Shenandoah Band Members Open Up After Devastating Bus Fire

The Shenandoah band members are all fine following a bus fire on Sunday, June 24.

“BUS FIRE!!” the band shared on social media, along with a picture of the charred vehicle. “It’s never a dull moment out here with Shenandoah. Our bus caught on fire this morning in Forest City AR but we got it put out. Now to get home!”

Lead singer Marty Raybon is in good spirits, knowing the outcome could have been much worse.

“It’s one of the things you always know is possible,” Raybon tells PopCulture.com. “You certainly never want it to happen, but it dose and it did. The biggest concern is the safety of the guys we run the highways with. The bus is just a piece of machinery that gets you from one point to the other. So truly grateful no one was injured and The Lord was watching over us. I don’t want us to ever keep the road that hot again. I do say that with a hardy chuckle!!!

“I was in my bunk and I woke up to Marty yelling for everybody to get off the bus NOW!” adds Mike McGuire. “We came to a screeching halt and before we could get out, the inside of the bus was filled with smoke. Luckily we were able to put the fire out with fire extinguishers”.

Shenandoh just released Reloaded, which marked the return of Marty Raybon, the founder and original lead singer of the group. Reloaded is a compilation of live versions of some of their previous hits, including “Two Dozen Roses” and “Church on Cumberland Road,” as well as new songs, including their current single, “That’s Where I Grew Up.”

“Shenandoah is doing our first music video,” reveals exclusively to PopCulture.com. “Our very very first music video in 20 years.”

Shenandoah released Reloaded, produced by Rascal Flatts‘ Jay DeMarcus, as a way to connect with their original fans, as well as make new ones – often the sons and daughters of the original generation.

“We truly felt like there was something we still wanted to say,” Raybon says. “We’re relatively young. We still believe with our ability we can still get out there, and truly entertain people. And if we can do that, we can present new music to the point that we would allow those folks to listen to it, just like in the past. Give them the opportunity to not like it. But to present it the best that you can absolutely present it. Work as hard as you can to make your show the best that you can make it. And then go from there.”

The iconic group understands that the country music landscape is a lot different than when they released their self-titled debut album in 1987, but they are eager for the opportunity to still share their talents more than three decades later.

“I’m not advocating we’re going to be a force in this business,” says Raybon. “None of us have fooled ourselves from Day One, as far as taking over anything. In fact, years ago, just because everybody that listened to country music, and they loved country music, we were never foolish enough to believe that just because they were country music fans, that they loved Shenandoah … We were just trying to do whatever we could do to make sure we were not only viable, but that we kept a deal of respect for the music that we all felt, and to be able to present that.”

Shenandoah’s next scheduled date is on June 30 in Chestertown, Md. Dates can be found on their website.

Purchase Reloaded on iTunes.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Mireya Acierto