tim Carroll: Guitar Martin Lynds: Drums Steve Wedemeyer: Electric guitar Jen Gunderman: Keyboards, accordion Bill Williams: Electric guitar Alan Brace: Mandolin, harmonica Doug Derryberry: Guitars, keyboards, mandolin

DISCOGRAPHY "Last Train Home" - 1997 "True North" - 1999 "Holiday Limited" - 2000 "Travelogue" - 2001 "Tributaries" - 2001 "Time and Water" - 2003 "Bound Away" - 2005 "Last Good Kiss" - 2007 "Live at IOTA" - 2008 (CD & DVD) "Six Songs" - 2009 (under the name 'Eric Brace & Last Train Home'