Fans get a behind-the-scenes look at Guerrila-style recording process
Reigning CCMA Female Artist of the Year and ACM Award winner Tenille Townes will debut Train Track Worktapes: The Documentary tonight (Tues, Dec 5th) during a special livestream event at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of her roots-driven Train Track Worktapes EP, the documentary follows Townes on board the CP Holiday Train where the rhythm and rattle of the very train she traveled on became a source of infinite inspiration.
Train Track Worktapes, whose title harkens back to her stripped-down debut release Living Room Worktapes, was conceptualized, written, and recorded entirely during Townes’ experience on the CP Holiday Train. Covering more than three thousand miles throughout southern Canada, Townes and her band played more than 65 shows in just over two weeks, sometimes in temperatures as low as -24◦ F, right on the train as hydraulic doors lowered and became a stage. The CP Holiday Train benefits local food banks when their need is greatest, as each attendee brings donations to catch the free concert.
Townes, a producer on the project alongside guitarist Jaxon Hargrove, and her band got resourceful with their setup. A suitcase turned into a kick drum. Tin foil and paper bowls became a shaker. Teacups made the perfect substitute for a triangle. They used boxed wine to cover air vents, so the sound didn’t bleed into the recordings. They borrowed equipment and microphones from the train cars housing the stage and gear and recorded mainly in the train’s caboose, sometimes capturing takes in 20-minute spurts between shows. In Train Track Worktapes: The Documentary, fans can watch the magic unfold.
The entertainer returns to the CP Holiday train this year, joining with Breland to visit towns around the northern United States through December 11th.
Townes is also set to appear in CMT Campfire Sessions: Christmas Edition tomorrow (Wed, Dec 6th) airing at 9 pm ET on CMT where she’ll share Christmas traditions, what’s on her Christmas list, and perform a mix of traditional carols and original Christmas songs.
