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Roots Culture Redefined

Posts Tagged ‘Mountain Home Music Company’

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Rebecca Porter, Gena Britt, and More

This week, our collection of new music and premieres showcases cinematic stories, lush sounds, and the exact correct vibes all across the board.

Kicking us off, bluegrass banjo phenom Gena Britt is releasing her new single, “Goodbye to the Blues,” paying tribute to Lynn Morris as Britt and cohort get the blues and then gets them gone to a marching bluegrass beat. Fellow North Carolinian Aaron Burdett follows in a similar sonic space, painting a literal and metaphorical picture of spring and two little “Honeybees.” Don’t miss the track credits for both, as Britt and Burdett feature some incredible talents like John Meador, Kristin Scott Benson, Carley Arrowood, Jason Carter, and more on these cuts.

There’s excellent modern folk to be found below, as well. Sage & Aera – who you may know from WE DREAM DAWN – sing about freedom being found in surrender on “Let It Rain,” a song with a deep and broad approach to indie string folk. Singer-songwriter Sam Robbins releases his new album today and its title track, which is included here, is “So Much I Still Don’t See,” a sort of troubadour story song that’s observational and political but, most notably, is compassionate.

And you won’t want to miss Rebecca Porter’s new single, “Shadow of Doubt,” which comes today in tandem with the announcement of her upcoming debut album, Roll With The Punches, out August 8. This is gunslinger, black-and-white western film, black-cowboy-hat-wearing country (& western!) that’s effortlessly timeless while overtly contemporary and forward-looking.

From bluegrass to indie folk to good country, You Gotta Hear This!

Gena Britt, “Goodbye to the Blues” 

Artist: Gena Britt
Hometown: Star, North Carolina
Song: “Goodbye To The Blues”
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I’m so excited about ‘Goodbye to the Blues.’ This amazing band helped me bring this to life in the studio. What an absolute dream band! With the help of one of my best friends Tina Steffey, we were able to pay tribute to the great Lynn Morris’ clawhammer banjo playing from her original cut. I’m a huge Lynn Morris and Marshall Wilborn fan and I hope everyone loves this as much as I do.” – Gena Britt

Track Credits:
Gena Britt –Banjo, lead vocal
John Meador – Acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
Alan Bartram – Upright bass, harmony vocal
Jason Carter – Fiddles
Jonathan Dillon – Mandolin
Tina Steffey – Clawhammer banjo
Tony Creasman – Drums

Aaron Burdett, “Honeybees”

Artist: Aaron Burdett
Hometown: Saluda, North Carolina
Song: “Honeybees”
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Organic Records

In Their Words: “In the summer of 2024 I was talking with my friend Bob, who’s kept bees and has family who does the same, and he said something about noticing ‘two honeybees on my sleeve.’ He was remarking about the time of season and wondering what their deal was. It got me thinking about the ambiguity of any given moment in time. Anything could have brought them there and they could be going on in any number of directions after. I like taking note of noteworthy moments, and any moment can be noteworthy if I look at it in just the right way.” – Aaron Burdett

Track Credits:
Aaron Burdett –Lead vocal, acoustic guitar
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Carley Arrowood – Fiddle
Tristan Scroggins – Mandolin
Jon Weisberger – Upright bass
Wendy Hickman – Harmony vocal
Travis Book – Harmony vocal

Rebecca Porter, “Shadow of Doubt”

Artist: Rebecca Porter
Hometown: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Song: “Shadow of Doubt”
Album: Roll With The Punches
Release Date: April 25, 2025 (single); August 8, 2025 (album)
Label: Holding All The Roses

In Their Words: “The rattle of strums on my 1965 Gibson J-45 and the deep breaths thrust into the air as ‘oohs’ signal a shift and I hope listeners know, ‘Shadow of Doubt’ is a deeply personal song. It details events and relationships that were swept under the rug for years, but despite the cloak of ignorance, the waves of shame and emotional turmoil continued to rage. Ignoring that time only made the internal chaos sharper. I wrote this song to build a new framework and find closure for that pivotal point in my life. No one held my power captive any longer, and the internal chaos that shattered each day was released.

“This track captures the essence of Roll With the Punches. The record details snapshots of my life in song, framed through our interpretation and creative inspiration of western cinema. A fervent exploration of roots’ tones and instrumentations. Much like the rugged characters in western films, the album unfolds through tough moments of enlightenment, self-reflection, and perseverance. Within the walls of ‘Shadow of Doubt,’ listeners navigate uncomfortable truths including some of my darkest moments and ultimately realize that even while bloody or bruised, it is still possible to soar.” – Rebecca Porter

Track Credits:
Rebecca Porter – Acoustic guitar, vocals, songwriter
Ben Bailey – Baritone guitar, electric guitar
Ben Schlabach – Bass
Scott Whitten – Drums
Perry Blosser – Fiddle
Danny Gibney – Keys
Jason Summer – Pedal steel
Jacob Briggs – Percussion

Sam Robbins, “So Much I Still Don’t See”

Artist: Sam Robbins
Hometown: Boston, MA
Song: “So Much I Still Don’t See”
Album: So Much I Still Don’t See
Release Date: April 25, 2025

In Their Words: “‘So Much I Still Don’t See’ is the title track and my favorite song on the album. It’s really the culmination of the whole album. It’s written about the quiet inequalities in this country that I’ve always known were there, but have seen so much more clearly as I’ve been touring over the past few years.

“It is a political song, but it’s a subtle one – I didn’t want this one to bash you over the head, I wanted it to be akin to a conversation with a friend. The more I’ve travelled, the more people and cultures I’ve seen that are so different from mine, I’ve seen how little I know. To me, this is the essence of the entire album.” – Sam Robbins

Sage & Aera, “Let It Rain”

Artist: Sage & Aera
Hometown: Waldron, Kansas
Song: “Let It Rain”
Album: Love Undoubtedly Underlies Everything
Release Date: April 25, 2025 (single); August 10, 2025 (album)
Label: MATRKA

In Their Words: “This is a song about resilience, not through striving but through surrender. There is a point in life when surrender is the only door to freedom. This door usually appears when our suffering reaches some inescapable peak. Even if we are only allowed a fleeting glimpse, this glimpse, more often than not, is transformative by nature. In this way, suffering is our greatest teacher. I don’t claim to capture the unspeakable beauty of such things through song but I will continue to try.

“‘Let It Rain’ began sometime around 2013, while I was still in Colorado playing with Elephant Revival, and at least a year before we (Sage & Aera) began playing as WE DREAM DAWN. These recordings are from 2016-2020 when WE DREAM DAWN grew to include GRAMMY Award winning Steven Vidaic, Mark Levy, and Darren Garvey. Currently we are touring as an acoustic duo to support this epic passion project of a record called Love Undoubtedly Underlies Everything.” – Sage Thomas Cook

Track Credits:
Sage Thomas Cook – Acoustic Guitar, vocals, production
Aera Fox – Bass guitar, moog, vocals
Steven Vidaic – Keys, backup vocals, mixing
Mark Levy – Drums
Darren Garvey – Percussion
Mike Yach – Mastering

Photo Credit: Gena Britt by Laci Mack; Rebecca Porter by Heather Goodloe.

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

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.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Liam St. John with Molly Tuttle, the Faux Paws, and More

Hop aboard another edition of our weekly roundup of new music and premieres!

This time, we’re grabbing a ride on a Greyhound with blues rocker Liam St. John and Molly Tuttle for a special live performance video of “Greyhound Bus Blues” that’s a truly lovely roots duet. There are a few more stops for this bus, though, so hold on! Next, the Faux Paws take us to New York City and while that city (never) sleeps they cover Jimmy Martin’s “Night,” a new single and video, shot by Dylan Ladds.

Trad bluegrass innovators Chris Jones & the Night Drivers turn a familiar idiom on its head with “Plenty Ventured,” their latest single which drops today. And, Jones’ fellow Canadian Jadea Kelly brings an endlessly smooth and soulful original Americana song that sets a peaceful and calm tone for the weekend, entitled “Friday.” It’s a special track you can find on the deluxe issue of her most recent album, Weather Girl.

Don’t miss up-and-coming bluegrass and folk string band the Wilder Flower from the mountain-y portions of the North and South Carolina line. They close out our round-up this week bringing us back to Molly Tuttle, who with Jon Weisberger wrote “Every Time the Rain Comes Pouring Down.” The Wilder Flower successfully make the song their own.

It’s a perfect musical journey, all right here on BGS. You know what you gotta do? You Gotta Hear This!

The Faux Paws, “Night”

Artist: The Faux Paws
Hometown: Springfield, Vermont
Song: “Night”
Album: No Bad Ideas
Release Date: May 9, 2025
Label: Great Bear Records / Free Dirt

In Their Words: “When Andrew unearthed this great Jimmy Martin tune we all knew the groove hidden within would be well-served by our treatment. It slaps from the first note. We linked up with great filmmaker Dylan Ladds and all decided to head to New York to shoot this video. Jimmy may not have been thinking about ‘night’ in the city that never sleeps, but we love how open the lyrics of this song are and sometimes the loneliest place being surrounded by 23 million people, right?

“We’re really excited to release this along with the single from our upcoming record and tour all spring and summer to some of our favorite towns and festivals!” – Chris Miller, banjo, sax

Video Credits: Dylan Ladds, Filmed at Epiphany Recording Studios, Long Island City, New York.

Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, “Plenty Ventured”

Artist: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Plenty Ventured”
Release Date: April 11, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “This twist on the old proverb ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’ popped into my head pretty much out of the blue. The idea of putting too much effort or resources into a lost cause is certainly relatable, whether it’s in love or work or some other part of life. We’ve all been there at some point or another. Once I started working on it, it lent itself to a bluesy feel, and it really clicked for us in the studio. Mark Stoffel came up with the little melodic variation that starts the song.” – Chris Jones

Track Credits:
Chris Jones – Acoustic guitar, lead vocal, harmony vocal
Mark Stoffel – Mandolin
Grace van’t Hof – Banjo, harmony vocal
Marshall Wilborn – Bass
Carly Arrowood – Fiddle 

Jadea Kelly, “Friday”

Artist: Jadea Kelly
Hometown: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Song: “Friday”
Album: Weather Girl (deluxe)
Release Date: October 12, 2024 (album); April 11, 2025 (deluxe release)

In Their Words: “This is a very simple, feel-good song about staying in and doing absolutely nothing on a Friday night. Since removing alcohol from my life two-and-a-half years ago and entering my late thirties, the weekend has a different mood and intention. It’s sacred, quiet, and filled with self-care. I also feel that the pandemic forcibly reintroduced us to home time in a new way. And I love it!” – Jadea Kelly

Track Credits:
Jadea Kelly – Vocals, songwriting
Peter Von Althen – Drums
Jim Bryson – Production, instrumentation

Liam St. John, “Greyhound Bus Blues” (featuring Molly Tuttle)

Artist: Liam St. John
Song: “Greyhound Bus Blues” (featuring Molly Tuttle)
Release Date: April 11, 2025
Label: Big Loud Rock

In Their Words: “Life as an artist is beautiful. It is unpredictable, it is incredibly fulfilling, and it is full of highs and lows. But there are moments in your career as an artist that act as pillars of affirmation. Moments that let you know you’re on the right track. For me, there are a few pillars: The first time I played a headline show where the crowd screamed every lyric with me. When I signed to Big Loud records. When I found out Molly Tuttle was going to feature on my song ‘Greyhound Bus Blues.’

“When I got the call that Molly was going to feature on this song, I could hardly believe it. I’m such a fan of her work and I admire her so much as a songwriter, singer, and musician. She elevates ‘Greyhound Bus Blues’ to another level with her world-class flat-picking and GRAMMY-winning bluegrass vocals. Collaborating with Molly, both in the studio and for the live recording, was a master class in combining professionalism and adoration of music.” – Liam St. John

Video Credit: Sean O’Halloran

The Wilder Flower, “Every Time the Rain Comes Pouring Down”

Artist: The Wilder Flower
Hometown: Brevard, North Carolina / Pickens, South Carolina
Song: “Every Time the Rain Comes Pouring Down”
Release Date: April 13, 2025

In Their Words: “As a group of developing songwriters, we couldn’t be more proud to release a song written by two distinctive stylists and heroes of ours. It blurs genre and generational lines, with the feel of fiddling ballads and bluegrass rhythm that colors our group. It’s a deeply emotional number that we connected with after the first listen. We’d like to thank Jon Weisberger and Molly Tuttle for the opportunity to take their work & make it our own.” – Danielle Yother

Photo Credit: The Faux Paws by Dylan Ladds; Liam St. John and Molly Tuttle courtesy of the artist.

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

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 Andy Leftwich, Carter & Cleveland, and More

Okay but really, You Gotta Hear This! Our weekly premiere and new music roundup is simply packed with entirely legendary bluegrass in this edition of the column.

Kicking us off, award-winning husband-and-wife duo Benson – made up of Kristin Scott Benson and Wayne Benson – offer their rendition of a Harley Allen song, “Things Have Changed,” with Dustin Pyrtle lending a perfect lead vocal to the track. The Seldom Scene, an iconic bluegrass band for now more than 50 years, release their brand new album today. We’re celebrating Remains to Be Scene by highlighting “Hard Travelin’,” a Woody Guthrie-written number that you, like Ron Stewart, may recognize from Flatt & Scruggs’s discography.

Fiddle is represented in force this week, too, with fiddler and multi-instrumentalist Andy Leftwich racing through an original, “Highland Rim,” with Cody Kilby, Matt Menefee, and Byron House along for the ride. Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland are releasing their debut duo album today as well, so we’ve cued up “In the Middle of Middle Tennessee” from that stellar project. Written by Darrell Scott, it features Carter’s tasty baritone and country star Charlie Worsham (who has strong bluegrass roots) on harmony.

To round out our collection this week, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers preview their new bluegrass gospel album, Thankful and Blessed, set for release next week on March 21. “He Sees the Little Sparrow Fall” is a superlative example of the gospel and sacred traditions in bluegrass, a little concentrated dose of Friday revival for the end of your work week.

Every single track herein is bluegrass of the highest quality, so you know what we’re going to say… You Gotta Hear This!

Benson, “Things Have Changed”

Artist: Benson
Hometown: Boiling Springs, South Carolina
Song: “Things Have Changed”
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “We’re excited for this song to finally come out. We love the lead vocal by Dustin Pyrtle and the sentiment of ‘Things Have Changed’ is universal. It seems things do change so fast these days. Downtown Nashville is different every time I go! But even in small towns, you feel it, both physically and relationally with the people who live there. I love the line, ‘I’m sort of glad that Mom and Dad ain’t around.’ That melancholy embodies the mood of this guy who goes back home and feels an overall sense of loss. Wayne and I love to play this slower tempo on mandolin and banjo. He gets to tremolo and I get to play fun chord-based banjo. I always enjoy playing this kind of banjo backup.” – Kristin Scott Benson

“I’ve always loved Harley Allen and certainly do love this song. Dustin Pyrtle seemed like the perfect singer to reach out to and man did he ever deliver the goods on this one!” – Wayne Benson

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

Carter & Cleveland, “In the Middle of Middle Tennessee”

Artist: Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee (Jason); Charlestown, Indiana (Michael)
Song: “In the Middle of Middle Tennessee”
Album: Carter & Cleveland
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Fiddle Man Records

In Their Words: “This is a fun song that transports me to a place in my mind where I’d love to be – stuck in the middle of Middle Tennessee. Special thanks to Charlie Worsham for singing with me on this track. It’s one of the highlights of the entire record for me! I never had the chance to meet Darrell Scott’s cat, Bobtail, but somehow, I feel like I’ve seen him before. Thank you, Darrell, for writing this song about him!” – Jason Carter

Track Credits:
Jason Carter – Lead vocal, fiddle
Michael Cleveland – Fiddle
Charlie Worsham – Harmony vocal
Sam Bush – Mandolin
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Bryan Sutton – Guitar
Cory Walker – Banjo
Alan Bartram – Bass

Andy Leftwich, “Highland Rim”

Artist: Andy Leftwich
Hometown: Carthage, Tennessee
Song: “Highland Rim”
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I’ve always loved the intensity of a fast-paced instrumental and we hold nothing back on this one. Named after a raceway close to home where I grew up, I thought this one perfectly described the rush that you get from going fast. I wanted a song on this new project where we can go absolutely bananas and I feel like we captured it on this one!” – Andy Leftwich

Track Credits:
Andy Leftwich – Fiddle, mandolin
Byron House – Upright bass
Cody Kilby – Acoustic guitar
Matt Menefee – Banjo

Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, “He Sees the Little Sparrow Fall”

Artist: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Hometown: Xenia, Ohio
Song: “He Sees The Little Sparrow Fall”
Album: Thankful and Blessed
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Billy Blue Records

In Their Words: “It’s so easy to sing a song of gratitude and celebration when we consider the beauty of creation. Our friend, songwriter Conrad Fisher, lives in a gorgeous valley surrounded by the mountains of Pennsylvania. No matter where we look around the world, seeing God’s magnificent beauty in creation is easy and worthy of our praise. A new song with an old-time flavor and a universal message opens our new album, ‘He Sees the Little Sparrows Fall.’” – Joe Mullins

Track Credits:
Joe Mullins – Vocal, banjo
Adam McIntosh – Lead vocal, guitar
Chris Davis – Vocal, mandolin
Jason Barie – Fiddle
Zach Collier – Bass

The Seldom Scene, “Hard Travelin'”

Artist: The Seldom Scene
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Song: “Hard Travelin'”
Album: Remains to be Scene
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Smithsonian Folkways

In Their Words: “This song comes from a Flatt & Scruggs album of the same title, circa 1963. Written by Woody Guthrie, the song was first recorded in 1947. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Flatt & Scruggs and this is one of my favorites from the early 1960s when they were still plowing bluegrass, but using material from a broad range of writers.” – Ron Stewart

Photo Credit: Andy Leftwich by Erick Anderson; Carter & Cleveland by Emma McCoury.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Sister Sadie, Big Country Bluegrass, and More

Your weekly dose of brand new music is here! Check out this Friday’s roundup of track, song, and video premieres from bluegrass, Americana, country, folk, and beyond.

From the bluegrass camp, Southwest Virginia string band Big Country Bluegrass bring us their new track, “Heading for the Mountains,” which they pulled from the catalog of fellow Virginians, the Bluegrass Kinsmen, from just over the mountains. Plus, supergroup Sister Sadie return with another new single, “Do What You Want,” which was co-written by band members Dani Flowers and Deanie Richardson as well as Music Row songwriter and artist Erin Enderlin.

Chicagoan Chris Walz debuts his new number, “Alabama Bound,” a solo blues outing that references a classic recording by Long Cleve Reed and Little Harvey Hull while still putting his own spin on it. From the country and honky-tonkin’ realms, Pug Johnson bemoans a “Hole in Me” with an acoustic performance of that new track that’s full of hurt and tinges of Texas. Plus Iowa-based Katie and the Honky Tonks give the direction to “Mind Your Business” – especially when it comes to social media. Check out a new video from The Mallett Brothers Band, too, featuring stunning views of their Maine home turf and cameos from their own “Dogs and Horses.”

From the genre-blending fringes of indie, folk, and Americana comes Anne Harris’ new artful video for “I Feel It Once Again,” a broad and lush track that centers on violin and is built around a haunting guitar riff. Also, singer-songwriter Luke Sital-Singh delivers a truly unique sound with “Little River,” a song about learning to ride the flow of life wrapped up in an indie-folk-pop package that defies categorization while still feeling down to earth and real.

There’s a little bit of something for roots music lovers of all stripes here. You know what we think… You Gotta Hear This!

Big Country Bluegrass, “Heading for the Mountains”

Artist: Big Country Bluegrass
Hometown: Independence, Virginia
Song: “Heading for the Mountains”
Album: Carry Me Back To The Bluegrass
Release Date: February 21, 2025 (single); March 28, 2025 (album)
Label: Rebel Records

In Their Words: “Back in 1989 when I heard the Bluegrass Kinsmen perform this song, I immediately loved it! When it came time to look for music for this album, I dusted off my recording and played it for the band. They loved it too and so here we are. ‘Heading for the Mountains,’ an upbeat song, is a great fit for Eddie Gills’ distinctive tenor and makes for a memorable duet when Teresa Sells joins him on the chorus. And like the chorus says, ‘the city life is not for me.'” – Tommy Sells

Track Credits:
Eddie Gill – Guitar, co-lead vocal
Teresa Sells – Guitar, co-lead vocal
Tommy Sells – Mandolin
Daniel Martin – Banjo
Billy Hawks – Fiddle
Tony King – Upright bass

Anne Harris, “I Feel It Once Again”

Artist: Anne Harris
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Song: “I Feel It Once Again”
Album: I Feel It Once Again
Release Date: February 21, 2025 (video); February 25, 2025 (single); May 9, 2025 (album)
Label: Rugged Road Records

In Their Words: “A while back I unearthed a guitar riff that my friend, blues artist/producer Dave Hererro, had sent me. It had been sitting in my inbox for a long time but I hadn’t got around to listening to it.

“One day I was sorting through my inbox and finally listened down to it and I was immediately swept up by that haunting riff; in one sitting I wrote the lyrics and arranged a song around Dave’s sketch. It was one of those rare instances for me where I felt as if I was channeling the song.

“The song is about the resurfacing of grief during the night, when the veil is thin. It reveals itself at a time when the mind begins ruminating over all that stays hidden during the light of day.” – Anne Harris

Track Credits:
Anne Harris – Vocals, violin
Colin Linden – Guitars
John Dymond – Bass
Jerry Roe – Drums

Video Credits: Stan Miskiewicz – Video producer, director, director of photography
Ara Krossovitch – Dancer

Pug Johnson, “Hole In Me”

Artist: Pug Johnson
Hometown: Beaumont, Texas
Song: “Hole in Me”
Album: El Cabron
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Label: Break Maiden Records / Thirty Tigers

In Their Words: “A simple honky-tonk hurting song with a Texas shuffle and fiddles to boot! I pulled from some past experience and tried to take the Willie approach by saying a lot with very little. I think it is the most country thing I’ve ever done, and it’s one of my favorites on the record.” – Pug Johnson

Track Credits:
Pug Johnson – Vocals, guitars
Paul “Sweet P” Walker – guitars
Jason Baczynski – Drums
Josh Hoag – Bass
Caleb Melo – Pedal steel
Jan Flemming – Keys
Patricia Badgett – Backup vocals
Cody Braun – Fiddle

Video Credits: Directed by David Allison and Joel Malizia.
Produced by Pilot Moon Films.

Katie and the Honky Tonks, “Mind Your Business”

Artist: Katie and the Honky Tonks
Hometown: Waterloo, IA
Song: Mind Your Business
Album: Ain’t No Shame
Release Date: February 28, 2025 (single); June 27, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “‘Mind Your Business’ came into fruition after years of participating in the social media game. From witnessing one meaningless argument over the internet to the next. We all have opinions, but what entitles us to think our opinion is 1) correct, and 2) needs to be spoken publicly? Minding our own business is something we all could do a little more of, myself included. Like the song says, if it ain’t hurtin’ anyone then why don’t you just let me have my fun? I think that’s a mantra that we could all live by.” – Katie Jo

Track Credits:
Katie Jo – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Brian McCarty – Bass, backing vocals
Bryan Hendrickson – Lead guitar, lap steel, backing vocals
Luke Jerry – Drums
Danny Mitchell – Hammond B3

The Mallett Brothers Band, “Dogs and Horses”

Artist: The Mallett Brothers Band
Hometown: Portland, Maine
Song: “Dogs and Horses”
Album: Higher up in the Hills
Release Date: April 4, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Dogs and Horses’ is a song that came from my real life, trying to balance the drastically different lifestyles of a touring musician and a working farm. My wife runs a horse farm here in Maine, where we keep anywhere from 13-18 horses on the property. Hay needs to be put away every season, fences always break, water systems need maintenance, etc. Meanwhile, I spend over 100 days a year in a van traveling to gigs and have to play catch-up when I get home. The song is about supporting each other and building an unconventional life that suits us both. This music video was filmed at our farm; the dogs and horses are actually our dogs and horses and it was fun to capture a day in life when the grass was still green. The counterpoint to the farm shots was our annual show at the State Theatre here in Maine, which is one of the coolest shows we get to play. Our friend CC at Just One Look Media did a great job with the video, and it was a lot of fun to shoot

“This is the only track on the record to have a special guest, featuring the legendary Chuck Leavell of the Allman Brothers Band and Rolling Stones fame on keys. We were lucky to be a part of the Maine episode of his PBS show America’s Forests With Chuck Leavell, and we were very excited when he agreed to contribute to this song. His parts added the perfect finishing touch and really brought it to another level.” – Luke Mallett

Sister Sadie, “Do What You Want”

Artist: Sister Sadie
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Do What You Want”
Release Date: February 21, 2025

In Their Words:  “‘Do What You Want’ came from Dani Flowers, Erin Enderlin, and myself sitting around talking about life. How hard it can be. How we have so many expectations put on us, especially being women. How we are all divided. No matter what you do, someone is going to have something good or bad to say about it. So don’t worry about what everyone thinks. ‘Just Do What You Want.’ This was a very fun and somewhat therapeutic song to write. Maddie Dalton, being the youngest in the band, was the perfect voice for this one.” – Deanie Richardson, fiddle

“I absolutely love this song and I’m super happy I’m the one that got to sing it. I relate to it as I’m sure so many other people do too. I’m just excited for the whole world to hear it.” – Maddie Dalton, bass and lead vocals

“’Do What You Want’ was a really fun song to write. We’re all just tiny dots on a planet, spinning around a sun, in a gigantic galaxy for a tiny blip of time. When I zoom out and look at it that way, it makes the things I spend so much time worrying about seem pretty silly. This song is about keeping that perspective.” – Erin Enderlin, co-writer

Track Credits:
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle, gang vocals
Gena Britt – Banjo, gang vocals
Maddie Dalton –Upright bass, lead vocals
Jaelee Roberts – Harmony vocals
Dani Flowers – Harmony vocals
Mary Meyer – Mandolin, piano
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gang vocals
Dave Racine – Drums, gang vocals, percussion
Jon Weisberger – gang vocals

Luke Sital-Singh, “Little River”

Artist: Luke Sital-Singh
Hometown: London, England, United Kingdom
Song: “Little River”
Album: Fool’s Spring
Release Date: February 21, 2025
Label: Nettwerk Music Group

In Their Words: “‘Little River’ is a song about learning to flow with life no matter what is happening to you. I was inspired by a quote from meditation teacher Stephan Bodian: ‘You’re not sitting on the bank of the river, waiting for a better moment to float past. You are the river itself – filled with being, filled with infinite potential.’ This idea became a guiding theme in my life as I was making this record.” – Luke Sital-Singh

Chris Walz, “Alabama Bound”

Artist: Chris Walz
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois (since 1988)
Song: “Alabama Bound”
Album: All I Got and Gone
Release Date: February 28, 2025 (single); March 14, 2025 (album)
Label: Chris Walz Music

In Their Words: “I’ve heard various versions of ‘Alabama Bound’ for years. The one I recorded is inspired by a version done by two guitar players and singers named Long Cleve Reed and Little Harvey Hull. The duet recording was put out on the box set The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records. I tried to make this two-guitar-and-vocal duet into a solo piece. There are so many versions of this song that the point of origin is hard to pin down, although Jelly Roll Morton claimed to have written it in 1905. The Kate Adams in the song was a Mississippi riverboat line. Jackson is in Central Mississippi and McComb is south of there about 80 miles. Half the time, the song title is ‘Don’t You Leave Me Here,’ taken from the recurring line that ends with, ‘Just leave a dime for a beer.’ Times have changed.” – Chris Walz

Photo Credit: Sister Sadie by Allister Ann; Big Country Bluegrass by Brenda Killon.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Lonesome River Band, Lily Talmers, and More

Where did the first month of 2025 go!? Wherever it went, we’ve got an excellent batch of premieres for your final New Music Friday of January.

Below, check out brand new music and performance videos like Amanda Bjorn’s “Until We Become Earth,” a song about searching for yourself set to a gorgeously warm and retro video shot on film. Pitney Meyer (a duo of longtime country and bluegrass pals, John Meyer and Mo Pitney) bring a live performance of their new single, “Bear Creek Clay,” as well.

Bluegrass mainstays Lonesome River Band bring back a Jimmy Yeary song that Sammy Shelor turned into a classic, “I’m On To You,” with the full LRB on this new rendition. Plus, Dave Murphy calls on Mark Erelli for his new number, “Planet of Pain II,”  a sequel to the original “Planet of Pain” from his 1998 album, Under the Lights.

Elsewhere, don’t miss Joshua Finsel’s “Before the Snow,” about through hiking the Appalachian Trail and cresting Mount Katahdin in Maine before wintertime hits. And, Lily Talmers celebrates release day for her new album, It’s Cyclical, Missing You, by bringing us that project’s lush and deep folky title track.

It’s all right here on BGS – we’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: You Gotta Hear This!

Amanda Bjorn, “Until We Become Earth”

Artist: Amanda Bjorn
Hometown: Los Angeles, California and Spain
Song: “Until We Become Earth”
Album: That Kind of Woman
Release Date: January 24, 2025 (single)

In Their Words: “‘Until We Become Earth’ is the first single off my upcoming debut album, That Kind of Woman, which is set to release in April 2025. A blend of blues and folk with a bit of Americana, the new album reads like a diary touching on major changes in my life – balancing motherhood with artistry, finding and losing myself within relationships, postpartum mental health, and the transformation that happens from living abroad and returning home.

“The song was written in a School of Song workshop with one of my favorite songwriters, Adrianne Lenker, exactly one year ago. Without ruining it, the song is about that search for self-identity within a relationship, the vulnerability of building your own voice, and the risk it takes to keep expanding.

“With the help of my old friend, producer Aaron Stern, I recorded the album this past summer in Los Angeles at Verdugo Sound. With the help of some very talented musicians, we performed live together in the same room for most of the album, our aim was to capture the magic of improvisation and the authentic energy that arises from truly listening and connecting, free from a click track.” – Amanda Bjorn

Track Credits:
Phillip Krohnengold – Guitar, keys
Michael Villiers – Drums
Aaron Stern – Bass
Amanda Bjorn – Vocals
Adam Ayan – Mastering
Aaron Stern – Producer

Video Credits: Filmed by Giacomo Gex; color by Ruben Sogomonian; film processed by Kafard Films, Paris, France.
Starring Amanda Bjorn and Brando Wild.

Joshua Finsel, “Before the Snow”

Artist: Joshua Finsel
Hometown: Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Song: “Before the Snow”
Album: No Honey
Release Date: February 6, 2024

In Their Words: “‘Before The Snow’ is a song about an Appalachian Trail through-hiker whose river meditation is interrupted by a daydream. Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park in Maine is the northern end of the trail, and a hiker must get there ‘before the snow’ in order to be allowed to finish the journey.

“The lyrics are autobiographical. I teamed up with the famed string trio Bizarre Star Strings (Brandi Carlile, Madison Cunningham, The Shins) for the lush, theatrical river-like passages. Award winning fiddle player Katelynn Casper and mandolinist Quentin Fisher of Serene Green added to the arrangements. Finally, David Bowie producer and bass player Mark Plati mixed the record and played fretless bass.” – Joshua Finsel

Lonesome River Band, “I’m On To You”

Artist: Lonesome River Band
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “I’m On To You”
Release Date: January 31, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘I’m On To You’ is a song written by my friend Jimmy Yeary, who has become one of the most in-demand writers in Nashville. I recorded this song back in 1997 and it was the first song Jimmy had featured on an album. The album is long out of print, but this song kept making its way into sound checks and the show every now and then. It has that ’80s country vibe that we felt would lend itself to the sound we are doing for this upcoming album. We hope you like this version!” – Sammy Shelor

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

Dave Murphy, “Planet of Pain II” (Featuring Mark Erelli)

Artist: Dave Murphy
Hometown: Madison, New Jersey
Song: “Planet of Pain II” featuring Mark Erelli
Album: A Heart So Rare
Release Date: January 31, 2025

In Their Words: “The song is a rumination on the fragility of life, disappointment, lessons learned, and carrying on. This theme is illustrated in my lyrics, ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust/ Sometimes it feels like it’s all just too much/ When something is lost (they say) something is gained/ Still finding my way on this planet of pain.’ The original ‘Planet of Pain‘ appeared on my first album, Under the Lights. It was just one voice, one acoustic, and a lap steel. Part II borrows some lyrics, but elevates the song to a different level with the support of Chris Tarrow’s mysterious pedal steel playing, Shawn Pelton’s percussion, and Mark Erelli’s haunting vocals.” – Dave Murphy

Track Credits:
Dave Murphy – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Shawn Pelton – Drums
Chris Tarrow – Electric guitar, pedal steel
Richard Hammond – Bass
Mark Erelli – Backing vocals

Pitney Meyer, “Bear Creek Clay”

Artist: Pitney Meyer
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Bear Creek Clay”
Album: Cherokee Pioneer
Release Date: January 10, 2025 (single); April 18, 2025 (album)
Label: Curb Records

In Their Words: “‘Bear Creek Clay’ is a song brought to the group by Danielle Yother from North Carolina. It’s a snapshot of a pioneering Daniel Boone-type of character, blazing a trail to a home in the mountains. ‘Bear Creek Clay’ was the title we settled on, which in the moment I figured was something we would come back and edit later, but come to find out, there are creeks and rivers by that name all over Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri. Driving through Bon Aqua, Tennessee, I noticed on the map I was nearing a Bear Creek. This was just a few miles from the log cabin where we would be recording. When we cut the song to tape a few days later, I knew we had to drive down to the creek first. The water was brown and rushing fast, swollen from the rains the night before. We made it back to the cabin a bit soaked but ready to step in and sing this song that seemed to be coming to life in the landscape around us.” – John Meyer

Track Credits:
Mo Pitney – Guitar
John Meyer – Banjo
Nate Burie – Mandolin
Blake Pitney – Bass
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle

Lily Talmers, “It’s Cyclical, Missing You”

Artist: Lily Talmers
Hometown: Birmingham, Michigan and Brooklyn, New York
Song: “It Is Cyclical, Missing You”
Album: It Is Cyclical, Missing You
Release Date: January 30, 2025

In Their Words: “This song is sort of meant to mirror the experience of running up and down a hill, continuously. It was born of witnessing two brothers arguing in a parking lot– the younger, around five years old, was sobbing trying to get his older brother’s attention. The older brother, around age seven, clearly had the awareness that ignoring someone only makes them more desperate for your attention, and wouldn’t look his brother in the eye. The whole record is sort of a big statement of what it means to be in both of these positions, cyclically. I am both the desperate, reaching brother, and the power-hungry, indignant brother who hasn’t learned the responsibility of loving other people.” – Lily Talmers

Track Credits:
Lily Talmers – Vocals, acoustic guitar, music, lyrics
Raffi Boden – Cello
Konstantinos Revelas – Bouzouki
Alec Spiegelman – Clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
David Ward – Drums, percussion

Photo Credit: Lonesome River Band by Sandlin Gaither; Lily Talmers by Bailey Lecat.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Seldom Scene, Swearingen & Kelli, and More

You’ve reached the end of the week! For a little treat, how about a few brand new songs and music videos? You Gotta Hear This!

If you’re looking for bluegrass, we’ve certainly got it this week– Chris Jones & The Night Drivers share their first recording of a Tom T. Hall original, “Mama Bake a Pie (Daddy Kill a Chicken),” since their dear friend and Bluegrass Hall of Famer passed away a few years ago. Plus, bluegrass legends Seldom Scene preview their upcoming album, Remains to Be Scene, with a new single, “Last of the Steam-Powered Trains.” And, wrapping up our bluegrass trifecta, banjo player Max Wareham pays tribute to NHL team the Boston Bruins with an excellent shredding instrumental tune, “The Black & Gold.”

From elsewhere across the roots music landscape, duo Swearingen & Kelli offer “Break Me Down,” a powerful acoustic number with plenty of grit, slide guitar, and blues influence. Plus, don’t miss Justin Wells’ new music video for “Sad, Tomorrow,” a contemplative slow burn of a song that focuses on mental health, melancholy, and forging ahead.

It’s a lovely collection of new roots music to take you into the weekend, and you know what we think – You Gotta Hear This!

Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, “Mama Bake a Pie (Daddy Kill a Chicken)”

Artist: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Mama Bake a Pie (Daddy Kill a Chicken)”
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “This is an old and lesser-known Vietnam War-era song of Tom T. Hall’s and the first song of his I’ve recorded since his passing a few years ago. I think I didn’t feel ready to until now. He had a unique ability to incorporate bits of humor into a sad story, and this is definitely one of those. This song is vivid and poignant in a way that is vintage Tom T. I was going to record this several years ago, but when I brought it up to Tom T. and Dixie, they wrote ‘Hero in Harlan’ that very day to give me something new to do instead.” – Chris Jones

Seldom Scene, “Last of the Steam-Powered Trains”

Artist: The Seldom Scene
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Song: “Last of the Steam-Powered Train”
Album: Remains to Be Scene
Release Date: January 14, 2025 (single); March 14, 2025 (album)
Label: Smithsonian Folkways

In Their Words: “This song was written by Ray Douglas Davies and recorded by the rock group The Kinks in the 1960s. The Scene has always looked outside the box for material, and we thought this one fit the bill.” – Lou Reid

Swearingen & Kelli, “Break Me Down”

Artist: Swearingen & Kelli
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Break Me Down”
Release Date: January 24, 2025
Label: Gone Rogue Music

In Their Words: “I wrote this song a few years back, but it never really got its due. I was also really obsessed with slide guitar at that time. It’s a little gritty, and when Jayne added her vocals on top, I thought, ‘Ok, this is exactly what this song needs.’ I love the discovery process of writing and recording. Sometimes it takes a while to find the exact combination of sounds with an arrangement to tell the story the way you really want to.” – AJ Swearingen

Track Credits:
AJ Swearingen – Guitars, drums, percussion, bass, vocals
Jayne Kelli – Vocals, organ

Max Wareham, “The Black & Gold”

Artist: Max Wareham
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “The Black & Gold”
Album: DAGGOMIT!
Release Date: January 17, 2025 (single); February 21, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “Sports and music might have more in common than we think – this tune is a tribute to the Boston Bruins’ legendary ’22-’23 season, during which they broke most NHL records. Musically, the A part was inspired by Bill Emerson and the B part is a nod to the style of banjo legend, Rudy Lyle.” – Max Wareham

Track Credits:
Max Wareham – Banjo
Laura Orshaw – Fiddle
Chris Henry – Mandolin
Chris Eldridge – Guitar
Mike Bub – Bass
Larry Atamanuik – Snare

Justin Wells, “Sad, Tomorrow”

Artist: Justin Wells
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Song: “Sad, Tomorrow”
Album: Cynthiana
Release Date: January 15, 2025 (single); February 20, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “The title of the song comes from a story Nicole Kidman told Marc Maron on Maron’s podcast, WTF. Kidman talked about how she often took her characters home with her, acting in front of a mirror. Her young child had grown accustomed to seeing and hearing her mother work on these roles. A day or so after Kidman’s father died, she was grieving at home, and her kid heard this. Her kid asked ‘Mom, why are you crying?’

“‘Well, I’m crying because I’m sad, because Papaw died.’

“Her child, accustomed to seeing her Mom go in and out of emotions while working on her acting, replied, ‘Well, are you gonna be sad tomorrow?’

“I wanted to write this song about that feeling of helplessness you have when a friend is struggling with depression, when the only thing you can do sometimes is just be there. I ended up asking my dear friend Adam Lee to help me finish it, which was considerably apropos, because we’d both been each other’s therapist through lockdown, when we were kinda losing our minds. Considering all of the above, the song carries an even bigger weight because it’s one of the last songs that my friend Robby Cosenza played on before he passed. Robby was a Lexington icon, playing on hundreds of albums including a Ringo Starr record as well as my debut album, Dawn in the Distance, and he was instrumental in helping me get my legs under me when I started my solo career.” – Justin Wells

Photo Credit: Seldom Scene by Jeromie Stephens; Swearingen & Kelli by Daniel Shippy.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Sister Sadie, Golden Shoals, and More

As usual, it’s Friday and we’ve got a handful of videos and tracks you gotta hear this week!

Kicking us off, bluegrass and old-time duo Golden Shoals offer their fresh, topical take on a classic from the American songbook with “New White House Blues.” Then, singer-songwriter Heather Maloney brings us along through a “Labyrinth in the Weeds,” a nostalgic track about the circuitous, non-linear quality of grief and loss.

GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass supergroup Sister Sadie return to the round-up with a new single, “If I Don’t Have You,” a Dani Flowers-penned love song that’s as good as love songs get – because it keeps it simple. To wrap up this edition, Evan Westfall (who you may know from CAAMP), debuts a fascinating and ethereal instrumental, “SISDM,” that’s timeless and modern all at once.

They’re all right here, on BGS, and you know what we think– You Gotta Hear This!

Golden Shoals, “New White House Blues”

Artist: Golden Shoals
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee / Vancouver, British Columbia
Song: “New White House Blues”
Album: The Dream and the Hunger
Release Date: January 17, 2025 (single)

In Their Words: “At the center of a Venn diagram featuring history, politics, and bluegrass music is a special kind of nerd. ‘White House Blues’ has always been a favorite of mine and I wanted to dive deeper into the story behind the McKinley assassination. The culprit, Leon Czgolsz (who is unnamed in ‘White House Blues’), was disillusioned by the inequity of the Gilded Age, and felt his actions would usher in a revolution for the working class. He truly was the Luigi Mangione of his day. The consequent presidency of Teddy Roosevelt looks like a win for the common man, but that idea is a house of cards. The motives of these assassins resonate with me, but these moments highlight this fact: without collective action, true and lasting change will never come. Through this 10-verse murder ballad, we pay tribute to Charlie Poole’s initial recording of ‘White House Blues’ by gradually speeding up, which builds tension and atmosphere.” – Mark Kilianski

Heather Maloney, “Labyrinth in the Weeds”

Artist: Heather Maloney
Hometown: Northampton, Massachusetts
Song: “Labyrinth in the Weeds”
Album: Exploding Star
Release Date: January 31, 2025
Label: Signature Sounds

In Their Words: “This song is an ode to one of my earliest and most favorite memories at my childhood home, which was at the edge of the Appalachians in northwest New Jersey. My dad would let the grass in the field grow until late summer. When it came time to mow, he didn’t cut it down all at once– he’d weave through on the John Deere, making a sort-of maze for us kids and we’d follow behind.

“I remember how it felt so viscerally; the smell of the grass, the crunch under my feet, and especially the giddy feeling of losing sight of him when he rounded a new corner. After he died this actually came to mind. I had a sense that my dad, who was always making a game out of things, had just rounded another kind of new corner I couldn’t yet see past. It was a comforting thought and the inspiration for the song.” – Heather Maloney

Sister Sadie, “If I Don’t Have You”

Artist: Sister Sadie
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “If I Don’t Have You”
Release Date: January 10, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I don’t write too many love songs. Most of the songs in my catalog are admittedly pretty depressing. But ‘If I Don’t Have You’ is just that – a love song about loving someone so much that everything you’ve ever wanted or hoped to accomplish now pales in comparison to the need you have to be with that person.” – Dani Flowers

“Dani Flowers came to me with this sweet melody and the first two lines of this song. We finished it that day. This is my favorite kind of love song; simple melody and simple lyrics. It doesn’t get much better than Dani’s angelic voice singing about how going through life and experiencing the most amazing things wouldn’t mean half as much ‘If I Don’t Have You.'” – Deanie Richardson

Track Credits:
Dave Racine – drums
Deanie Richardson – fiddle
Gena Britt – banjo
Mary Meyer – mandolin, piano
Maddie Dalton – Upright bass
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Dani Flowers – Lead vocals
Jaelee Roberts – Harmony vocal

Evan Westfall, “SISDM”

Artist: Evan Westfall
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Song: “SISDM”
Album: Is This Our Exit?
Release Date: January 8, 2024 (single); January 24, 2024 (album)
Label: Super Sport Records

In Their Words: “This song came together by accident after I started tuning my guitar with no direction and stumbled into the tuning of EBEF#BD#. This song title is a reference to an essay by the Columbus-based poet Hanif Abdurraqib about the transition from summer to fall. You can really feel that shift in seasons here in Ohio, the excitement that comes with the fresh start of something like a new school year or football season, even though that season ends up in bare trees and cold grey skies. It’s a hopeful melody, but overly dramatic.” – Evan Westfall

Track Credits:
Evan Westfall – Guitars, banjo, drums
Dan Alvarez – Guitars, banjo, bass, drums
Jordan Dunn-Pilz – Guitars, drums

Photo Credit: Golden Shoals by Mike Dunn USA; Sister Sadie by Allister Ann.

An All-Star Lineup Salutes Folk Legend Tom Paxton On ‘Bluegrass Sings Paxton’

There is no disputing that Tom Paxton is a living music legend. In the early 1960s, he was a major player in the vibrant Greenwich Village folk scene, along with the likes of Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Peter, Paul & Mary. The writer of such classic tunes as “Last Thing On My Mind,” “Bottle Of Wine,” “I Can’t Help To Wonder (Where I’m Bound),” and “Ramblin’ Boy,” Paxton has earned Lifetime Achievement Awards from the GRAMMYs, ASCAP, and the BBC. The beloved songwriter has had his tunes covered by a wide spectrum of acts, ranging from Harry Belafonte and Neil Diamond to the Pogues and Norah Jones. While several fellow singer-songwriters (notably Carolyn Hester and Anne Hills) have devoted entire albums to Paxton music, it took a group of admiring bluegrass musicians to deliver the first multi-artist tribute album of his songs.

Bluegrass Sings Paxton, which came out August 30 on Mountain Home Music Company, offers an impressive lineup of contributors that cuts across several generations of bluegrass musicians. Performers include celebrated acts, such as Alice Gerrard, Claire Lynch, Laurie Lewis, and Tim O’Brien along with younger stars, like Sister Sadie, Della Mae, Steep Canyon Rangers’ singer/guitarist Aaron Burdett, Unspoken Tradition’s Sav Sankaran, and current IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Greg Blake.

Paxton, speaking to BGS from his home in Virginia, said that he had a mostly hands-off role in the making of Bluegrass Sings Paxton. “I just sat on the sidelines in amazement”; however, he confided, “I was just blown away” after listening to the entire album for the first time. The 86-year-old singer-songwriter was also being a little modest about his own contributions. This collection contains two new Paxton tunes, and he sings on a pair of tracks as well.

The genesis for Bluegrass Sings Paxton started with a conversation that GRAMMY-winning musician/producer Cathy Fink had some years ago with Paxton, who she has worked with since the early 1980s and has known even longer. “I know Tom’s catalog really well and have often thought there was great material there for bluegrass,” she shared with BGS. “I could hear this album before we even began.” The idea further evolved a while later when Fink brought up the idea to award-winning songwriter, producer, and Mountain Home executive Jon Weisberger at IBMA a few years back, and he immediately came aboard.

Several of Paxton’s tunes have been very popular in bluegrass circles over the years. A half century ago, Kentucky Mountain Boys covered “Ramblin Boy” while the Dillards and the Kentucky Colonels were among those who have recorded “The Last Thing On My Mind.” More recently, “I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” was a hit for Ashby Frank and “Leavin’ London” is a live staple of Billy Strings’ concerts. However, both Fink and Weisberger thought the project was a terrific way to get Paxton’s deep songbook better known in the bluegrass world. As Weisberger explained, “I had no doubt that there were more [songs] – both already written and yet to be written – that would work well within bluegrass, and that bringing them to light would encourage artists looking for songs to look to his catalog.”

Several acts came into the project with specific songs that they wanted to do. Blake, who fatefully was sitting at the same table with Weisberger and Fink at IBMA, quickly put dibs on “Leaving London.” Danny Paisley, who remembered his dad, ’80s bluegrass star Bob Paisley, taking him to the Philadelphia Folk Festival as a child and seeing Paxton play there, requested “Ramblin’ Boy,” because it was a song his father had performed. “I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” was already part of Della Mae’s live repertoire, so doing that tune was a natural fit for them.

When it came to what songs other acts took on, Fink gave the performers a lot of free rein to delve into Paxton’s vast treasury of tunes, a decision that worked out wonderfully. “Each artist made the song their own and it really worked,” she confided. Claire Lynch chose “I Give You The Morning” and Alice Gerrard selected “The Things I Notice Now” from Paxton’s 1969 The Things I Notice Now album. Chris Jones picked “The Last Hobo” from 1986’s And Loving You. Paxton’s 2002 album, Lookin’ for The Moon, was the source for both Aaron Burdett’s selection of and Sav Sankaran’s rendition of the title track. Laurie Lewis, meanwhile, found “Central Square” from 2015’s Redemption Road. In case you haven’t done the math, these songs alone cover nearly 50 years of Paxton’s recordings.

Paxton, too, was thrilled with the selections, proclaiming “I liked every one of the songs that they chose.” While he expected tunes like “Can’t Help But Wonder,” “Ramblin’ Boy,” and “The Last Thing On My Mind” would be part of the set, Paxton said he “was just tickled to death” over the inclusion of such lesser known numbers as “Central Square,” “The Same River Twice,” and “The Last Hobo.”

Chris Jones revealed to BGS that he picked “The Last Hobo” because the tune “felt like a classic Tom Paxton third-person story song, sort of in the spirit of ‘Ramblin’ Boy,’ in a way. It has a kind of tenderness that is so often present in Tom’s songs.”

Jones was also a member of the de facto “house band” that played on the majority of Bluegrass Sings Paxton’s tracks. A secret weapon behind the album, this team of bluegrass all-stars includes IBMA award-winners banjo player Kristin Scott Benson (the Grascals), fiddler Deanie Richardson (Sister Sadie), and Jones on guitar, along with mandolinist Darren Nicholson (formerly of Balsam Range), bassist Nelson Williams (Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, New Dangerfield) and harmony singers Travis Book (The Infamous Stringdusters) and Wendy Hickman.

Jones felt that everyone “clicked well together” and gave the music “a natural sound, which helped give the impression that these were bluegrass songs to begin with, even if they weren’t.” He also credited producers Weisberger and Fink for “coming up with arrangements that really fostered that feeling, too.”

Bluegrass Sings Paxton opens with one of the tunes that Paxton sings on. He was able to join Della Mae on “I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” as the band was recording in Maryland, not too far away from Paxton’s home base in Virginia.

“We did it live in the studio. No overdubs or anything,” he revealed. “I had a ball doing that track with them.” Paxton also sang with long-time collaborators Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer – the three did a double album, All New, together in 2022 – on the up-tempo love tune, “All I Want,” which is also one of the two of new Paxton tunes on the project. The other new number, “You Took Me In” is a co-write with Tim O’Brien and his wife Jan Fabricius. One of the first tunes he wrote with the couple, Paxton said that “it had to be chosen. It’s such a good song.” He described it as “gospel without being gospel,” adding, “I took the literal gospel out of it and kept everything else.”

Fink & Marxer and O’Brien & Fabricius are among the handful of musicians that the still highly-active octogenarian collaborates with via Zoom each week. Folk luminary John McCutcheon, Colorado troubadour Jackson Emmer, and the rising Pittsburgh band Buffalo Rose are also among his regular online songwriting coterie. Paxton says he sometimes writes three to five songs a week. “Lots of folks would retire to the golf course at this point in their lives,” Fink marveled, “but Tom is driven by writing the next song.”

Over the years, Paxton has penned hundreds and hundreds of songs, and more than 60 albums bear his name, beginning with 1962’s I’m the Man That Built the Bridges that was recorded live at New York City’s fabled Gaslight Club. Even from the start, Paxton filled his records predominately with originals, which wasn’t typical at that time. Dylan’s 1962 debut, for example, contained only two originals. Dave Van Ronk, in fact, famously proclaimed in his memoir that it was Paxton who kicked off the folk scene’s “New Song Movement,” not Dylan as often credited.

The best-known songs from his debut, somewhat curiously, are three tunes that might best be described as children’s music: “My Dog Is Bigger Than Your Dog,” “Marvelous Toys,” and “Going To The Zoo.” Writing and performing kids songs was not an isolated occurrence for Paxton, who went on to release several children’s albums, including the GRAMMY-nominated Your Shoes, My Shoes, and to write books for kids. Paxton very much sees himself as continuing the legacy of his heroes, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and The Weavers – artists who performed all types of songs, from story songs and ballads to children’s tunes and political songs.

“Everything I do is really rooted in traditional music,” Paxton elaborated during his phone interview. “I’m always going back to that well of traditional folk music, Appalachian music, cowboy music. It’s a wonderful tradition – great, great songs, and I just keep trying to write songs that feel the way they felt.”

Paxton cites one specific musician – the late, great Doc Watson – to explains his “best route” to bluegrass music. He saw Watson when Ralph Rinzler first brought him to play in New York City and came away so impressed. “I was very fond of him and adored his music. I think he liked me, too. Doc recorded many of my songs over the years.” He also remembered sharing a bill with Watson once in Tampa and being brought out on stage to perform “Bottle Of Wine.” Paxton was rather intimidated over Watson’s and his guitarist Jack Lawrence’s virtuosity. “Why do I feel like I’m wearing painter’s gloves,” he recalled saying while admitting “it was a lot of fun.”

Weisberger describes Paxton’s place in American music as a unique one. “He was an integral part of the transition from wholly traditional folk music to the more modern conception of the field, with its inclusion of performing songwriters, but where a lot of his contemporaries moved on in one way or another, he went deep rather than broad… I think that’s what makes so many of his songs sound so natural and organic and almost effortless. That is an artistry that is really easy to overlook or under-appreciate, so I’m happy to have put together a collection that will, I hope, bring more attention and appreciation to that still ongoing legacy.”

When asked how his songwriting has changed over the years, Paxton replied that he hopes it’s deeper and more developed, adding rather humbly that “I’m still the same writer I was when I wrote ‘Last Thing On My Mind.’ It’s like a farmer who puts in the same crop every year. It’s the same farmer.”

Photo courtesy of Fleming Artists. Album cover courtesy of Crossroads Label Group.