“Kept Rising” is an apt name for the new album by The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow. The band formed in 2014, and like any group that has been together that long, they have endured their share of ups and downs. But over the years, because of their commitment to their friendship and to the music, The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow has kept rising.
The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow will celebrate the release of “Kept Rising,” which comes out on Friday, June 12, with a show at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls on Saturday, June 13, at 6 p.m. There will be a pre-show party at the Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley from 5 to 6 p.m. and a post-show celebration at Floodwater Brewing Company, which is presenting the show.
The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow consists of four songwriters: Tory Hanna, Greg Daniel Smith, Chris Merenda and David Tanklefsky, who trade off on lead vocals and instruments that range from guitar to banjo to trumpet. Their music defies easy labeling but would be commonly called “Americana.”
The musicians first got together at a 2012 mini-festival called The Whiskey Treaty at the then-Arts Block in Greenfield. The event featured singer-songwriters from the various hill towns of Franklin County who also shared a love of whiskey. The festival was such a hit that they decided to join together and form a band for a brief tour. That was 12 years ago, and since then they have played nearly 500 shows and have amassed a loyal following based on their reputation as a live act.
“Kept Rising” is the follow-up to their first studio album, “Band Together” (2020). The new album, and the title, came about in a rather roundabout way.
“We weren’t planning on making it an album — we were just chipping away at making singles,” said Smith in a Zoom conversation with the other members of the band. “Then one day, about three singles in, the artwork for the single ‘I Kept Rising’ arrived. The artist forgot the ‘I’ and it just said ‘Whiskey Treaty Roadshow Kept Rising.’”
“It landed like a prophecy,” Smith continued. “It was the message that we needed to hear after doing this so long and weathering some changes in the band. It was like ‘that’s what we’re going to keep doing,’ so I was like ‘guys, can this be an album?’”
Despite there being a six-year gap between albums, the band has not been idle. They have released an album of covers, “Recovered” in 2021 and a live album of original material, “Late Night Laid Back…and Live” in 2023.
“Kept Rising” came at a time of transition for the band as founding member Billy Keane departed from the group in late 2024. Going from a five-piece to four took some adjusting, leaving the band to question what still resonates with people, whether it remains authentic and how they can do more of it.
But this is a band that is used to challenges, balancing family duties, day jobs and solo projects, and the fact that they do not live near each other. They embraced the new project and were determined for it to reflect where they are now as a band.
“Every gig and every recording session is a challenge, but it’s a real labor of love,” said Tanklefsky, who lives outside of Boston, about the band’s logistics. “It’s part of what makes it fun and special when we come together to make a record like this. You have to be committed.”
“Kept Rising” was recorded at the 1357 Recording Studio in Greenfield and was produced by Smith.
“This time it was just the for of us, as opposed to someone from the outside putting their vision on it,” said Tanklefsky in reference to “Band Together,” which was produced by Johnny Irion, who brought in guest musicians like Arlo Guthrie.
“I never set out to produce the album,” explained Smith, who resides in Conway. “It just worked out that way.”
Smith is the only band member that still lives in Franklin Country. “I live closer to the studio, so I had more time and availability to work on stuff,” he said.
“On this album, we really wanted to hone in on tightness and punchiness, which I guess means a little bit of modern punch to the recording,” Smith said. “It’s a little less rootsy-folky, a little bit more rock n’ roll.”
As a result, the album is filled with big hooks, memorable melodies and a whole lot of energy, ranging from the pop bliss of “Greta” to the bluegrass vibe of “Harley Danger” and the irresistible groove of “Late Night Laid Back” — a live favorite that lends itself to extended jams onstage. The eight songs here reflect the varied styles we’ve come to expect from the band, and while some of these songs were written years ago, they sound incredibly fresh.
“The choice of songs was pretty random,” said Merenda, who resides in the Berkshires, when I noted that each songwriter had an equal number of songs on the disc. “It’s just the songs that are presented to the band at the time, and that we were playing live and jelling.”
“One of the reasons we have survived this long is that there has always been an equal distribution of the songs we are recording or playing live,” Tanklefsky explained. “But once you present it to the band, there is an unspoken understanding that it belongs to the band and that we all agree on how to use it.”
Each band member adds their unique contribution to each song and sings lead on the tracks they wrote.
There is a major open-mindedness to the way the four of us interact,” said Hanna, who lives in southern Vermont. “We pride ourselves on giving each other space and letting each musician do what they do.”
He added that the album also showcases the group’s different creative eras.
“Kept Rising” is the kind of record longtime fans will love, and it also serves as a perfect introduction to newcomers. It captures the energy and passion of the band’s live shows, as well as their overall commitment to making the best music they can.
The band is looking forward to this show; not only are they excited about debuting the album, but it’s their first full-band show in Shelburne Falls. They will be joined by bassist Josh Chaplin and drummer Pete Michelinie.
As parents of young children, the band members understand it can be difficult for families to attend shows, and they’d like children, including their own, to be there. That’s why they chose the early 6 p.m. start time.
“I grew up in Shelburne Falls, and Greg grew up in the next town over, so it’s really a hometown thing, and we thought, let’s lean into that,” said Hanna. “There’s a $5 ticket for kids, and we thought, let’s get kids to come and get them interested in rock ’n’ roll music. Get them pumped about playing music and performance.”
“Kept Rising” will be available on all streaming services on June 12, with CDs available for purchase at the show. A vinyl release will follow in the months to come.
Tickets are available at floodwaterbrewing.com. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. Memorial Hall does not sell alcohol, but it will be available at the pre- and post-show parties.
Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.