California-based bluegrass band AJ Lee & Blue Summit are one of the most quickly rising string bands in roots music. For instance, in just a couple of weeks on July 15 the band will perform at the fabled Ryman Auditorium in Nashville hitting an important career milestone so early in their career. And earlier this year in May, they hosted their own festival for the very first time. The inaugural Sierragrass was held May 9-11 at Sierra Meadows Resort in Ahwahnee, California, tucked into the shadow of the Sierra Nevada just across the Central Valley from Blue Summit’s home turf of Santa Cruz. For a debut, band-founded festival, the event was a smashing success.
The lineup boasted Lech Wierzynski (Blue Summit producer and founder of the California Honeydrops), Ismay, Viv & Riley, Two Runner, Hannah Mayree, Sweet Sally, Yoseff Tucker & the Bowties, and more. Our friends, the incredible team at I Know We Should, were on hand for this first edition of Sierragrass to capture live performance videos of artists from across the festival roster. Of course, we couldn’t think of a better band with which to debut our Sierragrass Sessions than event hosts, masterminds, and curators AJ Lee & Blue Summit.
For their first selection (watch above), Lee and the band offer their rendition of a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band classic, “Fishin’ in the Dark.” Pulled up beside a peaceful pond in the golden springtime sunlight, it’s a perfect song for the setting and the season – and as we arrive now in the peak of summertime launching these videos, too. They carry on the sonic tradition of the Dirt Band perfectly, with a bluegrassy take that’s as carefree, genre-wise, as the creators of the original cut. Country rock, Americana, bluegrass, and more combined. AJ and Blue Summit – Scott Gates, Sully Tuttle, Jan Purat, and Sean Newman – are excellent cover song crafters, and this session shows that skill yet again.
For their second song, the band cues up an original, Lee-penned number, “The Weenie Dog Song.” It kicks with a delightful, loping old-time “fiddle tune” melody, before telling the story and painting a vivid picture of an adorable dachshund. Here Blue Summit’s penchant for humor is on display, as well as their unlikely knack for blending earnest and hilarious together – bolstering both with intention and meaning. It’s an adorable song, but an excellent one, too. It also feels more than apropos for the surroundings and context, that so well fit “Fishin’ in the Dark.”
And with that, our Sierragrass Sessions are off to a smashing start. Thanks to Brad and Juan at I Know We Should and to AJ Lee & Blue Summit for hosting and for facilitating these sessions at their inaugural festival. Stay tuned for more sessions by artists from the Sierragrass lineup coming right here on BGS every other week.
Video Credit: I Know We Should, Brad Wagner, Juan Soria, and Charlie Peterson.
