Michael & Nell
Michael & Nell (Michael J August and Nell Levin) released their WELCOME HOME album on July 31, 2020. The album was #5 on the August International Folk Alliance DJ Chart and they were the #7 artists. Their version of “Election Year Rag”, Steve Goodman’s irreverent take on politics, was the #3 song, receiving wide airplay leading up to the 2020 Election. As America faces an imminent eviction crisis in the coming months, they are embarking on a campaign centered around their song Welcome Home. A video of the song can be seen here. Our Welcome Home song was a finalist in 2021 Songs For Social Change Contest sponsored by Renaissance Artists and Writers Association (RAWA), a worldwide movement of artists, writers, musicians and creative people who want to use their talent to serve humanity.
The Welcome Home CD would not have been possible without the help of producer/engineer/multi-instrumentalist Brad Benge. Brad played guitar for 4 years with legendary fiddler Byron Berline, provided sound for 4 years with another legend, guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and helped engineer Tommy’s Accomplice album which spent 17 weeks as #1 on the national bluegrass charts. Brad helped us arrange these songs and played drums, electric guitar, keyboard, upright bass and sang background vocals. Welcome Home was largely recorded at Tunesmith Studios in Goodlettsville, TN.
Michael & Nell, formerly known as Shelby Bottom Duo, created the acclaimed multimedia Joe Hill Road Show and released the companion CD JOE HILL ROADSHOW in 2016. They have performed the Show online or in person 38 times. A video of the Show can be seen on YouTube https://youtu.be/UtzwItRXSWc. They have received funding for the Show from Metro Nashville Arts Commission, the Puffin Foundation, and Tennessee Arts Commission. In 2020, they received a CARES grant from Humanities TN for 5 virtual performances of the Show.
They formed the “formidable” Shelby Bottom String Band in 2008. The Band released its EAST NASHVILLE RAG album in 2012. The Band’s version of Nell’s song "Displacement Blues" was named by the Tennessean as "Nashville's newest social justice anthem" and Michael’s song "Fat and Bald" has received overseas airplay and continues to be an audience favorite. Michael & Nell reinvigorate the band's tradition of entertaining, irreverent social commentary, humanity and humor. Their repertoire includes originals like "Boss Called A Meeting, and “Welcome Home” plus some lighthearted songs like “Hot Chicken.” They have performed on the stage of Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and at many venues, festivals, house concerts and benefits for environmental, community and social justice organizations.
Michael August was been a programmer on Nashville radio station WRFN for 10 years. He is a songwriter and has been the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Shelby Bottom String Band for 7 years. He has also played as a solo artist.
Nell Levin has played with Americana artist Tom Roznowski, Buffalo Gals, Cadillac Cowgirls, Goldrush and bluegrass pioneer Earl Taylor. She was voted Most Promising Female Songwriter by Tennessee Songwriters Association. She was the primary songwriter, fiddler and back-up vocalist for Shelby Bottom String Band for 7 years.
The band has four popular YouTube videos: “East Nashville Rag , “Don’t Blow Up The Mountain” “Obama Back Again” and “Displacement Blues.” Nell Levin also has a YouTube video called “Where Are The Women: (The Tomato-gate Song.”)
“Something authentic coming out of Nashville that is fresh, real, fun and yet filled with social commentary set to a distinct style of music... Woody Guthrie meets Robert Johnson meets Steve Earle meets Sam Bush meets Del McCoury meets Scott Joplin meets Steeleye Span might begin to describe the sound of the Shelby Bottom String Band but still doesn’t do it justice because of the uniqueness of the lyrical content.”
“Whether waxing nostalgic about bygone days or lamenting the contemporary scourge of mountain top removal, the new-fashioned old-time music of the Shelby Bottom String Band is awash in humanity, humor and insight – all of it wrapped in a warm pocket of nimble down-home rhythms. East Nashville’s best-kept, most danceable secret.”
“Near to East Nashville’s Shelby Bottoms is a dense intersection called Five Points. Metaphorically, the SBSB stands at its own Five Points, where humor and history, generosity of spirit, musical skill and an inimitable groove all meet—and that’s a mighty good place to be.”