A talented bluegrass band out of Austin, MilkDrive keeps on trucking. The instrumental “Orion’s Waltz” is a beautiful addition to their upcoming third album, but the story behind the song is pretty special, too.
“It was January and my wife and I were picking out a name for our son who would be born in July,” says band member Dennis Ludiker, who wrote the song. “Every night I would look off of our back porch and stare at the constellation Orion, and within a month that was his middle name. It also seemed fitting to name the song after him since he was half of the inspiration when writing this song.”
The other half of the inspiration came from Ludiker’s father, who was battling a serious illness.
“When I started writing for this record I got really into the fast waltz feel, and this was an exercise in incorporating minor and major tension and release,” he adds. “This was at a time when I was about to lose my dad to cancer and was also expecting my firstborn son. The song really reflects my feelings at the time.”
Even though it’s such a personal story, bandmates Brian Beken, Noah Jeffries and Jesse Dalton were all given a chance to shine. Asked about the studio vibe, Ludiker notes, “The mood was awesome. Everyone was very relaxed, and it shows on this song especially. They captured the feel perfectly!”
Look for MilkDrive’s Places You’ve Never Been on March 31. Enjoy the CMT Edge premiere of “Orion’s Waltz.”