You Gotta Hear This: New Music From JOSEPH, East Nash Grass, and More

You Gotta Hear This! It’s another excellent roundup of track and video premieres plus new music arriving on digital “store shelves” today. There’s bluegrass, folk, Americana, and more.

Kicking us off, Kentucky’s Bibelhauser Brothers enlist their hero and friend Sam Bush on their rendition of “One Tin Soldier,” from their upcoming album, Down The Road. As an added bonus, Aaron Bibelhauser and Sam Bush had a nearly hour-long chat about the track, too – you can find and watch that video below. Also in a bluegrass space, Irish ‘grasser Danny Burns offers his cover of “Brother Wind,” a modern classic written by Tim O’Brien. Dan Tyminski joins Burns on the track, which does O’Brien and Darrell Scott’s versions of the song justice, for sure.

Alt- and indie-folk outfit JOSEPH return with new music, bringing us a video for their new track, “Bye and Bye,” borrowing a classic and often ecclesiastical line to explore growth, loss, and the drawn out transformations life brings each of us – while tipping their hat to a bar by the same name. You can also hear Appalachian mountain music duo the Wildmans perform “Autumn 1941,” a song co-written by Berklee’s Mark Simos and Roger Brown that touches on the harrowing reality of eugenics in the mountains of the Southeast.

East Nashville’s favorite band of lovable bluegrass delinquents, East Nash Grass, released a new single earlier this week, too! Don’t miss the excellent and lovely “Followin’ You,” written by ENG guitarist James Kee and new Travelin’ McCourys fiddler Christian Ward especially for Maddie Denton to sing. Plus, Nick Dumas is readying a bluegrass album, offering our readers a peek at a new video for “Where Have You Been,” a song about how sometimes folks you love “go away” without actually leaving.

There’s still more fantastic roots music, though! Award-winning fiddling phenoms Deanie Richardson and Kimber Ludiker are teaming up on a twin-fiddle album coming soon from Mountain Home Music Company; you can hear “Cacklin’ Hen,” the first offering from that project, below. And, wrapping us up this week, Jessica Willis Fisher went into the studio with Bryan Sutton playing guitar and mandolin to record the heartfelt and touching, “Seeds,” a country/Americana flavored track about interrupting generational cycles of pain and trauma and refusing to reap the seeds someone else may have sown in your heart and mind.

It’s quite the collection of music, and, as we say every week: You Gotta Hear This!

Bibelhauser Brothers, “One Tin Soldier” (Featuring Sam Bush)

Artist: Bibelhauser Brothers
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Song:One Tin Soldier” featuring Sam Bush
Album: Down The Road
Release Date: May 15, 2025 (single)
Label: Common Loon Records

In Their Words: “Our latest collaborative effort, ‘One Tin Soldier,’ marks the first studio version of the familiar song that features Sam Bush singing and playing mandolin. The Father of Newgrass jumped right in as an honorary Bibelhauser Brother on this fourth single from our forthcoming album, Down The Road, slated for release this October. (I actually had a candid, nearly hour-long conversation with Sam on video to chat about the track – check that out here.) With his help, we’ve made an honest attempt to frame this song as a missing link in ‘newgrass’ history, connecting the dots between some larger-than-life personalities quintessential to the evolution of the bluegrass world. Much like many of our heroes, we’d like to keep the traditional torch burning bright, while igniting our own flame, fusing elements of blues, country-rock, and soul with our primordial bluegrass sensibilities.” – Aaron Bibelhauser

Track Credits:
Sam Bush – Mandolin, vocal
Adam Bibelhauser – Vocal, bass
Aaron Bibelhauser – Vocal, guitar
Steve Cooley – Banjo
Jeff Guernsey – Fiddle


Danny Burns, “Brother Wind” (Featuring Dan Tyminski)

Artist: Danny Burns
Hometown: Donegal, Ireland
Song: “Brother Wind” featuring Dan Tyminski
Album: Southern Sky
Release Date: May 16, 2025 (single); August 22, 2025 (album)
Label: Bonfire Recording Co.

In Their Words: “I first discovered ‘Brother Wind’ on the Transatlantic Sessions on BBC many moons ago. I’ve had the great pleasure of knowing Tim O’Brien and working with him — he was one of my very first collaborators in Nashville when we cut a few songs at John Prine and Ferg’s Butcher Shoppe [studio]. I asked him about ‘Brother Wind’ and he said, ‘Yeah, you should cut it.’ So, we did — tried to stay true to his original version while adding something new. Having Dan T. come in and sing on it brought it to another level of cool.” – Danny Burns

Track Credits:
Danny Burns – Vocals, guitars
Dan Tyminski – Vocals
Ethan Burkhardt – Upright bass
Billy Contreras – Fiddle
Matt Menefee – Banjo, mandolin
Cody Kilby – Guitars
Jerry Roe – Drums

Video Credit: Shot by Ryan Kay at the Station Inn, Nashville, Tennessee.


Nick Dumas, “Where Have You Been”

Artist: Nick Dumas
Hometown: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Song: “Where Have You Been”
Album: Where Have You Been
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Label: Skyline Records

In Their Words: “Everyone has been in that place – where someone close to you just isn’t there like they used to be, even if they haven’t gone anywhere. This song really struck me because of how real and universal that feeling is. And when Jim Van Cleve came in to mix it, he completely brought out the emotional tension in a way that blew me away. There’s this haunting, almost cinematic atmosphere that he created in the mix – it’s ominous, raw, and it elevates the story in a way that made me hear the song differently. It gave the whole track this weight, like you’re walking through fog trying to find someone.” – Nick Dumas

Video Credit: Thomas F. Obrien, TFOBV 


East Nash Grass, “Followin’ You”

Artist: East Nash Grass
Hometown: Madison, Tennessee
Song: “Followin’ You”
Album: All God’s Children
Release Date: May 13, 2025 (single); August 22, 2025 (album)
Label: Mountain Fever

In Their Words: “East Nash Grass was touring Ireland the first time I heard the demo recording of ‘Followin’ You,’ which I was told that our guitar player, James Kee, and our good songwriting pal and fiddler, Christian Ward, had written for me to sing on our upcoming record, All God’s Children. We were on the way to our next gig, driving through scenery too incredible to describe, and I was enchanted by an iPhone recording of Christian playing the guitar and singing this new song. The chorus is simple: following you. That’s all. And right there, in the beauty of simplicity, I understood that we had all been brought together to make this music to share, not because someone told us to or because of any hidden agenda; but purely because there was no other option for us.” – Maddie Denton

Track Credits:
Harry Clark – Mandolin
James Kee – Guitar
Jeff Partin – Bass
Maddie Denton – Fiddle
Cory Walker – Banjo
Gaven Largent – Dobro


JOSEPH, “Bye and Bye”

Artist: JOSEPH
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Bye and Bye”
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Label: Nettwerk Music Group

In Their Words: “This song is about being a woman in her late thirties with none of the results she expected from the plans she made – no husband, no house, no kids, no religion. The start of the song came one night when I was getting dinner with my then-girlfriend Talia at a bar called the Bye and Bye on Alberta St. in Portland. Our sister Allie had just quit the band, I was about a year past my divorce, I had a hunch the relationship I was in couldn’t keep going in its current form. I told Talia, ‘I feel like, in a way, I just died. Like everything I am – every bit of identity I’ve had – is over.’ I started crying in the way that isn’t tidy so I ran to the bathroom and let the tears rip. It had been a rough few days and as I sat on the toilet lid bawling I opened my notes app and typed ‘Crying in the bathroom of the Bye and Bye/ Saturday’s mascara in my eye/ it’s Tuesday.’” — Natalie Closner


Deanie Richardson & Kimber Ludiker, “Cacklin’ Hen”

Artist: Deanie Richardson & Kimber Ludiker
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee; Silver Spring, Maryland
Song: “Cacklin’ Hen”
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I’ve been a Kimber Ludiker fan for many, many years now since I heard her play at the Grand Master’s Fiddler contest. I was a judge that year and she completely blew me away. I think Kimber is one of the most tasteful, versatile fiddlers that we have in bluegrass music today and the work she’s done with Della Mae speaks volumes for her integrity and her talent. Kimber and I have been talking about doing a twin fiddle record for at least three years now and we’re so glad that we found a home and so glad that we found a place to record this record. Mountain Home has been so generous and good to me and allowed Kimber and I the space to come record this twin fiddle record. And we took it back-old school — just twin fiddles through the whole thing and we’re super excited for you guys to hear some fun music.” – Deanie Richardson

“Deanie Richardson has long been one of my favorite fiddlers and has always been my favorite to play with. We’ve been dreaming about a twin fiddle record for years and Mountain Home is the perfect label to share our excitement and vision. With our bands Della Mae and Sister Sadie, we’ve both had a long commitment to showcase and create a platform for women in this music, and we’re excited to add our fiddling to the canon of tunes in our music. I especially hope young girls will be excited to have more and more recordings of instrumentals played by women to inspire their learning.” – Kimber Ludiker

Track Credits:
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Kimber Ludiker – Fiddle
Cody Kilby – Acoustic guitar
Hasee Ciaccio – Upright bass
Tristan Scroggins – Mandolin
Kristin Benson – Banjo


The Wildmans, “Autumn 1941”

Artist: The Wildmans
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “Autumn 1941”
Album: Longtime Friend
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “‘Autumn 1941’ is a song Roger Brown, former Berklee College of Music President, co-wrote with Berklee songwriting professor Mark Simos. Mark has written for Alison Krauss, the Infamous Stringdusters, and Del McCoury. Del recently released the other song in this series titled ‘Working for the WPA.’ The ‘Autumn 1941’ story hails from Roger’s North Carolina Appalachian roots, it was passed down through his family and while some of the specifics remain unknown, different versions of this story of eugenics prove to be true across Appalachian regions and more largely other minorities throughout American early-mid 20th century history. Stories of this same movement took place in Virginia and communities like Floyd, our hometown. Once we got into the studio with this song, it just flowed and out of it came a haunting authenticity we hadn’t yet discovered in our music.” – The Wildmans


Jessica Willis Fisher, “Seeds”

Artist: Jessica Willis Fisher
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Seeds”
Album: Blooming
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Label: Bard Craft Records

In Their Words: “When we’re young, much of our life is shaped in ways we can’t control. Seeds are planted in our life and when we grow up, we can be left reaping the effects of toxic generational patterns. A big part of my life the last few years has been weeding out so many beliefs and habits that, if left to continue to grow, would choke me to death in many ways. Some days are harder than others and I still have doubts that rise up about which way to go in life, how to best move forward, how to heal from the abuse I experienced when I was younger.

“That vulnerability and honesty felt important to include on this record which centers around healing and growth.” – Jessica Willis Fisher

Track Credits:
Jessica Willis Fisher – Vocals
Bryan Sutton – Acoustic guitar, mandolin
Ben Fowler – Engineer, producer, mix engineer


Photo Credit: JOSEPH by Gardenia Miramontes; East Nash Grass by Scott Simontacchi.

LISTEN: Danny Burns Ft. Tim O’Brien, “Someone Like You” (Adele Cover)

Artist: Danny Burns
Hometown: Residing in Nashville, TN
Song: “Someone Like You” feat. Tim O’Brien
Album: Promised Land
Release Date: October 21, 2020
Label: Bonfire Music Group

In Their Words: “The idea to record Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ came from a conversation when we were down in Mexico chatting with Ethan from the label. At that point we were about to go back into the studio in Nashville to track a full grass record live. I’ve always loved this Adele song, too. Fast forward, and things were starting to get back to normal, so we began recording. I got in touch with Tim who is one of my favorite singers and musicians, ran the tune by him, and he sang on it beautifully. It’s always a great honor to work with Tim. We also got Scott Vestal on banjo, Billy Contreras on fiddle, Ethan Burkhardt on upright bass, Matt Menefee on mandolin and Tony Wray on guitar.” — Danny Burns


Image courtesy of Bonfire Music Group

WATCH: Danny Burns & Steve Earle, “Mercenary Song”

Artists: Danny Burns & Steve Earle
Song: “Mercenary Song”
Album: Hurricane EP
Label: Bonfire Music Group

In Their Words: “We cut ‘Mercenary Song’ before the pandemic, and I had reached out to Steve and he really dug our arrangement. I had my pal Colin Farrell (of Lunasa, not the actor) add a fiddle tune into the middle parts and then thought it would be cool to add some Tex-Mex vibes on accordion. So we asked Michael Guerra from The Mavericks to add some accordion and he blew the doors off it. Then, Chris Masterson of The Mastersons and The Dukes added bari Tele and it all came together nicely. We also added Josh Day on drums, Byron House on upright bass, and Matt Menefee on banjo, mando and dobro. Finally, Steve added his bouzouki in the mix in a bajo sexto vibe.

“We thought it would be cool to shoot a video in NYC at the Dead Rabbit Irish pub. Sean Muldoon, one of the owners who’s from Belfast, was a great host. I recruited director Jim Wright into the project. We had been threatening to work together for few years now, and Steve was up for it and lives pretty close. So we just hung out, talked music and guitars, Ireland, and Irish breakfasts for a day and shot it upstairs at the Rabbit.” — Danny Burns


Photo Credit: Jim Wright

The BGS Radio Hour – Episode 193

Welcome to the first BGS Radio Hour of 2021! This week we bring you new music, music to remember those who we lost in 2020, and music to say farewell to the most, well… interesting year on record. We’re also celebrating 20 years of the massive roots music revival that followed the modern classic Coen Brothers’ film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Remember to check back every Monday for a new episode of the BGS Radio Hour!

APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY
Steve Earle – “Harlem River Blues”

Steve Earle is no stranger to Americana music. Of his numerous accomplishments, one that sticks out was his late son, Justin Townes Earle, who we lost unexpectedly in August of 2020. A manifestation of a father’s love for his son, Earle paid his respects in the only way he knew how – by making a record of J.T.’s songs to say goodbye.

Scott MacKay – “Romance Novel”

This week brings us a music video to accompany Scott MacKay’s new release, Stupid Cupid. This song is a wonderful representation of the “humour in country music,” evoking images of MacKay’s parents and the many romance novels that filled their shelves.

Call Me Spinster – “Two Hearts”

Sister-trio Call Me Spinster know vocals. From their upbringing by musical parents to their independent studies and obsessions with various genres of music, the trio is well qualified to bring us a vocal-centric mixtape this week.

Danny Burns – “Trouble”

Irish-born singers-songwriter Danny Burns is back with a follow-up to his 2019 debut, North Country. “Trouble” is one of two new singles, a peek into his upcoming album Hurricane, which features an all-star lineup including Dan Tyminski, Aubrie Sellers, and more!

Maxayn Lewis – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

From a Netflix feature film, this week we take a dive into a wonderful soundtrack built by Branford Marsalis. The titular track to Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is sung by none other than soul-singer-legend Maxayn Lewis.

Taylor Ashton (feat. Rachael Price) – “Alex”

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Taylor Ashton brings us “Alex” this week — a song about two roommates who happen to share the same name, but are unable to share their feelings with one another. Ashton takes it to another level by singing the duet with his “roommate” Rachael Price (Lake Street Dive), who he happens to be married to (although they don’t share a surname!)

Brit Taylor – “Real Me”

Brit Taylor was bound for Nashville; after all, she grew up along U.S. 23, the Country Music Highway, which runs through Eastern Kentucky around the homplaces of the likes of Keith Whitley, Ricky Skaggs, or the more recent Tyler Childers. Real Me is her debut album, an emergence from a stuck place, and a regrounding in the traditional country sound.

Barry Gibb (feat. Jason Isbell) – “Words of a Fool”

Barry Gibb (of Bee Gees fame) fulfills a life-long goal to create a roots record with Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1. Remembering his late brothers, the Dave Cobb-produced album features the likes of Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, and in this case, Jason Isbell.

The Soggy Bottom Boys – “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow”

The fictional Soggy Bottom Boys, star band of 2001’s O Brother, Where Art Thou?, did more for the commercial popularity of roots music than anyone could imagine (especially Ralph Stanley, who this song originally comes from.) We’re celebrating 20 years of O Brother this January, featuring the entire T-Bone Burnett-produced soundtrack as our Artist of the Month.

Buck Meek – “Candle”

Texas singer-songwriter Buck Meek brings us a new song from his upcoming project, Keeled Scales. He asks BGS, “Has a nosebleed ever sprung at the definitive moment of personal growth, like a threshold? Has a friend felt you light a candle from 1000 miles away?” What could be more simple, yet ever powerful, than a candle?

Antonio Lopez – “Roots and Wings”

There are roots, and there are wings; both are the best hope that can be given. From Longmont, CO, Antonio Lopez brings us this meditation on parents and all of the sacrifices they make for their children.

Stephen Kellogg – “I’ve Had Enough”

Like so many of us in the early days of 2021, Stephen Kellogg has had enough. The past year was enough to flip any optimist, but add in homeschooling during a pandemic, a daily dose of the news and, well… This Connecticut-based musician brings us his perspective on the whole matter.

Sturgill Simpson – “Hobo Cartoon”

It was exciting news in the summer of 2020 when Sturgill Simpson appeared at the Ryman Auditorium alongside Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan, and others — only to announce that the group had just recorded a bluegrass double album that very week. “Hobo Cartoon” is the conclusion of it all, a song co-written with the late, great Merle Haggard, the end to Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2.

Graeme James – “The Weight of Many Winters”

There is nothing quite like the stillness of winter. It’s a feeling that Graeme James chases vehemently on his new seasonal EP. “The Weight of Many Winters” is a quiet moment of reflection, drowning out the noise of modern times — and a fitting title track for this new EP.

LA Edwards – “Trouble”

The idea for a simple dream meal pairing – Bruce Springsteen and a hot dog – could come from none other than LA Edwards. We sat down with the California-based artists for a 5+5 recently, covering everything from stage-inflicted wounds to home art collections.


Photo credit: (L to R) O Brother, Where Art Thou? via Buena Vista Pictures; Steve Earle by Shervin Lainez; Sturgill Simpson, Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2

BGS 5+5: Danny Burns

Artist: Danny Burns
Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
Single: “Trouble” featuring Dan Tyminski, Aubrie Sellers & Jerry Douglas
Album: Hurricane (coming in early 2021)
Nickname: Danny Burns Band / The Red Buck

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Jammin’ with Sam Bush Band at the Birchmere would have to be my favorite stage moment.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc — inform your music?

I would say that film definitely does. When I’m writing, I try to see songs like movies, and concept helps me craft the story. It also helps me make production choices later with instrumentation or arrangements.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

After my first paid gig. Ha! Nah kidding around, I think after hearing Willie Nelson for the first time.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

One of my favorite restaurants is La Boca Steakhouse in New Orleans. Hanging with Sturgill and talking Cuttin’ Grass could make for an interesting Monday night in The Crescent City.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

Keep working, keep learning, keep trying new things, don’t listen or surround yourself by any negative people and never miss an opportunity stop at the Rainforest Cafe at Opry Mills to scare your daughters with that darn hippopotamus. It gets them every time!


Photo credit: Jacob Blickenstaff

LISTEN: Danny Burns, “North Country”

Artist: Danny Burns
Hometown: Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland
Song: “North Country”
Album: North Country
Release Date: January 18, 2019
Label: Bonfire Recording Co.

In Their Words: “I wrote this about the indigenous people of the island of Ireland engaging the Vikings in Viking raids! I started writing this on the banks of Lough Melvin looking up at Rossinver Mountain in the village of Garrison in County Fermanagh where my family are from. This song took many years to take shape and present itself to me; I started this maybe in 2001 and it was finished in 2015. When we went in to cut it in Nashville with Mindy Smith, Sam Bush, and Chessboxer, they were able to add depth and mood to this historical story.” — Danny Burns


Photo credit Jacob Blickenstaff