Today’s Bluegrass Gospel Is All About Good News

While playing music in a bar, Tammy Rogers of The SteelDrivers learned a lesson that would guide her life choices. After Rogers graduated from college, she was happily earning her living as a musician. But she wondered if it was enough.

“I felt like it was all about me, rather than what I could give back and put into the world.” She had considered teaching or studying music therapy, thinking that, “Maybe I needed to be actively doing something to help.”

Here’s where the bar band comes in.

“I remember this like it was yesterday. I sang a gospel song.” Rogers said. “And after the set, a couple came up to me and said, ‘Thank you so much for singing that song. It meant so much to us.’ And it was like a light bulb came on – answering the question, ‘What should I be doing with my life?’”

For Rogers, the interaction with that couple in the bar was God giving her the message that she was doing what she was meant to do.

“The music that you write, the music that you play can touch people and help them, whether it’s in happiness or sorrow.”

Bluegrass musicians often incorporate old and new gospel songs into their performances. Whether it’s the melodies, the spine-tingling harmonies, the familiarity, or the content, gospel music has an enduring appeal to the full spectrum of bluegrass fans, regardless of culture or religion.

Last year, The SteelDrivers, as well as the young band High Fidelity, produced gospel albums – Tougher Than Nails and Music In My Soul, respectively – and Chris Jones released a gospel track, “Step Out in the Sunshine.” For them, the music is personal. They all come from a place of faith and sincere connection to the good news of the gospel, as well as loving the music itself.

In the rural communities where bluegrass began, life often centered around church, as a place of prayer, music, and friendship. Eventually, Southern gospel music also took on a life independent of worship.

Wayne Erbsen wrote in his charming book, Rural Roots of Bluegrass, “By the 1850s, songwriters were composing new gospel songs to appeal to the thousands who flocked to the rapidly growing number of shape-note singing conventions throughout the south.”

These lucrative gatherings – possibly more entertainment than spiritual – continued well into the 20th century. Erbsen told BGS that people would bring the books they already owned, but when they arrived, “they had to buy more books” to learn the new songs. The publishers hired excellent performers to attend the conventions and inspire the singers.

Erbsen wrote, “The songs and styles that were part of this shape-note singing convention tradition eventually merged with bluegrass instrumental and vocal styles to create a new genre now known as bluegrass gospel.”

Bill Monroe, like others of his generation, was exposed to religious-themed music. While performing with brother Charlie, Monroe’s first hit record was “What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul?” And just as he learned the blues from Black fiddler Arnold Shultz, he was “fascinated by the music of the Black churches,” Chris Jones said. That’s where Monroe learned “Walking in Jerusalem,” popular today for its rich harmonies.

High Fidelity – Jeremy Stephens, Corrina Rose Logston Stephens, Kurt Stephenson, Daniel Amick, and Vickie Vaughn – is steeped in traditional bluegrass. Corrina’s parents got hooked on Reno & Smiley and the Stanley Brothers looking through department store record bins – and Corrina has stayed close to the traditional fold ever since. “It feels like it’s in my blood,” she said.

Jeremy learned to sing harmony from his grandfather. After he picked up the fiddle, a school bus driver made him a cassette tape of classic bluegrass. “And that tape was transformative to me,” he shared.

All of High Fidelity’s music is infused with the harmonies, instrumentation, and themes of early bluegrass performers. The friends who make up High Fidelity (the name comes from the words often on labels of early bluegrass records) came together as a band to compete in the SPBGMA band contest. They never imagined they would take first place. So, “It was this overwhelming gift that we won,” Corinna said. “It almost felt like divine intervention.”

“And everyone in High Fidelity is spiritual,” she continues. “We’re all Christian folks. We all identify with the songs that we’re singing.” So, from the earliest days, she said, they felt a gospel album was in their future, to “honor the Lord and thank him for giving us this gift.”

During a long period of illness that Corinna later learned was caused by toxic mold in their home (they since have moved out, and she feels a lot better), she received another gift from God, she said. She woke in the early hours of the morning with a song in her head that was so compelling, she had to get out of bed to record it. “And almost all of the verses just came out, bypassing my conscious brain.”

That song is “The Mighty Name of Jesus.” It is a centerpiece of, and the only original on, their recording, Music In My Soul. Corinna said, “We wanted [the project] to feel like a quintessential High Fidelity record, very bluegrassy.”

She wanted to emulate another early hero, Carl Story. When listening to Story, she said, “It wouldn’t even register that I was listening to a gospel record. It was just such good bluegrass… I wanted Carl Story’s vibes.”

Their recording successfully and joyously channels the spirit and musicality of the earliest bluegrass stars. High Fidelity worked hard to find little-known gospel songs from a variety of sources, performing them with the same enthusiastic vigor that they bring to their secular music. Listeners will recognize classic banjo introductions and harmony variations that have been passed through generations since bluegrass hit the radio.

And just as Music in the Soul is undoubtedly High Fidelity, nobody but The SteelDrivers could have created Tougher Than Nails. It is gritty, bluesy and achingly human.

Rogers said that for years, The SteelDrivers’ most requested song has been “Where Rainbows Never Die,” from the 2010 recording Reckless.

“We’ve gotten so many emails, messages, people come up to us at shows, telling us how they’ve played the song at their dad’s funeral or for grandpa or whomever and how much it’s meant to them.

“It doesn’t say the word God. It doesn’t say the word Jesus. It doesn’t even use the term heaven. But it is a gospel song, a spiritual song. It’s about passing on to the next life. To me, it is such a powerful, beautiful way of sharing,” Rogers said.

In the same way, she said, a SteelDrivers’ gospel collection wouldn’t be “preaching at people or using even the language they’re familiar with. But if the message is the same, why not?”

On Tougher Than Nails, expect the same gutsy, no-holds-barred, gorgeous vocals that we love from The SteelDrivers. Their original gospel songs are as much about the dangers, choices, and blessings of humanity as their songs about liquor, guns, guitars, and heartache.

They ask us to think about Mary Magdalene, and how she balanced love for the man with love for the divine. They wonder if Judas’ heart broke as he fulfilled his destiny of betrayal. And they celebrate the victory of love over the cruelty of crucifixion.

Even “Amazing Grace” is uniquely SteelDrivers – starting with a primitive drone that weaves into the blues-driven rhythms we associate with Black Baptist church choirs.

Chris Jones is one of the most enduring and admired singers in modern bluegrass. He also is a SiriusXM radio host and writer, and a respected commentator on all things bluegrass.

Jones recently recorded “Step Out In the Sunshine.” Jones learned the song from listening to Ralph Stanley on Jones’ “all-time favorite gospel album.” It’s a song of hope and joy.

“I think the feeling and sincerity of gospel music touches all different kinds of people. It has a broad appeal, whether you’re a believer or not,” Jones said.

He noted that many bluegrass fans relate to melodies and arrangements and often overlook the lyrics. He referred to a listener who loved the song, “Julie Ann,” because it was so happy. (It’s up-tempo, but sung by a man begging his wife not to leave him.)
But lyrics do matter to the musicians who sing them.

Jones echoed a sentiment reflected in the gospel choices of High Fidelity and The SteelDrivers. A religious commitment “makes you a little more selective of what you’re willing to sing. Is this a message I really want to send to people?” Jones chooses gospel songs that are welcoming and inclusive.

High Fidelity’s Jeremy Stephens said they avoided lyrics that sounded like condemnation, the ones that say, “You’re bad because you do this and you’re bad because you do that.” He said Music In My Soul “is our hearts talking to your hearts… the Lord said, ‘Come to me as you are.’ There’s so much peace and love and acceptance in him.”

Award-winning singer and guitar player Greg Blake currently performs with his own band as well as with Special Consensus. Blake had a ministry for 30 years before becoming a full-time musician. He said he has learned a lot over the years about judgement, love, and being open-hearted. And his insights inform his choice of spiritually-oriented songs.

“When I was younger, and probably more zealous and less informed, I felt like I needed to be ‘right.’ But as I got older and looked at the teachings of Jesus, I saw that his message was more about right relationships,” rather than proper dogma or theology.

So today, Blake says, “I like to bring into gospel even songs that may not have a strong Christian element, but are just good, positive songs… that leave one with a sense of hope and love and care for one another. I think that’s the message that people of the world need to hear today.”


Photo Credit: Photo of the SteelDrivers courtesy of the artist; photo of High Fidelity by Amy Richmond.

LISTEN: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, “Step Out in the Sunshine”

Artist: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Step Out in the Sunshine”
Album: Pages In Your Hand
Release Date: October 6, 2023
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Ralph Stanley’s early 1970s Clinch Mountain Boys lineup of Roy Lee Centers, Jack Cooke, Curly Ray Cline, Keith Whitley, and Ricky Skaggs was a golden era for his band, in my opinion, and in my mid-teens their music was a major influence on me as I was just getting serious about playing music. The gospel album they did, Cry From the Cross, was and remains my favorite bluegrass gospel album of all time. It inspired my lead singing and guitar playing, and without consciously trying to do it, I learned to sing the baritone harmony part from Jack Cooke.

“I still have and cherish the original LP that I bought when I was around 15, though the jacket is a little battered and my name is written in brown magic marker on the back — because, you know, other kids in high school were likely to try to steal my Ralph Stanley records. I wanted to record a song from the album that I hadn’t heard anyone else do and that hadn’t become a Ralph Stanley standard, and so I was drawn to ‘Step Out in the Sunshine.’ We rearranged it slightly to fit our sound but it remains a tribute to the Stanley original.” – Chris Jones

Track Credits:
Chris Jones – acoustic guitar, lead vocal
Marshall Wilborn – bass
Mark Stoffel – mandolin, harmony vocal
Grace van’t Hof – banjo, harmony vocal


Photo Credit: Sandlin Gaither

BGS Receives IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award

The International Bluegrass Music Association announced the nominees and recipients of their 34th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards today at the SiriusXM headquarters in downtown Nashville. Hosted by Bluegrass Junction DJs Joey Black and Ned Luberecki and featuring performances by nominee Lonesome River Band and brand-new Hall of Fame inductee Sam Bush, the ceremony also included announcements of this year’s IBMA Distinguished Achievement Awards, the second highest honor the organization gives out.

Italian bluegrass forebears Red Wine, banjo player and “Duke of Drive” Terry Baucom, promoter and festival organizer Carl Goldstein, and author and picker Tom Ewing were among this year’s Distinguished Achievement Recipients. Rounding out the field in the Industry category is BGS – The Bluegrass Situation – the world’s foremost online community for bluegrass and roots music.

“Of course, what we do is never driven by a need for accolades,” says BGS co-founder and executive director Amy Reitnouer Jacobs. “However, to be recognized by our peers and community is a humbling honor nonetheless.”

In 2022 BGS celebrated its tenth year of operation, marking the milestone with special anniversary content, articles, shows, and activations throughout the year. What began as a blog for bluegrass fans in Los Angeles – co-founded by actor and musician Ed Helms and Reitnouer Jacobs, who would quickly become a power player in the music industry – has since grown into a national and international community, with hundreds of thousands of followers across platforms and around the world.

“We are so honored and humbled by this recognition,” says BGS managing editor Justin Hiltner. “Bluegrass is all about community, and to have our community – the genre that built us – recognize our efforts in this way means the world. What Ed and Amy have created and brought all of us into is something truly special. Thank you to IBMA, the organization and its membership, for this award.”

BGS has produced and presented stages and concerts at some of the world’s premier events, festivals, and venues, including Bonnaroo, UK’s Long Road Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, MerleFest, Stagecoach, the Theatre at the Ace Hotel in downtown LA, the Irish Arts Center in NYC, and IBMA’s World of Bluegrass. In 2020, their online series Whiskey Sour Happy Hour, hosted by Helms, raised tens of thousands of dollars for frontline healthcare workers and personal protective equipment and, in 2016, BGS founded Shout & Shine, bluegrass’s first ever showcase celebrating diversity, inclusion, and representation in bluegrass, which ran for five years and became a column and video series.

During the presentation of the Distinguished Achievement recipients, IBMA had this to say about the outlet and media company:

The Bluegrass Situation, or more simply “BGS” or “The Sitch” has arguably been the preeminent online media source for bluegrass and roots music for the last ten years. Founded by Ed Helms and Amy Reitnouer Jacobs, The Bluegrass Situation has quickly grown into a national and international home for millions of readers to discover new artists and material, both traditional and progressive, read in-depth interviews and feature articles, and learn the history of bluegrass music. BGS has also been an important event promoter and sponsor in LA and around the country at major festivals such as Bonnaroo, Bourbon & Beyond, and IBMA World of Bluegrass. Members of the BGS team have also been impactful participants in helping the industry, including numerous IBMA education panels and the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show.

The Distinguished Achievement Awards will be presented during a luncheon ceremony as part of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass conference in Raleigh, North Carolina ahead of the International Bluegrass Music Awards show on Thursday, September 28. Tickets for the conference and awards show are on sale now.

BGS is so grateful, honored, and humbled by this recognition handed out by our peers, colleagues, and community. While the musical and editorial scope of BGS has always been broader than just bluegrass, it’s this genre that built us – and it’s the people in this community who we have to thank for all of our successes.

Stay tuned for more announcements to come regarding BGS’s involvement and activities at this year’s IBMA World of Bluegrass conference.

(Editor’s Note: See the full list of this year’s IBMA Awards nominees and recipients here.)


Graphic courtesy of IBMA

IBMA Announces 34th Annual Awards Nominees and Recipients

The International Bluegrass Music Association announced this year’s nominees and recipients for the 34th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards today in downtown Nashville at SiriusXM’s Music City Theater. The announcement ceremony included live performances by nominees the Lonesome River Band and Sam Bush, who will be inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame at the IBMA Awards show in Raleigh, North Carolina, this September.

Additional inductees into the Hall of Fame, which is housed at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky, include first-generation bluegrasser and country chart-topper Wilma Lee Cooper and an innovator and virtuoso who has expanded the borders of bluegrass and acoustic music throughout his career, David Grisman.

Recipients of the Distinguished Achievement Awards – IBMA’s highest honor outside of Hall of Fame induction – were also announced, highlighting the significant contributions of artists, musicians, and organizations such as Red Wine (Italy’s foremost bluegrass group), banjo player and band leader Terry Baucom, author and musician Tom Ewing, promoter and organizer Carl Goldstein, and media outlet and online hub BGS, The Bluegrass Situation.

“We are so honored and humbled by this recognition,” says BGS managing editor Justin Hiltner. “Bluegrass is all about community, and to have our community – the genre that built us – recognize our efforts in this way means the world. What Ed [Helms] and Amy [Reitnouer Jacobs] have created and brought all of us into is something truly special. Thank you to IBMA, the organization and its membership, for this award.” (Read more here.)

In the Instrumentalist, Recordings, and Artists’ categories, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Billy Strings (and his father, Terry Barber), Michael Cleveland, Del McCoury Band, and Sam Bush Band lead the nominations. View the full list below and make plans now to attend the IBMA Awards Show in Raleigh, North Carolina, as part of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass conference on Thursday, September 28, 2023.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR:

Appalachian Road Show
Billy Strings
Del McCoury Band
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:

Authentic Unlimited
Balsam Range
Blue Highway
Del McCoury Band
Sister Sadie

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:

Billy Strings
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
The Infamous Stringdusters
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
The Travelin’ McCourys

SONG OF THE YEAR:

“Blue Ridge Mountain Baby”

Artist: Appalachian Road Show
Songwriters: Barry Abernathy/Jim VanCleve
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producer: Appalachian Road Show

“Crooked Tree”
Artist: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Songwriters: Molly Tuttle/Melody Walker
Label: Nonesuch Records
Producers: Jerry Douglas and Molly Tuttle

“Diane”
Artist: Sister Sadie
Songwriters: Jeffrey Nath Bhasker/Samuel Tyler Johnson/Cameron Marvel Ochs
Label: Mountain Home
Producer: Sister Sadie

“Heyday”
Artist: Lonesome River Band
Songwriters: Barry Huchens/Will Huchens
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
Producer: Lonesome River Band

“Power of Love”
Artist: Rick Faris
Songwriters: Johnny Colla/Huey Lewis/Christopher Hayes
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
Producer: Stephen Mougin

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Crooked Tree
Artist: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Label: Nonesuch Records
Producer: Jerry Douglas and Molly Tuttle

Lovin’ of the Game
Artist: Michael Cleveland
Label: Compass Records
Producers: Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan

Lowdown Hoedown
Artist: Jason Carter
Label: Fiddle Man Records
Producers: Jason Carter and Brent Truitt

Me/And/Dad
Artist: Billy Strings and Terry Barber
Label: Rounder Records
Producers: Billy Strings and Gary Paczosa

Radio John: The Songs of John Hartford
Artist: Sam Bush
Label: Smithsonian Folkways
Producer: Sam Bush

GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR:

“The Glory Road”

Artist: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Songwriters: Paul Martin/Harry Stinson/Marty Stuart
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producers: Joe Mullins and Adam McIntosh

“Jordan”
Artist: Darin & Brooke Aldridge with Ricky Skaggs, Mo Pitney and Mark Fain
Songwriter: Fred Rich
Label: Billy Blue Records
Producer: Darin Aldridge and Mark Fain

“The Scarlet Red Lines”
Artist: Larry Sparks
Songwriter: Daniel Crabtree
Label: Rebel Records
Producer: Larry Sparks

“Take a Little Time for Jesus”
Artist: Junior Sisk
Songwriter: David Marshall
Label: Mountain Fever Records
Producers: Junior Sisk and Aaron Ramsey

“Tell Me the Story of Jesus”
Artist: Becky Buller with Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs
Songwriter: Fanny Crosby, arrangement by Becky Buller
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
Producer: Stephen Mougin

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR:

“Contact”
Artist: Michael Cleveland with Cody Kilby, Barry Bales, and Béla Fleck
Songwriter: Michael Cleveland
Label: Compass Records
Producer: Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan

“Foggy Morning Breaking”
Artist: Alison Brown with Steve Martin
Songwriters: Alison Brown/Steve Martin
Label: Compass Records
Producers: Alison Brown and Garry West

“Gold Rush”
Artist: Scott Vestal’s Bluegrass 2022
Songwriter: Bill Monroe
Label: Pinecastle Records
Producer: Scott Vestal

“Kissimmee Kid”
Artist: Jason Carter
Songwriter: Vassar Clements
Label: Fiddle Man Records
Producers: Jason Carter and Brent Truitt

“Scorchin’ the Gravy”
Artist: Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Songwriter: Frank Solivan
Label: Compass Records
Producer: Frank Solivan

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

Authentic Unlimited
East Nash Grass
Henhouse Prowlers
The Tennessee Bluegrass Band
Tray Wellington

COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR:

“Alberta Bound”
Artist: Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Tisha Gagnon, Claire Lynch, Pharis & Jason Romero, Patrick Sauber
Songwriter: Gordon Lightfoot
Label: Compass Records
Producer: Alison Brown

“Big Mon”
Artist: Andy Leftwich with Sierra Hull
Songwriter: Bill Monroe
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
Producer: Andy Leftwich

“Foggy Morning Breaking”
Artist: Alison Brown with Steve Martin
Songwriter: Alison Brown/Steve Martin
Label: Compass Records
Producer: Alison Brown and Garry West

“For Your Love”
Artist: Michael Cleveland with Billy Strings and Jeff White
Songwriter: Joe Ely
Label: Compass Records
Producer: Jeff White, Michael Cleveland, and Sean Sullivan

“From My Mountain (Calling You)”
Artist: Peter Rowan with Molly Tuttle and Lindsay Lou
Songwriter: Peter Rowan
Label: Rebel Records
Producer: Peter Rowan

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:

Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Larry Sparks
Dan Tyminski

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:

Brooke Aldridge
Dale Ann Bradley
Jaelee Roberts
Molly Tuttle
Rhonda Vincent

BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Kristin Scott Benson
Alison Brown
Béla Fleck
Ned Luberecki
Scott Vestal

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Mike Bub
Todd Phillips
Missy Raines
Mark Schatz
Vickie Vaughn

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Jason Carter
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Deanie Richardson

RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Rob Ickes
Matt Leadbetter
Justin Moses

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Chris Eldridge
Trey Hensley
Billy Strings
Bryan Sutton
Molly Tuttle

MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Alan Bibey
Jesse Brock
Sam Bush
Sierra Hull
Ronnie McCoury

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS:

Terry Baucom
The Bluegrass Situation
Tom Ewing
Carl Goldstein
Red Wine

BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES:

Sam Bush
Wilma Lee Cooper
David Grisman


Photo of Sam Bush by  Jeff Fasano; photo of Molly Tuttle by Samantha Muljat.

LISTEN: Sturgill Simpson, “Hobo Cartoon”

Artist: Sturgill Simpson
Song: “Hobo Cartoon”
Album: Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2
Release Date: December 11, 2020

In Their Words: “’Hobo Cartoon’ is one that I’ve been sitting on for about four years. Merle Haggard wrote the lyrics to that when he was in the hospital, on his deathbed. And he was writing a lot at that time. I think he was optimistic he was going to come out of there and everything’s going to be ok. We’d talk on the phone when he was sick, and one day I just get this text message with a note memo with those lyrics, and a text that just said, ‘From one railroad man to another,’ but it was just the lyrics. Then he passed away shortly after that, so we never got to… finish the song together, I guess. And I almost put it on another project.

“He loved bluegrass a lot, and when we got into cutting this thing [Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2] and I had it, I just said, ‘Screw this, man. I’m going to cowboy up. I got to cut this.’ So I went and put a melody and some chords to it, and finished the song. Sent it to Ben [Haggard], his son, and Theresa [Haggard], his wife, and just said, ‘You know, I just want to get this out into the world and I need your all’s approval.’ Which they thankfully gave and loved it. And I just decided this is the only way I could possibly end the record. There is nowhere else this could go.” – Sturgill Simpson, via SiriusXM’s Elizabeth Cook’s Apron Strings

Shaped by Blues and Country, Shemekia Copeland Launches ‘Uncivil War’ (Part 1 of 2)

At just 41 years old, Shemekia Copeland is already an established multi-decade blues veteran. That’s what happens when you start performing as a pre-teen with your blues legend father Johnny Clyde Copeland and make your recorded debut at 18. As one of the primary hosts on SiriusXM’s BB King’s Bluesville channel, she’s also one of the genre’s highest-profile artists. A recent series of albums have both underlined Copeland as a star of the blues and pushed her beyond the walls of the genre, further into Americana and socially conscious commentary.

Her latest, Uncivil War, is another bold step forward. Recorded in Nashville with producer Will Kimbrough, the album features a wide range of guest performers, including Jason Isbell, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Steve Cropper, Duane Eddy, Webb Wilder and bluegrass legends Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas. She pushes boundaries not just with the instrumentation but the topics she covers, including “Clotilda’s on Fire,” which tells the story of the last slave ship to come to the U.S., and the title track, “Uncivil War,” is a plea for healing in our increasingly divided nation.

“Americana was not on my radar, but I grew up listening to country music because my dad grew up in Texas and loved it,” Copeland tells BGS. “I’d walk around the house singing Patsy Cline and Hank Williams songs that my dad loved, but I hadn’t really even heard anything about the blend of country and roots music until a few years ago, so I think it’s kind of hilarious that people are saying I’m crossing over to Americana. But I welcome all listeners!”

Editor’s Note: Read the second half of our interview with Shemekia Copeland here.

BGS: Over the past few albums, you’ve really stretched out musically and part of that is working with a wide range of musicians, many from outside the blues world. Let’s talk about a few of them on the new record, starting with two bluegrass greats, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas.

SC: Oh my gosh! They are just really talented guys who make anything better. I just love those guys! I think my favorite part about them is that they exemplify something I love about Nashville: nobody cares about genre. It’s all about just whether or not it’s a good song and whether they want to play on it. And that’s it.

You think that’s notably different than other places? Do you find that not to be the case in New York or Chicago, for instance?

I have to say yes to that. I think it’s different in Nashville. People just want to play music. Down there, nobody ever even asks, “How much does it pay?” They’re just like, “What time do I need to show up?” It’s really about the music and Will Kimbrough, who produced the last two records, knows everyone in town and has played with most of them.

Jason Isbell is another great guest on this album and plays a great solo on “Clotilda’s on Fire.”

Yes, that one was a little different. We did a show at the Grand Ole Opry together, so Jason knew who I was when Will called and asked him to play on this song, and he was ready to do it. “Clotilda’s on Fire” is about the slave ship that they found off the coast of Alabama, and he’s from Alabama and we wanted him to play lead guitar on it. It just felt natural. It’s amazing how organically these things happen.

That song is really powerful and it’s just one of several very topical tunes on this record. That’s something different that you’ve really established. The first four songs are not about personal things like heartbreak, but heavy topics addressed in interesting ways. You have “Clotilda’s on Fire,” about the last slave ship; “Walk Until I Ride,” a modern-day Civil Rights anthem; and “Uncivil War” and “Money Makes You Ugly,” whose titles speak for themselves. Did you make a very conscious decision to do this?

Absolutely! I’ve been doing it for several records now. And I think the more confident I get, the better I get at it, and the more comfortable I get with saying what’s on my mind. Like on America’s Child, I did “Would You Take My Blood?” which was the first time I ever tackled a song about racism. On previous records, I did songs about domestic violence, date rape, things like that. But it feels more imperative than ever with everything that’s going on in this country now — and this was before COVID-19. This record was finished when all of this crap happened.

I was struck by the story about the Clotilda ever since the ship was found off the coast of Alabama. My ancestors came over here on one of those ships. I did my DNA and I’m 87 percent African, so I was very interested in that story. I wanted people to know about it and, more importantly, to understand why it still matters so much. The line in that song that’s one of the most important to me is “We’re still living with her ghost.” I want people to know that it hasn’t ended, that we’re still going through the same stuff and it’s very, very saddening. Heartbreaking, really.

Have you had any backlash to being more outspoken?

Oh, of course.

Do you care?

Not at all. You can’t satisfy everyone. The one thing that I’ve learned in my career is you’re going to piss somebody off. Not everybody’s gonna be happy with you. It’s just that simple, and it’s okay. Nobody wants their difficult history dredged up and put out in front of their face, but I’m good as long as I can look at myself in the mirror every day and be happy with myself.

Amidst all the great new original songs is a cool cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb.” How did you choose that one?

Doing that song was, for me, turning the tables on men. In fact, I actually hate it as a Stones song. I don’t want a man talking about a woman in that way — but it’s a great song! I don’t want to think of a woman being under anyone’s thumb, so the tables were turned… but one critic listened to it and said, “She’s talking about Black women being oppressed in this country.” I thought, “They’re making me sound so smart!” Same thing with “No Heart at All,” which a lot of people have read a lot into and interpreted as being about the president. Okay, but that goes for anyone who doesn’t have one.

That’s interesting about “Under My Thumb.” There’s a power to a woman flipping a song as Aretha did with Otis Redding’s “Respect.” That’s a completely different song sung from a woman’s perspective.

Yeah, to me, a guy singing that is just not right. Doesn’t work. Like, I couldn’t do some standard songs, as much as I love them. I would never want to sing things like “I’d Rather Go Blind” because, shit, I don’t want to go blind. You want to go? Get to steppin’! I don’t need you here. You know what I mean? It’s like this great love song but it leaves me saying, screw that. Peace out.

And you’d never think of Etta James as a pushover in any way! You were close with Koko Taylor, who turned some songs around as well.

She did! “I’m a Woman” was her turning the tables on men. I was devastated when we lost her [in 2009] because she always checked on me. She was so worried about me being in this business because of what she went through with her musicians and managers. Meanwhile, I’m out on the road with all these square guys that only drink herbal tea and don’t even smoke cigarettes. This was not her experience at all! I don’t think that she realized that it was just a different time. She had managers stealing money and disappearing into crack dens. She went through some stuff and wanted to make sure that I could avoid them.

You have a very interesting relationship with your manager, John Hahn, who is also your primary songwriter. How did that develop?

I met John when I was 8 years old. When my friends came around, I’d say, “This is Mr. John Hahn and he’s my manager.” Really, he was working with my father and I was just a little kid talking shit. But when I was about 12, he wrote me a song called “Daddy’s Little Girl” for fun. I started to go sit in with my dad. Now fast forward 33 years or so, and John and I talk every day on the phone, about everything. Having someone who knows me so well write songs is like having a tailor make you a suit. These songs are tailor-made to me, and I’m very fortunate to have that.

Your father was a great songwriter who wrote simple but profound lyrics that really resonated with me. Obviously you agree because almost every album you do one of his tunes, this time “Love Song.”

Yes, thank you! People have suggested I could do a whole record of my daddy’s songs, but this is my subtle way of doing it. I’ve already done ten of them. And, I got to tell you, I do believe that my little boy Johnny is my father reincarnated. He acts just like him. He’s three-and-a-half years old, and is so damn sure of himself. This kid knows who he is. He is arrogant in his confidence, and I always felt my father to be that way. Kind and sweet, but definitely sure of himself. You couldn’t tell him who he was, because he knew. And this little boy is all that and a bag of chips. By the way, my dad knew that I was going to be a singer the second that I came out of the womb.

That’s amazing. How?

I don’t know, but he told my mother when she was holding me in her arms, “She’s going to be a singer.”

And you always feel that way?

No! I did not have the confidence to be a singer. I never wanted to be in front of people. Audiences scared me. I’d always ask my dad how he could get up there in front of all those people and perform. That was always a problem for me.

But you did it from such a young age. I saw you when you were about 12!

I did, but I never was comfortable with it. And it’s now my favorite part. The music business sucks, but performing in front of people is the most amazing feeling in the world. That didn’t come to me until I got older, and became more confident in myself. I had to grow up. Eventually I realized this is who I am.

When was that? You put out your first record at 19.

It’s gotten better over the years. You’re always a work in progress. I started out as a child, and a certain confidence comes in when you’ve been doing it a couple of decades! You never ever stop paying your dues, but I’ve now accepted me wholeheartedly.

(Editor’s Note: Read the second half of our interview with Shemekia Copeland here.)


Photo credit: Mike White

The Dead South Have a Message for Bluegrass Purists

The Dead South is actually from up north, but the Canadian band has cultivated a following in stateside circles too. With a raucous approach to roots music, they’ve been guests of SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction, showcased at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, and recorded their newest album, Sugar & Joy, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Upon its release, they debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s top bluegrass albums chart.

That grand entrance is setting the stage for significant touring over the winter, with West Coast dates starting in November, followed by Midwest gigs in December. They’ve already confirmed European dates for February through May 2020.

Formed in 2012, the band is back in its original lineup of Nate Hilts (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Scott Pringle (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Danny Kenyon (cello, vocals) and Colton Crawford (banjo). Maybe it’s important to note that there’s neither a fiddle player nor a drummer in this band — or you know, maybe it doesn’t matter one bit. Hilts and Crawford chatted with BGS during some downtime at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass business conference.

BGS: “Diamond Ring” but doesn’t end well for one of the characters, which is common in bluegrass. What story were you trying to tell in this song?

Nate Hilts: It’s a story of a man who’s trying to appease his partner. She finds that a diamond ring would make her happy and so he is going to do whatever he can to make sure that he gets that diamond ring for her. And it turns out to be a tragic ending, of course. Just like all of the songs I write. [Laughs]

Did you know it would end so gruesome?

NH: You know what, no! But when you’re doing a video it’s like, yeah, we need a body count!

Videos have been a crucial part of your career. Do you find that that’s been a good way to be introduced to new fans?

Colton Crawford: Yeah, I think so. We had our first big splash with the “In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company” video. So I think a lot of our fans discover us through YouTube. I think like our songs work well with music videos, too. They’re cinematic and “soundtrack-y.” We’re definitely inspired by film soundtracks and Tarantino and Spaghetti Westerns.

Are there filmmakers that inspire you or that really resonate with you?

CC: Clint Eastwood for sure. Tarantino for sure. Even those old B horror films, Wes Craven and that kind of stuff.

NH: You could give us an array of movies and we’ll find stuff that we like about it. Who did Drive?

CC: That was Nicholas Winding Refn. That movie is all about the atmosphere. I think our songs are kind of like that too.

Was there a certain encounter that triggered you to write “Blue Trash”?

CC: Lyrically, yes. [Laughs]. This one was a lot of fun for me because the verses and the chorus are the same banjo part. It’s just the choruses are played in halftime with that shuffle feel, but it’s the same thing. I do a couple of different bends and stuff like that. I came up with that slow part first and wanted to “Scruggs-ify” that slow part, so it was a lot of fun.

NH: But lyrically that song was triggered by listening to a purist group on Bluegrass Junction [that was dismissing] bands like us, who aren’t quite pure. You know, we stem from bluegrass, but we do our own thing with it. And this song we heard was basically telling us to go away.

CC: “Blue Trash” is sort of like a cheeky love letter to bluegrass. It’s a bit of a response to that.

NH: It’s not a hateful or hurtful response. It’s more like, you know what, we’re here and we love bluegrass music.

So what’s your response when someone’s like, “Well, they don’t play bluegrass…”?

NH: “Yes, you’re absolutely right, but what do you want us to do?” We’re not saying that we’re playing bluegrass. We love bluegrass. The reason that this band was started was bluegrass. And here’s what we do with bluegrass. We take our parts of it. Colton on the banjo, he’s playing better than half the folks you hear on Bluegrass Junction, and [it’s] fantastic that we can have those elements, but we’re not claiming to be the best, or to be stealing it. We’re just trying to be a part of the community and play music.

Tell me about what you mean when you say the band started because of bluegrass.

NH: Oh, when I first met Colton, I was listening to a lot of Old Crow Medicine Show and Trampled By Turtles and listening to some older bluegrass. Colton had just got a banjo, started playing.

CC: Steve Martin was the first actual banjo player that I listened to. Actually there were indie bands that I was into in high school and university, like Modest Mouse — their one record Good News For People Who Love Bad News, there’s a lot of banjo on that. I always just loved the sound of it. And then I discovered that Steve Martin was a world class picker.

I was always a metal guitarist. So there was actually a lot of crossover. I just love that fast picking style… Growing up, my guitar lessons were all classical fingerstyle guitar, but then I played in metal bands in high school. So the banjo is like the perfect middle ground between an acoustic fingerstyle guitar and metal guitar.

Colton, did you take some time off?

CC: I did, yeah. When we first started the band, we just hit the ground running with the touring and we were making no money. So we’d be on the road for a month and a half to two months at a time in a minivan, playing every single day. … I’ve always had this tough time sleeping, but I had a year of really, really bad insomnia. I think the worst part about insomnia is that you’d think at a certain point you get so exhausted that your body would just pass out and you’d have a great sleep. But the thing with insomnia is the more tired you get, the less likely you are to sleep. It’s the worst, it’s just hell.

I went through a year of that and I just said, OK, I’ve got to step away from this. And of course, like two weeks after I left, “In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company” got posted to Reddit and everything started to blow up. But I was still really good friends with Nate, kept in touch with the guys all the time, always figured that’d be part of writing the next record regardless. And then I got some help and figured it out a little bit. Then sort of approaching it a couple of years later, I just said, you know, I want to take another swing. Thankfully these guys, they could’ve told me to fuck off, but they didn’t. So I’m grateful for that.

NH: Yeah, Colton wouldn’t even look me in the eyes when he sat down with me. He was doing a lot of this [looking down]… “I’ve been thinking…” and just staring at the table and I’m like, “What’s he going to say? What’s coming?”

CC: I had no idea how you guys were going to react at all.

NH: He said, “Hey, we should go for a beer, I want to talk about something.” I was like, “I think he’s going to come back.” [Laughs]. In our minds I was like, he’s probably never coming back because we travel a lot and that was a big, big part of it. So what do you do? Unless we stop traveling as much as we focus just on writing or something.

CC: It’s not realistic.

NH: Yeah, for what we do, besides YouTube content, the way that we’re able to function so well is by touring.

CC: Yeah. Our main product is our live show. I love our records but definitely our show is what we do.

Tell me about when you’re off stage. What is your dynamic like?

CC: It’s pretty much just like this. Just hanging out and everyone gets along pretty well for the most part, which is really nice. We’ve been a band for almost seven years now and we still like being around each other, so that’s good. Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. We always say we’re friends first, a band second, and a business third, so we try and keep that in mind.

What do you hope people will take away from that experience of seeing you guys play live?

CC: I think most people show up for a really, really good time, and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re not a political band. We don’t really have any kind of message. I think our main focus with the live show is just fun. It’s a weird thing because it’s almost frowned upon in the arts. You know, [the perception is that] if something’s fun, it can’t really be true art. We don’t agree with that at all. I don’t think there’s enough fun these days. Everything’s so serious all the time, so we just want people to come and enjoy themselves and have some fun.

It stands out when a band’s having fun, because there’s a lot of serious songwriting and sadness out there.

NH: We write tragically, but a lot of times we have humorous spins on stuff, or the song sounds super cheery but it’s actually quite sad. But we still have fun with it. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.


Photo credit: Brandon White