We find ourselves at a proverbial crossroads in Southern Appalachia. Our land battered by the devastation of a hurricane, scorched by scores of wildfires; ancient rivers, swelled by floodwaters, carving new courses through the landscape. Yet the land and its peoples persist. As artists, we are the guardians of the stories of the people in our communities – stories of hope and love, of loss and desperation, of a community rising above tragic circumstance. Stories of Resilience.
On our new album, we reflect in song about what it means to meet the moment with music that both binds our wounds and demonstrates our healing. In bearing witness to this time and place, we recognize that the path forward is not just survival – it is the conscious choice to innovate, to adapt in the face of adversity. It is in that choice that we find meaning, and renewal.
The songs on this playlist refer to the theme of resilience or have a connection to specific songs on our album of the same name. We wanted to share the work of some of the other artists that wrote the material and/or inspired the songs we recorded. Check out and follow these folks – especially if they are new names. Their catalogs are terrific discoveries and their work is excellent! – Unspoken Tradition
“Linemen” – Zoe & Cloyd
John Cloyd Miller is the author of the song “Weary Town” from our album. Zoe & Cloyd are longtime friends and Western North Carolina natives who experienced the ravages of hurricane Helene in their neighborhood. “Linemen” is a tribute to the heroes of the rescue and recovery effort as they were on the front lines of restoring power to the region. God bless these Linemen!
“Katie and Burl” – Acoustic Syndicate
We wanted to share the original version of this song that we re-recorded for our album Resilience. Acoustic Syndicate is a seminal North Carolina fusion-grass band and writer-guitarist Steve McMurray is a dear friend.
“Dust Bowl Children” – Alison Krauss & Union Station
One of our favorite songs and artists! A story of trials, tribulations, and resilience from another point in history.
“Papertown” – Balsam Range
Western North Carolina native Milan Miller wrote this song as well as one from our album called “Weeds Don’t Wither.” This is the true story of the North Carolina mountain town of Canton and its paper mill that was the heart of the town’s industry. The mill has since been closed, adding an extra layer of disparity to the story.
“Alleghenies” – Saravanan Sankaran
From our bass player’s solo album Back To Bassics. It’s one Sav wrote about his Western Pennsylvania mountain home! This is a mainstay of our live set.
“Weary Town” – Unspoken Tradition
This song’s theme is at the center of our new album. It holds new meaning for us in the wake of the great flood disaster that came to our Western North Carolina home. When we play it live, we dedicate it to the city of Asheville and the resilient people of WNC.
“Back in Yonder’s World” – Norman Blake & Tony Rice
This song! And the album it’s from, Norman Blake & Tony Rice 2, is a “desert island” album for us.
“Margie” – Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
This artist is one of our biggest influences, especially for Sav. We were thrilled and honored to have Danny join us on “I’ll Break Out Again Tonight” as a featured vocalist!
“Moments” – Unspoken Tradition
One of the first singles we released from the new album. Written by the album’s producer, Jon Weisberger, it embodies the sincerity of appreciating the subtle moments in life.
“I’m In a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)” – Alabama
This country-rock hit was a radio staple in its time. We thought it would make a great bluegrass song. To hear our version, listen to our Mixtape below or, better yet, check it out on the new album!
The last time BGS spoke at length with Sister Sadie, in December 2020, they were two-time IBMA winners, GRAMMY nominees, and clearly on their trailblazing way with two albums to their credit. Fast-forward five years and the group, now in its thirteenth year, is back as BGS Artist of the Month with their new and fourth album, All Will Be Well, following last year’s No Fear.
Sister Sadie 2025 includes founding members Gena Britt (banjo, vocals) and Deanie Richardson (fiddle) with Jaelee Roberts (guitar, lead vocals), Dani Flowers (guitar, vocals), Rainy Miatke (mandolin, vocals), and Katie Blomarz-Kimball (bass, vocals). Along the way to solidifying this lineup, the band notched a few more personal and professional milestones. Since becoming the first all-female band to win IBMA Entertainer of the Year in 2020 they’ve won three Vocal Group of the Year awards from the trade organization as well; performed at The Grand Ole Opry numerous times, fulfilled what they describe as “our ongoing bucket list” of goal festivals and other dates they hoped to play; charted several Number One singles; and were among the artists requested to perform at Patty Loveless’s Country Music Hall of Fame induction.
All Will Be Well is the band’s second project for the Mountain Home Music Company label. It was tracked at Crossroads Recording Studios in Arden, North Carolina, with Clay Miller engineering and Richardson producing. While the band did not set out to write a concept album, All Will Be Well is in many ways just that in its explorations of life lessons, experiences gained, and finding closure – the latter powerfully represented in “Let The Circle Be Broken,” a revealing take on ending the cycle of generational trauma.
Sister Sadie gathered together from various points to speak with BGS. Their six-member Artist of the Month interview, following, has been edited for space and clarity.
How have your many accomplishments to date brought the band to this point?
Deanie Richardson: We never intended to be a full-time band. We were friends who played a one-off at the Station Inn. That went so well that we decided to do another one. Gena started getting phone calls from promoters and we thought, “That might be fun. Let’s do it.” From there, we got a call from a record label and it grew organically, doing everything ourselves, because we weren’t looking to do it a hundred percent.
With every person that’s come into Sister Sadie, the whole band has shifted. The energy changes every time you bring in a new vocalist, a new player. You have to just let this thing guide itself. With each personnel change comes a new sound and you have to rebuild and regroup. I feel like that has happened since the last time we spoke with you guys. With Katie and Rainy here now, the energy feels perfect.
We finally have this team around us – booking agents, management, publicists – helping now and we get to focus more on the music and the amazing women in this band. So, for me, it feels like every step led to where we are right now, and it feels so right.
Gena Britt: With these personnel changes we’ve gained some wonderful songwriters, and they bring this creativity to the band. Like Deanie said, we’ve evolved into what we are today and that has a lot to do with being together, being creative together, growing as a band, and Deanie and I growing as businesswomen. It’s incredible to think of where we were when we first started and had no intention of doing this. And here we are. We have an incredible team behind us and it’s working. All the ingredients are here.
Let’s talk about the theme of All Will Be Well and sequencing the songs to tell that story.
Dani Flowers: When we went in to make the record, we definitely did not go, “This is [the title], this is the theme, and this is what it’s going to be about.” But it almost feels like we did.
We all write songs and send them to each other in Dropbox, an Apple Music playlist, and listen to them over and over. We put our opinions in as to what we might want to sing, what we hear other people singing, what songs we think are a good fit for the band, and it comes together into this thing that we almost never could have planned.
I do feel there is an overarching production style, even a theme, throughout the sequencing. But it wasn’t planned, which is the crazy thing. Deanie did the sequencing, and even outside of the band we’ve had so many folks comment on how it’s such a journey. I think the sequencing on this record is really something.
DR: The title No Fear was about Gena and I facing fears of losing some powerful personnel and deciding, “Do we want to quit? Do we want to keep going?” We decided we wanted to be all in, no fear, let’s get a team around us and do this thing. When Dani brought “All Will Be Well,” the Gabe Dixon song, I thought instantly that would be a great title, coming from No Fear: “We’re going all in on this thing, and whatever happens, all will be well.”
Once we finished the record, I started listening to the tunes. I would go on walks around the neighborhood, listen to the record over and over, and it felt like a journey. It felt like you’re taking a trip or a drive, starting with “Winnebago.” Jaelee’s singing is so powerful – that had to be the first song. You step in this Winnebago, you’re going through your drive, and then “I Wish It Would Rain” just felt like the next thing.
I imagined this person going through … call it a trip or just life in general and that being the case with this sequencing. It’s telling a big story. There’s a lot of personal connections in the writing and the song choices, from “Let The Circle Be Broken” to “First Time Liar” to all of it. This record is a representation of the deepest parts of all of us.
DF: Sister Sadie members had a hand in nine out of these thirteen songs. So there’s a lot of originals here, there’s a lot of our personal stories, our personal feelings and experiences, and it’s not perfect. I love that the record is called All Will Be Well. It’s not “all is well at this very moment.” It’s that even when we make mistakes, when we are in good moods, in bad moods, we have this overall feeling that we are going to get where we want to go. It might not be butterflies and daisies right now, but we know we’re going to get there.
Jaelee Roberts: The sequencing really is quite something, because these songs means so much to all of us individually. Even though I didn’t have a hand in writing them, at the time that I was in my life, some of these songs meant so much to me. The fact that I got to sing some of them, that they trust me to sing their songs, is so cool. I was excited when Deanie sent the sequencing to listen to our final mixes in that order, because it really is like going on a journey. The sequencing is absolutely perfect.
Can you select one track and walk us through the recording process?
DR: We all play acoustic instruments, so from sitting in my kitchen with our instruments, working out arrangements, that’s how we walk into the sessions. We recorded at Crossroads and we trust Clay Miller a lot. He’s great. He sets up the mics, we walk in and record. There’s not a lot of discussion as far as gear and mics.
The song lets you know what it needs. It will arrange itself and produce itself. “Winnebago,” for instance, has dissonant chords. I heard right away a B-3 organ accenting that. So on that song there’s electric guitar, steel guitar, the B-3, some piano. We brought things in that add an incredible amount of texture to our bluegrass instrumentation, our acoustic instruments.
GB: When we got to the studio, I had just acquired a baritone banjo that I hadn’t had an opportunity to play very much. It really lent itself to the sound of “Winnebago” and “Do What You Want.” I don’t know how to explain the feel of that song, but it just fit so well. So I played baritone banjo on a couple of tunes, which was great.
How do your playing styles and backgrounds come together to create the band’s sound?
DF: We are all such music fans, and through our upbringings and our own exploration of music, we’ve all been exposed to the best songs. We have pretty high standards when it comes to writing our lyrics and what we want to sing. We love a good lyric. We love creative harmonies. We have great instrumentalists in this band, so we especially love a melody with a really cool hook. You can find that in any genre. Onstage we quite often cover rock and roll songs, pop songs, old and new country songs. Katie comes from a jazz background. Rainy comes more from West Coast bluegrass. Gena and Jaelee and Deanie all come from traditional bluegrass. I come strictly from a country background. You can find a good song, good lyrics, good melodies, in any genre.
Katie Blomarz-Kimball: My background is in jazz. I didn’t really grow up with country or bluegrass music. Since I’ve lived in Nashville for about ten years now, I’ve definitely dipped my toe into the genres, but it’s hard when you’re playing with some of the best bluegrass musicians on the scene to come in and not be like, “Am I good enough for this? Can I do this?”
One of the very first things Deanie said to me at the rehearsal two hours before the first show I ever played with them was, “I want you to play like you would play it.” That was important to me, because there is a really interesting perspective that can happen when people from different backgrounds come together in one group. And I think it can change, depending on what naturally migrates as a group. Adding some of my quirky bass playing can influence one way or another for things to have a different feel or vibrancy behind it that maybe shifts the music slightly. It’s definitely a fun part of this experience for me.
DR: We all come from different genres of music that we love, but we have country and bluegrass as a deep-rooted passion. That’s basically why we’re here. Because we are so creatively different, I think that’s a plus. Each of us brings something to the situation that changes it, adds to it, and you have to figure out ways to highlight or bring to the table everyone’s strengths. Once you do that, the sound starts coming together.
Deanie, you produced All Will Be Well. What does the term “producer” mean to you? Is it a democratic process?
DR: It is democratic up to pushing the red button. Everybody has input, but there comes a time when you have to call it, when you have to say, “That’s brilliant. I’m sure you think you could do it better, but I don’t need better. I need feel; I need it to feel a certain way.” This is a killer band, and they don’t need me to tell them how to play or sing. But there has to be some person that says, “You just wrecked me, you just turned me into a puddle on the floor, and I’m not going let you do it again because of that.” That’s what a producer is for me.
We all arrange these songs, pick these songs, write these songs, and at the end of the day, we’re making great records that I am so proud of. That’s not because of something I did. That’s because of something this band did. It’s a group effort. It is six very talented, capable women who I respect and value tremendously. It’s just that there has to be someone calling the shots, if you will.
Could we talk about writing “Let The Circle Be Broken” and presenting it to the band?
DR: We spend a lot of time in the car together, riding up and down the road, so we talk about everything. We know each other’s deepest, darkest secrets. We know the pain we’ve been through, the love we’ve been through, the relationships we’ve been in. We know everything about each other. I love being with a group of people you’re that connected to and that close with, and getting to be creative with them and make music together. That’s the ultimate thing for me. That’s honestly why I stay in tears all the time – because I love these women so much.
Dani, Erin Enderlin, and I got together right after my dad died. We were talking about all the shit I went through as a child growing up with him and all that Dani went through having an abusive mother. Each of the women in this band has experienced some form of generational trauma or abuse from someone in our lives. When we brought the song to the band, everyone knew my story and Dani’s, so it wasn’t a surprise.
Everyone was very supportive about telling the story and getting the song out, and it felt like the right time to do it. Once he passed away, I was ready to finally talk about it. It’s a very personal story, but it doesn’t say anything specific about what I went through. The song hopefully relates to anyone who’s experienced any sort of abuse.
We didn’t write it to make a statement. We wrote it because that’s where we all were, having that conversation that day. The more we talked, the more the song came to life. It was a beautiful thing and very therapeutic to write. I am extremely proud of how it came out, what each girl brought to this tune, and how they supported and loved me through it.
How do you protect yourself, mentally and emotionally, when performing the song live?
DR: Sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I cry, sometimes I get upset. I just want to feel the song as I feel it every night. Some nights it’s just a song for me, some nights I just want to get through it, some nights I feel so much peace with it, and some nights I feel like he’s there. We played in Ogden, Utah, recently, and I could feel his presence and I got very upset.
One night in a theater I looked over at the girls while we were playing the song and I thought about each of them individually and how I know all these things about them. I know the struggles they’ve been through, the people who’ve hurt them, all the things they’ve felt, and struggled with, and beat, and have experienced in their lives.
At that moment, the song was theirs too. It was their experience as well. That night, walking across the stage as I’m playing that play-out at the end, I looked at each of them and told them I loved them as I walked by them. I’ve been doing that every night since, because I don’t feel like it’s just my song. I feel like it represents each of us. These are strong, amazing, talented women, and I’m so grateful to be in their presence every day.
DF: For me, this song is about the fact that we are in control now. We have the ability to stop the cycle that’s happened through our families and could very well carry on to our own children, if we didn’t take accountability, stand up, and say, “This goes no further.” So, for me, there’s not really a need for protection. It’s more letting it all out. Watching the crowd’s reaction every time we perform it is so therapeutic because you can tell there’s always somebody that really needed to hear what we had to say.
You both used the word “therapeutic.” What part does music play in your healing, in your mental health?
DR: It’s the only reason I’m still alive.
DF: To put it in perspective, imagine going through one of the worst things a person could go through, then to live your life and get to a place where … like, for Deanie, her dad passing away … to be able to sit down with two other women that are going, “I know almost exactly what you’re talking about. I have been through this as well. We are going to get it all out through the thing we all love the most.” And then to take that song you wrote that’s so honest and so vulnerable, play it for the people you’re in a band with, and have them all react with such compassion, saying, “Yeah, we have to do this.” And not only record the song, but there also was a conversation about how much we’re going to say about what the song is about, because some of us are really ready to talk about the things that happened to us, and we know that affects the entire band.
To have everybody embrace that, and then to get onstage and perform that with those people every night, to look at these women and tell them you love them — I can’t think of anything more therapeutic than to be able to say, “This happened to me,” and have so many people — the people that you wrote the song with, the people in the band with you, the people who made the record with you, and the people in the crowd listening and buying the record and all the comments we get on this song … I cannot think of anything more therapeutic for a person who has gone through something so traumatic. Other than actual therapy — I’m an advocate for actual therapy!
Rainy Miatke: Music plays such a huge role in my mental health and my healing journey. At times in my life when I’m not playing as much music, I can really feel the difference. Since I was a little kid, I’ve used music, writing melodies, writing songs, playing, and singing as a way to process the emotions I was going through. Now, being part of a band that is on a similar journey and path as I am, in my life and musically, and playing these powerful songs that the band has written about very personal subjects, it feels like we’re all in this together and here for each other, and it feels so healing.
When Deanie’s up there playing that part at the end of “Circle,” I sometimes find myself feeling really emotional and having to almost compartmentalize it, but also sometimes just letting it happen and processing some of the things that I’ve been through, too. I’ve found these people that I can do that with, and that I can process that stuff with through music, so it feels really special.
It’s a golden weekly roundup of new music and premieres! You Gotta Hear This.
Kicking off the collection, San Francisco-based bluegrassers the Brothers Comatose unveil “25 Miles,” a single from their upcoming album, Golden Grass. The full project arrives in September, but you need not journey that far to hear “25 miles,” which is available everywhere today. Listen below.
Then, Nashville Americana duo Goldpine keep the shimmering, golden aura going with “Space,” a blend of futurism and roots music about craving a break from the rat race and the “real world.” Goldpine’s brand new album, Three – their third, indeed – releases today, so we’re happy to spotlight a track from the project in celebration.
Alaskan bluegrass and country artist Josh Fortenbery shows off his new, expanded sound with “City Lights,” a song – and accompanying music video – about aging, opportunity, and anxiety that’s twangy and danceable even wrapped up in existential pondering. Plus, Mountain Home Music Company recording artist Jesse Smathers declares “If It Ain’t Broke (Don’t Fix It)” in his latest single, a tongue-in-cheek number that you’re sure to find hilarious and top notch.
To close us out on New Music Friday, Duluth, Minnesota’s Ross Thorn brings us “Baby, That’s All I Need.” With a folky sound and backed by lovely finger-picked guitar, the song is about empathy and, as Thorn puts it, “…Seeing the divine in everything, and seeing the divine in yourself.” It’s a perfect bookend for this week’s roundup.
We appreciate you joining us each week for new music. Because you know what we think – You Gotta Hear This!
The Brothers Comatose, “25 Miles”
Artist:The Brother Comatose Hometown: San Francisco, California Song: “25 Miles” Album:Golden Grass Release Date: July 16, 2025 (single); September 12, 2025 (album) Label: Swamp Jam Records
In Their Words: “’25 Miles’ was born out of a late-night drive from the SF Bay Area to LA, up and over the Grapevine, and a feeling that most of us know all too well: the weight of the world pressing down as we’re trying to outrun it. It’s about restless energy, being burned out and broke, with only dreams and close friends guiding you to your destination.
“It was written during a time of uncertainty and mental noise, and explores the tension between responsibility and freedom, and momentum and stillness.
“The line, ’25 miles to go and we’re running out of gas,’ is a metaphor for the transitional moments when you’re not quite sure where you’re headed, but you know you can’t turn back. There’s a subtle ache and a longing to escape not just a place, but also pressure, expectation, and the past. It’s about how getting lost is part of the plan, and survival sometimes looks like singing too loud with the windows down.” – Ben Morrison
Josh Fortenbery, “City Lights”
Artist:Josh Fortenbery Hometown: Juneau, Alaska Song: “City Lights” Album:Tidy Memorial Release Date: July 11, 2025 (single); October 10, 2025 (album) Label: Muskeg Collective
In Their Words: “This melody has been kicking around since I was in high school and I’ve returned to it and slowly tweaked the lyrics over the years. It definitely captures the expansion in my sound since the last record, but also highlights that internally, I feel as lost as ever. My anxiety around aging is pretty new – I think I’m finally recognizing that some doors are closed or closing, and I’m trying to decide if I’m still having fun.
“I worked with a videographer in Juneau, David Rossow, to visually capture the feeling of standing still in a small town while the world moves rapidly past. We probably weirded out some tourists walking in slow motion while singing the song at .2 speed, but it definitely shows off my local haunts and the local life that sometimes haunts me.” – Josh Fortenbery
Track Credits: Josh Fortenbery – Vocals, guitar Erik Clampitt – Pedal Steel Kat Moore –Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 Sam Roberts – Bass Todd Vierra – Drums Kennedy Jo Kruchoski – Vocals Taylor Dallas Vidic – Vocals
In Their Words: “We spend a lot of time on the road these days… it’s just become our regular life now. It seems like we drive so much, and do so much computer work, and are on the move so often that we just really cherish our breaks and time off. ‘Space’ is kind of like a stream of consciousness song about the desire for a break from the real world stuff. It’s a space-aged dreamy Americana tune with futuristic sounds and a rockin’ guitar solo. This tune was recorded from a compilation of live takes from shows on the road last year and mastered by engineer Dave McNair (Shovels & Rope, Brandi Carlile). We really captured the raw live performance feel on this tune, which is what we specialize in.” – Goldpine
Jesse Smathers, “If It Ain’t Broke (Don’t Fix It)”
Artist:Jesse Smathers Hometown: Floyd, Virginia Song: “If It Ain’t Broke (Don’t Fix It)” Release Date: July 11, 2025 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “This tune was fun as could be to write and record. ‘If It Ain’t Broke (Don’t Fix It)’ is a common saying most folks have heard. I know I’ve heard it my whole life. However, the family in this tune must not be up to speed on the old idiom. This tune is a tongue-in-cheek reminder that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – just leave well enough alone.” – Jesse Smathers
Track Credits: Jesse Smathers – Guitar, lead vocal Hunter Berry – Fiddle Corbin Hayslett – Banjo Nick Goad – Mandolin, harmony vocal Joe Hannabach – Upright Bass
Ross Thorn, “Baby, That’s All I Need”
Artist:Ross Thorn Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota Song: “Baby, That’s All I Need” Album:Fitting In Release Date: July 11, 2025 (single); August 8, 2025 (album)
In Their Words: “I began writing this one morning after I went for a walk in the graveyard, a swim in Lake Superior during a storm, and came home to see a robin in the yard. It’s a song about radical empathy, seeing yourself in everything, seeing the divine in everything, and seeing the divine in yourself. We recorded the song live at the fabled Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. To me, the song feels like John Prine collaborated with the rooster from the old Robin Hood cartoon (AKA Roger Miller), with a blend of honesty, humor, and some good old-fashioned whistling.” – Ross Thorn
Track Credits: Ross Thorn – Vocals, acoustic guitar Clark Singleton – Bass Cassandra Sotos – Violin, vocals Jacob Mahon – Banjo, vocals Ian Hopp – Drums Kyle Orla – Acoustic guitar, vocals
Photo Credit: The Brothers Comatose by Jessie McCall; Goldpine by Raechel Curtis.
A long weekend requires great music on the speakers, doesn’t it? Here are a handful of brand new tunes to add to your playlists for the festivities – You Gotta Hear This! This week, our roundup includes bluegrass from the Carolinas and from across the pond, too.
Below you’ll find fun-filled Irish bluegrass and string band JigJam enlisting Lindsay Lou for their new track, which releases tomorrow, called “Running Back to You.” It’s a delightful, traditionally-crafted song of love, longing, and life on the road.
From the foothills in upstate South Carolina, husband-and-wife duo Benson – Kristin Scott Benson (the Grascals) and Wayne Benson (IIIrd Tyme Out) – are joined by their friend from just up the mountains, Woody Platt, on a song written by Grant Williams. “Lover of the Road” continues in a similar vein to JigJam’s new number, lamenting the haunting and nagging feelings of being gone from the people you love while off traveling.
Rounding out our collection this week is Ashby Frank, Nashville-based North Carolinian mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, who’s assembled quite the band for his latest, “Everybody’s Got Their Nine Pound Hammer.” Frank found the song through Tim Stafford, one of the track’s co-writers, and was immediately drawn to the universality of its central sentiment.
It’s a mighty trifecta of bluegrass sampled from across this genre’s spectrum of sound – and geography. And you know what we think… You Gotta Hear This!
Benson, “Lover of the Road”
Artist:Benson Hometown: Boiling Springs, South Carolina Song: “Lover of the Road” Release Date: July 4, 2025 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “I’m really happy with how ‘Lover of the Road’ turned out. It was written by my best friend from college and we were so lucky to get Woody Platt to sing it. I’ve enjoyed the heck out of getting to play some shows with Woody and he sang this song perfectly. His vocal embodies the haunting, nagging feeling any of us can experience when trying to maintain relationships while traveling.” – Kristin Scott Benson
“Here’s a song by Grant Williams, who also wrote ‘Sleeping with the Reaper’ for the Grascals. The first time I ever heard Grant’s material was when he recorded a demo at our house, 20 or 25 years ago. He’s an eclectic writer and it’s been fun to watch him take an interest in bluegrass and see how appropriately he writes for us. We’re always trying to wisely pair songs with vocalists and Woody Platt did a great job delivering this one. Woody is well-known for good reason and we were really happy when he agreed to sing it.” – Wayne Benson
“I’ve long admired Kristin and Wayne Benson for their individual brilliance and their powerful partnership in shaping bluegrass music. Their influence on the genre and the industry is truly remarkable. It was an absolute honor to record ‘Lover of the Road’ with them!” – Woody Platt
“There’s something in me that loves being out on the road, but more than that, I love being at home with the people I love, my dog, and my bed. This song was what I imagined it would be like if those two loves traded places in priority in my heart.” – Grant Williams, songwriter
Track Credits: Wayne Benson – Mandolin Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo Woody Platt – Lead vocal Cody Kilby – Acoustic, harmony vocal Kevin McKinnon – Bass Mickey Harris – Harmony vocal
Ashby Frank, “Everybody’s Got Their Nine Pound Hammer”
Artist:Ashby Frank Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “Everybody’s Got Their Nine Pound Hammer” Release Date: July 4, 2025 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “I was immediately drawn to ‘Everybody’s Got Their Nine Pound Hammer’ when my good friend Tim Stafford shared a work tape with me. He co-wrote it with Eric Gibson and Greg Cornett. I loved the way it focuses on the everyday struggles we all face and it really has that traditional bluegrass feel. To bring this song to life, I brought in some incredibly talented musicians, including Matt Menefee on banjo, Seth Taylor on guitar, Jim VanCleve on fiddle, Tony Creasman on percussion, and Travis Anderson on bass. I was also honored to have Tim and my friend Kelsey Crews add those high and lonesome harmonies. They truly made the tune come alive and gave it a timeless quality. I’m really excited for everyone to hear it!” – Ashby Frank
Track Credits: Ashby Frank – Mandolin, lead vocal Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar Travis Anderson – Bass Matt Menefee – Banjo Jim VanCleve – Fiddle Kelsey Crews – Harmony vocal Tim Stafford – Harmony vocal
JigJam, “Running Back to You” (Featuring Lindsay Lou)
Artist:JigJam Hometown: County Offaly, Ireland Song: “Running Back To You” (Featuring Lindsay Lou) Release Date: July 5, 2025 (single)
In Their Words: “I wrote this song on the road last year. Constantly being on the move going from hotel to hotel after shows isn’t easy when you’re away from a loved one. Having that someone to go home to after a tour can keep you going when the going gets tough and that’s where ‘Running Back to You’ comes from. Knowing there’s someone waiting for you at the end of a tour makes it a lot easier and worthwhile. The recurring fiddle tune part came to me first one day as I was on the I-55 from Chicago to St. Louis and the song was pretty much built around that tune. We thought Lindsay Lou would be a great fit for this song. We’re big fans of Lindsay’s music and her vocals have really complemented the track in both lead and harmony roles throughout. It’s a lively number and one we really enjoy playing at live shows!” – Jamie McKeogh
Photo Credit: JigJam courtesy of the artist; Ashby Frank by Melissa DuPuy.
You Gotta Hear This! It’s another excellent roundup of track and video premieres plus new music arriving on digital “store shelves” today. There’s bluegrass, folk, Americana, and more.
Kicking us off, Kentucky’s Bibelhauser Brothers enlist their hero and friend Sam Bush on their rendition of “One Tin Soldier,” from their upcoming album, Down The Road. As an added bonus, Aaron Bibelhauser and Sam Bush had a nearly hour-long chat about the track, too – you can find and watch that video below. Also in a bluegrass space, Irish ‘grasser Danny Burns offers his cover of “Brother Wind,” a modern classic written by Tim O’Brien. Dan Tyminski joins Burns on the track, which does O’Brien and Darrell Scott’s versions of the song justice, for sure.
Alt- and indie-folk outfit JOSEPH return with new music, bringing us a video for their new track, “Bye and Bye,” borrowing a classic and often ecclesiastical line to explore growth, loss, and the drawn out transformations life brings each of us – while tipping their hat to a bar by the same name. You can also hear Appalachian mountain music duo the Wildmans perform “Autumn 1941,” a song co-written by Berklee’s Mark Simos and Roger Brown that touches on the harrowing reality of eugenics in the mountains of the Southeast.
East Nashville’s favorite band of lovable bluegrass delinquents, East Nash Grass, released a new single earlier this week, too! Don’t miss the excellent and lovely “Followin’ You,” written by ENG guitarist James Kee and new Travelin’ McCourys fiddler Christian Ward especially for Maddie Denton to sing. Plus, Nick Dumas is readying a bluegrass album, offering our readers a peek at a new video for “Where Have You Been,” a song about how sometimes folks you love “go away” without actually leaving.
There’s still more fantastic roots music, though! Award-winning fiddling phenoms Deanie Richardson and Kimber Ludiker are teaming up on a twin-fiddle album coming soon from Mountain Home Music Company; you can hear “Cacklin’ Hen,” the first offering from that project, below. And, wrapping us up this week, Jessica Willis Fisher went into the studio with Bryan Sutton playing guitar and mandolin to record the heartfelt and touching, “Seeds,” a country/Americana flavored track about interrupting generational cycles of pain and trauma and refusing to reap the seeds someone else may have sown in your heart and mind.
It’s quite the collection of music, and, as we say every week: You Gotta Hear This!
Bibelhauser Brothers, “One Tin Soldier” (Featuring Sam Bush)
Artist:Bibelhauser Brothers Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky Song: “One Tin Soldier” featuring Sam Bush Album:Down The Road Release Date: May 15, 2025 (single) Label: Common Loon Records
In Their Words: “Our latest collaborative effort, ‘One Tin Soldier,’ marks the first studio version of the familiar song that features Sam Bush singing and playing mandolin. The Father of Newgrass jumped right in as an honorary Bibelhauser Brother on this fourth single from our forthcoming album, Down The Road, slated for release this October. (I actually had a candid, nearly hour-long conversation with Sam on video to chat about the track – check that out here.) With his help, we’ve made an honest attempt to frame this song as a missing link in ‘newgrass’ history, connecting the dots between some larger-than-life personalities quintessential to the evolution of the bluegrass world. Much like many of our heroes, we’d like to keep the traditional torch burning bright, while igniting our own flame, fusing elements of blues, country-rock, and soul with our primordial bluegrass sensibilities.” – Aaron Bibelhauser
Track Credits: Sam Bush – Mandolin, vocal Adam Bibelhauser – Vocal, bass Aaron Bibelhauser – Vocal, guitar Steve Cooley – Banjo Jeff Guernsey – Fiddle
Danny Burns, “Brother Wind” (Featuring Dan Tyminski)
Artist:Danny Burns Hometown: Donegal, Ireland Song: “Brother Wind” featuring Dan Tyminski Album:Southern Sky Release Date: May 16, 2025 (single); August 22, 2025 (album) Label: Bonfire Recording Co.
In Their Words: “I first discovered ‘Brother Wind’ on the Transatlantic Sessions on BBC many moons ago. I’ve had the great pleasure of knowing Tim O’Brien and working with him — he was one of my very first collaborators in Nashville when we cut a few songs at John Prine and Ferg’s Butcher Shoppe [studio]. I asked him about ‘Brother Wind’ and he said, ‘Yeah, you should cut it.’ So, we did — tried to stay true to his original version while adding something new. Having Dan T. come in and sing on it brought it to another level of cool.” – Danny Burns
Track Credits: Danny Burns – Vocals, guitars Dan Tyminski – Vocals Ethan Burkhardt – Upright bass Billy Contreras – Fiddle Matt Menefee – Banjo, mandolin Cody Kilby – Guitars Jerry Roe – Drums
Video Credit: Shot by Ryan Kay at the Station Inn, Nashville, Tennessee.
Nick Dumas, “Where Have You Been”
Artist:Nick Dumas Hometown: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Song: “Where Have You Been” Album:Where Have You Been Release Date: May 16, 2025 Label: Skyline Records
In Their Words: “Everyone has been in that place – where someone close to you just isn’t there like they used to be, even if they haven’t gone anywhere. This song really struck me because of how real and universal that feeling is. And when Jim Van Cleve came in to mix it, he completely brought out the emotional tension in a way that blew me away. There’s this haunting, almost cinematic atmosphere that he created in the mix – it’s ominous, raw, and it elevates the story in a way that made me hear the song differently. It gave the whole track this weight, like you’re walking through fog trying to find someone.” – Nick Dumas
Artist:East Nash Grass Hometown: Madison, Tennessee Song: “Followin’ You” Album:All God’s Children Release Date: May 13, 2025 (single); August 22, 2025 (album) Label: Mountain Fever
In Their Words: “East Nash Grass was touring Ireland the first time I heard the demo recording of ‘Followin’ You,’ which I was told that our guitar player, James Kee, and our good songwriting pal and fiddler, Christian Ward, had written for me to sing on our upcoming record, All God’s Children. We were on the way to our next gig, driving through scenery too incredible to describe, and I was enchanted by an iPhone recording of Christian playing the guitar and singing this new song. The chorus is simple: following you. That’s all. And right there, in the beauty of simplicity, I understood that we had all been brought together to make this music to share, not because someone told us to or because of any hidden agenda; but purely because there was no other option for us.” – Maddie Denton
Track Credits: Harry Clark – Mandolin James Kee – Guitar Jeff Partin – Bass Maddie Denton – Fiddle Cory Walker – Banjo Gaven Largent – Dobro
JOSEPH, “Bye and Bye”
Artist:JOSEPH Hometown: Portland, Oregon Song: “Bye and Bye” Release Date: May 16, 2025 Label: Nettwerk Music Group
In Their Words: “This song is about being a woman in her late thirties with none of the results she expected from the plans she made – no husband, no house, no kids, no religion. The start of the song came one night when I was getting dinner with my then-girlfriend Talia at a bar called the Bye and Bye on Alberta St. in Portland. Our sister Allie had just quit the band, I was about a year past my divorce, I had a hunch the relationship I was in couldn’t keep going in its current form. I told Talia, ‘I feel like, in a way, I just died. Like everything I am – every bit of identity I’ve had – is over.’ I started crying in the way that isn’t tidy so I ran to the bathroom and let the tears rip. It had been a rough few days and as I sat on the toilet lid bawling I opened my notes app and typed ‘Crying in the bathroom of the Bye and Bye/ Saturday’s mascara in my eye/ it’s Tuesday.’” — Natalie Closner
Artist:Deanie Richardson & Kimber Ludiker Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee; Silver Spring, Maryland Song: “Cacklin’ Hen” Release Date: May 16, 2025 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “I’ve been a Kimber Ludiker fan for many, many years now since I heard her play at the Grand Master’s Fiddler contest. I was a judge that year and she completely blew me away. I think Kimber is one of the most tasteful, versatile fiddlers that we have in bluegrass music today and the work she’s done with Della Mae speaks volumes for her integrity and her talent. Kimber and I have been talking about doing a twin fiddle record for at least three years now and we’re so glad that we found a home and so glad that we found a place to record this record. Mountain Home has been so generous and good to me and allowed Kimber and I the space to come record this twin fiddle record. And we took it back-old school — just twin fiddles through the whole thing and we’re super excited for you guys to hear some fun music.” – Deanie Richardson
“Deanie Richardson has long been one of my favorite fiddlers and has always been my favorite to play with. We’ve been dreaming about a twin fiddle record for years and Mountain Home is the perfect label to share our excitement and vision. With our bands Della Mae and Sister Sadie, we’ve both had a long commitment to showcase and create a platform for women in this music, and we’re excited to add our fiddling to the canon of tunes in our music. I especially hope young girls will be excited to have more and more recordings of instrumentals played by women to inspire their learning.” – Kimber Ludiker
Artist:The Wildmans Hometown: Floyd, Virginia Song: “Autumn 1941” Album:Longtime Friend Release Date: July 11, 2025 Label: New West Records
In Their Words: “‘Autumn 1941’ is a song Roger Brown, former Berklee College of Music President, co-wrote with Berklee songwriting professor Mark Simos. Mark has written for Alison Krauss, the Infamous Stringdusters, and Del McCoury. Del recently released the other song in this series titled ‘Working for the WPA.’ The ‘Autumn 1941’ story hails from Roger’s North Carolina Appalachian roots, it was passed down through his family and while some of the specifics remain unknown, different versions of this story of eugenics prove to be true across Appalachian regions and more largely other minorities throughout American early-mid 20th century history. Stories of this same movement took place in Virginia and communities like Floyd, our hometown. Once we got into the studio with this song, it just flowed and out of it came a haunting authenticity we hadn’t yet discovered in our music.” – The Wildmans
Jessica Willis Fisher, “Seeds”
Artist:Jessica Willis Fisher Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “Seeds” Album:Blooming Release Date: May 16, 2025 Label: Bard Craft Records
In Their Words: “When we’re young, much of our life is shaped in ways we can’t control. Seeds are planted in our life and when we grow up, we can be left reaping the effects of toxic generational patterns. A big part of my life the last few years has been weeding out so many beliefs and habits that, if left to continue to grow, would choke me to death in many ways. Some days are harder than others and I still have doubts that rise up about which way to go in life, how to best move forward, how to heal from the abuse I experienced when I was younger.
“That vulnerability and honesty felt important to include on this record which centers around healing and growth.” – Jessica Willis Fisher
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
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, Massachusetts 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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