You know what would be the perfect way to end the week? A bevy of new roots songs and videos! Well, we have just the thing – and You Gotta Hear This.
To start us off, South Carolina-based husband-and-wife duo Benson – Wayne and Kristin Scott Benson – deliver a brand new instrumental, “Slayton Court.” Inspired by Wayne’s first address when he moved to Nashville 30+ years ago, and their young adult son’s similar journey in the present, it’s a thoughtful and tender tune that’s lyrical and evocative. Their labelmates, Unspoken Tradition, who hail from just up the mountains from Benson, also debuted a new single today, “Rhythm of the Ridge.” Written by North Carolina native Milan Miller, it’s an excellent song built on regionality, community, and the importance of the cultures that birth roots music.
Keep scrolling, though, as there’s plenty to explore. Singer-songwriter Cuchulain offers an adorable, painstaking stop-motion video for his new single, “Flip Turns.” As he puts it, it’s a song for swimmers and/or folks trying to keep their head above water wrapped in smooth and jazzy, alt-Americana sonics. New Jersey singer-songwriter Sean Kiely kicked off 2026 with a brand new track featuring his friend and hero, Kaia Kater. We’re pleased to share a live performance video of “This Is The Year,” a perfect song for starting the new calendar year on the correct foot.
Los Angeles stalwart Jonny Fritz returns to his most recent album, Debbie Downers, to offer all of us a woodwinds version of that critically acclaimed LP coming in April. Today he unveils the first delightful woodwinds version from the reimagined collection, “Tea Man,” featuring clarinets, bass clarinet, flute, and Fritz holding it all together himself. For a dose of old-time, check out “Cheeky F” by George Jackson’s Local Trio. Stemming from the tradition of Texas-style old-time fiddling and melodies, Jackson, his trio-mates, and guest guitarist (and producer) Stash Wyslouch pick through the swinging and acrobatic pizzicato head with “Flight of the Bumblebee” aplomb.
To round out our roundup this week, we get a healthy dose of alliterative outlaw country from Ameripolitan crooner Dale Watson. “Willie, Waylon and Whiskey” brings alt-country, the Bakersfield sound, and psychedelic surf rock together as only Watson could. The track is driving and frenetic, leaning forward in the beat and referencing so many classic lines, melodic hooks, and tracks from his fellow outlaws. Would country be country without self-referential songs? It’s hard to imagine.
From bluegrass and old-time to folk and outlaw, there’s plenty to enjoy this week on BGS. You Gotta Hear This!
Benson, “Slayton Court”
Artist: Benson
Hometown: Boiling Springs, South Carolina
Song: “Slayton Court”
Release Date: January 23, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “‘Slayton Court’ was the first address that I had when I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, around 1993 with my good buddy Greg Luck. This instrumental is inspired by kind of reflecting on that time when you first gain your independence. For me, I was a young working musician for the first time playing with IIIrd Tyme Out. And you fast forward all these years and now I have a 19-year-old son going through a similar season. We were going to make a slideshow to document those years, especially with his activity as a young angler and going into the world of college fishing. As we made that slideshow it felt like this same melody would serve as great background for that, as well. I hope you guys enjoy ‘Slayton Court.'” – Wayne Benson
Track Credits:
Wayne Benson – Mandolin
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Cody Kilby – Acoustic guitar
Kevin McKinnon – Bass
Cuchulain, “Flip Turns”
Artist: Cuchulain
Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina, but currently live in Ithaca, New York. This was recorded in Eugene, Oregon, though, which was our hometown for the past five years.
Song: “Flip Turns”
Album: It’s Always Something
Release Date: January 23, 2026 (single); April 3, 2026 (album)
In Their Words: “‘Flip Turns’ is a song for swimmers, for folks keeping their head above water. Written between swim breaks on summer tour 2024 and recorded live last January 2025, this song was our Tiny Desk Contest submission last year. I’ll be touring East Coast listening rooms in April 2026 to support It’s Always Something, the live in-studio album for which this is the lead single. A stop-motion music video accompanies the single release. The video took me most of fall 2025: I hand-felted the figures, constructed sets, and filmed frame by frame on my phone during my newborn daughter’s nap breaks. Equally at home on a coffee shop playlist or swimming workout playlist, the songs on this album are meant to be photographs of what my Oregon band sounded like at our peak, and love letters to hopeless romantics trying to make sense of this wild world.” – Cuchulain
Track Credits:
Paul Carberry – Bass
Malcolm Orr – Drums
Poom Aempoo – Clarinet
Tom Whaley – Trombone
Cuchulain – Vocals, guitar, songwriter
Video Credits: Video by Cuchulain, color by Ashley Barry.
Jonny Fritz, “Tea Man”
Artist: Jonny Fritz
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Tea Man”
Album: Debbie Downers – Woodwinds
Release Date: January 20, 2026 (single); April 3, 2026 (album)
Label: Gar Hole Records
In Their Words: “I love woodwinds and have wanted to make this type of record for as long as I can remember. I’ve had this vision of clarinets playing chicken pickin’-style telecaster solos. Just imagine a Jerry Reed covers album played with clarinets and piccolos. There’s something about the staccato tonguing of a reed instrument that seems to me as enjoyable as playing roadhouse country solos. I’ve never played one, so I don’t know, but I do think about it all the time. I couldn’t be happier to finally hear it out loud and share it with the world.
“The version of this record I brought to Andrew Conrad was very different from what it became. My version was ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ and he made it into ‘The Star Wars Theme’ (or something like that). He was so clearly overqualified for the job and it made me appreciate him even more.” – Jonny Fritz
Track Credits:
Jonny Fritz – Vocals, songwriter
Christine Tavolacci – Flute
Andrew Conrad – Clarinets
Michael Mull – Clarinets
Brian Walsh – Bass clarinet
George Jackson’s Local Trio, “Cheeky F”
Artist: George Jackson’s Local Trio
Hometown: Originally, Christchurch, New Zealand. Now, Madison, Tennessee
Song: “Cheeky F”
Album: Center Of The Universe
Release Date: January 26, 2026 (single); February 13, 2026 (album)
Label: Adhyâropa Records
In Their Words: “I was inspired by the way Texas-style old-time fiddlers hide all sorts of weird notes on upbeats, so this was a bit of a riff on a Texas-style tune and seeing how many non-chord notes I could hide around the melody on weak beats. Stash took a break from producing in the control room to join us with some driving rhythm guitar, which really helped channel the Texas-style energy. I’m really happy with some of the spontaneous energy that we were able to capture in this take, a real edge-of-your-seat, improvised, studio take.” – George Jackson
Track Credits:
George Jackson – Fiddle
Frank Evans – Banjo
Eli Broxham – Double bass
Stash Wyslouch – Guitar
Sean Kiely, “This Is The Year” Featuring Kaia Kater
Artist: Sean Kiely
Hometown: Jersey City, New Jersey
Song: “This Is the Year” featuring Kaia Kater
Release Date: January 1, 2026
Label: Multiple Logo
In Their Words: “I’ve been working on a new record since the fall and I was thrilled that Kaia Kater joined us on ‘This Is the Year’ singing and playing banjo. She elevated the tune so much, both in the vocal and in the groove of the banjo with the band. It came together really naturally and quickly, so we decided to release it on New Year’s Day, even as the rest of the album is still taking shape.
“I have a long list of favorite things about my friend and hero Kaia, but two in particular are her songwriting and her posture as a performer – the self-possession and power that’s just so right-there in everything she sings. They’re qualities I’m reaching for, so having her bring that craft to something I wrote was so rad.
“This video from the afternoon of New Year’s Eve is actually the first time we ever played the tune just as a duo and I gotta say it was no less exciting (and fun) to sit and pick ‘This Is the Year’ on Kaia’s couch just the two of us.” – Sean Kiely
Unspoken Tradition, “Rhythm of the Ridge”
Artist: Unspoken Tradition
Hometown: Western North Carolina
Song: “Rhythm of the Ridge”
Release Date: January 23, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “The first time I heard the demo of ‘Rhythm of the Ridge,’ I realized it was as deeply meaningful for me as it was for Milan [Miller]. I grew up in an immigrant family and straddling two worlds. The mountains of Appalachia are where I found the inspiration to write my American story. It feels timely to tell a story of grounding ideals and identity in a time where external forces attempt to rend us further away from each other. Just as the culture of my family’s home is written on their hearts long after they left it, so too is the ‘Rhythm of the Ridge’ on my own.” – Sav Sankaran
“Although it wasn’t my original intention when I began writing ‘Rhythm of the Ridge,’ the song quickly took on a deeply personal narrative as the lines started falling into place. I left the mountains of North Carolina for Nashville almost 30 years ago, yet home is a melody that follows you long after you leave it – a rhythm in your bones and blood that quietly keeps time. This isn’t a song about longing or looking back; it leans into a sense of place that steadies you and guides you through new endeavors and experiences. Fully adept at honoring the traditions of bluegrass while championing material that feels fresh and forward-thinking, Unspoken Tradition has become one of my favorite bands to emerge in the genre over the past decade, and I am beyond thrilled that they’re adding ‘Rhythm of the Ridge’ to their stellar catalog.” – Milan Miller, songwriter
Track Credits:
Audie McGinnis – Acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
Sav Sankaran – Upright bass, lead vocal
Tim Gardner – Fiddle, harmony vocal
Ty Gilpin – Mandolin
Zane McGinnis – Banjo
Dale Watson, “Willie, Waylon and Whiskey”
Artist: Dale Watson
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Willie, Waylon and Whiskey”
Album: Unwanted
Release Date: January 23, 2026 (single); April 24, 2026 (album)
Label: 40 Below Records
In Their Words: “This song was written on stage in San Antonio at the Lonesome Rose Bar. Inspired by a large man standing in front of me all night because he was wearing a shirt that simply said ‘Willie Waylon and Whiskey.’ I asked if it was a band name or a song name and he just said, ‘No, I just saw it in Walmart and liked it.’ Well, I liked it, too, so I wrote the song on the spot. I knew it would be a keeper when by the second time the chorus came around the entire crowd was singing it with me.” – Dale Watson
Track Credits:
Don Pawlak – Steel
Manny Pagan – Drums
Zack Sapunor – Bass
Dale Watson – Vocals, guitars, songwriter
Matt Hubbard – Keys
Photo Credit: Dale Watson by Jacob Blinkenstaff; Jonny Fritz by Bobbi Rich.