Artist:Leah Nobel Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona Song: “This Pain Will Be Useful ” Album:Running in Borrowed Shoes Release Date: February 8, 2019 Label: Big Yellow Dog Music
In Their Words: “This song is interesting because it is specifically based on one woman’s story, but I also feel like it belongs to all of us. That’s because there isn’t a single person that I’ve interviewed that hadn’t been through something devastating and then survived it. They not only survived it, but turned what they learned from their experiences into something really beautiful like relationships or heart or advocacy. One of the most impressive things to me about human beings is our resilience, and I really wanted to echo that in this song. The story that this is specifically based on is of a woman whose love for life was stolen from her due to illness and abuse and addition. She was always questing to steal it back. I think of her every time I sing this song.” — Leah Nobel
Artist:Si Cliff Hometown: London, UK Song: “Run” Release Date: January 15, 2019
In Their Words: “The track ‘Run’ started out as two separate voice recordings of the chorus melody and bass line. An idea that I arranged on guitar later that week turned into what you hear now. The starting groove of the verse came to me when practicing and it fit so well. The lyrics are about having lots of chances not to face up to things these days, with many apps and endless media sources to preoccupy us. We can find excuses to put real life and decisions on hold when the time to do them is now.” — Si Cliff
In Their Words: “The idea of writing Rattlesnake honestly began as a joke. I didn’t know if I was capable of writing songs that anyone else wanted to hear. But in writing an album inspired by Rattlesnake Kate (a 1920s Colorado trailblazer who became notorious for a death-defying encounter with a rattlesnake migration, where, in order to protect her 3-year-old son, she proceeded to bludgeon 140 snakes), a woman who lived her life on her own terms, and with little care for other people’s opinions of her, I found strength and courage to stop joking (at least, in terms of writing an album), and wrote a record for myself with songs that were weird and vulnerable and funny to me. Writing an album about someone else’s life was a really liberating because I could write through this mask, taking the parts of Kate’s life that were significant and inspiring to me, and write about my own baggage through those events.
“I made the stubborn decision that I only wanted one person to produce this record, and that was one of my musical heroes, Matt Ward (M. Ward, She & Him). Keeping my fingers crossed that a few poorly recorded demos from my living room would be enough to convince him to produce my record, I was able to make this album sound exactly the way I envisioned it. I feel very lucky to have had the validating experience of working with Matt, as well as our audio engineer Adam Selzer, and am so grateful for all of their contributions on making this record with me.” — Neyla Pekarek
Turns out that while Sunny War was playing her poetic brand of punky blues on the rowdy boardwalk in Venice Beach, host Z. Lupetin was living just up the block and walking past her every day without noticing. She’s come quite a long way since those days, having released three albums since 2014, culminating with 2018’s breakout, “With the Sun.”
Artist:Southern Pine Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina Song: “Standing Still” Album:Standing Still Release Date: January 11, 2019
In Their Words: “I wrote the majority ‘Standing Still’ in a small park in North Hollywood. At the time I was nearing the end of my first several-month national tour and it seemed to burst out of me as a reflection of all that had transpired — a meditation on how the places we go and the things we see transform the people we are. The song sat for a long time, present in my mind, but feeling unfinished. I was ready to give up on it, when I met my friend Meryll Davis. I played her what I had and she instinctively came up with the final verse (my favorite of the song). The song now serves me as a punctuation of sorts, helping to guide from the end of one chapter into the next.” — Zack Kardon
No genre of American music has been untouched by the influence of Dolly Parton and bluegrass is surely no different. Given Dolly’s homegrown, East Tennessee roots and her pickin’ chops on many of bluegrass’s signature instruments, her connection to the genre perhaps runs deeper than any other style she’s accomplished — besides good ol’ classic country, of course.
In April 2020, Dolly announced six albums – including Little Sparrow, one of her bluegrass forays – from her back catalog would be made available on digital streaming services for the first time. In an episode of 2019’s Peabody-Award winning podcast, Dolly Parton’s America, a portion featuring the London debut of Parton’s 9 to 5 musical details that many of Parton’s inner team regard her 1999 release, The Grass Is Blue, as one of her best – critically and otherwise. We even featured The Grass Is Blue in an episode of The Breakdown. Trio and Trio II, Heartsongs, and even the genre-mashing White Limozeen all contain heavily bluegrass and string-band inflected songs – the influence of her home turf and its musical accompaniment are evident throughout her artistic output.
Live and from the studio, through cover songs, collaborations, and in casual jam circles, Dolly and her songs have fully infiltrated bluegrass. It’s no surprise she speaks of it often, simply referring to the music as she did in her youth (and all throughout her career): as “Mountain music.” To celebrate Dolly in December, here are a few of our favorite Dolly/bluegrass cross-pollination moments:
“Sleep With One Eye Open” — Dolly Parton
Her 1999 all-bluegrass album, The Grass Is Blue, was named one of our 50 Most Greatest Bluegrass Albums Made by Women — and for excellent reason. It may very well be the one of the best bluegrass recordings born in the past few decades (check out that roster of pickers!!) and it brought bluegrass to Dolly’s greater audience — Norah Jones went on to cover the title track. Dolly even made an appearance at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s award show in 2000, as the project won Album of the Year. Dolly’s bluegrass skills are no better displayed than on this perfectly-executed cover of an all-time bluegrass classic.
“I Feel the Blues Movin’ In” — Trio
Both Trio albums (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt) could arguably be categorized as bluegrass, but Trio II ticked quite a few more of traditional bluegrass’s boxes, especially with this cover of a Del McCoury original. To this day he’ll announce the song on stage as being the best, “Because Dolly Parton sang it!”
“Heartbreaker’s Alibi” — Rhonda Vincent & Dolly Parton
Dolly and the Queen of Bluegrass collaborate on this 2006 release from Vincent’s All American Bluegrass Girl. Vincent and Dolly have gone on to work together on a handful of other projects, as well. Something about that bluegrass vocal blend… Mmmm.
“Jolene” — Alison Krauss with Suzanne Cox and Cheryl White
And of course, covers of Dolly’s countless songs have filtered into the bluegrass songbook across the years. Alison Krauss leads an all-star band on this cover of perhaps Dolly’s most iconic song, “Jolene,” for the 2006 Kennedy Center Honors show.
And it’s not just Dolly’s more country and bluegrass adjacent songs that have found themselves homes in bluegrass set lists and cover projects. Charlottesville, Virginia-based, bluegrass-meets-the-80s band Love Canon covered the iconic Dolly and Kenny duet “Islands in the Stream” for a BGS Sitch Session.
“Muleskinner” — Bill Monroe and Dolly Parton
They both had hit versions of this song, after all. Though this writer might be partial to the version that gleefully shouts, “I’m a lady muleskinner!” It’s badass no matter how you cut it, really. The Big Mon and Dolly, doing it right. And there’s something just so beautiful about Dolly Parton cueing the Kenny Baker into his solo.
“Little Sparrow” — Dolly Parton
2001’s follow up to The Grass is Blue, Little Sparrow continued Dolly’s bluegrass explorations, but with folk and transatlantic sounds joining the mix.
“Viva Las Vegas” — The Grascals with Dolly Parton
The Grascals take the CMA Fan Fest stage in Las Vegas with Dolly Parton singing an absolute classic with a good ol’ dose of bluegrass fire.
“Banks of the Ohio” — Dolly Parton
Not all of Dolly’s bluegrass forays have been… well, bluegrass. Here, she adds her theatrical, dramatic touches with a fresh-written preamble to the classic lyrics of “Banks of the Ohio.” Her soft spoken-word, the sumptuous strings, and a soaring, Dolly-vocal-run-filled arrangement give this staple a special hue that’s 100% herself.
“Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” — Della Mae
Della Mae has plenty of experience covering Dolly, even once being the house band for a Dolly Parton tribute show in the UK. Once again, they’re pulling a cover that comes from outside Dolly’s bluegrass-y songs, and it’s fantastic.
“Just a Few Old Memories” — Dolly Parton
A legendary combination. Dolly Parton sings Hazel Dickens. What more would we ever need?
Well… Hazel’s in the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. Maybe it’s time Dolly ought to be inducted, too. After all, you just took a split second scroll over her major influence on bluegrass and vice versa — and her bluegrass outreach, as well. The case is made for itself. Dolly for the Bluegrass Hall of Fame!
Artist:Pierce Pettis Hometown: Mentone, Alabama Song: “Your Father’s Son” Album:Father’s Son Release Date: January 18, 2019 Label: Compass Records
In His Words: “Pat Walsh & I wrote ‘Your Father’s Son’ several years ago. We were thinking about our dads and dads in general. I always liked the song, but for some reason put it aside and it sort of got lost. Recently, I was going through some old demos and came across it again. I was really moved by the song, but felt it needed something. So I added a little musical hook and it seemed to do the trick. When I played the song out, everybody loved it — especially my producer, Garry. So later when we did the album, it just seemed the natural title song and idea around which to build the whole project.” — Pierce Pettis
Host Z. Lupetin talks with the honey-voiced singer/songwriter Lindsay Lou. For over a decade she has been making slow-burning soulful roots music, first with her Michigan band the Flatbellys and now with her Nashville crew billed simply as Lindsay Lou.
They talk about how she joined the “Great Americana Band Migration” from Michigan to Nashville, as well as the nuances of pleasing her punk-rock mom with her evolving music. They also try out some new lullabies, because it seems like all of their friends are having babies.
As we enter the new year, we look back on our favorite moments shared with some of our favorite artists in 2018. Check out our top Sitch Sessions, filmed in Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia, and beyond.
“Ain’t That Fine” – I’m With Her
Fresh off the release of their debut full-length album See You Around in February, Sara Watkins, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz serenaded us among the palms of the Fairmont Park Horticultural Center in Philadelphia.
“Mal Hombre” – Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens brought Tejano to East Nashville with her powerful version of the legendary Lydia Mendoza’s classic “Mal Hombre.”
“Long Gone Out West Blues” – Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers
Traditional bluegrass proselytes Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers joined us in Nashville, gearing up for the return of Huck Finn Jubilee in Southern California last October.
“The Traveling Kind” – Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris
Looking back on their 40+ years of friendship and collaboration, with no intention of stopping, Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris claim to be members of an “elite group” of those from their generation still traveling, touring, and performing. They laugh, “We’ve traveled so far, it became a song, at last”.
“Islands in the Stream” – Love Canon
How can you not smile from this bluegrass-inspired version of this Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton classic?
“Rygar” – Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge
The duo gifted us with the building, joyous “Rygar”, off their album Mount Royal, which they describe as being comprised of “experiments” — songs that allowed them to explore their own capabilities and push the boundaries of what can be done on the acoustic guitar.
“The Restless” – The Lone Bellow
With this stunningly stripped-down rendition of “The Restless,” The Lone Bellow reminded us to keep our heads up and our hearts open in the face of adversity, something to hold on to for a fresh start in the new year.
“Alison” – Jamie Drake
Gearing up to release her solo album Everything’s Fine in 2019, alt-folk singer/songwriter Jamie Drake joined us in Los Angeles and regaled us with her immaculate tune “Alison.”
“Different, I Guess” – Lilly Hiatt
Lilly Hiatt, in the way only she can, ponders the dangers and glories of being vulnerable and allowing yourself to fall in love.
“Coming Down the Mountain” – Mipso
Mipso muses on retreating from the madness of society in this beautiful song, taken from their 2017 album of the same name.
“Took You Up” – Courtney Marie Andrews
Courtney Marie Andrews’ breathtaking vocals stunned us once again in a solo acoustic version of this track from her latest album May Your Kindness Remain.
“Thirty” – The Weather Station
The Weather Station (AKA Tara Lindeman) gave us the haunting and tense, yet fluid, “Thirty” from their self-titled album. They met us to perform the song at BOK, a historic Philadelphia trade school, closed five years ago, now re-purposed for its space to be used by the community for small businesses, job training, non-profits, and more.
“Firestarter” – Andrew Combs
And to close out the year, we have singer/songwriter Andrew Combs with a solo acoustic performance of this captivating, previously unreleased tune.
Artist:Five Letter Word Hometown: Portland, Oregon Song: “Silent Message” Album:Siren Release Date: January 11, 2019
In Their Words: “This song is from the point of view of someone who can tell her partner is losing interest in the relationship. She sees them pulling away through their actions, giving her a ‘silent message’ that she would rather hear in words. It is a situation we’ve all been in before, and it’s never fun, but this song takes a playful, upbeat tone, as a nod to the inevitability of change within love.” — Five Letter Word
Photo credit: R.Zimmerman/Light Monkeys
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