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SHADY TREE is musically fresh, spiritually stimulating and a huge leap forward for Greg Champion.

Greg Champion teamed up with one of the country's best producers, Rod McCormack, to craft an album that caused quite a stir upon its release.

It's a left turn for Champs, and one music writer has hailed it as 'contemporary Sixties lefty folky bluegrass'.

The talents of Champs and Producer Rod complement each other magically on this album.

Champs has delivered a swag of compelling songs which allows McCormack's fabulous gift for bluegrass/folk music to shine through, both in his playing and his Production.

SHADY TREE may be loosely described as 'happy songs about death'.

There are two or three classic Greg Champion chuckle songs, but the rest of the album is more reflective in a Champs sort of way.

Songs entitled When I Kick the Bucket, Walk Across the Line, Further Up the Mountain, Sleep on the Stony Ground and the title track Shady Tree indicate the type of subject matter.

Greg reveals that nearly all the songs were written in a recent rush and all contain a hint of spirituality in their tone.

For the project Champs was blessed with the support not only of Rod McCormack on guitar, banjo, dobro and mandolin, but also had the honour of Jane Saunders, Beccy Cole and Gina Jeffreys on duet vocals. James Gillard also played bass and sang on SHADY TREE, an album with no drums or electric guitar - but heaps of harmonies.

All songs by Greg Champion (Warner Chappell)
Produced by Rod McCormack