Welcome

Raising the Bar

by Chad Darou

Featuring a Compilation of Bluegrass All Stars

Midnite Mountain Music/Chadaroo Records/Bell Buckle Records

Quotes and Praises

Claire Lynch: Grammy-Nominated Artist, IBMA "Female Vocalist of the Year"

"Chad Darou joins the ranks of those who have made exceptional Bluegrass recordings. Although many great voices lead the pack of these classic songs, it is Chad's playing and arrangements which provide the heart and soul of the project and strings them all together."

Randy Kohrs, Grammy winning Producer and Engineer

"Title cut, "Raising the Bar" is what I call “Swing with Sting!”

Becky Buller. 2016 IBMA "Vocalist & Fiddler of the Year"

"Chad is putting together a strong project here. I have heard a few tracks and I can tell you this is a magical album.

I think you’re gonna like it.”

Phil Leadbetter 2005 and 2014 IBMA “Dobro Player of the Year”and Member, Atlanta Country Music Hall

“This is really good stuff.

Chad is killin’ it on all these great tracks.

Two thumbs up!”

Jaqueline Kame, The Huffington Post

“The arrangements and use of vocals on

this project are uncommonly good. When you consider Chad’s lengthy performing career, a wide spectrum of different and varied genres emerges.....but it is his mastery of the Dobro that has brought him the recognition he deserves. And that,fellow listeners, is what you will hear.”

Jaqueline Kame,

The Huffington Post

RAISING THE BAR

Raising the Bar

"Raising the Bar" is an album that showcases a wide variety of All Star musicians and vocalists. There are traditional songs with fresh sounds and original tunes that are cleverly arranged and recorded by dobroist Chad Darou.

Producer/Artist

Raising the Bar

Claire Lynch: Grammy-award winning artist, IBMA "Female Vocalist of the Year"

Artists

Raising the Bar

Artists

The project features Dave Adkins, Ryan Paiskey, Rick Faris, Greg Cahill, Valerie Smith, Dan Eubanks, Nick Dumas, Cia Cherryholmes, Alecia Nugent, Donna Schacher, Jim VanCleve, Merl Johnson, Scot Eager, Tom Mindte, and the dobro playing of newcomer Chad Darou.

Huffington Post, 12/18/2017 12:20

"Chad's use of vocals are uncommonly good. When you consider Chad’s lengthy performing career, a wide spectrum of different and varied genres emerges. A Classically trained bassist, he is equally at home on a host of instruments including guitar, mandolin and banjo; especially Dobro. This ability has brought him the recognition he deserves as a composer and arranger. And that, fellow listeners, is what you will hear.

-Jacqueline Kame, Contributor HUFFINGTON POST

Regarding the amazing line-up of Artists, Chad said “There was no question about me wanting the guys from Special “C” on the CD” “They are without a doubt one of the best bands out there. It was clear I was going to need a variety of singers. A couple of dear friends offered to sing tracks." Producer "Midnite" Mike Pokalsky arranged the funding needed to bring in Dave Adkins, Ryan Paisley, Rick Faris, Greg Cahill, Valerie Smith, Donna Schacher, Dan Eubanks, Nick Dumas, Cia Cherryholmes, Alecia Nugent, Jim VanCleve, Merl Johnson, and more, completing an amazing line-up.

Chad Darou

Chad started playing music at the ripe old age of 8...

By age 12 he had established enough of a reputation to get asked to perform at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN. and then at the Grand Ole Opry with Charlie Collins and Brother Oswald. It wasn't too long after that his family moved from Florida to Upstate New York where he played with "Wheeler Creek" a band that made the 1000 Islands region believe in and love bluegrass music. While playing with them, Chad got noticed by banjo innovator Bill Keith, who asked him to tour with him for the next year. After coming of the road with Keith, Chad took a small hiatus from the music scene focusing on his education. In 1998, he toured Holland, Germany and Belgium with Stan Tyminski (Dan's brother)and Rustic Blue. This was the springboard that set him back on the trail to being a full time musician.

In the years since he has worked as a side man playing dobro, banjo, mandolin or guitar with artists James King and Dave Adkins. In his collective 39 years of playing music Chad has appeared on stage with artists The Lonesome River Band, Del Reeves, Boxcar Willie, The Gibson Brothers, Bill Harrell, and Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen.