The Pine Hill Haints are an American traditional bluegrass/folk/honky tonk/country band from Alabama, though the band members themselves describe their unique southern roots music as "Alabama Ghost Music."[1]

The Pine Hill Haints
The Pine Hill Haints performing at Fred's in Loachapoka, Alabama. (Pictured from left: Kat Barrier, Ben Rhyne, Jamie Barrier, Matt Bakula)
The Pine Hill Haints performing at Fred's in Loachapoka, Alabama. (Pictured from left: Kat Barrier, Ben Rhyne, Jamie Barrier, Matt Bakula)
Background information
OriginAuburn, Alabama
GenresFolk
Years active1998–present
LabelsArkam Records, Lelp, Sunburst, K
MembersJamie Barrier
Katie "Kat" Barrier
Stevie LaBlanc
Brian "Zero" Borden
Justin Ward
Past membersTravis Hightower
Matt Bakula
Ben Rhyne
Sarah Nelson
Roger Holcombe
Rymodee
Bradley Williams
Jeremy Dale Henderson
Matt Comer
Websitehttp://www.thepinehillhaints.com/

The Haints are composed of Jamie Barrier on guitar and vocals, Katie "Kat" Barrier on mandolin, singing saw, and washboard, Stevie LaBlanc on washtub bass, Justin Ward on accordion and trombone, and Brian "Zero" Borden on snare drum.

Current line-up

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  • Jamie Barrier - vocals, guitar, fiddle, harmonica
  • Katie "Kat" Barrier – washboard, mandolin, saw
  • Matt Bakula - vocals, washtub, tenor banjo
  • Stevie LaBlanc - washtub, banjo, harmonica
  • Brian "Zero" Borden - snare
  • Justin Ward - accordion, trombone

Former members

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  • Travis Hightower - washtub
  • Matt Bakula - washtub, tenor banjo
  • Ben Rhyne – snare
  • Joey Barrier - banjo
  • Sarah Nelson - accordion
  • Roger Holcombe - snare
  • Rymodee - saw
  • Bradley Williams - washtub
  • Jeremy Dale Henderson- snare
  • Matt Comer- snare
  • Mike Posey - accordion
  • Jon Lucius - accordion
  • J.R. Collins - snare

Musical style

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The Pine Hill Haints perform music they consider to be "dead" in the modern world, hence their self-proclaimed "Ghost Music." Some examples of the genres they perform include (but are not limited to) gospel, rockabilly, rock and roll, celtic music, blues music, and bluegrass. While their catalog of songs comprises mainly original material, the band has also been known to cover traditional gospel (Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies, Where The Roses Never Fade), cowboy (I Ride An Old Paint, Back In The Saddle Again), and folk (Goodnight Irene, Oh! Suzanna/Camptown Races) songs.

In addition to their live instruments, the band also utilizes a number of traditional American folk music instruments (such as a fiddle, harmonica, tenor banjo, mandolin, saw, and accordion) on their recordings. Occasionally, members of the Haints will swap instruments or abandon his or her primary instrument altogether, instead performing on one of the aforementioned instruments for a song or two. The band has several former members, and depending on how many happen to be present at a performance, surprise guest performers may accompany the Haints onstage. Such impromptu reunion performances are not completely unexpected at their shows.

Discography

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Year Title Label Format Other information
2000 God, the Devil and the Two by the Gate Arkam Records 12-inch LP
2002 The Cold, Cold Hand Arkam Records CD Split album with The Natchez Shakers ("The Devil's Backbone").
2002 Tales From The Front Porch Arkam Records 12-inch LP Split album with The Crypt Kickers and The Plain Clothes Creep String Trio.
2002 Alabama Ghost Country Music Nation of Kids 7-inch EP
2003 Trains Have No Names Arkam Records CD
2003 Split Arkam Records 7-inch EP Split with David Dondero, 500 copies pressed on black vinyl.
2004 Those Who Wander Arkam Records CD
2004 You Bury Your Hate In A Shallow Grave Lelp Recordings CD
2005 The Pine Hill Haints Meet Clampitt, Gaddis & Buck Lelp Recordings CD Split album with Clampitt Gaddis & Buck.
2005 Jack of Diamonds Arkam Records 7-inch EP 500 copies pressed on black vinyl.
2007 Darktime Came to the Hills Sunburst Records 7-inch EP 500 copies pressed on black vinyl with hand-screened covers
2007 Ghost Dance K Records 12-inch LP / CD
2009 To Win or To Lose K Records 12-inch LP / CD
2009 Riding the Long Southern Train Blues Arkam Records 7-inch EP Included with Spidder #14 zine.
2010 Black Casket Razorcake / 45RPM Records 7-inch EP 110 copies pressed on translucent red vinyl, the rest on black vinyl.
2010 Split Let's Pretend Records 7-inch EP Split EP with the Trainwreck Riders. 110 copies pressed on clear vinyl, 440 copies pressed on black vinyl.
2011 The Evening Star Arkam Records / 45RPM Records/Burger Records 12-inch LP / CD / Cassette Compilation album featuring songs from various Haints 7-inch EPs and previously unreleased tracks. LP and CD released on Arkam Records, cassette jointly released by 45RPM Records and Burger Records. Cassette edition limited to 250 hand-numbered copies.
2011 Welcome to the Midnight Opry K Records 12-inch LP / CD
2011 Split Ya Dig? Records 10-inch EP / CD-R Split EP with Serious Sam Barrett. Packaged together with CD-R of the Split.
2011 Tales of Crime K Records 7-inch EP Release #138 in K Records' International Pop Underground 7-inch series
2014 Rabbit in the Pea Patch Arkam Records 7-inch EP Hand-screened cover art available in three colors: red, green, and blue.
2014 Moon Pie Arkam Records CD Contains songs from the Rabbit in the Pea Patch 7-inch, and the Fadeaways split 7-inch.
2014 Split Snuffy Smiles / Arkam Records 7-inch EP Split EP with The Fadeaways
2014 The Magik Sounds of the Pine Hill Haints K Records 12-inch LP / CD / Cassette
2016 The Cold, Cold Hand/The Devil's Backbone Arkam Records
2017 Smoke Arkam Records 12-inch LP / CD
2020 13 Arkam Records 12-inch LP
2021 The Song Companion of a Lonestar Cowboy Single Lock Records

See also

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This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, J.D. Wilkes

References

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  1. ^ Whitelock, Ed. "The Pine Hill Haints: The Magik Sounds of the Pine Hill Haints". popmatters.com. PopMatters. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
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