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You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Mason Via, Golden Shoals, and More

Posted on September 20, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Our weekly premiere round-up kicks off this fine Friday with a new video from singer-songwriter Kelley Mickwee from her upcoming release; it’s the title track and her favorite song from her upcoming album, “Everything Beautiful.”

We continue with some bluegrassy old-time from duo Golden Shoals, showcasing “Milwaukee Blues,” a staple on their set lists and at their live performances. And, fellow bluegrass artist and songwriter Mason Via brings us his brand new single co-written with Charlie Chamberlain entitled, “Falling.”

To wrap up the week in premieres, don’t miss two new BGS-produced video sessions that hit the site this week. First, the latest in our Yamaha Sessions featuring shredder Trey Hensley, followed up by a bonus DelFest Session from Mountain Grass Unit celebrating their new EP, which dropped today.

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

Kelley Mickwee, “Everything Beautiful”

Artist: Kelley Mickwee
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Everything Beautiful”
Album: Everything Beautiful
Release Date: September 27, 2024
Label: Kelley Mickwee Music

In Their Words: “My favorite track on the record. A love song, which are rare and hard for me to write. This one started as a poem, sitting on my back porch one late afternoon as the dragonflies swarmed the yard and the hummingbirds fought over the feeder. I was all of a sudden just overcome with such deep love in my heart. Sent some words to my dear friend, Seth Walker, and he put this beautiful melody to it before I even woke up. It’s the first song we have written together of what I hope is many more to come.” – Kelley Mickwee

Golden Shoals, “Milwaukee Blues”

Artist: Golden Shoals
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Song: “Milwaukee Blues”
Release Date: September 27, 2024

In Their Words: “‘Milwaukee Blues’ has been a staple of our live show for years. It’s got a fun, silly vibe, but it’s about the very real perils of hoboing in the 1920s. That smiling on the outside/crying on the inside dichotomy is one of the most fascinating things about bluegrass and old-time music. Though we focus more on our original songs, our early tours were always based around fiddler’s conventions – Mt. Airy, Galax, Clifftop, etc. Playing old fiddle tunes and songs is how we started to forge our own sound and how we met our dearest musical pals. We’ve released collaborative old-time albums before (Milkers and Hollers and Tune Hash), but this is our first time stripping it down to the duo. We usually do one or two of these tunes at each show and we wanted to get them down for posterity, and for the old-time fans! Tracks will continue to trickle out over the next year, culminating in a full 14-track album.” – Mark Kilianski

Mason Via, “Falling”

Artist: Mason Via
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Falling”
Album: Mason Via
Release Date: September 20, 2024 (single)
Label: Mountain Fever Records

In Their Words: “I co-wrote this song with Charlie Chamberlain, who’s known for his work on several Songs From The Road Band albums. We initially crafted this track as a companion piece to ‘Melt in the Sun,’ another song on the upcoming record. Originally, we intended for it to be recorded with my psychedelic electric side project as a rock and roll party anthem. It wasn’t planned for this bluegrass album, but after bassist and dobro player Jeff Partin singled it out as his favorite from the extensive list of songs I shared with him and the producer, I decided to include it at the last minute. I’m glad we included it because it blends that distinctive Mountain Heart newgrass drive with lyrics that are perfect for getting people moving.” – Mason Via

Track Credits:
Written by Mason Via & Charlie Chamberlain.
Mason Via – Lead vocals, guitar
Aaron Ramsey – Mandolin
Jason Davis – Banjo
Jim Van Cleve – Fiddle
Jeff Partin – Bass, Dobro
Kyser George – Guitar
Brooks Forsyth – Baritone harmony
Nick Goad – Tenor harmony

Yamaha Sessions: Trey Hensley, “Can’t Outrun the Blues”

Our Yamaha Sessions continue, highlighting the top-notch Yamaha FG series of acoustic guitars and the killer musicians who utilize them. This time, we’re back with guitarist, singer-songwriter, GRAMMY nominee, and reigning IBMA Guitar Player of the Year Trey Hensley. For his second session in the series, he performs a growling original, “Can’t Outrun the Blues,” that highlights the grit and attack of his custom Yamaha FG9 R, resonant and bold in open E.

Hensley’s techniques are bluegrass through and through, with clarity and athleticism to his flatpicking that stand out even among his incredibly talented contemporaries. The ‘grassy skeletal structure behind his approach to the instrument is merely a springboard into other textures and styles. Here, in a modal and bluesy number, you can certainly hear the influence rock and roll, down home and contemporary blues, Southern rock, and country chicken pickin’ have on Hensley’s own writing and composition.

More here.

DelFest Sessions: Mountain Grass Unit, “Lonesome Dove”

For a special bonus edition of our DelFest Sessions from earlier this year, we return to Cumberland, Maryland and the banks of the Potomac River for an encore performance by bluegrass four-piece, Mountain Grass Unit. On September 20, the group will release a brand new EP, Runnin’ From Trouble, which features this original number, “Lonesome Dove,” as the lead track. In fact, at the time of the session’s taping, the band had just recorded the song a week prior.

“We had an amazing time at the riverside DelFest Session performing our new song, ‘Lonesome Dove,'” said mandolinist Drury Anderson via email. “Watching people float down the river while we recorded made the experience even more special. It was an honor to be part of such a unique series!”

More here.

Photo Credit: Mason Via by Michael Weintrob; Golden Shoals by Mike Dunn.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Twisted Pine, Lee DeWyze, and More

Posted on September 13, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

There’s something for everyone in this week’s premiere round-up!

From the bluegrass realm, check out a new, suitably spooky track from southwest Virginia mainstay Amanda Cook, a vocal trio number from the fellas of Sideline, and Twisted Pine have a brand new music video for a song all about bluegrass festival fun, “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens).”

From elsewhere on the genre map, check out tracks debuting from singer-songwriter Bailey Bigger, Swedish artist Sarah Klang has an Americana-flavored number featuring Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats, and Emily Frembgen declares she’s “Hard 2 Love.”

Don’t miss a lyric video for the title track from American Idol winner Lee DeWyze’s brand new album, Gone For Days, as well. It’s all right here on BGS and You Gotta Hear This!

Bailey Bigger, “Nancy Jo”

Artist: Bailey Bigger
Hometown: Marion, Arkansas
Song: “Nancy Jo”
Album: Resurrection Fern
Release Date: October 25, 2024

In Their Words: “‘Nancy Jo’ was a more recently written song this year. I wrote it in memory of my grandmother, who represents to me all the women in my life who have sacrificed their own dreams for the inevitable love for those around them. It’s a bittersweet, give-and-take feeling to experience and watch take over the amazing women in our lives, and something I think we can all relate to universally. The duality of my grandmother was beautiful to me. She had so many regrets, dreams she never got to take a real shot at, and hopes, yet so much gratitude, love, and confidence in the path she did choose in this life. She loved her life and brought so much joy and presence to those around her. But we would dream together every time I sat with her in the kitchen. When I reach for my life and my future, it’s not just my hands, it’s all the women in my ancestry, standing behind me, pushing me further.

“This song was highly influenced, musically, by the dream pop movement of the ’90s. My dad gave me his CDs by The Sundays that he wore out in college, and I fell in love instantly with their dreamy guitar tones and Harriet’s voice just painting the canvas with her melodies. I wanted to create a similar production with clear inspiration behind this song, and dream pop is a genre I’ve been itching to explore in my own sound as I get creative with guitar pedals and melodies.” – Bailey Bigger

Amanda Cook, “Devil’s Looking Glass”

Artist: Amanda Cook
Hometown: Fancy Gap, Virginia
Song: “Devil’s Looking Glass”
Album: Restless Soul
Release Date: September 18, 2024 (single); October 18, 2024 (album)
Label: Mountain Fever Records

In Their Words: “I love a spooky song and when Troy Boone (our mandolin player) let me hear his demo of ‘Devil’s Looking Glass,’ I knew I was going to be hooked. Troy’s vivid lyrics make the story feel so real that it’s almost like a true legend coming to life. As Troy shared, he wrote ‘Devil’s Looking Glass’ in high school, drawing inspiration from the rock formation above the Nolichucky River near his childhood home and crafting a haunting song based on a local curse story.” – Amanda Cook

Track Credits:
Written by Troy Boone.
Amanda Cook – Lead vocal
Carolyne Van Lierop – Banjo
Troy Boone – Mandolin
Brady Wallen – Guitar
Josh Faul – Bass
George Mason – Fiddle

Lee DeWyze, “Gone For Days”

Artist: Lee DeWyze
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Song: “Gone For Days”
Album: Gone For Days
Release Date: September 13, 2024
Label: Mavelle Records

In Their Words: “‘Gone For Days’ for me reflects on how someone can feel lost, but through that – inspired and transformed by their environment. Ultimately, for me, it’s a story of growth and rebirth. To an extent, it captures my own personal experience of stepping into the unknown when choosing to make the decision to head to Bristol, Tennessee and make this album.

“My hope is that this song can serve as an anthem for those who navigate the dark, and seek their own path. I want ‘Gone For Days’ to offer reassurance that even in the darkest moments, there’s a way forward.

“It was one of the last songs I wrote for this album – and while working with the amazing musicians out in Bristol and taking in the energy of where I was, it dawned on me it wasn’t just a song, it was a documentary for my journey and a snapshot of the profound changes I was experiencing.” – Lee DeWyze

Track Credits:
Written by Lee DeWyze.
Lee DeWyze – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Phil Faconti – Electric guitar
Dave Eggar – Cello, string arrangement
Noah Denton – Bass
Jordan Katz – Horns
Mike Stephenson – Drums, percussion
Blake Collins – Mandolin

Video Credit: Lee DeWyze

Emily Frembgen, “Hard 2 Love”

Artist: Emily Frembgen
Hometown: New York City
Song: “Hard 2 Love”
Album: No Hard Feelings
Release Date: September 13, 2024
Label: Don Giovanni Records

In Their Words: “I made ‘Hard 2 Love’ at Excello Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with my producer Hugh Pool. We recorded it and most of the other tracks on No Hard Feelings live with Keith Robinson on drums, Bruce Martin on piano, and Charles Dechants on bass. Melody Stolpp came in later to record back up vocals. The song owes a lot to Lucinda Williams’s ‘Blue,’ which is often playing in my head. I’m so fascinated with these super simple yet emotionally impactful songs. Lucinda’s ‘Blue’ and ‘Lonely Girls,’ Lou Reed’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes,’ Sondheim’s ‘Losing My Mind.’ My relationship with my father informs this and many of the songs on this album as it has greatly informed the way I exist in the world. This is a cathartic song for me to sing and I hope it’s cathartic for other people. It’s hard to love and to be loved, at least for some of us.” – Emily Frembgen

Track Credits:
Emily Frembgen – Vocals
Hugh Pool – Guitar
Keith Robinson – Drums
Bruce Martin – Piano
Charles Dechants – Bass
Melody Stolpp – Backup vocals

Sarah Klang, “Last Forever” featuring Fruit Bats

Artist: Sarah Klang
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Song: “Last Forever” featuring Fruit Bats
Release Date: September 13, 2024
Label: Nettwerk Music Group

In Their Words: “It’s a song about the feeling of being ‘the bad one’ in the relationship. Or maybe even that you are ‘the bad one.’ And you love someone who insists on seeing the best in you, and constantly fights on, even though you behave badly. I didn’t really have any idea that it could be a duet until Eric suggested it. He asked me to write down some of my dream artists to duet with, and of course I wrote his name as #1 on the note. Luckily he said yes!

“This collaboration was an eye-opener to me, because it immediately opened two creative worlds: suddenly there were two perspectives and that is very new for me to have. To get to work with someone I admire so much was a dream come true, and I felt like it made me a stronger writer too.” – Sarah Klang

“When Sarah and her writing partner, Theo Stocks, brought this sketch in, I was already all in on it going on the album. The opening line: ‘I’ve got two issues with you, and one of them is that you love me…’ just devastated me out of the gate. The song starts off as a lilting waltz, then turns into a chugging, desperate rock anthem and fades off into the sunset. When they suggested I sing a verse, I was honored and intimidated. I love that each verse comes from a different perspective – and then ends on intertwined stories about lovers trying to figure out the balance of life.” – Eric D. Johnson, Fruit Bats

Sideline, “Is It True”

Artist: Sideline
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Song: “Is It True”
Release Date: September 13, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “It’s really awesome to watch a band take an older song and make it into their own without completely dissecting the original. When Steve brought this one to the table, it was obvious that it was a Sideline song. We applied our drive and energy to it and let the lyrics do the rest of the work. It is also one of the very few – if any – Sideline songs with a trio throughout the whole song, and Bailey nailed the lead part. High-powered and exciting!” – Skip Cherryholmes, guitar and vocals

“What caught my attention about this song was that it is one of the rare cases where the verses have harmony all the way through, and the choruses are sung solo. Typically, it’s vice versa.” – Steve Dilling, banjo and vocals

Track Credits:
Skip Cherryholmes – Guitar, vocals
Steve Dilling – Banjo, vocals
Bailey Coe – Lead vocal
Kyle Windbeck – Upright bass
Nick Goad – Mandolin, vocals
Matt Flake – Fiddle

Twisted Pine, “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens)”

Artist: Twisted Pine
Hometown: Boston, Massachusettes & Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Song: “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens)”
Album: Love Your Mind
Release Date: September 17, 2024 (single); October 18, 2024
Label: Signature Sounds

In Their Words: “Every summer, music fanatics assemble their camping gear and instruments and gather together in a field somewhere for that most peculiar of community events: the bluegrass festival. As a band, many of our formative and milestone experiences have taken place at festivals. We’ve learned a lot of lessons – good and bad. This song is our ode to the festival experience. It’s about a universal thought process that happens every night at festivals around the world, ‘Should I be trying to get some sleep right now? Or should I stay up, and pick, and see where the night takes me?’ It’s definitely a coin toss, and depending on how you feel you might regret the late night the next morning, but either way, it makes for a memorable night, and you look forward to what next year’s fest will bring

“The details of the song are based on true events and everyone’s festival vibe. Chris likes to wander around looking for hot dogs; Kathleen croons country ballads in the moonlight; Anh typically stays out until the sun comes up; Dan posts up at the center of the old-time jam on bass. And there’s always that dude at the jam trying to get laid so in our song we named him Dirty Pete.

“Shot on location at two of the very best festivals in our part of the country: the Ossipee Valley Music Festival and Green Mountain Bluegrass and Roots, ‘(Nothing Good Happens) After Midnight’ should be a familiar sentiment for BGS readers. See y’all next year!” – Twisted Pine

Track Credits:
Written by Kathleen Parks, Dan Bui, and Anh Phung.
Kathleen Parks – Lead vocals, fiddle
Chris Sartori – Bass
Dan Bui – Mandolin
Anh Phung – Flute, background vocals
Ethan Robbins – Guitar

Video Credit: Directed, filmed, and edited by Jay Strausser, Jay Strausser Visuals

Photo Credit: Twisted Pine by J. Chattman; Lee DeWyze by Kalin Gordon Photography.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Crys Matthews, Rakish, and More

Posted on September 6, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

We’ve got an excellent collection of song and video premieres for you to kick off September!

Below, you’ll find a few country-tinged roots rock selections, from Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir, Kylie Fox, and Madeline Hawthorne. Stepping further into the country realm, check out tracks from Black Opry alumnus Crys Matthews – “The Difference Between” also features Chris Housman and Melody Walker – and from Steve Forbert, who sings “The Blues.”

New Jersey-based bluegrass group Magnolia Street String Band brought us a lovely video for their original, “By the Light of the Moon,” as well, and folk duo Rakish, who are experts in Irish, Scottish, and American folk, debut their Jamie Oshima-produced tune, “765.”

To cap it all off, don’t miss the latest edition of our Yamaha Sessions, featuring Vince Gill guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer Jack Schneider.

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

Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir, “North Star”

Artist: Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “North Star”
Album: Show Me The Light
Release Date: October 4, 2024
Label: We Believers Music

In Their Words: “Simply put, this song is a dedication to my wife and daughter. When I sit down with a guitar and don’t try to write, usually a lyric rolls out, which is when I know I’m on to something; a crumb, a nugget, a clue, a hint to a song… something there that leads me to chase and complete a thought.

“In this case it was the line, ‘Your eyes will always be my guiding light, North Star in the darkest night,’ and I just built the song around that notion. I think it’s the most literal, direct song I’ve ever written. We’ve been through a lot together and when I drill down, or even think of my day-to-day life… it’s them. It’s all them. They guide me. We’ve been out here building this life together and they keep me grounded. When I stray and when I’m out in that deep, deep ocean (figuratively), I look for the stars; their eyes. They reel me back in. They are my ‘North Star.'” – Blake Brown

Track Credits:
Written by Blake Brown.
Blake Brown – Vocals, guitar
Tiffany Brown – Vocals
Jordan Espinoza – Drums
Jason Legler – Bass
Chris “Frenchie” Smith – Guitars

Steve Forbert, “The Blues”

Artist: Steve Forbert
Hometown: Meridian, Mississippi
Song: “The Blues”
Album: Daylight Savings Time
Release Date: September 20, 2024
Label: Blue Rose Music

In Their Words: “Will blues music fans give this song a listen because of the title – or will country music fans hesitate because of the title? As you can hear right away, it’s not a blues song. In fact, it’s a happy sounding country kind of song. But it’s literally about that old feeling called ‘the blues.’

“Robert Johnson sang, ‘The blues is a lowdown, shaky deal. If you ain’t never had ‘em, I hope you never will.’ My sentiments exactly.” – Steve Forbert

Track Credits:
Steve Forbert – Vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Rob Clores – Keyboards
Gurf Morlix – Electric guitar
Aaron Comess – Drums
Byron House – Bass
Layonne Holmes – Backing vocals

Video Credit: Tom Parr

Kylie Fox, “Sequoia”

Artist: Kylie Fox
Hometown: Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Song: Sequoia
Album: Sequoia
Release Date: September 13, 2024

In Their Words:“I was listening to CBC Radio in the car one day. There was a story about how firefighters stayed up throughout the night to save a sequoia tree that was in a forest fire in California. I was struck by how we so often take beautiful, old things for granted – like our environment, like our grandmothers – until we are faced with an experience where they are compromised. Verse one speaks of the tree, verse two speaks of my grass-is-always-greener relationship to the small town of Fredericton, where I live. I brood over wishing I lived in a more exciting city, forgetting that all my favorite people are here. The last verse I speak of my love, Ryan, who I can take for granted sometimes when I get caught up in things revolving around myself.” – Kylie Fox

Track Credits:
Written by Kylie Fox.
Kylie Fox – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Kelly Waterhouse – Piano, flute, saxophone
Sean Hutchins – Electric guitar
Camilo Villamizar – Bass guitar
Ryan Barrie – Drums

Video Credit: Directed and edited by Jillian Acreman.

Madeline Hawthorne, “Howl at the Moon”

Artist: Madeline Hawthorne
Hometown: Bozeman, Montana
Song: “Howl at the Moon”
Release Date: September 13, 2024
Label: Madeline Hawthorne Music

In Their Words: “This is a song about what we want for our loved ones when we pass on. I don’t want them to just keep living, I want them to thrive. I want them to find love and happiness. I think my band and I captured the spirit and the essence of this tune so well at The Blasting Room. It has such a positive and fun energy to it. We are excited to play this one live on our upcoming tour with Goodnight Texas. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for listening, XOXO.” – Madeline Hawthorne

Track Credits:
Written by Madeline Hawthorne.
Madeline Hawthorne – Vocals
Ace Engfer – Bass
Bill McKay – Piano, organ
Taylor Sims – Guitar
Taylor Tesler – Guitar
Sean Macaulay – Drums, percussion

Magnolia Street String Band, “By the Light of the Moon”

Artist: Magnolia Street String Band
Hometown: Highland Park, New Jersey
Song: “By the Light of the Moon”
Album: By the Light of the Moon
Release Date: October 4, 2024

In Their Words: “I wrote this song years ago walking my dog in the pines along the Delaware River. The moon was so brilliant that night. The light painted such a spectacular scene with shadows of the magnificent pine trees against the deep blue sky. This unforgettable visual inspired this song.

“My sister, Rita, and I used to play and sing together with friends at a full moon jam almost 15 years ago. Rita and I found a band through these gatherings and ‘By the Light of the Moon’ found its way into our repertoire. The original lyrics to the last verse were ‘We’ll make love by the light of the moon.’ Since I wanted to make a family friendly album, I changed the lyrics to, ‘We’ll dance ‘neath the light of the moon.’

“I’ve always hoped to record this song and had envisioned Alison Krauss on vocals. Nevertheless, I rallied my beloved band earlier this year to record this song as well as the other songs on our new album.” – Sheila Shukla, vocalist and songwriter

Track Credits:
Sheila Shukla – Lead vocals
Bobby Baxmeyer – Mandolin, banjo, Dobro, vocals
Bob Harris – Guitar
Gary Oleyar – Fiddle
Ron Greenstein – Bass
Nick Conte – Vocals

Video Credit: Rob Shotwell

Crys Matthews, “The Difference Between”

Artist: Crys Matthews
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Difference Between” (featuring Melody Walker & Chris Housman)
Album: Reclamation
Release Date: September 6, 2024 (single)

In Their Words: “When I heard Jason Aldean’s ‘Try That in a Small Town,’ I was so offended – not just as a Black woman, but as a proud Southerner. The audacity to think that there would be a South at all without my people is the kind of willful ignorance that keeps folks like me from feeling safe in country and Americana spaces. There are consequences to that kind of hateful rhetoric. That’s what the first verse line of this song is about, ‘So you can figure out it ain’t just your town that’s small,’ because being from a small town is no excuse for small-mindedness.

“I knew that’s what I wanted to say with this song and I knew exactly who I wanted to help me say it: my friends Melody Walker (co-writer of Molly Tuttle’s title track for her Grammy-winning record Crooked Tree) and Chris Housman. I’ve been such a fan of both of their voices and their writing for so long! Once I had the idea for this song, I asked them both to come over and the rest is history. Melody and I had just finished recording her song ‘Room‘ and so I knew our voices would sound so good together. And every time Chris sings he takes me to church. I knew that just getting the three of us together would lead to something good. It also meant a lot to have them featured on the actual track as well. Three LGBTQ+ artists, all of whom call Nashville home, showing that this is country too. It looks like you and it looks like me.” – Crys Matthews

Rakish, “765”

Artist: Rakish
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “765”
Album: Now, O Now
Release Date: September 12, 2024 (single); October 11, 2024
Label: Top Floor Records

In Their Words:“This track features two original reels, arranged by Conor and myself. We recorded these tunes at Spillway Sounds with Eli Crews engineering back in October 2023. Once we got back from the studio, we thought it might be fun to add some electronic production to this track, and asked our buddy Jamie Oshima to work some magic on these tunes. It was great to let him take the reins completely, and hear the track once he sent it back to us. His additions totally surpassed what we could have asked for. As acoustic musicians, Conor and I don’t often get to dip our toes into the world of electronic music, but this track enables us to experience a little bit of that sound world, which is really fun for us. We hope these tunes make you want to dance!” – Maura Shawn Scanlin, violin

Yamaha Sessions: Jack Schneider, “Gulf of Mexico”

Today, our Yamaha Sessions continue with a gorgeous and tender performance from guitarist, producer, and singer-songwriter Jack Schneider. Best known for his road gig with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill, Schneider released his debut album, Best Be On My Way, to critical acclaim in 2022. The project features Gill, David Rawlings, Stuart Duncan, and more collaborating on Schneider’s vintage-tinged original songs, each dripping with the styles and sonics of ’60s and ’70s troubadours and Americana poets. His latest single, “When the Saints,” is a delicious, shuffling folk-rock ballad with deeply stacked vocal tracks and retro trappings that was released in late July.

For his Yamaha Sessions performance, Schneider chose “Gulf of Mexico,” another original – that is as yet unrecorded and unreleased – which showcases the warm, full, and deep sound of Schneider’s Yamaha FG9 R acoustic guitar. Resonant and rich, the drop D tuning accentuates the melancholy evident in the timelessly constructed song. A bright spruce top and sultry rosewood back and sides add up to a guitar that’s equally at home in folk and Americana as bluegrass and flatpicking. Schneider pulls excellent tone from the instrument, with impeccable intonation and confident touch whether picking or strumming.

More here.

Photo Credit: Crys Matthews by Mora May Agency; Rakish by Sasha Pedro.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Danielia Cotton, Unspoken Tradition, and More

Posted on August 30, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

To say good bye to the week and to August, we’ve got one more premiere round-up for the month – and, as always, You Gotta Hear This!

Among all the fine new music being released, we’re highlighting a handful of tracks newly minted or arriving very soon. First, there’s “Bring Out The Country (In Me),” the sole original number from Danielia Cotton’s new EP paying tribute to Country Music Hall of Famer Charley Pride. Then, check out singer-songwriter David Luning’s “Every Day I Am,” which explores the fear and anxiety of being a fugitive on the run.

As you continue, John Surge and the Haymakers bring us a properly Tex-Mex track, “Marisol,” from their upcoming album Maybe You Don’t Know Me. And, to bring us home, North Carolina-based bluegrass outfit Unspoken Tradition have a stellar cover of Alabama’s hit, “I’m In a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why).”

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

Danielia Cotton, “Bring Out The Country (In Me)”

Artist: Danielia Cotton
Hometown: Hopewell, New Jersey
Song: “Bring Out The Country (In Me)”
Album: Charley’s Pride: A Tribute to Black Country Music
Release Date: August 29, 2024
Label: Cottontown LLC with Symphonic Distribution

In Their Words: “Coming to New York City from a small town was a major transition for me. What surprised me was how much of my small town ways and sensibility I didn’t lose. The big city can engulf you, however that made me more myself and embrace more of my country roots. Big cities, especially New York, are full of what is seemingly countless numbers of confident people, when in fact so many are struggling with the same need to define themselves and stand out. I think I finally realized that what makes me most unique is when I am true to myself.” – Danielia Cotton

Track Credits:
Danielia Cotton, Marc Copely – Songwriters
Danielia Cotton – Lead vocals
Marc Copely – Guitars, backing vocals, programming
Andy Hess – Bass
Aaron Comess – Drums, percussion
Ben Stivers – Piano, organ
Rocco DeLuca – Pedal Steel
Produced, engineered, and mixed by Marc Copely at Casa Copely Recording, NYC.
Mastered by Greg Calbi.

David Luning, “Every Day I Am”

Artist: David Luning
Hometown: Los Angeles via Forestville, California (Near Petaluma)
Song: “Every Day I Am”
Album: Lessons
Release Date: September 6, 2024

In Their Words:“Movies, songs, and stories, particularly set in the American west, have highly romanticized the life of running from the law, but in reality, in the long run, it’s gotta suck. So much fear and anxiety all the time. Always on the run. ‘Looking over your shoulder.’ Fleeing the consequences of your actions. Can’t trust anyone. At least I know in my life, running from my fears or consequences of things that I’ve done has never improved a thing. So on the surface, ‘Every Day I Am’ is about somebody running from the law, but underneath lies the story of somebody that is ‘…always hoping that one day it’ll be alright,’ without realizing that it could be, if they stop running.” – David Luning

Track Credits:
Written by David Luning.
David Luning – Vocals, Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano
Linden Reed – Drums
Ben Dubin – Electric bass
Dave Sampson – Electric guitar
Alex Leach – Electric guitar
Damien Lewis – Percussion, sound design

John Surge and the Haymakers, “Marisol”

Artist: John Surge
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Marisol”
Album: Maybe You Don’t Know Me
Release Date: September 6, 2024 (single); September 20, 2024 (album)
Label: Blackbird Record Label

In Their Words: “‘Marisol’ is a historical lament about a woman who claims ‘my love is like a heart attack, the kind of love that’ll keep you coming back.’ It has a rollicking feel that comes straight from the Doug Sahm playbook. The song has a natural Tex-Mex feel. I kept asking Tommy [Detamore], ‘What would Doug do?’ Detamore shared stories of producing Sahm’s final album, The Return of Wayne Douglas. We followed that inspiration and traveled down Sahm Highway.” – John Surge

Track Credits:
John Surge – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Randy Volin – Electric guitar, baritone guitar, harmony vocals
Brennen Leigh – Harmony vocals
Michael Guerra – Accordion
Brad Fordham – Bass
Tom Lewis – Drums
Floyd Domino – Organ
Kevin Jarvis – Percussion

Unspoken Tradition, “I’m In a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)”

Artist: Unspoken Tradition
Hometown: Cherryville, North Carolina
Song: “I’m In A Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)”
Release Date: August 30, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I was born in ’85, so ’90s country was a part of life during that period. I still use ’90s country to get back there, nostalgically. Alabama was an awesome country band, and vocally, this song is just so fun to sing. The a capella intro always grabbed my attention back then and knowing our band has so many capable singers, I wanted to give this one a try as a fun cover. As a father with a family, a full time job, and also juggling music and other things, the message of the song is a reminder to slow down some and enjoy the little things.” – Audie McGinnis, guitar and lead vocals

Track Credits:
Audie McGinnis – Guitar, lead vocals
Sav Sankaran – Bass, vocals
Tim Gardner – Fiddle
Zane McGinnis – Banjo
Ty Gilpin – Mandolin

Photo Credit: Danielia Cotton by Chía Messina; Unspoken Tradition by Sandlin Gaither.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Julian Taylor, the Grascals, and More

Posted on August 23, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

We’ve got a fine collection of new tracks, videos, and performances for you this week in our premiere round-up, You Gotta Hear This!

Don’t miss some stellar bluegrass from genre staples – and labelmates – the Grascals, who are celebrating their 20-year anniversary, and Chris Jones & the Night Drivers. The former celebrate their heroes, the Osborne Brothers, with a cover of “Georgia Pineywoods” while the latter get topical while poking fun at doomsday rhetoric on “What If You’re Wrong.”

Jazzy roots duo Winterlark bring us a charming number with a somewhat unlikely subject– emojis. Well, and love gone not-so-right, too. Felled Oak, AKA Brian Carroll, also debuts “Taplines,” a track written while he worked the maple syrup season in Vermont. Singer-songwriter Amy Speace considers the construction of “The American Dream” with a brand new, summery music video and Spooky Mansion performs the title track from his upcoming album, What About You?, live outdoors on the ranch.

Don’t miss Julian Taylor’s debut of a brand new music video for “Pathways,” a song released earlier this week about family, connection, and inter-generational perspective that features the one and only Allison Russell.

To cap it all off, we’ve got an exclusive Yamaha Session from flatpicker Trey Hensley that posted to BGS earlier this week, too. It’s all right here and, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, but You Gotta Hear This!

Felled Oak, “Taplines”

Artist: Felled Oak
Hometown: Corinth, Vermont
Song: “Taplines”
Album: Smoke on the Hillside
Release Date: September 30, 2024

In Their Words: “All of the tunes on this project were birthed from time tapping trees in the sugarbush this past January here in Vermont. In the dead silence of winter, alone in a cluster of skeletal maples hiking uphill, I found myself humming and whistling melodies to keep myself (and the winter birds) company. Some of those melodies stuck and I’d pull out my phone, make a quick voice recording then when I got home transcribe them on the mandolin and octave mandolin.

“‘Taplines’ was a melody that fell beneath my own fingers effortlessly and when I brought it to good friend and musical partner, Mark Burds, a smile crept across his face as we played it together for the first time. All of these tunes were recorded in luthier workshops and small, personal spaces around central Vermont and featuring my closest musical friends. It’s music to be shared and played together, to connect. Intimate, organic, and honest.” – Brian Carroll, Felled Oak

“‘Taplines’ was really fun to put clawhammer on, because it’s one of those simple yet beautiful melodies that falls so nicely on banjo and it’s so satisfying to groove on.” – Mark Burds, banjo

Track Credits:
Brian Carroll – Octave mandolin, mandolin, upright bass, acoustic guitar
Mark Burds – Banjo

The Grascals, “Georgia Pineywoods”

Artist: The Grascals
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Georgia Pineywoods”
Album: 20
Release Date: August 23, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I don’t believe The Grascals would be in existence without The Osborne Brothers. Their heavy impact and influence on us is one of the main reasons we all love bluegrass music so much. ‘Georgia Pineywoods’ is a classic Boudleaux and Felice Bryant song originally recorded by The Osborne Brothers and it just felt very fitting for us to include it on this album celebrating our 20th band anniversary. We will always salute The Osborne Brothers’ music and their continued inspiration to The Grascals!” – Jamie Johnson

Track Credits:
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Danny Roberts – Mandolin
Jamie Johnson – Guitar, lead vocals
Terry Smith – Bass, baritone vocals
John Bryan – Guitar, tenor vocals
Jamie Harper – Fiddle, vocals

Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, “What If You’re Wrong”

Artist: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “What If You’re Wrong”
Release Date: August 23, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Jon Weisberger and I co-wrote the song as a conversation with a conspiracy theorist. It’s meant to be a light-hearted look at the subject – I’m pretty sure it’s the first bluegrass song to mention chem trails! – but it does ask a serious question: When something earth-shaking is predicted, whether it’s the end of the world, a change of government, or just the results of a major ballgame, what do you do when it doesn’t happen? Do you question your sources or double down? We have so much of this in the era of social media and different realities we live with, it seemed pretty timely, and we had fun with it.” – Chris Jones

Amy Speace, “The American Dream”

Artist: Amy Speace
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The American Dream”
Album: The American Dream
Release Date: October 18, 2024
Label: Wind Bone Records

In Their Words: “I’ve worked with Neilson Hubbard and Joshua Britt (their production company is Neighborhoods Apart) on a bunch of videos, so I trusted them to get the vibe of the song. Also, Neilson produced the record and Josh played on it, so I knew they got it. We all wanted to capture that feeling of the freedom of the end of summer. I grew up mostly in a small town with rural countryside all around it and we’d take long drives through the cornfields as the sun set. We shot this on a country drive and an abandoned cabin (also used in the album art) near Franklin, Tennessee. The appearance of the tractor and the train are coincidences.” – Amy Speace

Video Credit: Neighborhoods Apart, Neilson Hubbard and Joshua Britt

Spooky Mansion, “What About You?”

Artist: Spooky Mansion
Hometown: San Francisco, California / Bay Area
Song: “What About You?”
Album: What About You?
Release Date: August 22, 2024 (song); October 31, 2024 (album)

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘What About You?’ with the intention of painting a picture of my life through different stories. The places I’ve been and the people I come from have all made me who I am. In those early days of a relationship, when you’re getting to know someone, there are certain memories that you retell to explain who you are.

“The verses are meant to be quiet, subdued, and more introspective as I try to describe myself. The chorus is bigger and joyful as I turn the attention to the person I’m talking to. In all my experiences, ‘I didn’t even know that I was looking for you.’ It culminates in a repeated anthem at the end as a reminder that despite what you’ve already lived through, there is more in life that will keep changing you and continuously creating you into the person you are. In this case, it was a beautiful woman I’d recently met who is now my wife and love of my life.” – Grayson Converse, Spooky Mansion

Video Credit: Directed by Jacob Butler.

Julian Taylor, “Pathways” (Featuring Allison Russell)

Artist: Julian Taylor
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Song: “Pathways”
Album: Pathways
Release Date: August 21, 2024 (song); September 27, 2024 (album)
Label: Howling Turtle Inc.

In Their Words: “I remember sitting in my living room when the melody and chord patterns just came to me. Often, when I sit down to write music, it’s the first thing that I start playing that sticks, because it’s raw and honest. I worked the progression in several different ways. First on the acoustic guitar and then on the piano. I still have probably upwards of seven or eight takes of it somewhere on my voice notes. Some were quite punk sounding, while others were quite folk sounding. Ultimately, the sound of the melody and progression in 6/8 time seemed to have the most impact on me.

“This song became a lyrical collaboration between two friends of mine that are also neighbors. I was invited to hang out and write with my pals Robert Priest and Rosanne Baker Thornley, who has a studio down the road from me. When I arrived, I showed them what I had been working on and they loved it. We ultimately wanted to write a hopeful song that spoke to our next of kin, and since we all have children who are the most important people in the world to us, we followed that inspiration. I performed with my friend Allison Russell at the Juno Awards this year and asked her if should be interested in collaborating on the song seeing as she is a mother as well and I am so honored that she said yes and brought yet another magical spark to our creation.” – Julian Taylor

Track Credits:
Julian Taylor – Vocal, guitar
Allison Russell – Duet vocal
Colin Linden – Electric Dobro, mandotar, bass, harmony vocal
Gary Craig – Drums, percussion
Jim Hoke – Saxophones
Janice Powers – B3 organ

Winterlark, “Ending With Heart Heart Heart”

Artist: Winterlark
Hometown: Santa Cruz, California
Song: “Ending With Heart Heart Heart”
Album: Sing To Me About Tomorrow (EP)
Release Date: August 23, 2024 (song); September 20, 2024 (EP)
Label: Squink Records

In Their Words: “It seemed that the world was ready for a song about the insidiousness of emojis, so I tried to write a modern-day song about a poorly communicated break-up, like the one in Elvis Presley’s rock-n-roll classic ‘Return to Sender.’ One of the keys to the song is the pairing of the sad lyrics with the happy, infectious beat driven by Kristin and drummer Chris Haskett. They make everything swing.” – Sweeney Schragg

“When Sweeney shared the core idea of this song, I do believe I laughed – uncomfortably. Aren’t we all guilty of throwing emojis at people instead of real words? Sweeney left six spots open for bass fills, a better gift than a box of black licorice (my favorite).” – Kristin Olson

Track Credits:
Sweeney Schragg – Guitar, vocals
Kristin Olson – Upright bass, vocals
Chris Haskett – Drums

Yamaha Sessions: Trey Hensley, “Hold What You Got”

On a sunny Sunday afternoon just outside of Nashville, Tennessee earlier this summer, BGS linked up with award-winning guitarist, songwriter, and jaw-dropping flatpicker Trey Hensley to kick off a new series of Yamaha Sessions. Hensley, a GRAMMY nominee and the reigning IBMA Guitar Player of the year, pulled his custom Yamaha FG9 R out of its road case to shred through a cover of a classic Jimmy Martin number, “Hold What You Got.”

Hensley is a picture perfect modern demonstration of how bluegrass trailblazers, like Martin, blurred the lines between country, old-time, bluegrass, and beyond. His voice reminds of honeyed country singers like Randy Travis, while his blisteringly quick picking and remarkable articulation are built on Tony Rice and Clarence White building blocks – but simultaneously, those techniques are as forward-looking and contemporary as his peers, Billy Strings, Jake Workman, and others. Hensley pulls limitless tone and warmness from his Yamaha FG9 R, even while approaching the song with near-aggression, ripping through acrobatic triplet licks and leaning into ugly delicious chromaticism in every solo.

More here.

Photo Credit: Julian Taylor by Robert Georgeff; the Grascals by Laci Mack.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Flamy Grant, the Wildwoods, and More

Posted on August 16, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

To close out the week and celebrate New Music Friday, we’ve got an excellent assortment of track premieres from artists working in Americana, bluegrass, folk, and beyond.

Singer-songwriter Brendan Forrest has brought us “Lowdown Stray Dog Blues,” which features bluegrass and old-time favorites Dominick Leslie and George Jackson backing him up. Plus, the groundbreaking and buzz-worthy queer artist Flamy Grant shares her new track, “If You Ever Leave,” about faith and healing, growth and redemption.

Fiery bluegrass fiddler Andy Leftwich debuts a new, musically acrobatic instrumental single, “Aced,” which boasts an ace backing band of Matt Menefee, Byron House, and Cody Kilby. And, to finish us off strong, Nebraska-based Americana trio The Wildwoods have unveiled “There Goes the Neighborhood,” a contemplative track that explores ideas and feelings around gentrification and transformation.

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

Brendan Forrest, “Lowdown Stray Dog Blues”

Artist: Brendan Forrest
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Song: “Lowdown Stray Dog Blues”
Album: Daydreaming Music Fiend
Release Date: September 27, 2024

In Their Words: “I collaborated on this song with Dominick Leslie – IBMA winner and two-time GRAMMY Award Winner for Best Bluegrass Album with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – and George Jackson – Australian American fiddler and IBMA winner who plays in the Jacob Jolliff Band, with Jake Blount, and countless other prominent groups. The collaboration with Dominick was the crux of the record and the reason I went to Nashville to record it in the first place. I’m a huge fan of his band, Hawktail, which is why I hit him up, and he said yes after listening to my demos. I knew at the time it was the only chance I’d have to work with him, because the pandemic had still held touring back (later that year, things blew up). Now he’s touring non-stop with Molly after their 2 GRAMMYs, and it’d be impossible to get him in the studio the way we did it.

“The recording session was lock and step, even though I’d never met George in person until he rang the doorbell moments before we recorded (nor had he heard any of the songs prior). He was informally invited to the session to ‘see what happens,’ and we knocked it out in just 2 or 3 takes. I think the instant success in the take was 50% the Nashville magic musicians and 50% the song speaking so effortlessly to us cats who have spent much of our lives dedicated to bridging the past Americana music spirit into the present.” – Brendan Forrest

Flamy Grant, “If You Ever Leave”

Artist: Flamy Grant
Hometown: Asheville, NC
Song: “If You Ever Leave”
Album: CHURCH
Release Date: September 27, 2024
Label: Glam & Glory Records

In Their Words: “It’s hard to heal where you’re being harmed. Sometimes, maybe even most times, the best thing a person can do to save themselves from a toxic place is to leave it. For queer folks and many others, church can be a place of real damage, and until the broader American church — and its God — have figured out how to love queer people properly, I intend to stick around and show them how it’s done. But I’ll also be pointing the way to the exits.” – Flamy Grant

Track Credits: Written by Flamy Grant.
Produced by Ben Grace.
Engineered by Charlie Chamberlain at Forty-one Fifteen Studio, Nashville.
Mixed by Latifah Alattas.
Mastered by David Wilton.

Flamy Grant – Acoustic guitar
Megan McCormick – Electric guitars
Juan Solorzano – Pedal steel
Will Honaker – Bass
Megan Jane – Drums
Andy Sydow – String arrangement
Sav Madigan – Violin and viola
Katie Larson – Cello

Andy Leftwich, “Aced”

Artist: Andy Leftwich
Hometown: Carthage, Tennessee
Song: “Aced”
Release Date: August 16, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “As musicians, we know that the journey never ends. You’re always trying to be better at your craft, always exploring new ways to approach certain things in music, and forever growing and learning. Every once in a while, you begin to see results of your hard work and it begins to pay off. When you get pickers like Cody Kilby, Byron House, and Matt Menefee together, good things happen. These guys are ‘Aces’ at their craft, and I’m honored they would pick with me on this song!” – Andy Leftwich

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

The Wildwoods, “There Goes the Neighborhood”

Artist: The Wildwoods
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
Song: “There Goes the Neighborhood”
Release Date: August 16, 2024

In Their Words: “The song ‘There Goes the Neighborhood’ was written as a tribute to our hometown of Lincoln, NE and the gradual transformation of the familiar places we think of as ‘home,’ evolving from charming old buildings to modern structures that feel unfamiliar.

“Noah sparked the idea for the song and had been singing the chorus hook, ‘…there goes the neighborhood…’ for months just around the house. One rainy Tuesday afternoon back at home, while reminiscing about our old favorite local sandwich shop that had been transformed into a bank, we finished the rest of the song together in one sitting.

“This transformation from recognizable to unknown mirrors our own growth as a band and as individuals, reflecting the changes we’ve experienced over time. The lyrics and melody perfectly capture the bittersweet essence of these changes. The ending line of the chorus, ‘There goes the neighborhood, gone with the echoes of time,’ blends a sense of melancholy with acceptance and hope, enhanced by the lighthearted melody of the chorus. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the past while embracing the possibilities of the future, resonating deeply with anyone who has felt the inevitable passage of time and the shifts it brings to our surroundings and ourselves.” – The Wildwoods

Track Credits: Written by The Wildwoods.
Chloe Gose – Vocals, violin
Noah Gose – Vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
Andrew Vaggalis – Vocals, upright bass
Engineered and mixed by Noah Gose at The Goosenest Studio in Lincoln, NE.

Photo Credit: Flamy Grant by Ash Perlberg; the Wildwoods by Sarah and Jeanne Vaggalis (S+J Photography).

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

Posted on August 9, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

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

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

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

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

Joy Clark, “Lesson”

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

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

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

Ocie Elliott, “Adelina”

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

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

Greenwood Rye, “Down to the River”

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

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

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

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

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

Silas Nello, “Holy Ghost Blues”

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

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

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

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

Video Credit: Taylor Hungerford, Silverspark Printworks

Jaelee Roberts, “Between The Two Of Us”

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

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

Teddy and the Rough Riders, “Catfish Summer”

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

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

Rhonda Vincent, “I Miss Missouri”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on August 6, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

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

“Ever since I learned Jean Ritchie’s song, ‘Now Is The Cool Of The Day,’ as an 11 year-old, it has played in my head while traveling through fields and pastures, working in my own garden, or worrying about the climate crisis. The words throughout her beautifully crafted song form and melody call on us to steward the earth (and take care of each other). Although she had that call coming from ‘my lord,’ I always felt that call coming straight from the earth itself. I love that these words urgently and gently remind us that we are tenders, not just extractors, consumers, and producers.

“American icons Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta founded the National Farm Workers Association in the early 1960s and it became the powerful United Farm Workers union, UFW. Huerta coined the phrase, ‘Si, se puede’ (‘Yes, we can’) and has been a lifelong advocate for labor rights, women’s rights, and civil rights with her efforts resulting in legislative victories for farm workers. Chavez’s leadership brought national attention to the plight of farm workers and helped secure better wages and working conditions through strikes, boycotts and other measures.

“The official Farmworker Appreciation Day got moved to August 6th by Bill Clinton’s administration, and I’m glad that we get to percolate and act on our appreciation while in this most fruitful of seasons, August. I hope you’ll join me by giving extra love to the farmers and farmworkers whose work nourishes you!” – Moira Smiley

Photo Credit: Fiona Small
Video Credit: Fiona Small

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Yasmin Williams, Danny Roberts, and More

Posted on August 2, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

It’s our first New Music Friday of August! This week, we’ve got an excellent handful of tracks you simply gotta hear. First, there’s Paula Fong with a “zippy little tune” that’s delightfully old school country. Plus, Danny Roberts brings us a ramblin’ bluegrass track, “The Drifter,” which pays homage both to David “Dawg” Grisman and Roberts’ late brother-in-law, Mike Mullins.

Our penultimate premiere is the title track for Americana duo – and 2024 AmericanaFest Official Showcase artist – A Tale of Two’s upcoming album, Renegade. To finish us off, the impeccable and mystifying guitarist Yasmin Williams calls on indie folk favs Darlingside for “Virga,” a swirling song from her just-announced upcoming album, Acadia.

Listen below, ’cause You Gotta Hear This!

Paula Fong, “A House Is Not A Home”

Artist: Paula Fong
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “A House Is Not A Home”
Album: Chestnut Mare
Release Date: September 6, 2024

In Their Words: “This is hands down the fastest I’ve ever written a song. It took me around 15 minutes to write it top to bottom – chords and lyrics – and felt like it just flew out of my head onto the page. I often write about fairly heavy subjects, but in this case I thought I’d just try out a zippy little tune that puts a smile in your heart and makes you want to tap your feet. I often get compliments that it sounds like an effortlessly classic old country tune.

“When I was in my early 20’s I moved from Los Angeles to North Carolina for a time to work at an outdoor Montessori/Quaker farm school that was located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Life there was full and busy, but in a different way from LA. Many things were clearer, more simple, more joyful in a way. I feel like this song captures one facet of the simplicity of that time (and some specific NC references – traveling across the mountains, chickens in the garden). Generally speaking, I think love is hardly simple, but there are certainly moments that can feel as easy and carefree as this song.” – Paula Fong

Danny Roberts, “The Drifter”

Artist: Danny Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Drifter”
Release Date: August 2, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “When I started writing ‘The Drifter,’ I was inspired to compose something to pay tribute to one of my all-time favorite mandolin players, David Grisman. I feel like this song has that vibe, though nobody can play that style like Dawg. The song title is in honor of my late brother-in-law, Mike Mullins, who wrote a book called The Drifter before he passed away; that title just seemed to fit this song. ‘The Drifter’ was so much fun to record, and it’s always great to have my wife Andrea playing bass with me and the solos that Tony Wray (banjo and guitar) and Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle) played on it are magical. I’m blessed to have such great musicians helping me bring my music to life!” – Danny Roberts

Track Credits:
Danny Roberts – Mandolin
Andrea Roberts – Bass
Tony Wray – Acoustic guitar, banjo
Jimmy Mattingly – Fiddle

A Tale of Two, “Renegade”

Artist name: A Tale Of Two
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Renegade”
Album: Renegade
Release Date: October 4, 2024

In Their Words: “‘Renegade’ is a fitting title for both the record and this song. It represents a shift, a changing of the tide. Our aim is to embody an identity that defies the norms of Nashville. Drawing inspiration from fragments of a previously unreleased track, “Renegade” continues the next chapter of our story, infused with the spirit of the Appalachian terrain we know so well.” – A Tale of Two

Track Credits:
Aaron Lessard – Guitar and vocals
Stephanie Adlington – Vocals
Ross McReynolds – Percussion
Elizabeth Estes – Fiddle
Jon Estes – Bass

Yasmin Williams, “Virga”

Artist: Yasmin Williams
Hometown: Woodbridge, Virginia
Song: “Virga”
Album: Acadia
Release Date: October 4, 2024
Label: Nonesuch Records

In Their Words: “A virga occurs when trails of rainfall from a cloud evaporate before they reach the ground. While virga can be beautiful to look at, it can also cause extreme turbulence for aircrafts. I related this phenomenon to how I feel about participating in the music industry. While it’s so fulfilling to create music that I’m proud of and to be able to travel around the world, the industry itself is dangerous to be a part of and doesn’t always value art or artists.

“Instead, the music industry values metrics and other things that are related to business, not art, forcing most artists to think about hitting their next business target instead of putting their energy into their music. I often feel overwhelmed with all of the expectations that the music business puts on artists and the constant need to move on to the next goal post instead of being able to reflect on, and be grateful for, the things I’ve already achieved.

“While writing ‘Virga,’ I realized that it’s totally fine to feel suspended in time, with my career goals, hopes, and dreams suspended in the atmosphere of an environment I have no control over… and I eventually learned how to thrive “in Virga,” through both the beautiful times and the turbulent ones.” – Yasmin Williams

Track Credits:
Darlingside – Vocals
Rich Ruth – Synth,
Yasmin Williams – Harp guitar
Jeff Gruber – Recording engineer
Mixed by Ken Lewis at thATMOS Studios.

Photo Credit: Yasmin Williams by Ebru Yildiz; Danny Roberts by Sandlin Gaither.

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

Posted on July 26, 2024June 20, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

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

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

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

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

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

Ashby Frank, “God Gave Me Horses”

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

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

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

Cole Gallagher, “Traveling Man’s Blues”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jordie Lane, “Biscuit House”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dallas Moore, “Up On That Mountain”

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

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

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

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

DelFest Sessions: Sister Sadie

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

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

Watch the full session here.

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