01/18/2010: PACKWAY HANDLE BAND To Release "What Are We Gonna Do Now?" on February 2, 2010

ATHENS, GA—December 17, 2009—Athens’ own PACKWAY HANDLE BAND is gearing up to release their fourth, and most fully realized effort to date, entitled What Are We Gonna Do Now? on February 2, 2010. The new album was recorded, engineered and produced by the band, and will be self-released. The record was mastered by Jeff Capurso (Widespread Panic, Kuroma) at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA.

Formed in 2001, Packway Handle Band has emerged at the national forefront of bands that use the gather-around-the-mic style. Theirs is not a mission to preserve historical styles; it's just how they do and what they do the best. They are one of the most popular bands currently on the Athens music scene; for seven consecutive years, from 2002 to 2009, they have been voted “Bluegrass /Americana Band of the Year” in the Flagpole Magazine’s reader’s poll.

Additionally, this award-winning band took first place in 2003 in the Miller Light Battle of the Bands in Athens, GA. In 2009, they won the Podunk Bluegrass Band competition in East Hartford, CT, and placed 2nd in the Rockygrass Festival Band competition in Lyons, CO. They have placed as finalists in the Telluride Folk & Bluegrass Festival band competition, taking 2nd in 2004.

The band performs over 200 shows a year in the United States. In 2008, the same year that they released their third CD, they embarked on an overseas tour to play the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, as well as a string of other dates throughout the UK, Belgium, Holland, and France. The band will continue to tour heavily in support of the new CD. Confirmed dates thus far include:

Thurs. Jan 21 The White Mule Columbia, SC 8 PM
Sat. Jan 23 The Bluegrass Express Hartwell, GA 7 PM
Fri. Feb 5 New Earth Music Hall Athens, GA 8 PM*
Sat. Feb 13 The Loft Live Columbus, GA 8 PM*
Fri. Feb 19 Eddie’s Attic Decatur, GA 7 PM*
Sat. Feb 20 The Hummingbird Macon, GA 8 PM
Sat. Apr 3 Dauset Trails Bluebirds & Bluegrass Festival Jackson, GA 11 AM
Thurs. July 22 Floydfest 9 Floyd, VA 8 PM
Sat. July 24 & Sun. July 25 Ossipee Valley Bluegrass Festival Cornish, ME 8 PM
Sat. Aug 7 & Sun. Aug 8 Podunk Bluegrass Festival East Hartford, CT 8 PM

*CD Release Shows

Packway Handle Band is Tom Baker on banjo; Josh Erwin on guitar and vocals; Andrew Heaton on vocals and fiddle; Zach McCoy on bass; and Michael Paynter on mandolin and vocals. Their enthusiasm and sense of humor are honest, making them appealing to a wide range of audiences, even those who might not normally listen to bluegrass.

For more information, music and video to go:
www.packwayhandleband.com
www.myspace.com/thepackwayhandleband