Tag: Bela Fleck

The Best Bluegrass Albums of 2024 (So Far)

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

It’s seven months into the year and music and media outlets are looking back while looking forward, pondering and collating all of the incredible music that’s been released in 2024… so far. From Beyoncé to Zach Bryan to “brat summer,” there’s certainly been no shortage of seismic album drops – and in our bluegrass corner of the roots music world, the same holds true.

So far this year, there have been stellar releases by the biggest names in the genre, like Béla Fleck, Billy Strings, Tony Trischka, Laurie Lewis, and the Del McCoury Band. Country singer-songwriter Brit Taylor and roots-soul legend Swamp Dogg both released bluegrass titles this year as well, demonstrating how the age-old tradition of various styles and sounds cross-pollinating with bluegrass continues in the present day.

Supergroups like Sister Sadie, Greensky Bluegrass, and Gangstagrass have all unleashed critically-acclaimed projects in 2024, too, while newcomers like Wyatt Ellis and Jack McKeon impressed with records that sound mature and fully-realized for debut releases. And of course there’s plenty yet to come, as anticipation builds for long-awaited albums from bluegrass stalwarts and heroes like Jerry Douglas – who was just unveiled as a 2024 Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee – and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, who recently announced a new project, Woodland, their tenth studio album and first release in four years.

No matter how you cut it, 2024 has been a banner year for superlative bluegrass albums – and there is still so much more to come! Take a minute to amble through our favorite bluegrass releases of the year so far (in approximate chronological order), plus a few honorable mentions that pull heavily from bluegrass traditions and inspirations, and we’ll set the table for the albums we can’t wait to arrive later this year, too.

Cary Morin, Innocent Allies

A jaw-dropping acoustic guitarist who toggles between flatpicking, fingerstyle, blues, and many other styles, Cary Morin released a gorgeous visual art-inspired album earlier this year entitled Innocent Allies. The entire project oozes images of the West done up in bluegrass textures and tones, especially so in Morin’s rendition of “Whiskey Before Breakfast.” Read our feature on the album here.

Sister Sadie, No Fear

For a band that boasts alumni like Dale Ann Bradley and Tina Adair, it’s saying quite a lot to make the statement that this may be the best lineup of Sister Sadie yet. Their latest offering, No Fear, brings striking Nashville vibes together with a dash of the Chicks and features collaborations with country stars like Cam and Ashley McBryde. It’s no surprise this supergroup and their newest album are all over this year’s IBMA Awards nominations. Read our March Cover Story on No Fear here.

Wyatt Ellis, Happy Valley

A mere 15 years old, mandolin picker Wyatt Ellis certainly deserves the “bluegrass prodigy” designation he often receives, but dare not sell this young virtuoso short with such a moniker. There’s musicality, touch, and taste evident across his debut album, Happy Valley, well beyond his teenaged years. That’s just part of the reason behind why he’s able to attract such notable collaborators and guests as Marty Stuart, Sierra Hull, Mike Compton, and more. Keep an eye on this one, ‘cause there’s no telling just how far he will go in music, but it’s sure to be way up there!

Brit Taylor, Kentucky Bluegrassed

Pulling a page out of the bluegrass playbook of the ‘60s through ‘90s, country singer-songwriter Brit Taylor demonstrates the inseparable interconnectedness of country and bluegrass with Kentucky Bluegrassed, a reimagination of her 2023 country album, Kentucky Blue, played by a cracking bluegrass band. There are touches of Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and so many more through the project. It certainly reminds of those eras, in which bluegrass artists and bands were just as likely to identify simply as “country” as they were “bluegrass.” The lines between these genres used to be much more blurry; we’re happy to see folks like Taylor – and many others – smear, complicate, and dirty up those genre demarcations once again. Kentucky Bluegrassed is a “don’t miss” album that may not be on every diehard grasser’s radar.

Missy Raines & Allegheny, Highlander

Missy Raines never left bluegrass, but Highlander feels like something of a return by this trophied and exalted bassist, singer, and songwriter after her last few more experimental and Americana-geared outings. This is her first recording with her “new” backing band, Allegheny, who have performed with her now for a handful of years. It’s a rollicking, up-tempo, dynamo of an album, but it’s never one note or stolid – or trying to pander to digital radio. There are calm moments, songs that will bring a tear to your eye, and political tones, too, all bolstering the tightness of the band and the trad-tastic, meta-mash energy herein. “Who Needs a Mine,” the stand out track in a superlative song sequence, will most likely go down in history as one of the best issues-oriented bluegrass songs ever written. Every bit as biting and timely as Hazel Dickens, Jean Ritchie, and so many other activist artists from the regions Raines grew up in. Read our recent feature interview here.

Béla Fleck, Rhapsody in Blue

The most traditional aspect of Béla Fleck’s music-making across his lifelong career is his constant and effortless innovation. As a community, we lose sight so easily of the fact that every first generation bluegrass star was an innovator, so many consummate musicians just “making it up as they go along.” Referring to Fleck’s Rhapsody in Blue as “making it up as he goes along” might raise an eyebrow at first, but one of the most fascinating threads throughout Fleck’s countless albums is his ability to ground whatever musical vocabulary he chooses within the traditions, styles, and physicality of bluegrass banjo. He doesn’t so much care what “does” or “doesn’t” fit on the banjo, he follows his whims, fancies, and inspirations and always makes it work. Perhaps only he could do so with Gerswhin! (And we are so glad that he did.)

Kyle Tuttle, Labor of Lust

Banjo player Kyle Tuttle released his second studio album, Labor of Lust, in February. You may know him from Molly Tuttle’s band, Golden Highway, or from his ubiquitous presence in jamgrass scenes over the past decade or so. The new album demonstrates his particular approach to newgrass, jamgrass, and engaging and exciting improvisational picking. His voice on the instrument is indelible. A modernist banjo player with endless panache, a strong sense of humor, and buckets of stamina and drive. We spoke to Tuttle about the project earlier this year.

Barnstar!, Furious Kindness

New Englander and Northeastern-based bluegrassers will be more than familiar with this raucous outfit, but the national bluegrass scene may need to be put onto the singular sounds of Barnstar! Made up of Mark Erelli, Zachariah Hickman, Charlie Rose, and Taylor and Jake Armerding, Barnstar! started as a side project for these in-demand musicians and songwriters and quickly blossomed into a chaotic, bombastic, and hilarious group that can just as easily go earnest, emotive, and touching. Furious Kindness is another selection here that you may not have yet encountered – and we’re here to rectify that. Need more? We hosted Erelli and Hickman on Basic Folk to chat about the project.

Cris Jacobs, One of These Days

If your first introduction to Cris Jacobs was the above song – “Poor Davey,” featuring Billy Strings – fed to you by the algorithm or a roots DJ or found via the “appears on” section of Strings’ streaming profiles, you certainly aren’t alone. A well-known musician in alt-country, rock and roll, and the often nebulous regions between these genres, Americana, and bluegrass, Jacobs may read as a newcomer in bluegrass, but his Jerry Douglas-produced album, One of These Days, is anything but a one-off or novelty project or ‘grassy interloping. This is deep and broad bluegrass that feels straight ahead and genre-expansive at the same time, drawing on guests like Lindsay Lou, the McCrary Sisters, Sam Bush, and more. The Strings track may be what first grabs you, but this album deserves a deep dive follow-up, immediately.

Greensky Bluegrass, The Iceland Sessions (featuring Holly Bowling)

An EP we loved so much it just had to be included on our Best Bluegrass Albums list. Pianist and keys player Holly Bowling joins illustrious jamgrass group Greensky Bluegrass to revive the often latent, near extinct, and severely underrated tradition of bluegrass piano. Over four tracks recorded in remote northern Iceland in 2023, the band and Bowling have curated a vibe that hinges on the present, focusing in on the exact moments in time wherein they captured these sounds and songs. It’s why we love jamgrass to begin with, right? The way the music calls all of us to be grounded in the present. That’s the exact spirit in which these recordings were made and the translation of that intention is more than just successful, it’s deeply resonant.

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, I Built A World

Fiddler Bronwyn Keith-Hynes has found her voice – literally and figuratively. While her last studio release, Fiddler’s Pastime (2020), was more instrumental-focused, her latest project, I Built A World, finds her stepping up to the vocal mic with confidence. Her voice is strong and well-practiced while homey and down to earth, too. The song selections are bold, her collaborators are glitzy and first-rate, but each feature, guest, and musician serves the track they’re on and the album as a whole first and foremost. Keith-Hynes has certainly found her groove and her creative community, and we’re all reaping the benefits of her commitment to challenging herself and looking ahead to the future. We recently chatted with Bronwyn and her pal Brenna MacMillan about their respective solo projects – check it out here.

Swamp Dogg, Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St

When the initial announcement of Swamp Dogg’s latest album, Blackgrass, reached the BGS team, electricity and excitement shot through our ranks. Here’s a project that speaks deeply to one of our highest-priority missions in bluegrass: to showcase the multi-ethnic, melting pot, diverse roots of our favorite genre of music. Bluegrass has never been a music for white folks only, no matter how prevalent that narrative is today, and this legendary multi-hyphenate musician, creator, and producer, Swamp Dogg, demonstrates that fact part and parcel over the course of this impeccable collection of music – with a backing band that includes many of the best pickers around today. There are countless remarkable aspects of this album, too many to include in this simple blurb, so head to Lizzie No’s feature on the project to learn more about why this project is purposefully rebellious and revolutionary.

Laurie Lewis, TREES

California bluegrass keystone Laurie Lewis was just announced as one recipient of this year’s IBMA Distinguished Achievement Awards. For decades she has been a center of gravity around which the California and West Coast bluegrass scenes orbit, like a perseverant mother tree from which so many young shoots and saplings have sprung. Her brand new album, TREES, draws upon her wellspring of through-hiking and naturalist knowledge to encounter, process, and challenge so many modern day realities – health issues, the ever-quickening climate crisis, personal and professional life hurdles, and much more. The result is touching, emotional, encouraging, and inspiring, wrapped in traditional bluegrass trappings that feel more in service to the songs than to legalistic genre criteria. Lewis is one of the best to ever make bluegrass and TREES is one of the best releases in her lauded and superlative catalog. We recently published our exclusive interview, which you won’t want to miss.

Tony Trischka, Earl Jam

One of the greatest banjo players today, our current Artist of the Month Tony Trischka has made a career trailblazing on melodic-style three-finger banjo, writing, composing, and recording music that only he could’ve made. For his latest album, Earl Jam, though, he instead leans on the timeless bluegrass task of emulating the greats – namely, Earl Scruggs. The track list is pulled from recordings of casual, at-home jam sessions between Earl, John Hartford, and others, and with his all-star band and fabulous guests, Trischka reiterates Earl’s idiosyncratic playing from these previously unheard recordings. It’s a fascinating context in which to rediscover the limitless intricacies behind Trischka’s playing and the way he synthesizes others’ influences into his own musical vocabulary. Whether stepping into the role – or, shall we say, roll – of Scruggs or making modern banjo compositions out on his own creative limbs, Tony Trischka makes it look effortless and executes everything he does at the highest level. Don’t miss our Artist of the Month feature and our discography deep dive.

Gangstagrass, The Blackest Thing on the Menu

With a band as incisive and forward-looking as Gangstagrass, there will always be countless reasons naysayers will attempt to use to disqualify their music as “bluegrass.” But when viewing this now 15-year-old group through an objective lens, you can see many more bluegrass qualities than not. Innovation (the oldest bluegrass tradition), improvisation, virtuosity, conversational lyrics, a blending of styles, genres, and textures, and the bringing together of creators and inspirations from a variety of backgrounds – that all sounds like bluegrass to us! Gangstagrass’s latest opus, The Blackest Thing on the Menu, finds the critically-acclaimed group at their strongest yet, with a Jerry Douglas track feature (“The Only Way Out is Through”) and plenty of hip-hop-meets-bluegrass excellence. In the present, folks may errantly write off this band as a novelty or an aberration, but in the future we will all view Gangstagrass as they have always been: one of the firsts in the quickly-developing tradition of roots hip-hop, rap string bands, and postmodern bluegrass re-interpreters.

Jack McKeon, Talking to Strangers

In the vein of country songwriters with bluegrass careers – or bluegrass songwriters with country careers (think Shawn Camp, Tom T. Hall, John Prine, Darrell Scott) – Jack McKeon’s debut album, Talking To Strangers, isn’t just bluegrass, but it certainly tracks as first class ‘grassy, down home, front porch music. These thoughtful, introspective lyrics are perfectly set, to a straight ahead bluegrass band like Ashby Frank, Justin Moses, Christian Sedelmeyer, and Vickie Vaughn. McKeon is inaugurating his catalog of recorded works demonstrating that his songs and his voice can be shapeshifters, at home on Music Row and on bluegrass stages and radio, both.

The Del McCoury Band, Songs of Love and Life

Del McCoury is one of the most-awarded personalities in the history of bluegrass and it’s truly no wonder why. He’s spent his entire life honing the family trade: the highest quality bluegrass around. At 85 years-old, every album, concert, performance, and festival we enjoy from Del and the boys is a gift that we’re determined to cherish and savor. His latest full length album, Songs of Love and Life, is sure to be shortlisted for the highest honors handed out by the Grammys and IBMA. This particular track, “Only the Lonely,” is a Roy Orbison cover that showcases Del’s lifelong penchant for not worrying about what is or isn’t bluegrass and instead doing his utmost to serve the song – hence the tasty, honky-tonkin’ bluegrass piano. (Bluegrass piano? Twice in one list??) The record includes a few more charming covers, plenty of brand new tracks, and a Molly Tuttle feature, too.

Brandon Godman, I Heard the Morgan Bell

A killer fiddler from Kentucky who’s performed with Laurie Lewis, Dale Ann Bradley, Jon Pardi, and many, many more, Brandon Godman recently released his first studio album as a solo artist since he was a teenager. Based in San Francisco, Godman is a touring fiddler turned luthier who remains an expert in so many musical styles from his home turf in northern Kentucky. From contest fiddling to western swing to pop country to bluegrass breakdowns and transatlantic hornpipes, Godman’s playing has grit, drive, and aggression, sure, but what stands out the most on I Heard the Morgan Bell, his album of all original compositions, is his emotional range, lyricism, and heartfelt tenderness. Throw in guests like Darol Anger, Patrick Sauber, Sam Reider, and more and you’ve got what will end up being one of the best fiddle-centric albums of this decade.

Tray Wellington, Detour to the Moon

Carrying the banjo innovation banner for millennial cuspers and Gen Z, Tray Wellington is anything but a traditional bluegrass banjo player – and that fact alone is what will always land him in the “solidly bluegrass” camp, by our reckoning. Like fellow listees Trischka, Tuttle, and Fleck, Wellington has found a voice of his very own on the five-string banjo and in recent years his musical offerings – which were already top-notch – have become exponentially more fascinating, fun, and entrancing as a result. His new EP, Detour to the Moon, includes seemingly through-composed, instrumental new acoustic music a la Punch Brothers alongside more straightforward original banjo tunes and a Kid Cudi cover that may just be the best bluegrass cover of a non-bluegrass hit in recent memory. Watching the excited recognition of “Pursuit of Happiness” ripple through the audience at a bluegrass festival while Tray Wellington Band is on stage kicking off the number will certainly never get old.

Billy Strings, Billy Strings Live Vol. 1

The People’s Bluegrass President, Billy Strings, is out with his first live album, Billy Strings Live Vol. 1. No one is doing it like Billy; selling out arenas, coliseums, and gigantic amphitheaters with what’s actually just a five-piece bluegrass band will always be remarkable and noteworthy. Plus, the way he and his team bring his audience into the creative process, feeding their insatiable appetites for content, for music, for four-hour-long tribute shows, is not simply to sell tickets, fill seats, and move product. Strings, at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, is just a big ol’ bluegrass and guitar nerd. We love that about him. There’s almost no one else in the history of this music from whom we’d tolerate a 13 minute track. (By the way, that’s not the longest runtime on the album!) Keep doing it like only you do it, Billy, and we’ll all stick with you the whole entire way.

AJ Lee & Blue Summit, City of Glass

The last time we had a bluegrass artist take off on our website and socials like AJ Lee & Blue Summit are taking off now, it was Billy Strings playing “Meet Me at the Creek.” We’ve been following this Santa Cruz, California-based string band – featuring AJ Lee, Jan Purat, Scott Gates, and Sully Tuttle – for years, so it’s no surprise to us that the greater bluegrass audience is catching onto the special sound and style of Blue Summit and their brand new album, City of Glass. This is pointedly Californian bluegrass, meaning it is effortlessly traditional and organically inventive and generative. High lonesome harmonies and fiery pickin’ skills combine with soul, groove, emotion, and thoughtful writing. There are country moments, there are barn burners, but overall, it’s clear this young band have hit their stride and know who they are. We aren’t here to tell you the best of the best, per se, but if we were City of Glass would be at the very top.

Interested in those viral moments we mentioned? Check out our hugely popular interview from earlier this month here and the band’s rendition of “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” that’s still doing mega numbers here.

Andrew Marlin, Phthalo Blue

Andrew Marlin, how dare you surprise release this divine album!? (Seriously, thank you, it was indeed a wonderful surprise.) Out last week with hardly more fanfare than a handful of social media posts, Marlin’s brand new collection, Phthalo Blue, has already charmed its way onto our “Best So Far” list. Featuring Stephanie Coleman, Allison de Groot, Clint Mullican, Josh Oliver, and Nat Smith, this is the perfect kind of bluegrass to put on while you work, tidy the house, or tend to your garden. You’ll find the healing effects herein don’t just come from rabbit tobacco.

Near-Bluegrass Honorable Mentions

Whatever you think about our list so far – and whether or not the albums on it qualify as bluegrass to you – here are just a handful of albums we would have regretted not including, but may have more tangential relationships to the genre than their fellows in this piece. Still, each of these fine records has obvious bluegrass bones, however subtle or overt they may be.

Willi Carlisle, Critterland

Many an old-time troubadour/poet such as Willi Carlisle has been a bluegrass musician, but perhaps Carlisle himself wouldn’t identify in that way. Still, there’s bluegrass throughout the critters and characters on this critically-acclaimed album, Critterland. We did a feature on the project, read that here.

Sierra Ferrell, Trail of Flowers

Her new album is markedly post-genre, but those in the know are already well aware that Sierra Ferrell came up through bluegrass circles. From her patinaed West Virginia voice – that brings Hazel Dickens to mind – to her cutting fiddle bowings, wherever she may roam musically, Ferrell will always have a home in bluegrass.

Rachel Sumner, Heartless Things

Rachel Sumner (formerly of Twisted Pine) is decidedly bluegrass, but somehow that seems too simplistic an umbrella for the nuanced music she creates and the special tones she strikes. She infuses so much of the Northeastern bluegrass, folk, Celtic, and jazz scenes and their respective vocabularies into her songs – they may not be exactly bluegrass, but they certainly don’t fall entirely outside that umbrella, either.

Zach Top, Cold Beer & Country Music

Now, this ain’t no bluegrass album – it’s Good Country, that’s for sure – but there’s a bluegrass story embedded within Zach Top’s hugely popular debut, Cold Beer & Country Music, that we’re determined to tell. Once a winner of SPBGMA’s band contest, Top grew up idolizing Tony Rice and Keith Whitley and playing in a bluegrass family band on the weekends. You can see bluegrass touches throughout this mainstream country record, just like when Ricky Skaggs, Whitley, the Osborne Brothers, and more targeted country radio with their songs and sound. Our Good Country feature interview explores all the ways bluegrass filters into his music.

Kaia Kater, Strange Medicine

Kaia Kater is another genre expander who hasn’t ever quite made bluegrass music, but has never been too far from that sonic space, either. She pulls more readily from indie and old-time and folk traditions, but her new album, Strange Medicine, feels like she’s developed an entirely new thing, where genre is a third space, something liminal, or purposefully transitional. Perhaps the most bluegrass thing about this stunning collection is groove, an ever present character through these gorgeous and intricate songs. Kater was our Artist of the Month in May.

Anticipated Albums Still to Come This Year

There’s plenty more where all that came from! Here are just a few of the as yet unreleased recordings we’re sure will be on our “Best Of” lists when we reach the end of the year. It’s not as far off as you think! Luckily, we’ll have a stellar soundtrack to get us there.

Alison Brown, Simple Pleasures (reissue) – available August 9

Rhonda Vincent, Destinations And Fun Places – available August 9

Bella White, Five For Silver – available August 16

Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Wanderers Like Me – available August 16

Dan Tyminski, Whiskey Drinking Man – available August 16

Fruition, How to Make Mistakes – available August 23

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Woodland – available August 23

Caleb Caudle, Sweet Critters – available August 30

Various Artists, Bluegrass Sings Paxton – available August 30

Willie Watson, Willie Watson – available September 13

Jerry Douglas, The Set – available September 20

Twisted Pine, Love Your Mind – available October 18

Brenna MacMillan, Title TBA – release date TBA

BGS Staff also contributed to and assisted curating this list. 

35th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Nominations Announced

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Earlier today, the International Bluegrass Music Association announced their nominees, recipients, and inductees to be honored at the 35th Annual Bluegrass Music Awards show to be held on September 26 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The nominations and honorees were revealed at a radio broadcast at SiriusXM in downtown Nashville, Tennessee that featured live performances by nominees Missy Raines & Allegheny and Authentic Unlimited.

Billy Strings, Sister Sadie, Authentic Unlimited, and Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway lead the nominations. Also announced during the event were this year’s Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees and Distinguished Achievement Awards Recipients. Entering the Hall of Fame – the highest honor awarded by IBMA and its membership – are Jerry Douglas, Katy Daley, and Alan Munde.

Find the full list of nominees, inductees, and recipients below and make plans now to attend the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards on Thursday, September 26, at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina during IBMA’s headline event of the year, their World of Bluegrass business conference and Bluegrass Live! festival.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Del McCoury Band
Sister Sadie
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Del McCoury Band
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Travelin’ McCourys
East Nash Grass
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records

“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Songwriter: Ashley McBryde
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home

“Too Lonely, Way Too Long” – Rick Faris with Del McCoury
Songwriter: Rick Faris
Producer: Stephen Mougin
Label: Dark Shadow Recording

“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster & Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group

“Kentucky Gold” – Dale Ann Bradley with Sam Bush
Songwriters: Wayne Carson/Ronnie Reno
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City of Gold – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Producers: Jerry Douglas/Molly Tuttle
Label: Nonesuch

Last Chance to Win – East Nash Grass
Producer: East Nash Grass
Label: Mountain Fever

Jubilation – Appalachian Road Show
Producer: Appalachian Road Show
Label: Billy Blue Records

No Fear – Sister Sadie
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home

So Much for Forever – Authentic Unlimited
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records

GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“When I Get There” – Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Songwriter: Michael Feagan
Producer: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Label: Independent

“Thank You Lord for Grace” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records

“Just Beyond” – Barry Abernathy with John Meador, Tim Raybon, Bradley Walker
Songwriters: Rick Lang/Mike Richards/Windi Robinson
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records

“God Already Has” – Dale Ann Bradley
Songwriter: Mark “Brink” Brinkman/David Stewart
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle

“Memories of Home” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Rhapsody in Blue(grass)” – Béla Fleck
Songwriter: George Gershwin arr. Ferde Grofé/Béla Fleck
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers

“Knee Deep in Bluegrass” – Ashby Frank
Songwriter: Terry Baucom
Producer: Ashby Frank
Label: Mountain Home

“Panhandle Country” – Missy Raines & Allegheny
Songwriter: Bill Monroe
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records

“Lloyd’s of Lubbock” – Alan Munde
Songwriter: Alan Munde
Producer: Billy Bright
Label: Patuxent

“Behind the 8 Ball” – Andy Leftwich
Songwriter: Andy Leftwich
Producer: Andy Leftwich
Label: Mountain Home

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
East Nash Grass
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Wyatt Ellis
The Kody Norris Show

COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Brown’s Ferry Blues” – Tony Trischka featuring Billy Strings
Songwriters: Alton Delmore/Rabon Delmore
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Down the Road

“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited with Jerry Douglas
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records

“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster, Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group

“Bluegrass Radio” – Alison Brown and Steve Martin
Songwriters: Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records

“Too Old to Die Young” – Bobby Osborne and CJ Lewandowski
Songwriters: Scott Dooley/John Hadley/Kevin Welch
Producer: CJ Lewandowski
Label: Turnberry Records

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Russell Moore

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Molly Tuttle
Jaelee Roberts
Dale Ann Bradley
AJ Lee
Rhonda Vincent

BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Alison Brown
Béla Fleck
Rob McCoury

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Missy Raines
Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Todd Phillips
Mark Schatz

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Deanie Richardson

RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
Rob Ickes
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Gaven Largent

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle
Trey Hensley
Bryan Sutton
Cody Kilby

MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
Sam Bush
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Alan Bibey

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home

“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records

“The City of New Orleans” – Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Label: Upper Management Music

“I Call Her Sunshine” – The Kody Norris Show
Label: Rebel Records

“Alberta Bound” – Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero, and Claire Lynch
Label: Compass Records

BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Alan Munde
Jerry Douglas
Katy Daley

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Cindy Baucom
Laurie Lewis
Richard Hurst
ArtistWorks
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival

Photo Credit: Billy Strings by Jesse Faatz; Sister Sadie by Eric Ahlgrim.

Artist of the Month: Our Tony Trischka Discography Deep Dive

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Banjo master Tony Trischka is a bluegrass and roots music renaissance man whose career goes back nearly 60 years, to his early days with his first group, the Down City Ramblers. He’s been making recordings for almost as long, appearing on-record for the first time on Country Cooking’s 1971 debut for the fabled Rounder Records label.

Given the width and breadth of Trischka’s career and sprawling discography, summarizing the man’s recorded legacy is not just a tall order, but a mountainous one. Nevertheless, we’ve made the attempt. Here are a dozen recordings that give a sense of Trischka’s many artistic sides as collaborator, innovator, teacher, keeper of the flame, and all-around musical good spirit.

“Kentucky Bullfight” – Country Cooking (1974)

Trischka was one of two banjo players in this collegiate ensemble. The other was future Hot Rize member Pete Wernick, who spent some time talking up his bandmate to Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin. “I was writing a bunch of tunes, and Pete told Ken, ‘Tony should do a solo album,’” Trischka remembered. “Ken said, ‘Sure, go ahead.’”

Irwin cites “Kentucky Bullfight” as the Country Cooking song that convinced him Trischka would be worth signing as a solo act, too.

“China Grove” – Tony Trischka (1974)

Trischka hails from the Northern environs of Syracuse, New York, and it was fairly common for Yankee banjo players of his era to indulge some unusual tangents. “My first album was, comparatively speaking, a little on the bizarre side,” Trischka himself admits. That’s certainly the case for this instrumental from his 1974 solo debut, Bluegrass Light. “China Grove” has East Asian accents throughout and even a saxophone solo from his Country Cooking bandmate, Andy Statman.

“Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms” – Tony Trischka (1976)

It seems like a rite of passage that everybody has to put their own stamp on the venerable Flatt & Scruggs bluegrass classic, “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms.” That goes for Trischka on his 1976 album, Heartlands, but few other artists would have the imaginative audacity to kick it off with a drum solo (plus more saxophone).

“Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down” – Tony Trischka (1978)

Another piece of classic repertoire from the wayback machine, “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down” is the song that made bluegrass forerunner Charlie Poole a star in 1925. Trischka cut it on 1978’s Banjoland in an ambitious all-star arrangement alongside fellow banjo players Bill Keith and Béla Fleck. Also present are resonator guitarist Jerry Douglas, mandolinist Buck White, and guitarist Tony Rice, who adds a definitive vocal.

“They’ll Never Keep Us Down” – Hazel Dickens (1981)

Formerly half of the pioneering female duo Hazel & Alice (with Alice Gerrard), the late great Hazel Dickens was one of Trischka’s best longtime collaborators. His elegant banjo and her emotionally raw voice were a great match on many songs, among them this classic from Dickens’ 1981 album, Hard Hitting Songs For Hard Hit People.

“Bill Cheatham” – Béla Fleck, Bill Keith, and Tony Trischka (1981)

In which three of the foremost roots music banjo virtuosos of the 20th century mesh with tasteful seamlessness while deftly keeping out of each other’s way. From 1981’s Fiddle Tunes for Banjo, this was one of the album’s three tunes that featured Trischka, Fleck, and Keith all playing together.

“Country Death Song” – Violent Femmes (1984)

From Milwaukee, this folk-punk trio puts a gothic spin on folk music. To that end, they often enlist unexpected collaborators to do cameo appearances, adding just-right punctuation. Here is one of the Femmes’ early examples, featuring Trischka’s banjo on their 1984 second album, Hallowed Ground. Nearly two decades later, the Femmes would return the favor by appearing on “Down in the Cider House,” a track on Trischka’s World Turning album.

 “New York Chimes” – Tony Trischka (1985) 

Trischka has always had a way with clever puns, “New York Chimes” among them. From 1985’s Béla Fleck-produced Hill Country album, “New York Chimes” is also a fine example of Trischka’s higher-gear fast playing. And the band is, of course, spectacular – Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, Sam Bush.

“Old Joe Clark” – Tony Trischka (1992)

As a dedicated keeper of the flame and teacher/mentor, Trischka has always been up for putting the music into unusual places. One of the most unusual was a 1992 episode of the children’s cartoon, “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?,” on which Trischka wandered on camera playing the 19th-century fiddle tune “Old Joe Clark” during a game-show segment.

“World Turning” – Tony Trischka (1993)

Among Trischka’s many virtues as a player, one of the best is that he knows how to back up great singers. And here is a classic example from Trischka’s wildly eclectic 1993 album, World Turning. The title track is a cover of the 1975 Fleetwood Mac song, sung by Dudley Connell and Alison Krauss with Trischka adding just-right banjo flair.

“Shifting Sands of Time” – The Wayfaring Strangers (2001)

Another of Trischka’s far-flung, multi-hyphenate genre experiments is his 2001 album, Shifting Sands of Time, with a wide-ranging guest list that goes from bluegrass patriarch Ralph Stanley to ’90s pop star Tracy Bonham. The title track is at least as worldly as anything his longtime mate Béla Fleck ever put out.

“Brown’s Ferry Blues” – Tony Trischka (2024)

We close with another of Trischka’s all-star collaborations, the opening track from this year’s Earl Scruggs tribute album Earl Jam. “Brown’s Ferry Blues” kicks off with very choice guitar and vocals from modern-day superstar Billy Strings, and Trischka, Fleck, Bush, and fiddler Michael Cleveland are all right there with him.

(Editor’s Note: Want more? Continue your Tony Trischka Artist of the Month exploration here.)

David Menconi’s latest book, “Oh, Didn’t They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music,” was published in 2023 by University of North Carolina Press.

Photo Credit: Zoe Trischka

Artist of the Month: Tony Trischka

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

(Editor’s Note: Find our Essential Tony Trischka Playlist below.)

Banjoist Tony Trischka is a brilliant creator, an entertainer, and educator who makes his own time. He’s always on the run, trying new things and yet also always ready to stop and have a friendly chat and a catch up. His musical life includes teaching, performing, and recording as well as studying music history. And, at a very young 75, he’s always up for an impromptu jam.

In 1976, when he was 28, Oak Publications published his Melodic Banjo, an instruction book featuring his transcription tablatures of pieces by and introductions to the top players of this new style of bluegrass banjo in which he was already recognized as a virtuoso. The book became a modern bluegrass banjo classic and was later published in new editions by Hal Leonard.

When Rounder reissued Tony’s first two albums as Tony Trischka the Early Years, Berklee’s Matt Glaser wrote:

Rarely, perhaps three or four times a century, some music will be created that is a pure explosive expression of life energy and uncontaminated joy. The music on this CD is, in my humble opinion, exactly that. … I put Tony’s early music in the same category as the best of Charles Mingus, Cecil Taylor, Scotty Stoneman, and Wagner, mad and magnificent. … It’s some of the most unjustly neglected of all popular music masterpieces.

Tony’s passion about bluegrass banjo history came to the fore in 1988 when he co-edited “the most comprehensive banjo book ever written,” Masters of the 5-String Banjo, with Pete Wernick, his partner in the early ‘70s band Country Cooking.

There’s not enough room here to write about Tony’s full career, but it’s important to know that in addition to performing on the banjo doing everything from straight-ahead bluegrass to rock, avant garde, and theater, he’s also a band leader, producer, teacher and historian. A Grammy nominee and winner of the IBMA’s 2007 Banjo Player of the Year award, he now teaches an online banjo course for ArtistWorks, and continues to appreciate the pleasures and challenges of jamming – the subject of his latest album, Earl Jam, which was released June 7 on Down The Road Records.

I met Tony in 1986 in New York where I was giving a lecture to promote my new book, Bluegrass: A History. We got together afterward to explore our shared interest in bluegrass banjo. Since then, we’ve worked together on several projects, the latest being Earl Jam.

In November 1990, we reconnected at the Tennessee Banjo Institute. He took me to hear Institute faculty member Carroll Best, a North Carolinian who’d been playing melodic banjo since the ’50s. We ended up together at Best’s campsite. In 1992, Banjo Newsletter published our interview of him along with Tony’s transcription of his work.

Trischka’s 1993 album, World Turning, reflected his eclectic experiences in taking the banjo to the world. Bob Carlin called it “his bid to move the instrument back into the mainstream.” Beginning with an African tune, he explored the banjo in a variety of genres – minstrel, classical, old-time, ragtime, new acoustic, and rock, along with his own brand of bluegrass.

In 2001, Tony and I reconnected at Banjo Camp North in Massachusetts. In addition to its concerts and workshops featuring big-name instructors like Tony, Bill Keith, Pete Wernick, Tony Ellis, and Bill Evans, there was free time for informal music-making. Tony and I spent a pleasant evening jamming together.

For his 2007 album, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, Trischka recorded duets with 10 banjo pickers, with backing by top-flight bluegrass instrumentalists. These recordings have taken on new meaning now that some of his musical partners on this award-winning production – Earl Scruggs, Kenny Ingram, Bill Emerson, and Tony Rice – are no longer with us. The album introduced a generation of young musicians, showing the remarkable depth of Tony’s musical connections.

Tony’s brand new Down The Road album, Earl Jam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs, reflects his longstanding interest in bluegrass banjo’s late founder. The album began during the pandemic, when Banjo Newsletter columnist, Bob Piekiel, author of “Earl’s Way” and a Scruggs family friend, sent Tony a thumb drive containing two hundred songs and tunes recorded at jams with Earl Scruggs and John Hartford during the ’80s and ’90s.

Tony and Piekiel had been working on the “tabs” – tablatures – for a new Scruggs banjo book. Since the early 1970s, bluegrass banjo tabs have been key musical manuscripts. None are more important than those of Scruggs, whose iconic statements – the ones he recorded – were published by Scruggs himself in tabular form in 1968. Many banjo pickers learned “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” and other familiar favorites from Scruggs’ tabs.

Like any written music, tablatures are scores meant to describe how music is created on an instrument, while simultaneously prescribing how it is to be reproduced. Tony made tabs of Earl’s jam breaks so that he could recreate them. Jamming with Hartford, Scruggs played familiar pieces he’d never before recorded or performed in public. On that thumb drive, Tony found Scruggs’ impromptu banjo statements as interesting and entertaining as the old familiar recorded and transcribed ones from his commercial appearances.

Change and innovation are part of the ambiance at jam sessions. Playing an old tune or song in a new way is a sure route to pleasant interaction in these friendly musical conversations. Here, ideas are expressed, tested, embraced. Participants play for their own delectation and to pique the interests of the other jammers.

It’s not easy for those of us who enjoy hearing commercially produced Nashville music to know what goes on informally and privately in that town’s local music scenes. Beyond the bars, stages, and studios, away from the producers, who jams with whom? In 1998 when Tony interviewed the late Bobby Thompson, melodic banjo pioneer and Nashville studio A-lister, he got Bobby’s answer to that question:

Scruggs, he’s real nice. Me and him would get together and play a lot. Lately I do him and John Hartford and bunch of them come over here a lot.

In his notes to Earl’s 1972 album, I Saw the Light with Some Help from My Friends (Columbia KC 31354), Bill Williams wrote about star-packed jams at the Scruggs home, calling it “a gathering place, a watershed of talent, a place to be oneself,” adding that “while the industry has known many outstanding jam sessions, there are none quite like these.” By that time, jams had been going on at the Scruggs house for a long time.

A number of the old Flatt & Scruggs songbooks published snapshots from ’60s jam sessions at the Scruggs home. And just as some people took snapshots at such sessions, others made recordings. John Hartford had recorded his jams with Earl and given Piekiel a copy because he worried that if his house burned down all those jam recordings would be lost.

Nashville pros like Thompson and Hartford – whose success as a singer-songwriter (“Gentle On my Mind”) underwrote a unique career – would, as Thompson said, “get together and play a lot” with Scruggs. Hartford, a Scruggs fan from an early age, played the fiddle while listening with pleasure to Scruggs’ banjo statements, and began bringing a tape recorder along.

Earl and John had played what they knew, taking pleasure in attacking old favorites in new ways. After learning and transcribing Earl’s banjo jam breaks, Tony put together a band to showcase them in a show at in the New York club Joe’s Pub. What people heard was first-class bluegrass musicians along with Tony’s musical recreation of Scruggs performing an eclectic repertoire – pre-war and post-war country classics, traditional tunes, rock, bluegrass, folk and more.

On Earl Jam, which grew out of Tony’s showcase band, we hear leading contemporary artists, including Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Dudley Connell, Michael Daves, Jerry Douglas, Sierra Ferrell, Béla Fleck, The Gibson Brothers, Vince Gill, Brittany Haas, Del McCoury, Bruce Molsky, Billy Strings, and Molly Tuttle, in new musical conversations with Tony Trischka providing the “banjer” voice of Earl Scruggs.

Here, today’s artists each perform with their own contemporary voice while Tony, consummate and experienced stage actor that he is, takes center stage in the role of Scruggs-at-a-jam. He’s a musical equivalent of actor Hal Holbrook, who brought the voice of a famous American author to millions in his one-man show “Mark Twain Tonight.”

A good example of the music on Earl Jam is “Brown’s Ferry Blues,” the album’s first single. It opens with a solo guitar break by Billy Strings during which rhythm instruments: mandolin (Sam Bush) and bass (Mark Schatz) come up behind. Then Trischka introduces one of Earl’s jam breaks, after which Strings sings the first of six verses.

After each verse, we hear an instrumental solo. First comes Michael Cleveland, who throws in some licks associated with Foggy Mountain Boys fiddler Benny Martin. Next is Bush playing his usual great, hot stuff.

After verse 3, Tony plays not one but two more Scruggs jam breaks, each quite different from the other. After verse 4, producer and banjoist Béla Fleck contributes a statement in his unique style. Following the next verse there’s a blazing guitar break from Strings, who then sings a newly composed verse that names everyone at this live session, after which the track closes with all five instruments going full-bore as if at a jam – instruments like voices at a cocktail party.

Tony’s newfound conversations demonstrate Earl’s economy and genius, and his ability to inject feeling – humor, soul, hot, cool – in unexpected places. Scruggs’ musical vision is an education and a pleasure. We’re grateful to Tony for capturing it, preserving and showcasing it.

This truly is a unique album. Each track combines the contexts of bluegrass and theater. We hear bluegrass and old-time music’s standard verses and instrumental breaks. They are mixed so that we can visualize each musician stepping up to the mic to sing or pick. And then the curtains open and Trischka appears spotlighted in a cameo closeup delivering lines – breaks – that Earl spoke at the end of the century, when he was in his 70s.

It’s ironic that tabs have crystallized an aural model of Earl Scruggs’s banjo playing based largely on his ’40s and ’50s work with Monroe and Flatt. That music became the model for classic bluegrass. It still sounds great today. But by the ’60s, Earl had moved on. As Tommy Goldsmith (Earl Scruggs, p. 120-123) points out, an informal backstage jam in New York with saxophone virtuoso King Curtis convinced him that he could take his banjo into other genres like rock.

As soon as he and Flatt parted ways in 1969, Earl joined his sons to form the Earl Scruggs Revue. In the following decades he played with them as well as a variety of folk, rock, and pop acts, fitting his banjo into many new contexts. By the times of his jams with Hartford, foremost in Scruggs’ mind were the then-recent years of touring with the Revue and trying new stuff.

In 1983, L.A. producer (Byrds, Flying Burrito Bros.) Jim Dickson told me why he came to like bluegrass: “It was part formal and part improvisational breaks, the same kind of structure jazz had.” (Bluegrass: A History, p. 190) Tony’s cameos highlight the improvisational genius that kept Earl’s music fresh and inspired a generation.

On Earl Jam, Trischka explores Scruggs’s genius in various ways. Several individual song arrangements have modulations (as in “Dooley” and “Casey Jones”) that show how Earl was able to recast his melodic ideas in different keys and tunings. Tracks like “Liza Jane,” “Lady Madonna,” and “Brown’s Ferry Blues” close by moving beyond solo breaks into riff trade-offs to portray the playful conversation that is the essence of jamming.

Tony’s sense of history is reflected in his repertoire choices – reflecting rich heritage and continuing experimentation. Like a painter he has blended, collaged, borrowed, and adapted widely from past art. The result is a series of vignettes building on the shared creativity of today’s most gifted singers and players while also embracing Earl’s many paths.

I visualize these tracks as tangible works of art like we might see in a museum or gallery – from antique quilts to abstract modernist paintings. BGS’s Artist of the Month, Tony Trischka, has created a veritable aural exhibition.

Neil V. Rosenberg is an author, scholar, historian, banjo player, Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductee, and co-chair of the IBMA Foundation’s Arnold Shultz Fund. He also authored the album liner notes for Earl Jam. Check out Neil’s regular BGS column, Bluegrass Memoirs, here.

Photo Credit: Greg Heisler

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Laurie Lewis, Lonesome River Band, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This week, to mark New Music Friday, we have a bevy of brand new music videos from folks like bluegrass legend Laurie Lewis, bassist Nate Sabat, country outfit Jenny Don’t & The Spurs, and flatpicker Rebecca Frazier, who gathers an all star lineup for a new track set to a brand new video. The Reverend Shawn Amos also brings us a delightfully psychedelic visualization to pair with a modern blues and gospel inflected track, “It’s All Gonna Change (For The Better),” that highlights how life on this planet is a gift, not a given. (We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.)

Plus, you won’t want to miss a brand new heartbreakin’ track from first class bluegrassers, Lonesome River Band. And, if you missed our post featuring The Bygones earlier this week, you can check out the duo’s song, “If You Wanted To,” below as well.

It’s all right here on BGS and, to be quite honest, You Gotta Hear This!

Laurie Lewis, “Long Gone”

Artist: Laurie Lewis
Hometown: Berkeley, California
Song: “Long Gone”
Album: Trees
Release Date: March 29, 2024 (single); May 31, 2024 (album)
Label: Spruce and Maple Music

In Their Words: “I have loved ‘Long Gone’ since I first heard Bill Morrissey sing it a couple of decades ago. Recording it was a blast, and I think that as a ‘returning’ song, it is particularly resonant in these post-pandemic times. We’ve all be long gone, from each other and the world at large. Every time I hear Brandon Godman’s fiddle kick-off, I get excited all over again, to be returning from the virtual to the corporeal world.

“Making this video was about the most fun there is, driving an aging 5-speed stick shift truck up and down Sonoma County backroads in the late winter green of Northern California. I love my job!” – Laurie Lewis

Track Credits: Written by Bill Morrissey.

Laurie Lewis – Guitar and lead vocals
Brandon Godman – Fiddle
Patrick Sauber – Banjo
Hasee Ciaccio – String bass

Video Credit: Bria Light

Lonesome River Band, “Hang Around For The Heartbreak”

Artist: Lonesome River Band
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “Hang Around For The Heartbreak”
Release Date: March 29, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “This song was sent to us from my good friend, Barry Hutchens, who has been writing some material with his son, Will, and Jerry Salley. I call it a ‘Happy Heartbreak’ song as the chorus goes, “If we chase this feeling down whatever road it leads us/ We’ll never have regrets about a chance we didn’t take/ But if we’re just pretending this might be a happy ending someday/ I’ll still hang around for the heartbreak.” It’s a great perspective put together by Barry, Will, and Jerry and it feels like classic Lonesome River Band. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!” – Sammy Shelor

Track Credits:

Adam Miller – Mandolin, lead vocal
Sammy Shelor – Banjo, vocal
Jesse Smathers – Acoustic, vocals
Mike Hartgrove – Fiddle
Kameron Keller – Upright bass

Nate Sabat, “Sometimes”

Artist: Nate Sabat
Hometown: New York, New York
Song: “Sometimes”
Album: Bass Fiddler
Release Date: March 27, 2024
Label: Adhyâropa Records

In Their Words: “Until last September, I was playing a completely different version of this song. Written by the great Abigail Washburn, my initial version was essentially a bass-and-voice rendition of the original. In a prep session with my producer Bruce Molsky, we both agreed that it just wasn’t landing. He pulled out a fretless banjo, and suggested I try leaning into a bluesy, modal sound instead. That idea lit a fire in me, and two hours later we had something completely new.” – Nate Sabat

Track Credits:

Nate Sabat – Bass, vocals
Recorded at Spillway Sound in West Hurley, New York.
Engineered and Mixed by Eli Crews.
Produced by Bruce Molsky.
Mastered by Dave Glasser at Airshow Mastering.

The Reverend Shawn Amos, “It’s All Gonna Change (For The Better)”

Artist: The Reverend Shawn Amos
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Song: “It’s All Gonna Change (For The Better)”
Album: Soul Brother No. 1
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Label: Immediate Family

In Their Words: “There’s a famous comedy bit from George Carlin addressing humans’ disgraceful treatment of Earth. It ends with the punchline, ‘The planet is fine. The people are fucked.’ This song takes a page from Carlin’s book of dark humor. It’s a conversation amongst non-human life counting down the days until these dumbass humans are out of the way. It’s also a simple reminder to ‘WAKE UP!’ as Spike Lee would say. Life on this beautiful planet is a gift – not a given. You dig? Say it with me, ‘We got to all stand up, ain’t gonna take too long. Keep your mind strong.'” – The Reverend Shawn Amos

Video Credit: David Sheldrick

Jenny Don’t & The Spurs, “Pain In My Heart”

Artist: Jenny Don’t & The Spurs
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Pain In My Heart”
Album: Broken Hearted Blue
Release Date: June 14, 2024
Label: Fluff & Gravy Records

In Their Words: “Inspired by the writing style of Johnny Paycheck and his classic delivery of telling a story while the band keeps it rollin’ on. I love how some of those old classic country singers charm their way through a song where even though they might be in the wrong you still want ’em to win in the end. ‘Yeah, I know, I’m a jerk – but I love ya. Come on, come back home…’ (Not me personally! But you get the idea…)

“While my usual inspiration when it comes to songwriting tends to lean towards the female icons of the genre, for this album, I veered towards more male influences such as Chris Isaac, Lee Hazelwood, Johnny Paycheck, Buddy Holly, John Fogerty, and Link Wray. These diverse songwriters contributed to the inspiration behind the album.

“I’d also like to emphasize that while I take the lead in songwriting, the songs wouldn’t have evolved into what they are without the invaluable input, musical direction, and insight from my bandmates, Kelly Halliburton, Christopher March, and Buddy Weeks. I’m truly grateful for their contributions and thrilled to have collaborated with them on this fun album.” – Jenny Don’t

Track Credits: Written by Jenny Don’t.

Jenny Don’t – Vocals, rhythm guitar
Kelly Halliburton – Bass guitar
Christopher March – Lead guitar
Buddy Weeks – Drums
Rusty Blake – Pedal steel guitar

Recorded at Revolver Studio in Portland Oregon by Collin Hegna, September 2023.

Rebecca Frazier, “Make Hay While the Moon Shines”

Artist: Rebecca Frazier
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee (originally Richmond, Virginia)
Song: “Make Hay While the Moon Shines”
Release Date: March 25, 2024
Label: Compass Records

In Their Words:“Growing up in Virginia and spending much of my childhood by the Chesapeake Bay, I’ve always felt an ethereal connection to the moon. To me, it feels like there’s magic in the air when the moon is full. Getting together with Jon and Bob to write this song was a reflection of that excitement – we were all laughing and cutting loose as we came up with double entendres. We wanted to express that light-hearted, anticipatory feeling of a spirited full moon night – after all, the song is a twist on the phrase “make hay while the sun shines,” which means “get your work done.” What is the opposite of that?

“Bill Wolf produced the track with his innate talent for bringing out the best in musicians – he did such an intuitive job bringing musicians in the room who would create and build the climactic moments with their improvisation. I was floored by the performances of Béla, Stuart, Barry, Sam, and Josh. Christopher Gunn’s videography was beyond my imagination. He captured the imagery of a lighthearted, spirited mood while maintaining a dream-like quality, and I think it’s beautiful.” – Rebecca Frazier

Track Credits: Written by Rebecca Frazier, Jon Weisberger, and Bob Minner.

Produced by Bill Wolf.
Rebecca Frazier – Guitar
Béla Fleck – Banjo
Sam Bush – Mandolin
Stuart Duncan – Fiddle
Barry Bales – Bass
Shelby Means – Harmony vocal

Video Credit: Christopher Gunn Creative

The Bygones, “If You Wanted To”

Artist: The Bygones
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York & Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “If You Wanted To”
Album: The Bygones
Release Date: April 4, 2024
Label: Tonetree Music

In Their Words: “‘If You Wanted To’ encapsulates the feeling of longing for acceptance and approval from someone you love that has known you through many chapters of life. People change and grow over time, and one of the biggest pains is when the ones closest to you don’t grow with you or want to get to know the current person you are. Over time, I’ve realized that you can’t make someone see you and love you for the current walk of life you’re in and not for a previous version of yourself, they have to choose to get to know you. Sometimes the ones you love just want to hold on to the version of you they knew that is no longer here.” – Allison Young

Photo Credit: Laurie Lewis by Irene Young; Nate Sabat by Jules Miranda.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Wood Box Heroes, Ashby Frank, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This week, our premiere round-up is chock-full of amazing new music. From a Chris Stapleton co-write from bluegrass-meets-country supergroup Wood Box Heroes to a Terry Baucom tribute from bluegrasser Ashby Frank, plus songs from Americana singer-songwriter Jack McKeon, guitarist Yann Falquet, and Asheville’s Holler Choir.

Plus, don’t miss exclusive premieres from banjo magnates Alison Brown and Steve Martin, and a posthumous release from Chick Corea with his friend and collaborator Béla Fleck.

It’s all right here on BGS – and really, You Gotta Hear This!

Wood Box Heroes, “Cannonball”

Artist: Wood Box Heroes
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Cannonball”
Album: 444
Release Date: March 15, 2024 (single)

In Their Words: “‘Cannonball’ is a song I wrote a while back with Chris Stapleton. I was trying to figure out a new way to talk about the ‘love and war/love as war/love is war’ theme and of course, Chris helped to bring that to life so well. I never made a demo, just the voice memo. Hearing Chris’s amazing singing on it could be a daunting thing for lots of artists to get past, but I knew Josh Martin could handle it, so I pitched it to the Heroes for this project. It took a while to sink in with them, but I’m beyond thrilled with the treatment they gave it!” – Barry Bales

Track Credits:

Barry Bales – upright bass, vocals
Jenee Fleenor – fiddle, vocals
Josh Martin – guitar, vocals
Matt Menefee – banjo
Seth Taylor – mandolin, vocals

Produced by Wood Box Heroes.
Recorded by Brandon Bell at Sound Emporium; Nashville, Tennessee.
Mixed by Brandon Bell.
Mastered by Eric Conn at Independent Mastering; Nashville, Tennessee.

Ashby Frank, “Knee Deep in Bluegrass”

Artist: Ashby Frank
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Knee Deep In Bluegrass”
Release Date: March 15, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Knee Deep in Bluegrass’ is a tune written and originally recorded by my friend and former Mashville Brigade bandmate, banjo legend Terry Baucom. Sadly, Terry passed away in December. When we recently gathered to start recording my next album, it happened to be the day after his funeral. All of us had Bauc and his wife, Cindy, on our minds. Remembering this song, I messaged Cindy, asking if it would be ok to record a slightly modified version of ‘Knee Deep’ as a tribute to him and she graciously approved. Bauc was performing at the first festival I ever attended in Denton, NC. His style and persona has been an inspiration to me ever since that first meeting. I think Matt Menefee, Travis Anderson, Jim Van Cleve, Seth Taylor, and Tony Creasman really nailed their parts on the tune. I hope our recording brings back fond memories for anyone who knew Terry and will honor him as he so richly deserves.” – Ashby Frank

Jack McKeon, “Last Slice of Heaven”

Artist: Jack McKeon
Hometown: Chatham, New York; currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Last Slice of Heaven”
Album: Talking to Strangers
Release Date: June 21, 2024

In Their Words: “I was working at a house in Williamson County, on a stretch of road that is flanked by two separate but equally cookie-cutter developments. Across from this house and squarely in the middle of all this new, was a vacant field, a decrepit barn festering in the corner. At some point that field must have meant food, crops, and a living. Now it seems to only conjure the image of an older person sitting on a potential windfall when they sell out to a developer. But with all that money comes the death of the beautiful things that made that life worth living. My boss noticed me looking at this field and facetiously said, ‘Oh, didn’t you know? These developments all come with their own complimentary field to look at.’ I wrote this song to give a voice to the person I imagined holding on to this ‘Last Slice of Heaven,’ a character at odds with the transformation around him who’s fighting to hold on to his own identity in spite of ‘a world that’s always changing what it means to be the same.'” – Jack McKeon

Track Credits:

Jack McKeon – Guitar/vocal
Ashby Frank – Mandolin/harmony vocal
Vickie Vaughn – Upright bass/harmony vocal
Christian Sedelmyer – Fiddle
Justin Moses – Banjo
Engineered by Sean Sullivan at the Tractor Shed Goodlettsville, Tennessee.
Mastered by Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering.

Video Credit: Brooke Stevens

Yann Falquet, “Courage”

Artist: Yann Falquet
Hometown: Brattleboro, Vermont
Song: “Courage”
Album: Les secrets du ciel
Release Date: March 15, 2024 (single); May 3, 2024 (album)

In Their Words: “I moved from Québec to New England a couple of years ago. My instrumental background was compatible with the fiddle styles I encountered here (Appalachian, Irish, Scottish, etc.), but I quickly realized that I had to rethink the way I approached songs. Back in French Canada, traditional singers often perform unaccompanied, and rely heavily on others in the room to participate in the ‘response’ part of call-and-response songs. For this project, I began reframing these songs into a more English or American ‘folk singer’ format, and had a lot of fun coming up with interesting guitar parts in DADGAD tuning. I then collaborated with producer Quinn Bachand and a bunch of fantastic musicians to add extra musical layers to the song.

“‘Courage’ comes from the repertoire of the Voyageur folks who paddled across North America, using songs to keep paddling in rhythm. It tells the story of a young soldier who abandons war for the pursuit of love, knowing well the consequences if he gets caught.” – Yann Falquet

Track Credits:

Yann Falquet – Guitar, voice
Julia Friend – Voice
Keith Murphy – Pump organ
Trent Freeman – Violin
Quinn Bachand – Violin, bass pedal

Quinn Bachand – Producer, engineer
Charles-Émile Beaudin – Mixing engineer
Philip Shaw Bova – Masterin engineer

Holler Choir, “Hamlet Blues”

Artist: Holler Choir
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Hamlet Blues”
Album: Songs Before They Write Themselves
Release Date: January 12, 2024

In Their Words: “I can’t speak to everyone else’s tastes, but for the purpose of songs that I perform and have written, ‘Hamlet Blues’ is my most timeless song. I know this because 10 years after having written it, it’s just now seeing a definitive release, and it feels no less personally relevant than the day I wrote it.

“There’s a very intentional juxtaposition between the carefree energy of the music and the existential crisis portrayed in the lyrics. It’s a cognitive dissonance that I’ve experienced in different settings many times in life, and I chose to channel that energy into this song. There’s a smiling nihilism that can be found at any college bar. Kids drinking to excess, with little regard for what’s happening tomorrow. Seemingly happy people, sitting on a fault line that is long overdue. I wanted to capture the dread that was the humming drone in my head beneath whatever pop song was blaring over the bar speakers at the time. I don’t find this sentiment any less relevant for bars I go into as an adult.” – Clint Roberts

Alison Brown & Steve Martin, “Bluegrass Radio”

Artist: Alison Brown & Steve Martin
Hometown: La Jolla, California (Alison); Waco, Texas (Steve)
Song: “Bluegrass Radio”
Release Date: March 15, 2024
Label: Compass Records

In Their Words: “This little tune brings a ton of joy to me. Alison’s playing is flawless, and my singing is flaw-full.” – Steve Martin

Read more here.

Chick Corea & Béla Fleck, “Remembrance”

Artist: Chick Corea & Béla Fleck
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Remembrance”
Album: Remembrance
Release Date: May 10, 2024
Label: Béla Fleck Productions (Thirty Tigers)

In Their Words: “’Remembrance’ is one of the last pieces of music Chick ever recorded. It’s just one of those perfect Chick Corea tunes. It sounds to me like a New Orleans funeral march, even though it has a Latin component, like everything he did tended to.” – Béla Fleck

More here.

Photo Credits: Wood Box Heroes by Eric Ahlgrim; Ashby Frank by Melissa DuPuy

LISTEN: Chick Corea & Béla Fleck, “Remembrance”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Chick Corea & Béla Fleck
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Remembrance”
Album: Remembrance
Release Date: May 10, 2024
Label: Béla Fleck Productions (Thirty Tigers)

In Their Words: “’Remembrance’ is just one of those perfect Chick Corea tunes. It sounds to me like a New Orleans funeral march, even though it has a Latin component, like everything he did tended to.”  – Béla Fleck

Photos by C. Taylor Cruthers and Taylor Cottrell

13 Online Tributes to Earl Scruggs for His 100th Birthday

Posted on by Lonnie_Lee_Hood

On January 6, bluegrass luminaries gathered at the Mother Church itself – the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville – to celebrate what would’ve been the 100th birthday of a man whose name is synonymous with the genre. On that day just over a week ago, banjo legend Earl Scruggs would have celebrated his centennial, and bluegrass celebs like Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Sierra Hull, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and many more gave a tribute concert streamed live on Veeps. While the live show might have come to an end, many are sharing pics and memories of Scruggs, keeping his special celebration going.

We’ll be highlighting the pioneer’s 100th all year long, so we’re also collecting some of the best social posts – in no particular order – that you might have missed.

Ryman Auditorium

With such a star-studded tribute concert, of course we should kick our list off with the Mother Church’s post about their live concert celebrating Scruggs – which benefitted the Earl Scruggs Center in Earl’s hometown of Shelby, North Carolina. The Ryman itself is located in the heart of downtown Music City, a fitting venue for this show.

Béla Fleck

Béla Fleck is just one of many modern banjo pickers inspired by Scruggs’ iconic three-finger style. We recently featured a single from his upcoming album in our #BGSClassof2024 playlist. His Facebook post recalling memories of working with his banjo hero is a touching accompaniment.

“Rhapsody in Blue(grass),” from Fleck’s upcoming album Rhapsody in Blue, is a perfect commemoration of the 100th birthday of Scruggs. Fleck is joined by his My Bluegrass Heart band, picking alongside Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz and Bryan Sutton.

Sam Bush

It’s hard to imagine historic movements and bands like New Grass Revival existing without the ability to build on the foundation that Earl Scruggs and others laid for the generations that followed. It’s no surprise, then, that Sam Bush paid tribute to Earl in a Facebook post following the Ryman show.

Gena Britt

IBMA Award winner and Grammy-nominated Sister Sadie banjo player Gena Britt has posted several photos and reels on her Facebook page from the Scruggs bash, where she was just one of many banjo players in attendance.

Tony Trischka

Tony Trischka’s upcoming album, Earl Jam, is a tribute to his musical mentor and inspiration, Scruggs, and will be released later this spring by Down the Road Records. Trischka just released the official music video for “Brown’s Ferry Blues,” featuring Billy Strings, right after Scruggs’ birthday.

Earl Jam will be a special collection of Trischka playing Scruggs transcriptions note-for-note that he gleaned from jam session recordings taken by John Hartford at Earl’s house in the ’80s and ’90s.

Earl Scruggs Music Festival

To mark their namesake’s birthday, the Earl Scruggs Music Festival posted one of the most iconic photos of the banjo player in music history. If you haven’t made it to this North Carolina event yet, check out our coverage from last year’s festival. We’re very much looking forward to Earl Scruggs Music Festival 2024!

John McEuen

For his own tribute, John McEuen – a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – shared some incredible footage of the first time he met Earl Scruggs back in October of 1970.

“This meeting right here is what led to the Will The Circle Be Unbroken album,” he shared.

Jerry Douglas

Jerry Douglas, iconic Dobro player and member of the Earls of Leicester, posted a wonderful collection of photos from the Ryman show!

Kyle Tuttle

Kyle Tuttle, member of Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway band, posted a clip of his own three-finger work inspired by Scruggs.

“Who knows where the banjo would be had this man not come along and shown us how it works,” Tuttle mused.

International Bluegrass Music Association

The IBMA marked Scruggs’ centennial by posting an abbreviated history of his life and career.

“From his home state of North Carolina, Earl took the sound of the banjo and revolutionized it across the world,” the post reads. “Not only did he pioneer the three-finger banjo, but he played it to standards of taste and technique unmatched by thousands of disciples over seven decades.”

Alison Brown

 

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A post shared by Alison Brown (@alisononbanjo)

Alison Brown, co-founder of Compass Records and multi Grammy award-winning banjo player, posted a touching tribute to Scruggs on Instagram.

Mark O’Connor

In a lengthy tribute post with multiple photos fiddler and composer Mark O’Connor remembered Scruggs on his Facebook page.

Andy Thorn

 

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A post shared by Andy Thorn (@_thornpipe_)

Thorn, banjoist for Leftover Salmon, posted a clip of himself on Instagram playing what is perhaps the most iconic banjo tune of all time, making it a fitting end to our list of social media tributes. Check out Thorn’s take on “Foggy Mountain Breakdown!”

We’ll continue to celebrate Earl Scruggs’ 100th all year long, so keep checking back for more on BGS!

Lead photo by Eric Ahlgrim courtesy of the Ryman Auditorium. Pictured: Stuart Duncan, Jim Mills, Alan Bartram, Sam Bush, and Del McCoury perform for Earl Scruggs’ 100th Birthday Celebration at the Ryman on January 6, 2024. 

How to Watch Earl Scruggs’ 100th Birthday Celebration

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

January 6, 2024 would be the 100th birthday of Earl Scruggs, a musician and artist who helped create bluegrass music and who was and is perhaps the most prominent and well known banjo player to have ever lived. Scruggs passed away in 2012, but this posthumous celebration – to be held at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium – speaks to his undying musical legacy. The performance will benefit the Earl Scruggs Center, a museum in Shelby, North Carolina that’s dedicated to Scruggs, the local community, and its residents, and inhabits the former courthouse just up the highway from unincorporated Flint Hill, where he was raised.

The show, with musical director Jerry Douglas, will feature performances by bluegrass and roots music luminaries such as The Earls of Leicester, The Del McCoury Band, Gena Britt, Alison Brown, Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Stuart Duncan, Jimmie Fadden, Béla Fleck, Jeff Hanna, Sierra Hull, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Jim Mill, Justin Moses, Jerry Pentecost, Todd Phillips, Harry Stinson, Bryan Sutton, Tony Trischka, Abigail Washburn, Pete Wernick, and more. Limited tickets are still available and, for those who may not be able to attend in person, the entire show will be livestreamed via Veeps.com for $14.99.

It promises to be a quintessential Nashville evening, a star-studded lineup with endless appearances, special guests, and with certainly plenty of heartfelt remembrances and tributes in store. Livestream viewers will get a rare chance to be invited “flys on the wall” for a magical and one-of-a-kind concert.

Earl Scruggs’ legacy will certainly live on – for another hundred years and, we hope, beyond. BGS and many other roots music and bluegrass communities and organizations will continue to celebrate Scruggs’ centenary throughout the year, so keep an eye out for upcoming content that celebrates Earl Scruggs and his three-finger style.

Lead image courtesy of the Ryman Auditorium; inset graphic courtesy of Veeps.

BGS Wraps: Brenda Lee, Andy Thorn, Joy Clark, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Hanukkah has begun, advent calendars have barely three weeks left, and days will start getting longer when we reach winter solstice in merely 13 days – but who’s counting? As we lean further and further into the coziest, roots music-iest time of year, we’re rounding up our favorite seasonal and holiday albums, tracks, and shows each week on BGS Wraps. Scroll to find this list in playlist form, plus don’t miss our Classic Holiday Album Recommendation of the week.

We’ll be back next Friday with more BGS Wraps! Until then enjoy some hot cider or some eggnog and some delightfully festive bluegrass, country, and roots music.

Hayes Carll and Melissa Carper, “Christmas in Prison”

A perennial favorite penned by none other than John Prine, “Christmas in Prison” is a rare country Christmas song that can be sung year-round. Like your favorite holiday movie that’s actually not specifically a holiday movie – Die Hard? Little Women? – this is a song so classic, so iconic, that it demands recognition across the calendar and not merely in December. Hayes Carll and Melissa Carper join together on this brand new rendition and they do the song justice, for sure.

Joy Clark, “Gumbo Christmas” 

As most holidays are, Christmas is its own familial and cultural melting pot, and guitarist and singer-songwriter Joy Clark highlights her own New Orleans traditions with “Gumbo Christmas.” It’s a song with a recipe both literal and figurative, a combination all of the best holiday dishes know intimately. That Big Easy horn section is fit to carry us into 2024.

CMA Country Christmas (December 14, ABC; December 15, Hulu and Disney+)

The queen of Christmas in Nashville, Amy Grant, is co-hosting this year’s CMA Country Christmas TV special on ABC with none other than Trisha Yearwood. With performances by The War & Treaty, Ashley McBryde, Jon Pardi, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson, and more. Tune in on Thursday, December 14 for the live program, or watch the following day – and throughout the season – on Hulu and Disney+. For those of us who won’t make Vince Gill and Grant’s annual holiday residency at the Ryman in Nashville, this show will be an excellent consolation prize.

Rose Cousins, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”

There’s almost no better artist to turn to for delicious melancholia than Rose Cousins. Her new holiday single, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” demonstrates this fact and then some. Winter songs without a specific religious or traditional bent are too rare, so we especially love this track for its “agnosticism” and relatability. Why care how much it may storm, if you’ve got your love to keep you warm? We hope you are surrounded by love this holiday season, and however lonesome or joyous you’re feeling this year, Cousins’ voice will envelope you like a toasty hug.

Bridget Kearney, “Don’t Think About the Polar Bear”

A vibey and meditative new track from Lake Street Dive bassist Bridget Kearney is another holiday track of the Die Hard sort – not demonstrably seasonal, but it works so we’re accepting it with open arms into our wintry celebration. The accompanying animated music video is whimsical enough to be a fitting addition to any lineup with The Grinch, Rudolph, and all of your other favorite Christmas animated TV specials. If your intention is to not think about someone this holiday season, you might just find them wandering across your mind – so don’t think about the polar bear, instead.

The Kody Norris Show, “Mountain City Christmas”

The territory surrounding Mountain City, Tennessee, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee, Western North Carolina, and Southwest Virginia is home to most of the farms that grow most of the Christmas trees for the eastern seaboard of the United States. It’s more than fitting, then, to take this nostalgic and magical Kody Norris Show-led journey through the picturesque counties they call home. What’s more bluegrass than singing about snow, home, family, faith, and rhyming “there” with “Christmas carol”?

Larry & Joe, “Mi Burrito Sabanero”

Bluegrass banjo player and fiddler Joe Troop and harpist, multi-instrumentalist Larry Bellorín are Larry & Joe. Their new holiday single, “Mi Burrito Sabanero,” is a funny, raucous, and enjoyable version of a quintessential Latin American holiday tune written by Venezuelan harpist and composer Hugo Blanco. Much of Troop’s work connects the dots between Latin folk music and American roots music, crafting idiosyncratic amalgamations often expected to be more disparate and dissonant than they really are. For this track, Bellorín set aside the harp and picked up the cuatro, with Troop adding twin fiddles and banjo in another instance of remarkable latingrass fusion.

Maddie & Tae, We Need Christmas

Maddie & Tae, of “Girl in a Country Song” fame, recently released an extended cut of their 2020 holiday EP, We Need Christmas, adding three new tracks – each classic Christmas carols – to the fan favorite collection. Both women are now married and starting families and there’s a confidence and ease they’ve grown into at this phase of their careers. Easily some of the most interesting pop country being made, and certainly an excellent holiday manifestation of the form.

Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”

For the first time in her 60+ year career Brenda Lee has scored a Number 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart with her truly unforgettable holiday single, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” How she supplanted Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” we’ll never know, but we are so glad for Lee that she’s notched this incredible milestone even at this late stage in her lifelong music-making. She first recorded the iconic track as a thirteen-year-old and in an emotional video posted by Billboard and to her social media, you can tell she never imagined this song would be the gem it is in the crown of her music career. Congratulations, Brenda Lee!

Kaitlyn Raitz, “River”

Cellist, composer, and arranger Kaitlyn Raitz released a stunning, instrumental string-centered cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River” a handful of weeks ago, a timely tune drop for those of us struggling to navigate the holidays without Mitchell’s catalog available on a certain streaming service. Lush and romantic, Raitz’s cut of the track is high concept while down to earth, like a perfect Christmas Eve program at a local church, stained glass bookended by poinsettias and candles. A must-add for your instrumental holiday playlists or perfect to soundtrack your cookie icing party or frenzied gift swaps.

Matt Rogers, Have You Heard of Christmas?

BGS Wraps would be simply incomplete without a laugh-so-hard-you’re-crying option, supplied here by comedian Matt Rogers’ holiday outting, Have You Heard of Christmas? With guests such as Muna (swoon-a), Bowen Yang (Rogers’ co-host of the hit podcast, Las Culturistas, known from SNL), and Leland, Have You Heard of Christmas is pure chaos, absolutely unhinged. Melodrama meets the chronically online. Joe’s Pub, dragged through 54 Below. When you’re offered aux this year at your holiday gatherings, put this one on. We dare you.

Andy Thorn, High Country Holiday

Banjoist Andy Thorn was known as Leftover Salmon’s banjo player, before a video of him serenading a wild fox went mega viral and eclipsed all other entries on his resumé. Thorn – who is a self-professed Christmas fanatic – has recently released a brand new holiday album, High Country Holiday, drawing on inspiration from his Colorado backyard and his musical community to put together a bevy of carols and one bespoke original, “The Bells of Boulder.” Add it to your stack of bluegrass Christmas records! It’s destined to become a classic in that category.

Tim and James, A Tim and James Christmas

Los Angeles-based string duo Tim and James – Tim Reynolds and James Spaite – have followed up their popular debut, Lemon Tree, with a holiday EP, A Tim and James Christmas and it’s already a favorite of ours. These simple duets feel fully realized, even while they remain contained, and draw on folk, new acoustic, and chambergrass influences. The kernel within Tim and James’ music – that took their songs from beginning as a regular Tuesday collaboration to tens of thousands of streams – is on full display. There’s something entrancing about this bare bones, four-song collection.

Our Classic Holiday Album Recommendation of the Week:
Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, Jingle All the Way

Each year we are reminded of the sheer genius of Béla Fleck & the Flecktones’ Jingle All the Way. It’s a Christmas album we return to again and again and we know we aren’t the only ones – it was chosen by O magazine (yes, Oprah’s publication) as 2008’s Best Christmas Album and it peaked at Number 1 on the contemporary jazz charts. Béla and the Flecktones’ cultural impact was certainly solidified by the time Jingle All the Way had released, but this album – perhaps more than any other music by the group in the 21st Century – cemented their broad, far-reaching influence.

Photo Credit: Joy Clark by Nkechi Chibueze; Rose Cousins by Lindsay Duncan; Andy Thorn courtesy of the artist.