Tag: Jack Barksdale

You Gotta Hear This: William Beckmann, Denitia, and More

Posted on by Editor

Every Friday, BGS shines a light on some of our favorite new tracks in bluegrass, folk, Americana and beyond. Then we ask the artist about the inspiration behind the music and pass their wise words along to you.

First off, Jack Barksdale’s “Battleground” is a compelling tale of class warfare that comes to life in an eerie and original music video. The Fort Worth folk/Americana artist is joined by Canadian singer-songwriter Julian Taylor on the track. Another Texas native, William Beckmann, adds a dash of mystery to his latest single, “You Only Love to Break My Heart.” Roy Orbison fans, take note. In addition, Grey DeLisle explains how one of her favorite public radio shows inspired “Don’t Break the String,” a thoughtful track from her just-released album, Don’t Turn Around. Meanwhile, Denitia is previewing her 2027 album with a country-tinged tune, “Can’t Leave You Alone,” which showcases not only the range but also the emotion in her vocals. And if you’re into bluegrass, you’ll want to spend time with DownRiver Collective’s “The Fool” and The Fretliners’ “Hard Times Made Me.”

With one of the finest honky-tonk songs in recent memory, Pug Johnson’s “Just to Love You” is bound to satisfy true-blue country fans, with bonus points for a recitation. And leave it to Nashville musician Josh Rouse to bring a pleasant bossa nova vibe to “Sunday in the Country,” which echoes the vibes of his earliest albums. Another Nashville artist, Runner of the Woods, sings in French on “Le 6 Octobre,” though the music video takes a creative approach to translating the lyrics. Of course, the sentiment of the song–recovering from a tough breakup–is universal. Finally, we wrap up with Hunter Watts’ “I’m Lost Without You,” an evocative folk/country tune that sounds like a deep cut out of Lauren Canyon.

As we say every week … You Gotta Hear This!

Jack Barksdale, “Battleground” (Feat. Julian Taylor)

Artist: Jack Barksdale
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Song: “Battleground” (Feat. Julian Taylor)
Album: Battlegrond EP
Release Date: October 16. 2026

In Their Words: “‘Battleground’ is about how we, as a society, let people and companies with lots of money, power, and influence get away with things that we would otherwise be very wary of. The music video is more of a symbolic gesture to capture the overall feel of the song. Taking the idea of class warfare and letting the eye and ear travel and search through the song in a symbolic manner. I met Julian Taylor at the You Got Gold John Prine Tribute in 2025 and have since become a big fan of his music. I was very excited Julian was able to lend his voice to the song.” – Jack Barksdale

“‘Battleground’ is a stellar song from an artist who continues to break new ground lyrically.” – Julian Taylor

William Beckmann, “You Only Love to Break My Heart”

Artist: William Beckmann
Hometown: Del Rio, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “You Only Love to Break My Heart”
Release Date: September 25, 2026
Label: Gatsby Records/MCA

In Their Words: “To me, this song evokes a sense of heartbreak and lust. I wanted it to sound kind of like Roy Orbison and I knew it had to have a mysteriousness to it. I wrote it about an experience of being infatuated with a person that didn’t necessarily reciprocate the same level of interest but that’s okay. That’s kind of the point. It’s almost as if I like the way you play with my heart.” — William Beckmann

Grey DeLisle, “Don’t Break the String”

Artist: Grey DeLisle
Hometowns: Los Angeles/Nashville
Song: “Don’t Break the String”
Album: Don’t Turn Around
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Label: Hummin’bird Records

In Their Words: I’ve always been a public radio junkie, especially for my local Nashville station, WMOT! I got hooked on Craig Havighurst’s show The String. I binged almost the whole thing on a long drive through the Smoky Mountains one summer. When I heard that funding for public radio was being severely cut, my first thought was ‘DON’T BREAK THE STRING! My heart was in the right place but it was pretty hokey lyrics-wise, so after many revisions, it sort of morphed into a song about universal human connection and never taking the things we love for granted!” – Grey DeLisle

Denitia, “Can’t Leave You Alone”

Artist: Denitia
Hometown: Baytown, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Can’t Leave You Alone”
Album: Texas Angel
Release Date: February 5, 2027
Label: Thirty Tigers

In Their Words: “When I was writing this song, I wanted to pull from a time in my life where I was drawn to situations that weren’t so good for me. So much of the material on this album has this undertone of having learned my lesson and I wanted to reach back to a time where I knew better, but I still wanted to do bad. It felt right to have it all set against this dreamy sonic backdrop – a place you can’t resist getting pulled into.” — Denitia

DownRiver Collective, “The Fool”

Artist: DownRiver Collective
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Fool”
Album: Give It All Away (Deluxe)
Release Date: September 5, 2026
Label: Kettleridge Records

In Their Words: “‘The Fool’ is our latest single, and is the final chapter of our album, Give It All Away. After we had released the album in 2025, we knew there were a couple stones that we hadn’t turned, so we set out to release a few new songs as a deluxe version of the record, which came out in September of this year. ‘The Fool’ added an essential ingredient to the album: a touch of heavy metal. The song came to us from a place of frustration, and we tried to channel that energy into the record. The video captures it perfectly; dark, intense, and real. The crew at Film Haus did an amazing job bringing the song to life on the screen.” — DownRiver Collective

The Fretliners, “Hard Times Made Me”

Artist: The Fretliners
Hometown: Lyons, Colorado
Song: “Hard Times Made Me”
Album: When The Kettle Sings
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Label: Hook Set Records

In Their Words: “Tom [Knowlton] has this incredible vocal dynamic range, and when we were recording around a single microphone, there was a moment where we needed him to maintain the same intensity, but with a little less volume. Instead of just telling him to sing quieter, T Bone said, ‘Think about a kettle right at the boiling point. All that pressure building, but don’t quite let it out yet.’ That was the wisdom in his approach to producing. Rather than telling us what to do, he gave us imagery that allowed us to stay creative. It was a moment that stuck with all of us, and with ‘When the Kettle Sings’ already being a lyric on the record, the album title just made sense.” — Sam Parks, mandolin, The Fretliners

Pug Johnson, “Just to Love You”

Artist: Pug Johnson
Hometown: Beaumont, Texas
Song: “Just to Love You”
Album: From a Beaumont Bar
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Label: Thirty Tigers

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Just to Love You’ trying to capture the denial phase of a failed relationship and the notion that breakups are rarely clean cut. I’ve learned from experience that when you’ve spent years of your life with someone, they often hang around your dreams after they’ve left. This was the second song that I wrote for the album. Once I finished this one, the floodgates opened and the rest of the original tunes were finished 48 hours later. I wanted to make sure I put at least one stone-cold hurting song on the record, and this is still one of my favorites.” – Pug Johnson

Josh Rouse, “Sunday in the Country”

Artist: Josh Rouse
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Sunday in the Country ”
Album: Museums and Women
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “A lovely bossa nova progression I came up with while watching a film of the same name. I imagined a New Yorker escaping the city for a weekend in upstate New York, reflecting on his life and wondering whether it might be time to slow down and embrace a simpler way of living.” — Josh Rouse

Runner of the Woods, “Le 6 Octobre”

Artist: Runner of the Woods
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Le 6 Octobre”
Release Date: October 6, 2026

In Their Words: “Everyone seems desperate for fall to arrive, but I feel differently. I’ve always felt the season marked the beginning of losing something wonderful–summertime. Years ago, I moved from New Orleans to Montreal. In my mind, I was trading one old French town for another, but it was a shock to go from sweaty south Louisiana, with its joie de vivre, to a snowy, more reserved cosmopolitan city. The chorus asks, ‘Who are these people who love the fall?’ which I sing in my native French.

“In Nashville, I take enormous pride in packing dancefloors with Cajun music, but I routinely sneak in more lyric-oriented, original French songs too. ‘Le 6 Octobre’ recalls an early snowstorm in Montreal colliding with a painful breakup. The video evokes the experience of closing my eyes and seeing those people and places again – but with the English lyrics written on the back of each photograph so viewers can follow along as we remember together.” – Nicolas Beaudoing, Runner of the Woods

Hunter Watts, “I’m Lost Without You”

Artist: Hunter Watts
Hometown: Orange, California
Song: “I’m Lost Without You”
Album: Hunter Watts
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Label: Valentine Record Studios

In Their Words: “It started off as my music theory final in high school, funny enough. After I gradually rearranged the chords and melody, I ended up with the two different songs. I was unsure of which version to finish and somewhat stuck on them until showing the songs to my bandmates (and roommates) at the time, who suggested that I just bridge the two together. While lyrically the song is intentional in its introspection, the process of writing it also somewhat serves as a snapshot of my early independence.” — Hunter Watts

Photo Credit: Edward Stockwell (William Beckmann), Weird Candy (Denitia)

BGS 5+5: Jack Barksdale

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Jack Barksdale
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Latest Album: Voices
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Jack Attack, Jackal, Jackaroo, Jackadaisical

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

I’ve always loved songwriters who take the art form seriously and truly attempt to elevate it. I’ve always been a little disappointed by the number of songwriters I could find who fit into this label and standard. So I guess I’d like to become one of those artists for someone else. There seems to be a grace given to songwriters that isn’t extended to artists in other art forms, and I think that’s one of the reasons why “great” songwriters can be so scarce. I’d like to try to rid my art of any reliance on that grace. That’s at least a step in the right direction.

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

I’ve been recently getting into the work of Bertolt Brecht. He was a great playwright in the first half of the 20th century. He had lots of interesting theories about how theater could be done and what purpose it served. I’ve been trying to think about songwriting in that same way, really considering the limits and the liberties, thinking about what songs can or should be doing and how to effectively achieve that.

Genre is dead (long live genre!), but how would you describe the genres and styles your music inhabits?

While I don’t think “genre is dead,” I sort of think it should be. It’s just a shortcut of human communication, and when it’s treated as anything more than that, it can be sort of damaging. The same is true for a lot of arbitrary distinctions like the idea of species, for example. Technically, every living organism to exist has been its own species, slightly different from any of its ancestors. I’m not quite sure how species that clone themselves fit into this – they may just be considered the same organism – but ultimately it doesn’t matter, it’s all just arbitrary titles and distinctions. I know that’s a crazy rant, but, keeping all of that in mind, I would say the most accurate “communicative shortcuts” that can describe my music on a macro level are folk, Americana, and singer-songwriter, along with some overtones of certain styles of blues, country, and rock.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

Lately, I’ve really been loving Italian tarantella music as well as some Basque trikiti music. I love most kinds of folk music, especially folk dance music. I’m hesitant to say the word “traditional,” because that word often seems to be associated with the more polished, almost novelty, styles of folk music. That’s not really what I’m drawn to. I’m drawn to the things that speak to people and energize people and move people. I’m not as interested in the glorification and worship of the past simply because it’s the past. I may find some of these “traditional” things extremely insightful, provocative, and academically interesting, I just don’t often find the same energy and emotion that I find in “folk” music.

If you were a color, what shade would you be – and why?

Well, as Newton discovered a long time ago, white light is comprised of every color in the visible light spectrum combined. And I believe that no matter how frustrating or counterintuitive it is, the old saying is true – we contain multitudes. There may be some slight variations between us, but mostly, in metaphorical terms, I think we’re all pretty much shades of white light.

Photo Credit: Jack Barksdale

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From BEATrio, Graham Sharp, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

From banjo geniuses to borderless country and folk, this time, our weekly new music and premiere roundup has a little bit of everything!

Kicking us off, BGS Podcast Network host and singer-songwriter Bri Bagwell, who’s behind the Only Vans podcast, brings us a lovely fresh country track called “Border Girl.” It’s about how close we all really are to each other, and how the culture, communities, and music of our neighbors really do rub off on all of us. From across the state line in Texas, Jack Barksdale accomplishes the complex through simplicity with “A Funny Song,” which is equal parts satirical and contemplative in an ethereal indie-folk package.

Virginian Jesse Smathers offers up his version of a Randall Hyton number, “Good Time Get Together,” and with the roster of bluegrass pickers he had join him in the studio for the recording, it surely must have been the titular good time get together just to make the single. Plus, Kenny Feinstein steps away from his band Water Tower for just a moment to release a bluegrass single under his own name, “Old Richmond Prison,” a “fast waltz” about mistakes, consequences, and redemption.

Banjo virtuosity brings us home, first with BEATrio featuring Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, and Antonio Sánchez blending styles, sonics, and banjo, harp, and percussion on “Walnut and Western.” Not quite jazz, folk, jam band, or string band alone, the instrumental draws from seemingly endless inspirations, combining each with expertise and ease. The track is, of course, infinitely charming, raucous, and fascinating. Five-string aficionado Graham Sharp (who you’ll know from Steep Canyon Rangers) releases his brand new solo album today, How Did We Do It. We’re sharing “Living Like Thieves” from that project, an original which features Jerry Douglas, Lyndsay Pruett, Michael Ashworth, and more trotting towards a getaway while having a good time and with a vacation in mind.

It’s all worth a spin, that’s for sure! You know what we’re going to say– You Gotta Hear This!

Bri Bagwell, “Border Girl”

Artist: Bri Bagwell
Hometown: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Song: “Border Girl”
Release Date: April 18, 2025

In Their Words: “I am from the border of New Mexico, Mexico, and Texas. My hometown of Las Cruces, New Mexico, is a very beautiful blend of people and cultures. I believe a lot of people feel that they ‘belong’ to different places, straddling a line between ethnicities and geographical influences that shape who they are. Instead of wrestling with the idea of feeling very deeply rooted in Hispanic culture without having it in my blood, I always have embraced the idea that where I am from seeped into the fiber of my being, and that is a beautiful thing. Being from the border of all of these places created a girl who sings in Spanish every night, loves both Selena and George Strait, and knows that the Rio Grande is just a divider for map (and not for a heart).

“My boyfriend Paul Eason really took to this song after I wrote it and recorded all of the instruments and my vocals in our home studio in New Braunfels, Texas. It features harmonies by Lyndon Hughes from The Wilder Blue, and receives a big reaction at shows when I play it live. I think people really relate to the idea of loving where you are from and embracing all of your geographical and cultural influences!” – Bri Bagwell

Jack Barksdale, “A Funny Song”

Artist: Jack Barksdale
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Song: “A Funny Song”
Album: Voices
Release Date: April 25, 2025 (single); June 13, 2025 (album)
Label: Truly Handmade Records

In Their Words: “I’m really interested in ways to inspire nuance and complexity with songwriting, which can be a surprisingly tough task. Somewhat counterintuitively, the way I tried to achieve that complexity in ‘A Funny Song’ is through simplicity. Sometimes if you strip something back to its simplest form and try to understand it through that point of view, you can gain a deeper understanding of it or, at least, a good foundation for future understanding. It’s not the final destination, but it’s good start. In this song, I used that same framework to try and understand some of, what you might call ‘the big questions.’

“This song borders on satire and works in pretty much the same way as satire, where the substance isn’t really in what’s being said, but in the listener’s reaction to what’s being said. Ultimately, I’m not trying to simplify ‘the big questions’ by telling a black-and-white story. I’m trying to create more nuanced thought around these questions in the minds of listeners, whether they agree or disagree with what the song has to say.” – Jack Barksdale

Track Credits:
Jack Barksdale – Vocals, acoustic guitar, songwriter
Diana Burgess – Cello
Jared Reynolds – Uke Bass

BEATrio (Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez), “Walnut and Western”

Artist: BEATrio (Béla Fleck, banjo; Edmar Castañeda, harp; and Antonio Sánchez, drums)
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Walnut and Western”
Album: BEATrio
Release Date: April 16, 2025 (single); May 16, 2025 (album)
Label: Béla Fleck Productions

In Their Words: “Here’s a tune I have had for many years that’s been looking for a home and the right band. I am positive that this is the best setting it could have, and thrilled that I waited! Antonio and Edmar knew exactly what to do. This project kind of reminds me of the early days of the Flecktones, when audiences would go, ‘How is this supposed to work?’” – Béla Fleck

Kenny Feinstein, “Old Richmond Prison”

Artist: Kenny Feinstein
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Old Richmond Prison”
Album: Kenny Feinstein
Release Date: April 18, 2025 (single); TBA (album)

In Their Words: “There’s something magical about siblings making music together. The way Jake and Carter work together reminds me of Ralph and Carter Stanley – it’s like they share a musical language that only brothers can understand.

“The song is about mistakes, consequences, and redemption – themes I’ve grappled with in my own life. There’s a universality to the story that I think anyone can relate to, whether it’s the weight of regret or the hope for a second chance. Water Tower will always be my home base, but this album is a chance to explore the music that shaped me as an artist. It’s a love letter to the sounds and stories that have been with me through every high and low.” – Kenny Feinstein

Graham Sharp, “Living Like Thieves”

Artist: Graham Sharp
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Living Like Thieves”
Album: How Did We Do It
Release Date: April 18, 2025
Label: Enchanted Barn

In Their Words: “For me, this tune is about being in tune with the moment, paying attention to the magic when you find it. I was sitting at friend’s one afternoon thumbing through this melody and it seemed to capture the time and place (‘The prettiest thing that I know right now/ Is these little chords and the way they move/ The only place that I wanna be/ Is where I’m playing them for you”). I leaned on a recollection of an afternoon several years ago on vacation with my sweetie for the first verse. I’ve always loved Earl Scruggs’ banjo style in open D Reuben tuning and it happened to fit this song really well. Having Flux and this group of Western NC all stars on the track brought the whole thing together and made it sing!” – Graham Sharp

Track Credits:
Graham Sharp – Banjo, vocals
Ryan Stigmon – Guitar
Michael Ashworth – Bass
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Lyndsay Pruett – Fiddle
Drew Matiluch – Mandolin

Jesse Smathers, “Good Time Get Together”

Artist: Jesse Smathers
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “Good Time Get Together”
Release Date: April 18, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “When I first ran across this old Randall Hylton tune, I knew it was something that I wanted to record. I sought out the lyrics and Wanda Dalton, Randall’s sister, wrote them out for me. I truly cherish this tune and its uplifting melody and message. When I think of my friends, loved ones, and heroes that have gone on, it is a beautiful and consoling thought to think of the music making that will happen once we get to heaven. It will truly be a ‘Good Time Get Together’!” – Jesse Smathers

Track Credits:
Jesse Smathers – Guitar, lead vocal
Hunter Berry – Fiddle
Corbin Hayslett – Banjo
Nick Goad – Mandolin, harmony vocal
Joe Hannabach – Upright bass
Patrick Robertson – Harmony vocal
Dale Perry – Harmony vocal

Photo Credit: BEATrio (Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez) by Shervin Lainez; Graham Sharp by Nathan Golub.