Tag: jaelee roberts

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Jaelee Roberts, Moira Smiley and More

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Ready for some new songs of the summer? Don’t miss these new tracks from exceptional bluegrass talents Jaelee Roberts and The Kody Norris Show, New England-based songwriters Moira Smiley and Naomi Westwater, rising country duo the Kentucky Gentlemen, and fellow Kentuckian Jeremy Short with special guest Tommy Prine. It’s all below in our latest edition of You Gotta Hear This!

Jaelee Roberts, “Love Gone Missing”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Love Gone Missing”
Release Date: June 6, 2025

In Their Words: “I co-wrote ‘Love Gone Missing’ with my friend Theo MacMillan (we wrote ‘Something You Didn’t Count On’ and ‘November’ on my debut album). We were swapping around ideas during a writing session and ‘Love Gone Missing’ is the result of that and I really love it! The entire song is written from the perspective of the girl but that isn’t revealed until the last verse which gives the story a different twist. This song has hopeful lyrics about losing the person you love but knowing there’s a chance to get them back. ‘Love Gone Missing’ came together so beautifully in the studio with Cody Kilby on guitar, Andy Leftwich on mandolin, mandola, and fiddle, Ron Block on banjo, and Byron House on bass (and producing), along with Grayson Lane singing harmony. I really hope that y’all enjoy this song and the story it tells!” — Jaelee Roberts

Track Credits:
Jaelee Roberts – Vocals
Cody Kilby – Guitar
Andy Leftwich – Mandolin, mandola, and fiddle
Ron Block – Banjo
Byron House – Bass
Grayson Lane – Harmony vocal

Moira Smiley, “We Are Timeless”

Artist: Moira Smiley
Hometown: Bristol, Vermont
Song: “We Are Timeless” (featuring Shruti Ramani)
Release Date: June 6, 2025
Label: Whim Records

In Their Words: “By February, it was clear to me, living as I am in rural America, that a Pride anthem was going to be an important part of what I would sing this year, 2025. It was life-affirming to film the video with Fiona Small and finish the track in our tiny town with dancers & friends showing up in their fiercest finery and joy against the worry and cold. My friend Shruti and her fiancée Kia wrote the second verse after I shared with them my own story in verse one. We shared our personal journeys knowing that so many humans have harrowing journeys discovering our sexuality and the rules of gender as we become our most grounded and expressive selves. Queerness has shown us ALL – across the eons – that it is sacred to investigate how we express our love most fully and authentically.” — Moira Smiley

“During our first live filming session with Kai and Moira, I was reminded of Brandi Carlile’s stunning music video for ‘The Joke,’ where very real, sensitive humans lip-sync the words of the song so that we understand that this is their song too. GRATEFUL to the movers, musicians, and creators who showed up with open hearts, curious minds, and fierce authentic presence.” — Fiona Small, filmmaker

“Writing these words with Moira felt like opening a channel to something bigger than both of us — a collective memory, a song that reaches back and stretches forward.” — Shruti Ramani

Track Credits:
Written & Arranged by Moira Smiley.
Sung by Moira Smiley & Shruti Ramani.
Lyrics by Moira, Shruti and Kiarah O’Kane.
Kai Fukuda, piano; Seamus Egan & Moira Smiley, percussion & bass. Kristina Stykos & Moira Smiley, edit/mix/master

Video Credits:
Vermont Dancers (in order of appearance): Moira Smiley, Kai Fukuda, Leonore Tjia, Jacqueleen Bordjadze, Laurel Jenkins, Sonnie May Jenkins-Kent, Sophia Calvi, Leila Hon, Marek Zajac, Jenesis Artis, Fiona Small.
Co-directed by Moira Smiley & Fiona Small

Naomi Westwater, “The Empress”

Artist: Naomi Westwater
Hometown: Mashpee, Massachusetts
Song: “The Empress”
Album: Cycle & Change
Release Date: May 9, 2025

In Their Words: “As a New Englander, I’ve found that around the end of the summer, people get anxious about the days getting shorter and the cold coming in. This song is an acceptance that all seasons are sacred and so we shouldn’t fear them. It’s also a declaration of my own sacredness. Written in a field of goldenrod and inspired by The Empress tarot card, this song welcomes in the acceptance, the trust, and abundance the previous song lacked.” – Naomi Westwater

Track Credits:
Ben Burns – Drums
Cooper Evello – Percussion
Don Mitchell – Producer
Talia Rose – Seagull M4
Chris Sartori – Electric bass, upright bass
Naomi Westwater – Songwriter, producer, vocals
Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sound in Boston, MA – Mastering engineer
Andrew Oedel at Ghost Hit Recording, West Springfield, MA – Recording engineer
Philip Weinrobe at Sugar Mountain, Brooklyn, NY – Mixing engineer
Video Credits: Shot by Naomi Westwater with help from Dan Blahnik. Video edited by HipStory.

The Kody Norris Show, “Wild Mountain Rose”

Artist: The Kody Norris Show
Hometown: Mountain City, Tennessee
Song: “Wild Mountain Rose”
Album: Highfalutin Hillbilly
Release Date: June 6, 2025
Label: Rebel Records

In Their Words: “‘Wild Mountain Rose’ came to me from a great friend and fellow songwriter, Conrad Fisher. In my opinion, this song embodies the true simple essence of bluegrass music! We’ve held on to this song for a couple years now, waiting for the right time and right album. I think it fits well on Highfalutin Hillbilly and feel that this song will be around for a long time to come!” — Kody Norris

Track Credits:
Kody Norris – Guitar & Lead Vocals
Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris – Fiddle, Mandolin & Harmony Vocals
Josiah Tyree – Banjo & Harmony Vocals
Charlie Lowman – Bass
Jason Barie – Twin Fiddles

The Kentucky Gentlemen, “To Kill Me”

Artist: The Kentucky Gentlemen
Hometown: Versailles, Kentucky
Song: “To Kill Me”
Album: Rhinestone Revolution
Release Date: June 6 , 2025
Label: River House Artists

In Their Words: “This song ‘To Kill Me’ is for the fighters, the ones who’ve been dragged through hell and still come out swinging with a smile. This is about freedom from fear, from limits, from anything that tries to bury you before your time. It’s proof that we’re still standing.” – The Kentucky Gentlemen

Jeremy Short, “Let It Shine” feat. Tommy Prine

Artist: Jeremy Short
Hometown: Eastern Kentucky
Song: “Let It Shine” feat. Tommy Prine

In Their Words: “A lot of people will come and go in your life, no matter how hard you try to hold onto them. And sometimes focusing on holding on so tightly gets in the way of appreciating moments while they’re happening.

“On the road we meet a lot of really cool people, a lot of really cool, super talented artists, club owners, you name it. But then in a matter of hours you pack up, load out and head on to the next city. You always hope you’ll make it back there sooner than later, that those people will also remember those interactions, that the connections will last and they will want to come back and hang again or play another show together, that’s one of the best parts of getting out there and seeing the world. But because of the briefness of your time together, it’s also easy to get lost in thoughts of ‘Does this really matter?’, ‘Will they even remember me?’, ‘Am I just spinning my wheels?’, so when I wrote this song, I think I was really just trying to find that balance.

“Tommy is a top notch songwriter, man. I still really want to get in there and write one from scratch with him instead of him coming in as a feature on mine. Being the son of one of the greatest songwriters in the world, I’m sure it didn’t hurt – but man, he’s carving his own path, his own way, with his own style and it’s great music. I’ve been spinning his songs since way before I met him, and I’m super grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him and get to know him a little bit.” — Jeremy Short

Track credits:
Jeremy Short – Vocals, Guitar
Tommy Prine – Vocals
Katie Barker – Vocals, Bass
Ron Rite – Vocals, Guitar
Shane Diesel – Vocals, Drums
Johnathan Smith – Keys

Written by Jeremy Short
Recorded at The Pine Box (Nashville, TN)
Produced, Recorded & Mixed by Justin Francis
Mastered by Raelynn Janicke @ Infrasonic Sound Recording INC

Photo Credit: Jaelee Roberts by Eric Ahlgrim; Moira Smiley by Fiona Small

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Balsam Range, Bold Forbes, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The last Friday of March brings a weekly new music roundup that includes bluegrass, folk, Americana, and more!

Kicking us off, Boston-based Autumn Hollow have a new single, “After All of This Is Gone,” a jangly, deep-pocketed rocker that reflects on the new reality we all find ourselves living in – or perhaps coping with through abject denial – after the COVID pandemic. Bold Forbes also unveil the first half of an A Side/B Side single release, “Make Away,” a song that’s string band and folk revival combined, but in a twangy, modern sonic package.

Blue Cactus call on their friends Brit Taylor and Russ Pahl for “Bite My Tongue,” a track and accompanying music video that takes on inequalities, patriarchy, and injustice (with a danceable groove!). Susto Stringband also bring us a video on their album release day, “Double Crown.” It’s got an old-timey line up of instruments, but a decidedly pop sensibility, and it celebrates community – that is, their favorite neighborhood honky-tonk haunt in Asheville, the eponymous Double Crown.

We’ve got plenty of bluegrass herein, as well. Jaelee Roberts has a brand new single, which was co-written by two of her mentors, Tim Stafford and the late Steve Gulley. “Heavy As A Stone In Her Heart” floored Roberts with its lyrics and raw emotion and she just knew she had to cut it. Kristy Cox has a brand new music video for her new single, too, which features John Meador – who recently announced his departure from Authentic Unlimited to perform in Vince Gill’s touring band. Cox and Meador team up to great success on “In My Dreams,” which of course includes plenty of dreamy harmonies. Don’t miss North Carolina powerhouses Balsam Range with a new track, as well. “When It Comes to Loving You” was written by Daniel Salyer and Jeff McClellan, features Don Rigsby, and is built around Balsam’s classic, driving sound.

There’s plenty of excellent roots music to enjoy. You Gotta Hear This!

Autumn Hollow, “After All of This Is Gone”

Artist: Autumn Hollow
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “After All of This Is Gone”
Album: Say No More
Release Date: March 28, 2025 (single); May 2, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “‘After All of This Is Gone’ reflects on the lingering impact of the pandemic and the rush to return to normal. As a teacher who returned to in-person work early, I saw how quickly the conversation shifted away from what we had all been through. There was little acknowledgment of the lasting changes – only an expectation to move forward. This song serves as a reminder that the effects of that time didn’t simply disappear and that it’s important to recognize how they continue to shape us.” – Brendan Murphy

Balsam Range, “When It Comes To Loving You”

Artist: Balsam Range
Hometown: Haywood County, North Carolina
Song: “When It Comes to Loving You”
Release Date: March 28, 2025

In Their Words: “The wait is over! From the first time I heard Daniel Salyer’s demo of ‘When It Comes to Loving You,’ I knew it would make a great Balsam Range song and I believe it has! It’s our first new single since the release of our last album, Kinetic Tone, in December 2023, and I couldn’t be more excited for music fans to hear it. With a cool groove and lyrics that are so well put together, I truly hope you all enjoy it as much as we do creating it. Me, Tim, Marc, and Alan are so excited to be joined by the great Don Rigsby on tenor vocal and fiddle. There will be no mistaking when you hear his powerful voice. Thanks to Daniel Salyer and Jeff McClellan for a great song!” – Caleb Smith

Track Credits:
Caleb Smith – Acoustic guitar, lead vocal
Tim Surrett – Bass, harmony vocal
Marc Pruett – Banjo
Don Rigsby – Fiddle, harmony vocal
Alan Bibey – Mandolin

Bold Forbes, “Make Away”

Artist: Bold Forbes
Hometown: New York City, New York
Song: “Make Away”
Release Date: March 27, 2025

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Make Away’ after a dinner party I attended in Austin, Texas, some years back. I left the party feeling like ‘this is why one stays alive,’ but also I somehow mistrusted this feeling. What kinds of lives and labor went into producing the food we ate that night, how fragile was the peace that allowed us to meet so joyously and cavalierly, and how long would it last?

“I traveled to the central valley of California on a road trip the summer before – where so much of that night’s food came from – and the rows and rows of crops seem to stretch forever in all directions away from you on that flat, hot road. Billboards line the highway with propaganda advertisements from the farm owners lobbying for more water from the state, with photographs of ‘family farmers’ – inevitably blond, white, crisp-collared people. Of course, very few of the thousands of workers working the rows of crops fit that description: people being criminally underpaid for doing the hardest work in the country and then being rhetorically savaged every day by this country’s citizens who profit and benefit from this work.

“What does it mean to take pleasure in the daily indulgences of life in a society organized in this way? Could the daily sweetness of life ever merge with the struggle for a better, more just world? ‘Make Away’ is a song that prays for an answer to these questions.” – Nick Bloom

Track Credits:
Nick Bloom – Rhythm guitar, lead vocals, songwriter
Reid Jenkins – Fiddle, vocals
David Halpern – Bass, vocals, guitar

Blue Cactus, “Bite My Tongue”

Artist: Blue Cactus
Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Song: “Bite My Tongue”
Album: Believer
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Sleepy Cat Records

In Their Words: “‘Bite My Tongue’ is a call to continue raising our voices and speaking out against injustice until we are finally heard. While we’ve certainly made progress, the fight for equality is far from over. What I will say, and what this song is ultimately saying, is that the power has always been and will always be with the people; if it didn’t, they wouldn’t be trying to ban protests. Special thanks to Brit Taylor for singing with us on this song and to Russ Pahl for the guitar duet Mario’s always dreamed of.” – Steph Stewart

Track Credits:
Steph Stewart – Vocals, acoustic guitar, songwriter
Mario Arnez – Vocals, electric guitar
Brit Taylor – Vocals
Whit Wright – Pedal steel, producer
Russ Pahl – Electric guitar
Jonathan Beam – Bass
Ryan Connors – Keys
Taylor Floreth – Drums, percussion

Kristy Cox, “In My Dreams” (Featuring John Meador)

Artist: Kristy Cox
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee, by way of Adelaide, Australia
Song: “In My Dreams” (feat. John Meador)
Album: Let It Burn
Release Date: May 31, 2024
Label: Billy Blue Records

In Their Words: “I’m excited to release this new song and video with my friend John Meador for our song, ‘In My Dreams.’ I had a lot of fun writing and recording this track and love where Steve Kinney took the concept for the video.” – Kristy Cox

Jaelee Roberts, “Heavy As A Stone In Her Heart”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Heavy As A Stone In Her Heart”
Release Date: March 28, 2025

In Their Words: “The first time I heard the demo of ‘Heavy As A Stone in Her Heart’ I was absolutely floored by the lyrics, melody, and raw emotion and knew without a doubt that I had to record it. Slow, sad songs that tell a story always speak to me most and this one absolutely stole my heart and broke it, too. ‘Heavy As A Stone in Her Heart’ is extra special to me because it was written by two of my favorite songwriters and singers that are also my mentors – Tim Stafford and Steve Gulley. I have looked up to Tim and Steve my entire life and I feel so grateful that this song made its way to me! ‘Heavy As A Stone In Her Heart’ came together so beautifully in the studio with a very stripped-down arrangement and without harmony vocals with the intention of focusing on the depth and feeling of the lyrics and I hope that it resonates with all of you the way it does with me. I so wish that Steve was still here with us but I know he’s listening from Heaven and this song is dedicated to him and his musical legacy.” – Jaelee Roberts

“I’m so glad that Jaelee Roberts is releasing ‘Heavy As A Stone In Her Heart’! Steve Gulley and I wrote this song back in 2007 and I know Steve would be absolutely thrilled at the news and to hear the song done so beautifully. Jaelee is a special talent and I can’t think of anyone who could have done a better job with this song.” – Tim Stafford

Track Credits:
Jaelee Roberts – Vocals
Byron House – Bass
Cody Kilby – Acoustic guitar
Andy Leftwich – Mandolin
John Gardner – Drums
Ron Block – Acoustic guitar

Susto Stringband, “Double Crown”

Artist: Susto Stringband
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Double Crown”
Album: Susto Stringband: Volume 1
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “This song is a tribute to one of our favorite dive bars in Asheville called The Double Crown. When we were living in Asheville, my wife Caroline and I would often go to The Double Crown for Western Wednesdays, where they feature lots of honky-tonk and adjacent genres of music. She’s from Texas, so it was fun for her to get a little slice of home when we’d go there on Wednesday nights to listen to the music, drink Lonestar, and two step a bit.

“One night in particular we were crossing the street to get to Double Crown and we just started making up a song about it. We finished it later on, but to this day the opening lines of this song remind me of crossing the street with her in the moonlight with the music coming from the bar and a bunch of folks (and dogs) crowded outside waiting to get in, or waiting at the window for drinks. The place had such a magical vibe for us that night, and I’m so glad we captured it in a song.

“When we started working on the Susto Stringband album, I showed the tune to Clint (of Holler Choir) and Ryan (our producer) and they figured it would be very fitting to include it on the record, given that the whole project was born in Asheville and the song is not only a tribute to the double crown, but the whole scene Caroline and I found ourselves in when we lived there.” – Justin Osborne, Susto Stringband

“Justin really captures the essence of our local favorite bar, The Double Crown, in its truest form with this song, in my opinion. Western Wednesday is hosted there each week and has become an Asheville cultural staple. The images referenced in the lyrics –two-stepping and romances, both fleeting and permanent – are vivid and very real. The sweetness of the melody pairs perfectly with the sentiments I feel about this bar. I’m very proud to be a part of this representation of a time and place that holds so much personal relevance for me.” – Clint Roberts, Holler Choir

Photo Credit: Balsam Range courtesy of the artist; Bold Forbes by Julia Discenza.

 

You Gotta Hear This: New Music from the HercuLeons, the SteelDrivers, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Are you ready for some excellent new music? This week, You Gotta Hear This includes a heaping handful of stellar new tracks and a new music video, too.

Husband-and-wife duo Oh Jeremiah share an intimate performance video for “Rust,” a song about aging, maturing, and the rapid clip of time that features French horn by Corin Dubie. In a similar sonic space, the Couldn’t Be Happiers’ “Brown Mountain Lights” is a co-written eerie original about the mysterious lights that linger around Brown Mountain in North Carolina. You’ll also find a new track from singer-songwriter Olive Klug. “Train of Thought” is folky, bluegrassy, old-timey, and more, and is Klug’s favorite song from their upcoming album, Lost Dog. (You’ll quickly find out why, when you listen.)

Mandolinist Ashby Frank has a new single, “The Bug,” a traditional-meets-jammy rendition of a Mark Knopfler song that, like Frank, you may recognize from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s discography. It’s hilarious, rollicking, and so much fun. Frank’s longtime friend and brand new labelmate Vickie Vaughn unveils her debut single with Mountain Home Music, “Leavin’,” her rendition of a Bruce Robison song with a stacked roster of musicians and singers.

We have a couple legendary bluegrass lineups represented herein, as well! The SteelDrivers, purveyors of “uneasy listening” and bluesy bluegrass for decades now, announce their brand new album, Outrun – their first with Sun Records – by sharing the title track for the upcoming project, a Tammy Rogers and Leslie Satcher co-write. And the cherry on top of it all is the HercuLeons (that is, the duo of veteran multi-hyphenate roots musicians John Cowan and Andrea Zonn) giving us a sneak peak at their new album, John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons, with a rare full album stream on their momentous release day.

It’s all below, so get scrolling and enjoy listening. You Gotta Hear This!

Couldn’t Be Happiers, “Brown Mountain Lights”

Artist: Couldn’t Be Happiers
Hometown: Currently Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Song: “Brown Mountain Lights”
Album: Couple(t)s
Release Date: March 20, 2025 (single); June 13, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “So many different explanations exist for the faint flickering lights that sometimes appear floating around the atmosphere of Brown Mountain in North Carolina. One theory is that the lights are lanterns from the ghosts of miners who died in their quest for gold and jewels in those hills. Maybe so, but we think the heart of every good ghost story, usually, is a love story.” – Couldn’t Be Happiers

Track Credits:
Jordan Crosby Lee – Vocals, acoustic guitars
Jodi Hildebran – Vocals
Doug Davis – Mandolin, high-strung acoustic guitar, melodica, Omnichord, Hammond organ, bass, percussion

Ashby Frank, “The Bug” 

Artist: Ashby Frank
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Bug”
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I grew up listening to the great country music of the ’90s and first heard this song when it was recorded by one of my favorite singer-songwriters, the great Mary Chapin Carpenter. I wasn’t aware that it was a cover until several years later when I heard the original recording by Dire Straits and discovered that it was written by Mark Knopfler. That band had such a deep groove on that original cut that I really got into and I immediately started thinking about how a bluegrass arrangement might work. I brought the song up in the studio when we started recording my new album and we bounced it around until we came up with a groovy traditional-meets-jam band version that I’m super proud of. Seth Taylor (guitar) and Matt Menefee (banjo) added some wicked solos and my friend and labelmate Jaelee Roberts added some killer harmonies. I even threw in a couple of yodels, which is a career first for me. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!” – Ashby Frank

Track Credits:
Ashby Frank – Mandolin, vocals
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar
Travis Anderson – Bass
Matt Menefee – Banjo
Tony Creasman – Drums
Jaelee Roberts – Harmony vocals

The HercuLeons, John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons

Artist: The HercuLeons
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Album: John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: True Lonesome

In Their Words: “For me, the making of this record was not about career, revenue streams, or anything else. I had been singing with, around, and listening to Andrea Zonn for 20 years. Like most of us, we were stranded during the pandemic. This record was truly born out of our combined desire to once and for all record our voices singing together.” – John Cowan

“Like John, I was only too happy to make an entire record with one of my favorite singers, musicians, and humans. With the help of our dear friend [producer] Wendy Waldman, we began exploring ideas, crafting a sound, and pursuing a collection of songs that spoke to our creative and spiritual centers. We’re so thrilled to be sending out into the world, at long last.” – Andrea Zonn

Olive Klug, “Train of Thought”

Artist: Olive Klug
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Train of Thought”
Album: Lost Dog
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Signature Sounds

In Their Words: “This is actually my favorite song on the album. Written in Sisters, Oregon, during a songwriting workshop that I led about writing a song inspired by the style of your favorite artist, ‘Train of Thought’ is my take on Paul Simon’s wordy magical chaos. Breaking out of my usual literal storytelling lyrical style and breaking into the world of abstract metaphors, I let the listener into what it’s like to be neurodivergent and how I’ve recently embraced this internal chaos instead of trying so hard to control and repress it.

“With lyrics like ‘and they try to button up my suit and tie in an attempt to hold me back but I’m this strange old conductor wearing pearls and a backwards baseball cap,’ I highlight how my nontraditional gender presentation is intrinsically linked to this neurodivergence and desire to resist societal pressures.” – Olive Klug

Oh Jeremiah, “Rust”

Artist: Oh Jeremiah
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Rust”
Album: Jones County Ghosts
Release Date: March 21, 2025 (single); June 13, 2025 (album)
Label: Baldwin County Public Records

In Their Words: “I don’t know how it happens, one day you’re a kid getting your first kiss in sixth grade on the peewee football field and the next you’re in your mid-thirties. When Erin and I sat down to write ‘Rust,’ we wanted to capture the feeling of time running in a full sprint. Your only hope, it feels like, is to hang on to those things that keep you feeling young at heart. ” – Jeremiah Stricklin

“Most people think, because we’re married, that we write all the songs together, but this is actually the first co-write we’ve ever done.” – Erin Stricklin

Video Credits: Shot by Tim Sutherland. French Horn by Corin Dubie. 

The SteelDrivers, “Outrun”

Artist: The SteelDrivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Outrun”
Album: Outrun
Release Date: March 21, 2025 (single); May 23, 2025 (album)
Label: Sun Records

In Their Words: “Leslie Satcher is a longtime SteelDriver co-writer with me. I happened to run into her the weekend before we were scheduled to go into the studio and told her we didn’t have any Leslie songs on the upcoming record. She made the time to get together and ‘Outrun’ was written in about an hour and a half! It was the last song we recorded. It is another song that really showcases that ‘SteelDriver Sound.'” – Tammy Rogers

Vickie Vaughn, “Leavin'”

Artist: Vickie Vaughn
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Leavin'”
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Leavin” is a song that Kimber Ludiker showed me when she was playing fiddle with its writer, Bruce Robison. I immediately fell in love with the stream of consciousness style of writing and the emotion present in the song. I’m a pretty emotional gal myself, so singing this and getting to record it felt cathartic. It is definitely a heartstring tugger.” – Vickie Vaughn

Track Credits:
Vickie Vaughn – Upright Bass, lead vocal
Colby Kilby – Guitar
Casey Campbell – Mandolin
Wes Corbett – Banjo
Dave Racine – Drums
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Lillie Mae Rische – Harmony vocal
Frank Rische – Harmony vocal

Photo Credit: The HercuLeons courtesy of the artist; the SteelDrivers by Glenn Rose.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From David Starr, Darren Nicholson, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

For our final New Music Friday of February and as we look ahead to March, here are a half dozen brand new songs and videos you simply gotta hear.

Kicking us off, JD Clayton reminds himself and all of us that the speed of the internet, the news cycle, and social media is too damn fast. His new video reminds us of the power of “Slow & Steady” with a glitzy and gritty alt-Americana sound. A modern blues picking icon David Starr brings a new video for “Hole In The Page” as well, writing the book on lost love, lessons learned, and a liberal dose of longing with wailing organ and plenty of licks. Rounding out our videos this week is a frolic by Miss Georgia Peach, “Dusty,” that was inspired by her independent Maine Coon cat, Dusty Springfield, but ultimately celebrates autonomy and agency soundtracked by Americana meets Southern rock.

From the bluegrass realms, Darren Nicholson and band perform an original that Darren penned with Charles Humphrey (Songs From the Road Band). The pair regard their number, “Any Highway,” as a “modern classic” – and we think you’ll agree when you’ve heard this propulsive traveling song. Nicholson’s labelmate, Jaelee Roberts, can be found with a new track below, too. This gospel selection, “He’s Gone,” was written by Kelsi Harrigill (formerly of Flatt Lonesome) and features special guest vocalists Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White, and Cheryl White Jones joining Roberts.

You won’t want to miss a new single from new acoustic-infused Colorado string trio Salomé Songbird, who debut the lovely and contemplative “I’m Alright.” It’s a bit of a musical mantra, pushing through darkness and precipitous mental health to find strength with mandolin, violin, and guitar lending bluegrass and old-time touches.

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

JD Clayton, “Slow & Steady”

Artist: JD Clayton
Hometown: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Song: “Slow & Steady”
Album: Blue Sky Sundays
Release Date: February 28, 2025
Label: Rounder Records

In Their Words: “‘Slow & Steady’ is about a young carefree couple taking life easy in the summertime, living in the moment, fully content with living the slow life. My generation is crippled by depression and anxiety with me chief among them. We’re addicted to our phones and the attention we receive from strangers on the internet. I can’t go more than five minutes without checking to see if someone texted me or shared my post. I don’t want this for my life anymore. I want to change. I know things can be better! ‘Slow & Steady’ is more than a song, it’s a mindset. It’s a movement. I’m going to love and live in each moment. Slow and steady, easy does it. This is going to be the greatest summer of our lives.” – JD Clayton

Video Credits: Drifters Productions
Directed by Hannah Gray Hall.
Director of Photography – Ryan Mclemore

Miss Georgia Peach, “Dusty”

Artist: Miss Georgia Peach
Hometown: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Song: “Dusty”
Album: Class Out The Ass
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Label: Rum/Bar Records

In Their Words: “Technically, this song is about our feral, gorgeous Maine Coon cat, Dusty Springfield. The song practically wrote itself, following the opening hook, ‘Dusty’s goin’ out tonight,’ which came to me as she ran in looking perfectly happy and unworried after being gone for a number of days. The lyrics are for any wild independent beauty who can’t or won’t be tamed and knows what’s best for herself. She’s going out all night, doing exactly what she feels like doing, and despite your worries, she knows what’s what. She is mysterious and unknowable and incredibly fascinating. The music conveys love and frustration, confusion and devotion. The one left [at] home is the one going crazy and trying to figure out what’s going on, not experiencing the adventure Dusty is having. The video puts it in the context of a teenage girl living with her grandma in the country, testing her boundaries, wondering when her life will start. Like most teens, I felt trapped at home, ditching school and running wild at night with my friends. I was home in the morning and for dinner, but the in-between times were mine.” – Miss Georgia Peach

Track Credits:
Miss Georgia Peach – Vocals
Ruyter Suys – Guitar, backing vocals
Blaine Cartwright – Guitar
AJ Srubas – Fiddle
Mark Hendricks – Bass
Travis Ramin – Drums
Heather Parrish – Backing vocals

Video Credits: Directed and shot by Miss Georgia Peach.
Edited by Wendy Norton, Norton Video.

Darren Nicholson, “Any Highway”

Artist: Darren Nicholson
Hometown: Canton, North Carolina
Song: “Any Highway”
Release Date: February 28, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Any Highway’ is one of the first songs I ever wrote with Charles R. Humphrey III. Not only is it one of my favorites, but the No Joke Jimmy’s always had this one in the set list, so I felt I needed to get a good studio recording of it. It’s a story of a man who is so heartbroken by a free-spirited young lady he feels compelled to leave immediately. No plan, no direction, he just knows he has to go elsewhere. Sometimes, the best way to get over a heartache is by just getting to a place where you don’t have to stare it in the face it anymore.” – Darren Nicholson

“‘Any Highway’ is the first song Darren and I wrote. We had met years ago in Alaska while playing in separate bluegrass bands together. I was, and still am, a long time admirer of Darren’s singing, picking, and larger-than-life personality. These are qualities I look for in co-writers. In my opinion, the song itself is a historical fiction account of ‘the one that got away.’  The song style pays tribute to the bluegrass greats that perfected the hard-driving slick style of playing. I think it’s a really cool song, and it’s been the start of a fruitful co-writing friendship with Darren. ‘Any Highway’ is a modern day classic!” – Charles Humphrey III

Track Credits:
Darren Nicholson – Mandolin, lead vocal
Zach Smith – Upright bass
Colby Laney – Acoustic guitar
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Tony Creasman – Drums
Kevin Sluder – Harmony vocal
Jennifer Nicholson – Harmony vocal

Jaelee Roberts, “He’s Gone”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “He’s Gone”
Release Date: February 28, 2025

In Their Words: “As the songs were coming together for my new album, I was still in need of a gospel song to record so I reached out to my very dear friend and mentor, Kelsi Harrigill, to see if she had written anything recently. She sent a few songs to me that I really liked but none of them felt like ‘the one.’ However, a few days later while she was vacuuming, she was inspired to write the song ‘He’s Gone’ and I knew after the first listen it was absolutely the one for me to record. This gospel song tells the incredible story of how Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose again. ‘Praise God the tomb’s empty, He’s Gone.’

“I am so happy that I got to record this special song and thrilled to be joined by amazing musicians: Ron Block (banjo), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Cody Kilby (guitar), Andy Leftwich (mandolin), Justin Moses (dobro), and Byron House (bass/producer). To top it off and make a dream come true, three very special people in my life came to the studio to sing with me – Sharon White Skaggs, Cheryl White Jones, and Ricky Skaggs. I feel very blessed and honored to have their voices on ‘He’s Gone.’ I love this song so much and I am thankful for the message of ‘He’s Gone’ and I hope that each of you will love it, too.” – Jaelee Roberts

Salomé Songbird, “I’m Alright”

Artist: Salomé Songbird
Hometown: Colorado
Song: “I’m Alright”
Release Date: February 28, 2025

In Their Words: “Broadly, ‘I’m Alright’ is about being stuck someplace and needing to escape. It is full of imagery from every place I’ve ever been desperate to leave. There are a lot of references to following the sun or heading west, which would be a return home in my mind. On a personal level, this song is about suicide. I hope anyone listening who is also feeling that kind of darkness feels a little less alone. There is always someone who wants to help you and there is always another door that’s not that one.” – Joy Adams, songwriter, mandolin, vocals

“‘I’m Alright’ is a song that has been an important part of finding our voice and an audience that voice resonates with during live performance over the last couple years. I’m glad it’s now one of the first songs we’re releasing as a band.” – Bryan Dubrow, guitar

Track Credits:
Joy Adams – Songwriter, vocals, mandolin
Ariele Macadangdang – Vocals, violin
Bryan Dubrow – Guitar

David Starr, “Hole In The Page”

Artist: David Starr
Hometown: Cedaredge, Colorado
Song: “Hole In The Page”
Album: Must Be Blue
Release Date: January 24, 2025 (song); February 28, 2025 (video)
Label: Quarto Valley Records

In Their Words: “I am so excited to share my first release with Quarto Valley Records! It’s kind of ironic, because this song was the last song written for the album that happened by accident. The idea came about because of something I misheard on a radio show, thinking they said ‘hole in the page,’ which got the wheels turning. While I can’t remember what they actually said, I am so grateful for that spark of creativity. It’s funny that this song then turned into being the one to kick off the rest of the project. I love the energy of the track and that it packs a punch. Jason Lee Denton and I have collaborated on a number of videos together and I knew he would knock this one out of the park. I love the direction he took, it is the perfect visual representation of the song!” – David Starr

Track Credits:
David Starr – Acoustic guitar, vocals
Greg Morrow – Drums
Jeff King – Electric guitar
Mark Prentice – Bass, keyboards
Michelle Nicolo Prentice – Background vocals
Joe Starr – Electric guitar

Video Credits: Jason Lee Denton, Solar Cabin Productions

Photo Credit: David Starr by Jason Lee Denton; Darren Nicholson by Jeff Smith.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Sarah Klang, Jaelee Roberts, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Who needs Black Friday when you have New Music Friday? We’ve got your doorbusters right here, in our weekly premiere roundup!

This week, from the bluegrass realm, we have two new tracks from labelmates Benson and Jaelee Roberts. Check out “Down That Road” from husband-and-wife-duo Benson, featuring bluegrass veterans Kristin Scott Benson and Wayne Benson – with vocals by Keith Garrett. Plus, Jaelee Roberts pays tribute to ’80s and ’90s bluegrass with a loving homage to the Lonesome River Band with her cover of “Looking For Yourself.”

Also in our premiere collection, we have a brand new lyric video for “Go to the Sun,” a new single from Swedish folk-pop singer-songwriter Sarah Klang all about going from a dark place to one of hope. To wrap us up this week – and this month! – don’t miss our exclusive two-song Tønder Session with Ugandan-Texan roots artist Jon Muq.

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

Benson, “Down That Road”

Artist: Benson
Hometown: Boiling Springs, South Carolina
Song: “Down That Road”
Release Date: November 29, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Down That Road’ is a great song. I love to play banjo on tunes with this lilting groove. Wayne and I are both huge Keith Garrett fans and we love his vocal delivery on this one. The song conveys a vulnerability and he did a great job capturing that.” – Kristin Scott Benson

Track Credits:
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Wayne Benson – Mandolin
Cody Kilby – Guitar
Kevin McKinnon – Bass
Tony Creasman – Drums
Dustin Pyrtle – Harmony vocal

Sarah Klang, “Go To The Sun”

Artist: Sarah Klang
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Song: “Go to the Sun”
Album: Beautiful Woman
Release Date: November 29, 2024 (single); February 7, 2025 (album)
Label: Nettwerk Music Group

In Their Words: “‘Go to the Sun’ is one of the most personal songs I’ve ever written. This song represents going to better places, be it in your mind or physically traveling to those places. It’s about a person’s mental state going from a dark place to one of hope. It’s about escaping from the day-to-day and finding your way.” – Sarah Klang

Jaelee Roberts, “Looking For Yourself”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Looking For Yourself”
Release Date: November 29, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I absolutely love the ’80s and ’90s eras of bluegrass music and ‘Looking For Yourself’ (originally recorded by the Lonesome River Band) completely embodies that vibe. I’ve been a LRB fan my entire life and this song has always jumped out at me while listening to that classic album, so I decided that ‘Looking For Yourself’ should be the first bluegrass cover song that I’d record. Andy Leftwich, Cody Kilby, Ron Block, Byron House, John Gardner, and Grayson Lane are absolutely awesome and made this track go from dream to reality for me! Speaking of Grayson Lane, I just have to say how happy I am to have him singing harmony with me on this. We have known each other since we were born (literally) and he is one of my favorite singers and his voice on ‘Looking For Yourself’ was the icing on the cake. I hope y’all will enjoy my spin of one of my favorite bluegrass songs and that you’ll listen to it loud and sing along at the top of your lungs!” – Jaelee Roberts

Track Credits:
Jaelee Roberts – Vocals, harmony vocals
Byron House – Bass
Cody Kilby – Acoustic guitar
Andy Leftwitch – Mandolin, fiddle
John Gardner – Drums
Ron Block – Banjo
Grayson Lane – Harmony vocals

Tønder Session, Jon Muq

Earlier this year, during the waning days of summer, our videographer friends at I Know We Should traveled to Denmark to capture a handful of special sessions with Americana and roots artists performing at Scandinavian music festivals. For our next installment in this mini-series, we’re excited to feature singer-songwriter Jon Muq performing during his time at premier Danish music event, Tønder Festival.

Born and raised in Uganda, Jon Muq has made waves since relocating to Austin, Texas, and leaving his mark on the American roots music scene. Earlier this year he released his debut full-length album, Flying Away, on Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound. That’s the project from which Muq’s first selection is pulled. On a waterside boardwalk with a marshy backdrop, Muq offers “Bend,” a song about resiliency, flexibility, and connection, and “Hello Sunshine,” another track from Flying Away – one just perfect for August in Denmark.

Watch the full performance here.

Photo Credit: Sarah Klang by Fredrika Eriksson; Jaelee Roberts by Eric Ahlgrim.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Rhonda Vincent, Joy Clark, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Are you enjoying brat summer? We sure are, too, but as Teddy and the Rough Riders declare with their new video dropping today in You Gotta Hear This, “Catfish Summer” is what it’s really all about!

That’s not all our premiere round-up holds this week, either. We’ve got new videos from folks like guitarist-songwriter Joy Clark and Texan-Los Angeleno Silas Nello, and a new track has been unveiled by Americana duo Ocie Elliott, too.

Don’t miss bluegrass offerings from up-and-comers and legends, both. Jaelee Roberts brings a new single, “Between The Two Of Us,” East Nashville mainstays Greenwood Rye premiere “Down to the River,” and the Queen of Bluegrass herself, Rhonda Vincent, pays tribute to her homeland of Missouri with a song co-written by Opry star Jeannie Seely and Music Row stalwart writer Erin Enderlin. Vincent’s new album, Destinations And Fun Places, hits store shelves and digital platforms today.

To round out this edition of our weekly collection of premieres, don’t miss Moira Smiley’s rendition of the classic Jean Ritchie song, “Now Is The Cool Of The Day,” which debuted on the site earlier this week in honor of Farmworker Appreciation Day. It’s all right here on BGS and You Gotta Hear This!

Joy Clark, “Lesson”

Artist: Joy Clark
Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
Song: “Lesson”
Album: Tell it to the Wind
Release Date: October 4, 2024
Label: Righteous Babe Records

In Their Words: “My grandma is and was my root and when she passed, I thought about the gems she imparted to me in her 86 years of life. She’d say to me ‘Get your lesson!’ I’d sit at her table and talk to her. I came out to her at that very table. She accepted me. After she died, I sat down with my producer Margaret Becker to write, and the lyrics just rolled out; capturing the way my grandma lived her life. She taught me to treat everyone with kindness and to strive for peace while never backing down from a good fight. It’s a timely ‘Lesson’ for this country as we fight to take our rightful place in the struggle for freedom.” – Joy Clark

Video Credits: Directed and shot by Jared LaReau, Something Human.
AJ Haynes – Creative Assistant 

Ocie Elliott, “Adelina”

Artist: Ocie Elliott
Hometown: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Song: Adelina
Release Date: August 9, 2024
Label: Nettwerk Music Group

In Their Words: “‘Adelina’ is about a fictional heroine inspired by a combination of legendary musicians and personal idols –people who hone that extra something inside of them to carve their way through the barriers of the tangible world, prying doors open for others in their wake. In comparison to some of our previous recordings, the final result of ‘Adelina’ reflects the way in which it was put together – with a lot of play, compromise, reinventing, and scrubbing at the built-up grime and loose ideas to make a smooth surface for finer grit to be poured back in. To us, it feels louder, more immediate, and present. It’s a song you play when leaving somewhere – a ‘windows down, future open and ready’ kind of song.” – Sierra Lundy and Jon Middleton, Ocie Elliott

Greenwood Rye, “Down to the River”

Artist: Greenwood Rye
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Down to the River”
Album: Hideaway
Release Date: August 9, 2024 (single); August 23, 2024 (album)

In Their Words: “‘Down to the River’ was one of the first songs I wrote when I moved to Nashville in 2020 and the first original song we started playing live as we started Greenwood Rye during the pandemic as the house band for Jane’s Hideaway in Nashville. I wanted to write the quintessential song for what we were trying to do as a band. It is a fun, funky groove with a singable chorus, has a jamgrass style instrumental bridge, and plays around lyrically with some bluegrass themes. I was thinking a lot of ‘Old Home Place’ and how the narrator is blaming others for his problems. So, I came up with the idea to have a character who takes responsibility for his actions. He ‘runs off to the vineyards’ rather than the ‘taverns took all his pay.’ But there is also a level of hubris in the narrator, as he feels like he can just go ‘down to the river’ every time he does someone wrong ‘again.’

“The track features Sasha Ostrovsky (Darius Rucker, Bering Strait) on dobro.” – Shawn Spencer, guitar, vocals, songwriter

Track Credits: Written by Shawn Spencer.
Shawn Spencer – Guitar, vocals
Cat McDonald – Fiddle, vocals
David Freeman – Mandolin, vocals
Taylor Shuck – Banjo
Sasha Ostrovsky – Dobro
Larry Cook – Bass

Produced & mixed by Billy Hume.
Mastered by Pete Lyman.
Matt Coles – Additional engineering
Recorded at Compass Records.

Silas Nello, “Holy Ghost Blues”

Artist: Silas Nello
Hometown: Los Angeles, California via Dallas, Texas
Song: “Holy Ghost Blues”
Album: From West Hollywood
Release Date: August 9, 2024 (single); September 13, 2024 (EP)
Label: Blackbird Record Label

In Their Words: “It came to me in a dream – a sort of fantasized crossroads moment of how mankind trades this for that and we don’t realize until the deal is already done. I wrote this song at the wet bar of my then 1980s home just north of Dallas sometime in 2016.” – Silas Nello

“The video was meant as a portrait of Silas Nello. We went around Los Feliz, West Hollywood, and Wild Horizon Sound, documenting his travels like a ‘day in the life.’ We broke the fourth wall with Silas acknowledging the camera and the audience throughout the piece. What this created was an intimate moment where we’re spending time with him but he was also spending time with us.” – Taylor Hungerford, filmmaker, Silverspark Printworks

Track Credits: Written by Silas Nello.
Silas Nello – Lead vocal, background vocal, acoustic guitar, harmonica, tambourine
Produced by Claire Morison & Silas Nello.
Recorded at Wild Horizon Sound.
Recording engineer, mixing engineer, and mastering engineer – Claire Morison

Video Credit: Taylor Hungerford, Silverspark Printworks

Jaelee Roberts, “Between The Two Of Us”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Between The Two Of Us”
Release Date: August 8, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Between The Two Of Us’ was written with my friends Donna Ulisse and Kristen Bearfield. When we got together, we agreed that we’d like to write something up-tempo and happy, and ‘Between The Two Of Us’ is the result of that session. It truly is a happy song about love lasting between two people and what you have to do to achieve that. Getting to hear this song come together in the studio was really amazing, and I am so thrilled with the end result. The musical arrangement provided by Ron Block, Andy Leftwich, Cody Kilby, Byron House, Justin Moses, Stuart Duncan, and John Gardner absolutely made this song even more special than I could have imagined! To top it off, Stephen Mougin and Kelsi Harrigill joined me on harmonies and their voices were the perfect touch to convey the message of the song. I hope y’all enjoy this love song that is filled with words of hope, joy, and encouragement.” – Jaelee Roberts

Teddy and the Rough Riders, “Catfish Summer”

Artist: Teddy and the Rough Riders
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Catfish Summer”
Album: Down Home
Release Date: October 11, 2024 (album)
Label: Appalachia Record Co.

In Their Words: “This one is about visiting my mom’s side of the family who live in Rockmart, Georgia. I was 12 or so and didn’t really wanna visit my grandma Lou-Lou that summer. But instead, my mom dropped me and my cousin off at my uncle Bubba’s house for a few weeks, and he lived in an amazing hillbilly shack on the side of a catfish pond with about ten dogs, deep in the woods. Greatest summer ever! From childhood bummer to high time.” – Ryan Jennings, Teddy and the Rough Riders

Rhonda Vincent, “I Miss Missouri”

Artist: Rhonda Vincent
Hometown: Greentop, Missouri
Song: “I Miss Missouri”
Album: Destinations And Fun Places
Release Date: August 9, 2024

In Their Words: “My Grand Ole Opry sister Jeannie Seely started writing ‘I Miss Missouri’ for me several years ago. She lost everything, including the lyrics she had written, in the Nashville flood of 2010. Fast forward to February 29, 2020, the night she made my greatest dream come true and invited me to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry. We have since become close friends, and after the Opry invitation she said the lyrics started coming back to her.

“She invited Erin Enderlin and I to join her in writing the song. ‘I Miss Missouri’ was the inspiration for creating a ‘destinations’ project, with all the songs representing a destination.” – Rhonda Vincent

Track Credits: Written by Jeannie Seely, Erin Enderlin, and Rhonda Vincent.
Adam Haynes – Fiddle
Rhonda Vincent – Lead vocal, mandolin
Mickey Harris – Bass
Zack Arnold – Guitar, harmony vocal
Aaron McDaris – Banjo
Jacob Metz – Resophonic guitar

Moira Smiley, “Now Is The Cool Of The Day”

Artist: Moira Smiley
Hometown: New Haven, Vermont
Song: “Now Is The Cool Of The Day”
Album: The Rhizome Project
Release Date: September 6, 2024

In Their Words: “August 6th is Farmworker Appreciation Day, and I didn’t know that until this year. I am writing this as I sit on a hill above the rolling Vermont farmland where I grew up being a young farmworker and musician. In honor of this day, I’m releasing one of my favorite songs of all time – and the best one I know for reminding us to slow down and remember our roles as carers and tenders of this beautiful planet and the people around us. This week, I’m showering appreciation on the people that grow and tend food in my area; buying from small farmers, donating to the Open Door clinic that serves the medical needs of immigrant agricultural laborers. This gentle video hopes to slow your pace, and bring you along with me in acknowledging that farmworkers make our nourishment possible. Let us thank them.” – Moira Smiley

Read more here.

Photo Credit: Joy Clark by Steve Rapport; Rhonda Vincent by Tanner West.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Amythyst Kiah, Jordie Lane, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The last Friday of July came up fast, didn’t it? To close out the month, we’ve got another excellent round up of bluegrass, country, and Americana premieres that you won’t want to miss.

In the bluegrass department, we’ve got a brand new track from bluegrass hitmaker Ashby Frank featuring his labelmate Jaelee Roberts, Dallas Moore gives an intimate solo performance of “Up On That Mountain,” and we close our DelFest Sessions series with IBMA Award nominees Sister Sadie.

Coming from Americana and country camps, don’t miss a hilarious video from Jordie Lane paying homage to an East Nashville favorite, Nashville Biscuit House, Cole Gallagher shares a track that dropped earlier this week entitled “Traveling Man’s Blues,” and Mike Montrey Band serve up a quintessentially country love song, “Holdin’ on to Nothin’.”

Plus, Amythyst Kiah has just announced her upcoming Butch Walker-produced album, Still + Bright, with a lead single that features S.G. Goodman entitled, “Play God and Destroy the World.”

It’s all right here on BGS and you know what we think – You Gotta Hear This!

Ashby Frank, “God Gave Me Horses”

Artist: Ashby Frank
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “God Gave Me Horses”
Release Date: July 26, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘God Gave Me Horses’ was co-written by one of my favorite Nashville songwriters, the great Connie Harrington, along with Leigh Nash, who is well-known for her solo recording career as well as being the lead singer for the band Sixpence None The Richer. A mutual friend of mine and Leigh’s played me her original cut of this song when she released it and I was blown away by the lyrics and instantly knew I wanted to record it with a rootsy bluegrass treatment. There are a lot of classic ‘prison songs’ that are considered bluegrass standards that talk about despair, hopelessness, and regret, but this composition has a more contemporary and positive message that I think will resonate with listeners of every generation. I’m so pleased with how this track turned out, and especially grateful for my great friend and Mountain Home Music labelmate Jaelee Roberts for lending her voice to this track. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.” – Ashby Frank

Track Credits:
Ashby Frank – Mandolin, vocals
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar
Travis Anderson – Bass
Matt Menefee – Banjo
Jaelee Roberts – Harmony vocals

Cole Gallagher, “Traveling Man’s Blues”

Artist: Cole Gallagher
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Traveling Man’s Blues”
Release Date: July 25, 2024
Label: Raggy & Balls

In Their Words: “In order to really understand what ‘Traveling Man’s Blues’ is about, you’ve got to understand that I spent almost two years on the road with my father a few years back. Earlier this year, I moved from LA to Nashville, so when I got back out on the road to shoot a video for this song, I had nothing but nostalgia shooting through every frame of this video. I wasn’t much older at the time than I was driving across with my dad. But it was enough time to have forgotten how beautiful the sun looks setting in Arizona or an amazing bright blue sky over the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. I felt like I was both discovering and re-discovering myself at the same time.” – Cole Gallagher

Track Credits:
Barry Billings – Guitar
Chad Gamble – Drums
Cole Gallagher – Guitar, vocals
Jimbo Hart – Bass
Jon Eldridge – Keys
Sadler Vaden – Guitar

Video Credits: Shot by Cole Gallagher.
Produced by Cole Gallagher.
Edited by Abe Barrington.

Amythyst Kiah, “Play God and Destroy the World” (Featuring S.G. Goodman)

Artist: Amythyst Kiah
Hometown: East Brainerd, Tennessee
Song: “Play God and Destroy the World” (Featuring S.G. Goodman)
Album: Still + Bright
Release Date: July 26, 2024 (single); October 25, 2024 (album)
Label: Rounder Records

In Their Words: “This song is about coming of age as a misfit in suburbia. At home, I was encouraged to be curious to and express myself, and pursue whatever interests I wanted to regardless of gender, race, sexuality, or beliefs. However, I was not always met with this same attitude out in the community I lived in and it was frustrating to feel like I couldn’t really be myself. Being a naive kid, I would sometimes fantasize about being all-powerful and changing things the way I saw fit, but it is not up to me, or anyone, to tell everyone else how to live their life. We are all from this green and blue dot in space and will return to it all the same. There’s enough suffering in life as it is, why make it worse by policing each other’s way of life?” – Amythyst Kiah

Track Credits: Written by Amythyst Kiah, Sadler Vaden.
Produced by Butch Walker.
Amythyst Kiah –  Vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
S.G. Goodman – Vocals, background vocals
Butch Walker – Bass guitar
Ellen Angelico – Electric guitar, baritone guitar, mandolin
Matty Alger – Drums, percussion

Jordie Lane, “Biscuit House”

Artist: Jordie Lane
Hometown: Thornbury, Australia (Based in Nashville, Tennessee)
Song: “Biscuit House”
Album: Tropical Depression
Release Date: July 25, 2024 (single); August 16, 2024 (album)
Label: Blood Thinner Records, under exclusive license to ABC Music/The Orchard

In Their Words: “As with so many of my songs, I started out writing ‘Biscuit House’ with co-writer Clare ‘Lollies’ Reynolds about something external… somebody else. It’s a way to trick yourself into feeling less vulnerable. And it’s a way to observe the character in a more realistic and less biased way. But long story short, ‘Biscuit House’ is about imposter syndrome. Something so many people feel at some point in their lives, but especially creatives in the arts. And so the idea to dress up as this weatherman character, Tom Willing, to play in the video felt very fitting to explore being an imposter in a literal sense and get completely ridiculous and over the top.” – Jordie Lane

Track Credits:
Jon Radford –Drums, percussion
Jon Estes – Bass, pedal steel, keys
Jeremy Fetzer – Electric guitar
Clare ‘Lollies’ Reynolds – Backing vocals
Jordie Lane – Acoustic, tenor, piano, vocals

Video Credits: Directed by Mackenzie Brassfield & Jordie Lane.
Camera, editing & color by Mackenzie Brassfield.
Assistant Director of Photography, Mikey Haydon.

Mike Montrey Band, “Holdin’ on to Nothin'”

Artist: Mike Montrey Band
Hometown: Spotswood, New Jersey
Song: “Holdin’ on to Nothin'”
Album: Love, Time & Mortality
Release Date: August 2, 2024

In Their Words:“‘Holdin’ on to Nothin’ is about the process of love. It seems, more often than not, the story of love in songs is about the beautiful beginning, the tragic end, or the celebration of sustained love. However, it is often what we choose to hold on to or let go of in the most critical moments of a relationship that allows us to move forward or move on. Sometimes we just hold on to hope and sometimes we’re holdin’ on to nothin’.” – Mike Montrey

Dallas Moore, “Up On That Mountain”

Artist: Dallas Moore
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Song: “Up On That Mountain”
Album: Gems & Jams
Release Date: August 9, 2024
Label: Sol Records

In Their Words: “I’ve always loved bluegrass and really cut my teeth and learned guitar sitting in on countless bluegrass jam sessions back in Kentucky and southern Ohio when I was kid first starting out. My mama Madgelee played mountain dulcimer and she turned me on to a lot of bluegrass, Appalachian, and gospel music. Jimmy Martin, The Carter Family, John Hartford, The Osborne Brothers, and Flatt & Scruggs were some of my favorites to jam on and definitely influenced my style of playing and songwriting.

“‘Up On That Mountain’ is a song that I had written several years ago and that I have always called ‘a little bit of heathen preachin’.’ I even had a version of it that was recorded live in the Bullitt county jail but it’s been out of print for a while now. This song has been a staple of my live shows for many years and I’m always excited and proud that my 7 year-old daughter Victory Lee Moore joins us on stage for this one. I had a lot of fun with this solo acoustic arrangement and it felt like a perfect fit for the closing of this Gems & Jams album. Wherever I am this song always takes me back home.” – Dallas Moore

Track Credits:
Dallas Moore – Vocals, guitar
Brian DeBruler – Producer, engineer

DelFest Sessions: Sister Sadie

We are so excited to unveil the final installment of our DelFest Sessions, featuring Grammy-nominated bluegrass supergroup Sister Sadie. Over the course of the Memorial Day festival in Cumberland, Maryland, BGS contributors and videographers I Know We Should shot a half dozen superlative live performances on the gorgeous banks of the Potomac River. From festival hosts the Travelin’ McCourys, Big Richard, and Wood Belly to East Nash Grass, Mountain Grass Unit, and now the Sadies, each edition of our DelFest Sessions has been an audio swatch of the incredible national string band scene we all adore.

With a raucous “WOO!” shouted to the festival-goers floating by in their inner tubes and kayaks on the river, Sister Sadie stepped up to the mics to deliver two gentle, burning, emotive tracks pulled from their critically-acclaimed album, No Fear, which was released earlier this year. The first, “Blue As My Broken Heart,” was written by Dani Flowers – who sings lead on the number – with co-writers Victoria Banks and Rachel Proctor. Evocative imagery and detailed text painting here feel more than appropriate for the setting, in the verdant foothills of Appalachia on the cusp of spring and summer. You can almost feel the blue sky above and you can certainly grasp, immediately, why this group is up for eight IBMA Awards this year – including Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year…

Watch the full session here.

Photo Credit: Amythyst Kiah by Kevin & King; Jordie Lane as “Tom Willing” by Mackenzie Brassfield.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Gangstagrass, Jaelee Roberts, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This week, it’s a tale of two Mothers in our premiere round-up! First, Gangstagrass bring us their latest single, “Mother,” ahead of their full album release next week, then Portland, Oregon-based string band Never Come Down bring us their own track, “Mother,” performed live at Ear Trumpet Labs. The serendipitously themed selections couldn’t be more distinct and unique, relative to the other, demonstrating the depth and breadth of these roots genres.

Plus, elsewhere in our collection of new music, hear fresh tracks from Jaelee Roberts, Kate Prascher, Karen Jonas, and Eddy Lee Ryder – a taste of bluegrass, a dash of singer-songwriter, a heaping helping of reckless abandon, and so much more.

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

Gangstagrass, “Mother”

Artist: Gangstagrass
Hometown: All over the USA! Rench: Brooklyn with Oklahoma roots; Dolio the Sleuth: Pensacola, Florida; R-SON the Voice of Reason: Philly; Danjo: Washington, D.C.; Farrow: Omaha; Sleevs: Baltimore.
Song: “Mother”
Album: The Blackest Thing on the Menu
Release Date: June 7, 2024 (single); June 14, 2024 (album)
Label: Rench Audio

In Their Words: “It started as a poem I wrote one day on tour. We were in the north of France, and just as described, I was sitting under a tree looking around me thinking about the world, our place in it, and what major changes we’d have to make in order to ensure the survival of humanity. My younger brother was actively deployed at the time and since my family has generations of men who’ve served, including my father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and numerous uncles and aunts and cousins, there is always real concern about why the country is involved in active aggression, especially when that same country is obsessed with committing violence against its own citizens, my community in particular. I shared it with the crew, and Rench cooked up a haunting oeuvre.” – Dolio the Sleuth

Karen Jonas, “Gold in the Sand”

Artist: Karen Jonas
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Song: “Gold in the Sand”
Album: The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch
Release Date: June 7, 2024 (single); August 9, 2024 (album)
Label: Yellow Brick Records

In Their Words: “My dreamy Las Vegas wedding song; it’s an against-all-odds love story, a starry-eyed late-night wedding, the sweet optimism of love at first sight. I pictured a very zoomed-out and very zoomed-in Vegas as I wrote this, a drone image of a city rising from the desert and her hand tightly in his as they walk down the neon-lit midnight strip. We stumbled into Benji Porecki’s bittersweet piano intro during our live-in-the-studio recording session, with fiddle by Bobby Hawk and a tearing solo by guitarist Tim Bray capturing the intimacy and boldness of this love story. The monochromatic gold-washed video by videographer Ryan Poe feels like a retro dream sequence, pairing performance with delicate details.” – Karen Jonas

Track Credits: Written by Karen Jonas.
Karen Jonas – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Tim Bray – Electric guitar
Benji Porecki – Piano
Bobby Hawk – Fiddle
Seth Morrissey – Bass
Ben Tufts – Drums
Ahren Buchheister – Pedal steel

Video Credit: Ryan Poe at Oddbox Studios in Fredericksburg, Virginia

Never Come Down, “Mother”

Artist: Never Come Down
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Mother”
Album: Greener Pastures
Release Date: June 7, 2024

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Mother’ after finding myself living back at home, at my Mom’s house, and with my sister there, too. I had just left an emotionally turbulent relationship and was kind of broke and starting over at 29, but also extremely hopeful and grateful that I had my life back and could decide what I wanted to do with it. Having my sister and my mother around was really important for me at that time, to get me back to a place of feeling unconditionally loved and safe. The song came out of my subconscious need for those women to tell me what to do and to be there for me as I figured out what to do.

“I feel like it’s a really simple song, actually. I think most of us can relate to needing a parent or a mother figure or somebody that’s not family that’s a mother figure to be guided by. In this day and age, we all need mentors and guides more than ever and the age old wisdom of women, of mothers, of nurturers, of ‘kissing it to make it better’ and softness and the divine feminine.

“I hope all that comes through in this song. Because when I was writing it I wasn’t thinking about all those things, I was just singing my own little mantras out of my head, things that were just making me feel safe and loved. I hope this song makes people feel safe and loved. I hope people relate to it in all the ways that we relate to our mothers. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s lovely. I think if we all lived like our mothers were still watching over us or were in their presence, we’d all be happier and kinder human beings.” — Crystal Lariza

Video Credit: Ear Trumpet Labs

Kate Prascher, “Mary Ellen”

Artist: Kate Prascher
Hometown: Hudson Valley, New York
Song: “Mary Ellen”
Album: Shake The Dust
Release Date: August 30, 2024

In Their Words: “This song names the sensations of a summer’s day when she decides to leave, a taxi ride and the cigarette smoke that both soothes her and sets her free. Banjo and drums and the steady rhythm of driving wheels.” – Kate Prascher

Jaelee Roberts, “Georgia Rain”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Georgia Rain”
Release Date: June 7, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Georgia Rain’ after experiencing my first breakup/heartbreak when I was 16 years old. Interestingly enough, I had the melody come to me first and then the lyrics, which isn’t the normal songwriting process for me. I really do love this melody and the little twist in the chord structure. If you know me or have followed my musical journey so far, you know that I absolutely love a good ole heartbreak song and having rain be part of the scenario makes a heartbreak song even more lonesome and sad! When I wrote ‘Georgia Rain’ it really came to me like a movie and the words are really visual and I hope that y’all will be able to hear it and see it along with me when you listen.” – Jaelee Roberts

Track Credits:
Jaelee Roberts – Vocals
Stephen Mougin – Harmony vocal
Byron House – Bass
Cody Kilby – Acoustic guitar
Andy Leftwitch – Mandolin
Stuart Duncan – Fiddle
Ron Block – Banjo
John Gardner – Drums

Eddie Lee Ryder, “Bad Decisions”

Artist: Eddy Lee Ryder
Hometown: Woodstock, New York (current); Irvington, New York (hometown)
Song: “Bad Decisions”
Album: Sweet Delusions
Release Date: June 6, 2024 (single); July 19, 2024 (album)

In Their Words: “The song is a collection of fragments from a story marked by a string of bad decisions, beginning with falling for someone who misled me about their relationship status. However, the song sat in the dust-bin for a long time until I knew it would ultimately be a story about crashing and burning. I began noticing his intense jealousy, which you will find in lines woven into the song like, ‘Don’t ask me how I know those guys you wouldn’t like to know.’ The song is about being reckless and wild, which is the state we were in when we fell for each other. But when I was ready to move past being reckless and wild, to just stay home and watch crime shows together, that’s when he left. So anyways, I’m back to making ‘Bad Decisions’ and it’s going great.” – Eddy Lee Ryder

Track Credits: Written by Eddy Lee Ryder.
Produced, Engineered, mixed by Dave Cerminara.
Mastered by Adam Ayan.

Daniel Chae – Bass, guitar
Dan Bailey – Drums
Eddy Lee Ryder – Vocals
Rich Hinan – Pedal steel
Todd Caldwell – Organs

Photo Credit: Gangstagrass by Melodie Yvonne; Jaelee Roberts by Eric Ahlgrim.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Ana Egge, Jaelee Roberts, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

In the words of Chris Stapleton, “What are you listening to?” This week, our premiere round up is full of music we’re very excited to bring to your speakers and earphones.

Below, check out new videos from Ana Egge, Ordinary Elephant, and our brand new Rootsy Summer Session featuring Jim Lauderdale performing at a cute music shop in Falkenberg, Sweden. Plus, we’ve got new tracks from Jaelee Roberts, Parker Smith, Wyndham Baird, and Will Kimbrough. To top it all off, Phillip Lammonds performs “Forever Ain’t That Far Away” with his pal, the legendary Pam Tillis.

There’s so much to enjoy in our latest premiere round up, and if we do say so ourselves – You Gotta Hear This!

Ana Egge, “Door Won’t Close”

Artist: Ana Egge
Hometown: Ambrose, North Dakota
Song: “Door Won’t Close”
Album: Sharing in the Spirit
Release Date: May 17, 2024
Label: StorySound Records

In Their Words:“‘Door Won’t Close’ is about confronting an abusive person. One of the hardest things I’ve done in my life. I stood up to him on behalf of my sister and nephew. I opened the door to what he’d done by telling the truth and not allowing myself to be shut down by fear. Then I left the door open by telling his wife and friends about it. The song is mostly in conversation with his wife — her denial of his abuse and her support of him.” – Ana Egge

Track Credits:

Ana Egge – Vocals, acoustic guitar, harmony vocals
Michael “Squeaky” Robinson – Pedal steel
Alex Hargreaves – Fiddle
Rob Heath – Drums
Lorenzo Wolff – Bass
Devon Yesberger – Organ, Wurlitzer

Video Credits: Directed, filmed and edited by Haoyan of America.
Special thanks Alden Harris-McCoy and Cole-Berry Miller.

Jaelee Roberts, “Stuck In The Middle With You”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Song: “Stuck In The Middle With You”
Release Date: April 5, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Stuck In The Middle With You’ is a song that I have loved for a really long time and I’ve been keeping it in mind to record, because I felt like it would be so much fun to cover. Of course I love the original version by Stealers Wheel (written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan), but when I was pretty young I found Keith Urban’s version from the ’90s with his band, The Ranch, and I was really hooked on it. I have literally listened to it hundreds of times and it never gets old. I love all genres of music and I recorded a ’70s rock song (“Landslide”) on my debut album and people really seemed to enjoy it, so I wanted to include a song from that era on my new album, too. I knew ‘Stuck In The Middle With You’ was the one. I’m excited that it just happens to be the first single!

“I have to say that I am absolutely thrilled with how this song turned out with the help of my producer and bass player, Byron House, and all of the other STELLAR musicians: Ron Block on banjo/guitar, Cody Kilby on guitar, Andy Leftwich on mandolin, Russ Pahl on dobro, and John Gardner on percussion along with backing vocals by John Cowan.

“It was truly amazing to hear this come to life and I really think we made it our own by combining two awesome versions and throwing in a twist or two for a new take on ‘Stuck In The Middle With You.’ I hope it makes you smile and maybe even want to get up and dance!” – Jaelee Roberts

“Jaelee’s voice is THE GOLDEN THREAD shining so brightly in what feels to me like a well-woven tapestry of mighty fine playing, all supported by this classic groove. Her version of ‘Stuck In The Middle With You’ was every bit as fun to play and produce as I hope it will be for you to hear! So grateful to be working with Jaelee Roberts!” – Byron House, producer

Parker Smith, “Air Stream”

Artist: Parker Smith
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Song: “Air Stream”
Album: Short Street
Release Date: June 7, 2024

In Their Words: “My brother and I drove up to Unicoi State Park with his two kids, a couple of cots, one tent, and not enough warm clothing. We debated not making the trek, because the weather was supposed to dip below freezing, but we didn’t want to disappoint his kids, who were looking forward to it. When we rolled up to the campsite, our neighbors, an elderly couple, were sitting outside in a couple of crazy creek chairs with their dog in front of an Airstream.

“I’ve always wanted an Airstream camper, and I am big into double meanings to a fault when it comes to song lyrics; ‘Air Stream’ also refers to the cold snap we were experiencing in North Georgia. We said maybe two words to the couple, but it was so interesting how we interacted with neighbors pretty much the same at home and on vacation. We overheard them bickering with each other and then making up at the end of the night. It was also interesting to see how they had everything figured out with some warm shelter and supplies, and we were out here roughing it with two young kids in a cold tent. We ended up having a great time outdoors, swinging on hammocks and making a fire, but the kids were complaining and shivering in the middle of the night, and we ended up leaving at 5 a.m. to head home.

“My favorite line in the song is ‘growing cold together, blaming it on the weather’ in the last verse. This line can be interpreted in several ways, and I liked substituting ‘cold’ for ‘old.’ This verse is when the song gets quiet, and the vocals are upfront before all the instruments tumble back in for the last chorus. Sonically, the song has a floating quality, especially with the sound of the pedal steel and the faraway fiddle solo. I wanted a simple chorus that people could sing along around a campfire, and my producer Colin had a great idea for me to overdub my vocals an octave apart to give it that vibe. ‘Air Stream’ has been a fun one to play live.” – Parker Smith

Track Credits:

Parker Smith – Guitars, vocals
Trygve Myers – Bass
Christopher Case – Keyboards
John Kingsley – Pedal steel, lap steel, fiddle, slide guitar
Colin Agnew – Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals

Mixing & production – Colin Agnew
Mastering – Bob Weston, Chicago Mastering Service

Wyndham Baird, “Meet Me By the Moonlight, Alone”

Artist: Wyndham Baird
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Song: “Meet Me By the Moonlight, Alone”
Album: After the Morning
Release Date: May 31, 2024
Label: Jalopy Records

In Their Words: “I learned ‘Meet Me By The Moonlight’ from The Carter Family when I was about 20 years old. When I first heard The Carter Family it felt like I was listening some long lost relatives. They sounded like they had been my great grandmother’s neighbors. Taking up Maybelle’s picking style set me free from the doldrums of riffing. Her playing taught me how to make the guitar sound good enough all by itself. That being said, Eli Smith’s autoharp lends our recording of ‘Moonlight’ some rocking chair rhythm and Samoa Wilson’s harmony vocal sounds somehow like a roll top bread box.” – Wyndham Baird

Will Kimbrough, “Every Day”

Artist: Will Kimbrough
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Every Day”
Album: For the Life of Me
Release Date: April 5, 2024 (single); May 3, 2024 (album)
Label: Daphne Records, Soundly Music

In Their Words: “David Henry and I wrote ‘Every Day’ trying to create something carefree and joyful. We pulled it off! I needed it then and we need it now. Favorite lyric: ‘Singing in the sunshine. Laughing in the pouring rain. Gonna have a good time. Everybody it’s a sunshine day.'” – Will Kimbrough

Track Credits: 

Bryan Owings – Drums
Chris Donohue – Bass
Will Kimbrough – Vocals, guitar, keyboards

Ordinary Elephant, “I See You”

Artist: Ordinary Elephant
Hometown: Lafayette, Louisiana
Song: “I See You”
Album: Ordinary Elephant
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Label: Berkalin Records

In Their Words: “We can talk to anyone in a song. Time, space, beliefs, viewpoints — none of those can keep the ‘I’ from having a conversation with the ‘you.’ The ‘you’ can be Gandhi, a grocery store clerk, the President, or your dog. It can also be yourself, perhaps at some future point in time.

“I started this song a few months into my journey with sobriety. Because there were things I couldn’t escape from seeing about myself. And there were, and are, so many things I don’t yet know, or know how to figure out, but there’s a sense of what I want this unraveling to look like when it’s sewn back together.

“Being in the moment and accepting who and where we are is valuable, and I believe that getting better at this is a practice that can hold a lot of happiness. But it also seems that if we don’t look ahead and think of a future self, it can be difficult to grow in ways that feel meaningful. So this is a talk with that future self, letting her know that I see her.” – Crystal Damore

Video Credits: Directed & edited by Syd Horn & Olivia Perillo.
Cinematography & color by Olivia Perillo.
Honest Art Productions, Lafayette, Louisiana.

Phillip Lammonds, “Forever Ain’t That Far Away”

Artist: Phillip Lammonds
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Forever Ain’t That Far Away”
Album: Cowboy Things
Release Date: April 5, 2024
Label: Freestone Records

In Their Words: “It’s a song that I wrote with Matt Wynne – a great singer-songwriter from Missouri and just a great guy. We were co-writing one day and we didn’t really have anything. We were working around in the writers room and he said, ‘You know, the afternoon is not that far away,’ and I said, ‘Wait a minute…’ and we backed into this title, ‘Forever Ain’t That Far Away.’ It’s turned into one of the coolest songs. One of the greatest things about this song is that on the record, Pam Tillis sings the background vocals on it. There is no question you can hear her. She is amazing, and she’s still the same star she’s ever been.” – Phillip Lammonds

Track Credits: Written by Phillip Lammonds & Matt Wynne.
Produced by Lee Brice.
Co-Production by Gabriel Klein, Gideon Klein, Phillip Lammonds.
Engineered & Mixed by Cody Labelle, Gabriel Klein, Gideon Klein.

Video Credit: Brooke Stevens

Rootsy Summer Sessions: Jim Lauderdale

This week, we bring you a brand-new installment of our Rootsy Summer Sessions, which were shot last year in gorgeous Falkenberg, Sweden, during Rootsy Summer Fest ’23. The videography team behind I Know We Should set aside time during the summertime roots music festival with Nashville renaissance man, Americana magnate, and hit songwriter Jim Lauderdale while on his trip to Scandinavia.

For his first performance, he performs “The Road Is a River,” a song from his 2018 album, Time Flies, in an adorable local music store, Liljedahls Musik. Joined by his band, including recording artist and fiddler Lillie Mae, guitarists Craig Smith and Frank Carter Rische, Jay D. Weaver on bass, and Dave Racine on drums, they cheerfully lope through the darker tinges of the song, harmonizing in three parts on the track’s foreboding and certainly apocalyptic lyrics. “The Road Is a River” demonstrates the ease with which Lauderdale combines styles, textures, and sonics with his deep understanding of history and a literary reckoning with the machinations of the earth – natural and unnatural.

Read more and watch the entire session here.

Photo Credit: Ana Egge by Lorenzo Wolf; Jaelee Roberts by Eric Ahlgrim.

With a New Album, ‘No Fear,’ Sister Sadie Once Again Go “All In”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Last month, Sister Sadie took the stage at Nashville’s Station Inn to showcase and celebrate their latest album, No Fear. And although the title itself could be an ode to the group’s unrelenting urge to hop genre fences – from bluegrass to country to pop and back again – it’s also a nod to the resiliency of the band itself.

With No Fear, Sister Sadie showcase three-part, songbird harmonies backed by a keen musical aptitude that’s equally distributed throughout the quintet. The 13-song LP combines the “high, lonesome sound” of bluegrass with a blend of country and pop sensibilities a la The Chicks, Little Big Town, or Pistol Annies.

“There’s a space for bluegrass meets Americana meets country meets pop — that’s what I’m manifesting,” says fiddler and de facto band leader, Deanie Richardson.

To note, the Station Inn appearance was a full-circle sort of thing for the ensemble. First coming together at the storied venue by pure happenstance in December 2012, Richardson, banjoist Gena Britt, and former members guitarist Dale Ann Bradley, bassist Beth Lawrence, and mandolinist Tina Adair were simply a collection of pickers and singers from different circles in Music City.

That initial gig went extremely well, so much so that more shows were booked and things started to unfold into a full-fledged band – albeit one where the members still held day jobs and were raising families. But, the music felt right and so did the performances, so why not tempt fate and see where this ride may go?

Well, what a ride it has been thus far. Appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. Three IBMA awards for Vocal Group of the Year (2019, 2020, 2021) and one for Entertainer of the Year (2020), with Richardson taking home Fiddle Player of the Year in 2020. And a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album for the 2018 release, Sister Sadie II.

But, in recent years, three of those founding members — Bradley, Lawrence, and Adair — left to pursue other projects, which, in turn, posed one lingering question to Richardson and Britt — where to from here?

“When we started 12 years ago, when we hit that first note at the Station Inn, we felt this magical chemistry in the band,” Richardson says. “Somehow, every time we reinvent this [band], I still feel that magical chemistry when we play music.”

Instead of throwing in the towel and saying it was good while it lasted, Richardson and Britt forged ahead, come hell or high water. They regrouped and reemerged into this next, unknown chapter. Soon, Jaelee Roberts and Dani Flowers came into the fold, both bringing songwriting prowess as well as providing guitar and vocal harmonies to ideally complement Britt. Then, in 2023, bassist Maddie Dalton hopped onboard.

“It’s an eclectic group of ladies and of musical tastes,” Richardson says. “Our home, our hearts and our souls are in bluegrass music. That’s what we love, that’s our passion, but there’s a lot of room for growth there.”

The new album, it’s not bluegrass. It’s not country. It’s just good music. In my opinion, it would be a shame to pigeonhole your music.

Deanie Richardson: Well, that would be our dream, Garret, for someone to not try to put some sort of label or pigeonhole it into somewhere. But, unfortunately, it happens. We went in there with great tunes and just let them arrange themselves, let them work themselves out in the studio. And this is what we got. So, I didn’t go in with bluegrass in mind. I didn’t go in with country in mind. I just went in with all my pals, people I love — great players and great songs.

Is that more by design or just how things have evolved?

DR: I think that’s how it’s evolved. That was not the original [Sister] Sadie. That’s this combination of girls right here. When you have personnel changes like we’ve have along the way, the energy changes — everything shifts.

Gena Britt: You have to reinvent yourself.

DR: You’ve got to figure out where you land when Jaelee Roberts comes in and changes everything. And then you’ve got to figure out where you land when Dani Flowers comes in. And Maddie Dalton. We’ve had three new members. That changes the energy. It changes the vibe. It changes the feel. It changes the vocals. It changes everything. This whole band has grown organically over the last 12 years. This is just where it is right now. We’re about to go in and record a new one and, shoot, it may sound like ZZ Top. I don’t know — you never know.

And I have a lot of solidarity with that, the attitude of just go in and see what happens, see what sticks and see what works.

Dani Flowers: Every single person in this band is a big fan of good writing and good songs. Just trying to serve the song and make sure it had what it needed rather than trying to put any one certain song in a box that it might not fit in.

How does that play into personal goals with the band’s expectations? There’s a lot of a crossover factor in the music. I hear just as much country as I do bluegrass in there.

GB: We’re just going for what we feel. We want to be excited about the song as we want everybody that’s listening to be excited. When we’re in the studio, these songs were brought to life in such a great way.

With the new members, what was kind of the intent coming into the group?

Jaelee Roberts: When I was asked to audition, I was kind of flabbergasted, because I looked up to Sister Sadie. These are all my heroes playing together in a band. And I had grown up around them. It was such a surreal feeling to get to audition. I get to not only learn more from them than I was already learning from them, but I get to part of that and grow with them, bring my spin on stuff.

DF: It was definitely a no-brainer for me when it came to joining the band. I’ve known Deanie since I was 16 or 17, Gena since I was 19 or 20. I’ve always admired them both. They’re incredible at what they do. It was really great for me. I was in the music industry for a while. I had a record deal. I wrote for a publishing company. And then, I had a kid and kind of stopped doing it all for a while. So, to join a band full of women that I already love was a great way to get back into playing music.

And with founding members of a band leaving, there’s this creative vacuum that can occur, where maybe there are more opportunities for other people to step up.

DR: Oh, that’s so great, because it’s true. With the personnel changes we’ve had, there’s been more opportunities for different styles, different vocalists, different everything. It’s crazy how that energy shift just redirects everything. You find a new tunnel or rabbit hole to go down or a new vision. It’s super fun to hear those potential songs and figure out whose voice is going to work. If you listen to a song, it actually tells you where it wants to go.

GB: This band is kind of a melting pot. We all bring such different things to the band. And then, when you put it all together and mix it all together, it’s this great recipe for things that are magical. It’s just heartwarming, too. We actually hangout together when we’re not playing on the road — not a lot of bands do that.

With the band shakeup and everything that’s happened to Sister Sadie in recent years — winning the IBMA for Entertainer of the Year, switching record labels to Mountain Home — what made you decide to keep it going? Was there a moment of maybe shutting it down and doing something else?

DR: One hundred percent. You’re on it. With the last personnel change, Gena and I were on the phone like, “We’re 10 years into this thing. Is it time to call it? Maybe it’s just time.” This band happened by just a group of friends getting together and playing the Station Inn. Then, “Hey, that went really well. Let’s playing the Station Inn again.” Then, Gena starts getting calls from promoters. Do a few shows. Then, Pinecastle says, “Hey, let’s do a record.” We do a record. We do another record. We get nominated for a Grammy.

But, we’ve never really gone in 100 percent. It’s just been organic. I’ve got a ton of things going on. I’ve got a seven-year-old. Gena’s got a job and two kids. It’s never like, “Let’s form a band and let’s go do this.” It was always sort of The Seldom Scene thing — we’ll play when it makes sense. And then, I was like, “What if we give this thing everything we’ve got? What if we put in one 110 percent? What if we got a team? What if we got a manager? What if we got a new record label? What if we got a booking agent? Let’s devote one year to this 110 percent and see what happens” — that’s where we are.

I’m 52 years old. I’ve been doing this and on the road since I was 15. This is the best record we’ve ever done. Going all in was the best choice that we could’ve made.

Photo Credit: Eric Ahlgrim