Tag: tennessee

Unplugging Made Josiah and the Bonnevilles’ As Is Possible

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

By now, Josiah Leming is a master of reinvention. In the early 2000s, he signed a major label deal, then went indie for a while. Some of his albums leaned on his rock influences; others were more folk-oriented. He’s released a healthy number of covers projects, but can write songs as well as anybody who’s been in the business for 20 years. Leming also recorded under his own name before rebranding himself as Josiah and the Bonnevilles. And he’s about to be all over the map, literally, when he launches his Redline North American Tour in May with openers Max Alan and Brenna MacMillan.

Josiah and the Bonnevilles’ base should only grow with As Is, out May 8 on Rounder Records. Returning with a more electric approach, Leming co-produced the album with Konrad Snyder.

“It was important to me that the album sound different, but not so different that people don’t recognize it,” Leming tells BGS. “That was actually a pretty tough thing to do, because it’s easy to change things and really turn them on their head, but to have it still feel like it came from the music that came before it was something I thought a lot about.”

A proud native of Morristown, Tennessee, and now living in Nashville, Leming caught up with BGS to talk about how he picked up the banjo, the positive results of listening to Ralph Stanley, and how Jack Reacher helped him define his relationship with his fans.

I noticed the first line of the first song on the new album is, “I’ve been staying out and off the internet,” and after listening to the album a couple times, I realized that’s an important line for this whole record. Was there sort of a recentering, or a desire to disconnect, maybe, as you went into this album?

Josiah Leming: It was a huge part of it. And I still struggle with it a little bit, because the reason I got to where I am now is because I embraced the internet, I embraced social media, and I shared my life with people, day in and day out. I was 33 years old, fighting and scrapping to have a place, making music as a living. But I found as we got toward the end of 2024, the things that I was doing to sustain the level that I was at were coming directly at the cost of the essential thing that goes into the music.

Like, things had never been better. My shows were as big as they’d ever been. Everything was cooking on all cylinders, but I didn’t have any new songs that I was very excited to share. I needed to completely cut myself off from that world of the promotion cycle and the daily posting. … I have always written so autobiographically, and it would have been very easy for me to write an album about the struggles of the road or an album that would make a lot of sense to me. But I started thinking about 13-year-old Josiah in Morristown, Tennessee, and that guy doesn’t care what it’s like to be in Tulsa on a Thursday night, and maybe you’re a little lonely. Like, I gotta cut deeper to the core of this thing that’s not just about me.

That took me 30 or 40 songs to write out all of that stuff, to get to where I could look a little deeper for the meaning and the songs that somebody would understand if they weren’t a touring musician. That was the ultimate goal for me with the record, to make something where people don’t think about me when they listen to it. They can maybe just put it on in the garage. When I put on Ralph Stanley or AC/DC in the garage, I don’t think about Angus Young or Malcolm Young or Brian Johnson. I think, “Damn, this is an awesome day. This is a soundtrack to my life.” And I hope I have done that somewhere on this album.

How much of an influence did your Appalachian roots have on this album?

It’s really interesting. So the bio for the album was written by an author named Silas House. We had a chat and he actually asked me a similar question. He was like, “It feels Appalachian, even though it isn’t that obvious.” I think that’s because of the language I use that I grew up with. I think a lot about when I write, “Would my dad understand it?” My dad’s a simple, working-class man. So if things get too complicated, lyrically, then I want to change that to make it simpler.

That’s a lot of it, and I really went into the deep phase with Ralph and a lot of older stuff. That really changed my perspective on how I see myself in this industry. It’s very easy to start to get into this race to the top, and you’re looking at analytics, and you want more monthly listeners and all this stuff. Listening to bluegrass, and Ralph Stanley especially, all that kind of disappears, and it just becomes about the raw emotion of it. Which is what I fell in love with in the first place, when it felt like I had to do music.

How did Brenna MacMillan get involved with the project?

I was tracking a demo to a different song, a song I love but that’s very strange. And I was like, “I really want a banjo player.” Back in the day, I used to use Craigslist to find background singers because I love finding new people. So I put up an Instagram story and somebody sent me Brenna’s account. I watched one video and I thought, “This is just like lightning in your veins.” She’s so awesome. The energy in the banjo and the voice. And we had connected but it didn’t work out that particular moment.

So when it came time where I wanted banjo on the record, I hit Brenna up again because we’d exchanged numbers. She came in, and she’s just amazing. She doesn’t know how good she is. She’s been tour managing the band East Nash Grass, which I love. I’ve been listening to them a ton right now. I was like, “We need you in the band.” So now she’s in the band, she’s touring with us, and she’s going to open up the shows. I’m so excited for people to hear her.

When did you first pick up the banjo?

My grandpa gave me a banjo. He loved George Jones. He was a hard-drinkin’, George Jones-lovin’, bluegrass-lovin’ guy. He had a banjo and a Dobro he gave me, and I fiddled around with that. And then, all of us guitar players, when we find the six-string banjo, we’re so pumped because we don’t have to learn all these new chord shapes. So, it’s been a couple of years that I’ve been adding in the six-string banjo on things when I play, and I still play that on “Redline.” I am using the finger picks now, rather than my nails. So I feel like I’m starting to cross the bridge… if I can learn some shapes on the real banjo, maybe I can do some damage one day.

In “Redline,” it seems like you’re writing for the people you grew up with. People in your life who have hope, but it’s just hard. Who do you have in mind when you write a song like “Redline”?

It makes me emotional, honestly. I think about my dad all the time. It’s like I have all this… it’s not anger, but there’s very strong feelings. While I’m doing very well in my career, it’s better than it’s ever been, most people that I know are not winning in this modern world. Where everything is through the phone, and it’s the only way to access social circles. It’s the only way sometimes to order a damn McDonald’s sandwich. And there’s just this barrier, there’s this divide.

I see it with my dad, and my grandparents, just being left behind. And also working people. We shot the video for “Hell Without the Flames” down in Colombia, because that’s where all these jobs have gone, and now they pay these people even less than they paid before. So there’s just something that I can’t get out of my brain. I think about it all the time. That’s an important song to me. We love playing it. The band loves playing it. So I appreciate you asking that, it means a lot.

You’re welcome, and this may be a good segue to ask about “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive.” I found your version when I was going through your Country Covers EPs. It tells a similar story, about how grandma and grandpa had to keep working to live. Why did that song pull you in?

I probably heard that song first on Justified and I think that would have been the Darrell Scott version, the original. And I had always loved it. I mean, that’s just one of the best songs ever made. Talking with Silas about it, or anybody from the region, it’s so complicated because there’s so much pride. I like to think that there’s so much pride in working for so little, but these people are exploited over and over again. We don’t have aspirations of gold palaces or island complexes, so we’ve just been consistently taken advantage of, because we have this value system that’s a lot different. It makes you sad, sometimes it makes you angry, and sometimes it also makes you proud, and it’s really complicated feelings around all of it.

But it also seems like it’s important for you to share the music that you like. You’re writing songs that you want your audience to relate to. You’re covering songs to maybe introduce the music you like to your fans. You’re bringing musicians you like out on tour with you. Your fans can tell what you’re into through the company you keep. Is that part of your creative vision, to share with your audience who you’re listening to and what you like?

I think so, yeah. I was thinking recently, I always had service jobs growing up. I would serve tables or I would bartend. As I get older, I just see myself as having a responsibility. I think I had the responsibility to get off the internet for a year to write the best album that I could, rather than perpetuating my brand with songs that sounded similar. I feel like I have a responsibility to have the upbeat songs in the set list. If people are flying into town or driving 10 hours, it’s my responsibility to give them an experience.

There’s a great quote that I love from the Jack Reacher books. I love anything like James Bond, Reacher, or Tom Clancy. I love that stuff. But the author of Jack Reacher has a great quote about a handshake. And to make a handshake work, there’s got to be the hand on the other side that shakes back. I think about that in everything I do these days, since I read that. I wouldn’t get a lot of benefit out of just making music that I love and putting it out in the world if there’s not that hand on the other side. So I am at the point in my life where I think about those people that I’m looking at when I play live, and there’s a responsibility to me to weave what I’m excited about into what I hope will connect with them.

Want to see Josiah and the Bonnevilles live at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on May 21, 2026? Enter to win tickets here!

Photo Credit: Sam Desantis

IBMA World of Bluegrass Arrives in Chattanooga

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

After 11 incredibly successful years of partnership with Raleigh, North Carolina, the International Bluegrass Music Association will holds its World of Bluegrass business conference and Bluegrass Live! festival for the first time in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this week. From September 16 to 20 the biggest week in bluegrass will return to Tennessee, this time nestled between the Tennessee River and the mountains, foothills, and ridgetops surrounding this lovely city rich in art, music, food, and culture. Chattanooga has a long history with bluegrass, old-time, and hillbilly music of all strains, so it’s sure to be a perfect home for World of Bluegrass.

As we like to do each year going into the week of events, music, and jamming we all colloquially refer to as “IBMA,” below you’ll find our preview of World of Bluegrass, Bluegrass Live!, the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, and the move to Chattanooga. You’ll find information on the festival lineup, official showcase artists playing the Bluegrass Ramble, the layout of the festival and conference footprint, and more. Plus, we’ll have a few tips and tricks for local attractions and must-do/must-see activities while you’re in the River City.

Not able to attend IBMA World of Bluegrass this year? Never fear! Select events and programs from the packed-full conference slate will be livestreamed. You can find info on how to tune in – and what you’ll be able to see – below.

We hope that we’ll see you in Chattanooga this week for IBMA World of Bluegrass!

The Footprint

You gotta know how to get around the new host city, right?! If, like us, you had gotten used to the layout and logistics of Raleigh over more than a decade of conferences held there, IBMA wants to give you a head start on getting around their lovely new territory in downtown Chattanooga. The convention center, awards show venue, and Bluegrass Ramble venues may be a bit more spread out than in Raleigh, but there are plenty of excellent bars, restaurants, and attractions to explore above, below, and in between so keep your eyes peeled as you stroll.

Don’t forget that the convention center itself is also a Bluegrass Ramble venue! The other handful of Bluegrass Ramble venues are just a couple of blocks away to the south. Plus, the five stages for the weekend festival, Bluegrass Live!, are just around the corner from the convention center, too, where the exhibit hall, workshop stage, and international stage will all be hoppin’ with activity.

Put on your explorer hat and your favorite step-tracking device, we’ve got ground to cover!

What To Do

The Tennessee Aquarium (Photo by Kelley Lacey).

While in Chattanooga, you simply must take advantage of the many first-rate and world-class attractions that stud the city like jewels downtown, on the outskirts, and on the mountaintops overlooking the city and Tennessee River. The Tennessee Aquarium, situated along the riverbanks just a handful of blocks from the conference and festival, is a beloved and award-winning non-profit institution that perfectly showcases the aquatic ecosystems of Appalachia, Tennessee, and the world. Their work through the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute directly benefits the habitats you can see just outside their doors – that kind of local impact is something special. From sturgeon and hellbenders that call the waters around Chattanooga home to oceanic species of fish and jellyfish to exotic birds and reptiles, the Tennessee Aquarium is certainly worth a visit while you’re enjoying a week full of bluegrass.

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway descends from Lookout Mtn. to Chattanooga. (Photo by Kelley Lacey).

There are far too many amazing Chattanooga-area attractions to list here, but your shortlist for off-site, non-bluegrass activities for the week of World of Bluegrass certainly ought to include Lookout Mountain (especially the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway), Ruby Falls, Rock City, the Creative Discovery Museum, the Hunter Museum of American Art, the Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic District, and many, many more.

Ruby Falls, an underground waterfall, on Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga.

World of Bluegrass

Now, don’t forget, IBMA World of Bluegrass is work. (Even if it doesn’t feel like it!) Don’t miss the many opportunities for networking, professional development, education, creative cross-pollination, and more during the business conference portion of World of Bluegrass, held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

The full schedule for the conference – with panels, showcases, luncheons, awards presentations, and much more – can be found here, so you can sketch out your priorities and must-sees.

A few highlights and standouts we see on the schedule that might inspire you: Jim Lauderdale himself leads Tai Chi each day, so you can start your day connecting with your body and warming yourself up after all-night jamming. On Tuesday, learn about ReString Appalachia, a non-profit program helping put instruments back in the hands of victims of Hurricane Helene. Plus, don’t miss the ever-popular Gig Fair that afternoon, too.

We’re especially excited for the keynote address on Tuesday evening, as our own podcast host and CBC broadcaster Tom Power interviews Billy Strings, with a performance by Junior Sisk to kick off the event. We’re excited to bring you the keynote conversation in the near future as a bonus episode of Toy Heart with Tom Power.

On Wednesday, up-and-comers in the IBMA scene will be honored at the Momentum Awards Luncheon, as well as mentors and industry players. It’s always an exciting and energetic event that celebrates talent, skill, and effort at all levels in bluegrass. Elsewhere in the afternoon, archivist, historian, and musician Jen Larson will dive into the legacy and impact of Bluegrass Hall of Famer Hazel Dickens with her presentation titled “Hazel Dickens, A Bluegrass Life and Legacy at 100.”

There will be town hall meetings throughout the week, as well, where IBMA members can voice their feedback, ideas, and concerns and take an active role in the organization’s future. On Wednesday, the DEI Town Hall will be held at 4:20 p.m. and on Thursday the general IBMA Town Hall will be held at 9 a.m.

Of course, Thursday is chocked full of great programming, too, but we’d be remiss if we did not point out Dom Flemons’ panel, “Rooted Rhythms: African American Contributions to Bluegrass Music.” The first panel of its sort at IBMA, there’s plenty to be learned about the true multi-ethnic origins of bluegrass at this presentation. Don’t miss the Industry Awards Luncheon, the IBMA Songwriter Showcase, and the Women’s Council Meeting on Thursday, too. And, of course, the conference all culminates Thursday night with the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards show, held just up the road at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium. Hosted this year by Steve Martin and Alison Brown, it promises to be an exciting and engaging celebration of bluegrass music and its makers yet again.

There’s so much more going on throughout the conference, so don’t forget to dive into the full schedule so you don’t miss a thing.

The Bluegrass Ramble

Now, how about some music!? On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, IBMA Official Showcasing artists and bands will descend on Chattanooga for the Bluegrass Ramble, a series of performances held around official conference venues that will highlight the depth and breadth of the bluegrass scene while spotlighting artists and musicians with new albums, new shows, and new opportunities for bookers, promoters, industry professionals – and fans, of course!

Check out the full lineup of Bluegrass Ramble artists below, but here are a few we’re excited to catch while we’re in Chattanooga: fiddler and dancer Hillary Klug, who recently toured with Cirque du Soleil’s country show, Songblazers (watch above). There’s certainly a reason she’s amassed thousands and thousands of followers online. If you haven’t caught her electric and joyful show before, now is the time.

Some of the best bluegrass being made today is actually old-time, so we’re glad to see plenty of old-time, hillbilly, and mountain music represented throughout the week of World of Bluegrass and on Bluegrass Live! – we’re especially excited to catch showcases by George Jackson & Brad Kolodner.

Mountain Grass Unit are all the rage these days and if you haven’t yet had the chance to catch them live, don’t let your Bluegrass Ramble opportunities slip by. The cutting edge of jamgrass’s second (or third?) generation, these are shredders who can and will transport you beyond the bluegrass veil and into new horizons. These guys are going places and Chattanooga is just one stop on their journey to the stratosphere.

And what about the future of bluegrass? Oh yes, it’s in good hands, as nearly everyone declares when they encounter the picking and singing of young Wyatt Ellis and his band. Maybe “prodigy” is a tired description, but it’s certainly accurate in this case. We’ve covered Wyatt quite a bit over the years and always enjoy watching him grow, mature, and find himself in his music and picking style.

There are many more acts you won’t want to miss during the Bluegrass Ramble, of course! Here’s the full list of showcasing artists, duos, musicians, and bands at this year’s World of Bluegrass: Backline, Burnett Sisters Band, Caroline Owens & New Company, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Foggy Mountain Spaceship, George Jackson & Brad Kolodner, Greenwood Rye, Hillary Klug, Jackson Hollow, Mark Schatz & Bryan McDowell, Mason Via, Michael Prewitt & CrunchGrass Supreme, Mike Mitchell Band, Mountain Grass Unit, Remedy Tree, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Special Consensus, The Faux Paws, The Foreign Landers, The Sentimental Gentlemen, The Sullivan Sisters, The Tennessee Bluegrass Band, The Unfaithful Servants, Under the Rocks, Veranda, Vickie Vaughn, and Wyatt Ellis.

How To Livestream

Tune in from afar, if you can’t be in Chattanooga with us! You can catch several events from World of Bluegrass streamed online for free! The keynote address with Billy Strings in conversation with Tom Power, the IBMA Momentum Awards, and the IBMA Industry and Distinguished Achievement Awards will all be livestreamed on IBMA’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel. Like/follow or subscribe now so you don’t miss a single stream: IBMA Facebook; IBMA YouTube.

The IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, one of the most exciting nights of the year in bluegrass, will be carried exclusively by Volume.com. But don’t worry, livestream tickets are free! Tune in for once-in-a-lifetime performances, Hall of Fame inductions, and all of your favorite bands and instrumentalists taking home awards – as voted on by their peers and colleagues!

These livestreams are a great way to participate from afar while you plan your journey to join us in Chattanooga next year.

Bluegrass Live! 

On Friday and Saturday, September 19 and 20, IBMA Bluegrass Live! will bring the best in bluegrass, old-time, Americana, and beyond to the downtown streets of Chattanooga, superlative roots music wafting throughout the River City. Though you may be disappointed by the last minute headliner swap – Sierra Ferrell recently announced she wouldn’t be able to perform at IBMA – you should not despair, as this lineup boasts the absolute best in bluegrass from top to bottom and bottom to top. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, direct from their Americana Honors & Awards win of Duo/Group of the Year, will be stepping in to fill Sierra Ferrell’s slot – what a pair of pinch hitters! Attendees will also enjoy performances by the Wood Brothers, Sierra Hull, Alison Brown, Sister Sadie, Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter, East Nash Grass, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, and so many more.

Overwhelmed by your options here, too? We don’t blame you! There’s so much you won’t want to miss, so here’s the full schedule for IBMA Bluegrass Live! to help make your plans:

Tennessee Sounds Perfect Stage, located in Miller Park – Friday, September 19

2:05PM – 3:20PM Alison Brown
4:30PM – 5:45PM Jim Lauderdale & The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
7PM – 8:15PM Sierra Hull
8:45PM – 10:15PM The Wood Brothers

Saturday, September 20

2:05PM – 3:20PM AJ Lee & Blue Summit
4:30PM – 5:45PM Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter
7PM – 8:15PM The Infamous Stringdusters
8:45PM – 10:15PM Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Pinnacle Financial Partners Stage, located in Miller Plaza – Friday, September 19

1PM – 2PM DownRiver Collective
3:25PM – 4:25PM Mason Via
5:50PM – 6:50PM Trey Hensley

Saturday, September 20

1PM – 2PM The Often Herd
3:25PM – 4:25PM Wyatt Ellis
5:50PM – 6:50PM Mountain Grass Unit

Visit Chattanooga Stage, located in Patten Square – Friday, Saturday 19

1PM – 2PM Kids on Bluegrass
2:30PM – 3:30PM Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
4PM – 5PM Missy Raines & Allegheny
5:30PM – 6:30PM Woody Platt & The Bluegrass Gentlemen
7:15PM – 8:45PM East Nash Grass

Saturday, Saturday 20

1PM – 2PM Kids on Bluegrass
2:30PM – 3:30PM Authentic Unlimited
4PM – 5PM Unspoken Tradition
5:30PM – 6:30PM Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
7:15PM – 8:45PM Sister Sadie

Don’t have your tickets yet? It’s not too late! Click here to purchase single and two-day tickets to Bluegrass Live! The festival will also include free programming on several stages, too, so there are options to enjoy for fans and audience members at all levels.

In fact, it’s not too late to line up admission for any part of World of Bluegrass, from the conference to the Bluegrass Ramble to the awards show to Bluegrass Live! You do want to join us in Chattanooga for the first year in this brand new beautiful host city, right? Get all the info on World of Bluegrass here and make your plans to join us – the fun gets officially going tomorrow, September 16, in the Scenic City.

Photos courtesy of Chattanooga Tourism Co., photo credits as marked. Lead image: Downtown Chattanooga by Kelley Lacey.

Graphics and logos courtesy of the International Bluegrass Music Association.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Andy Leftwich, Vickie Vaughn, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

You know what you need? You need a roundup of brand new roots music!

In this edition of our weekly collection, Andy Leftwich kicks us off with a frequent fiddle contest selection, “Tom and Jerry,” giving an appropriate Texas swing treatment to the classic tune. It draws from his childhood growing up performing and competing at contests. A couple of Leftwich’s labelmates on Mountain Home Music are included below, as well. North Carolina’s Unspoken Tradition call on Danny Paisley, Jason Carter, and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes to guest on “I’ll Break Out Again Tonight.” Below, the group’s bassist Sav Sankaran gives us some insight on who inspired their cover of the track and how they chose their special guests. Plus, bassist and singer-songwriter Vickie Vaughn, also on Mountain Home, releases her most vulnerable original track to date, “Mama Took Her Ring Off Yesterday.” Written with Deanie Richardson, who produced Vaughn’s upcoming solo debut, it’s a song about grief, loss, and how life always marches on.

In a similar sonic space to our bluegrass selections, Old Crow Medicine Show have pitched in for John McCutcheon’s upcoming album that pays tribute to the seminal 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention to mark the year of its 100th anniversary. The album, Long Journey Home: a Century After the 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention, was produced by McCutcheon and features an incredible varied roster of artists and pickers rendering songs that pay homage to the important East Tennessee gathering. OCMS perform “Whatcha Gonna Do with the Baby,” which McCutcheon has set to photos from the album’s star-studded recording sessions.

Also below you’ll hear Amanda Pascali combine cultures and sounds from Sicily and the American South on “Amuri,” a brand new song from her upcoming album, Roses and Basil. It’s a delightfully cross-genre track, with touches of cumbia, Latin folk, Texas, Sicily – of course – and beyond. You won’t want to miss new music from Queen Bonobo (AKA Maya Goldblum), either. “Waiting Tables” is the indie-alt-folk artist’s Saturn Return song, about manifesting success and chasing dreams.

It’s a lovely collection of new songs and videos and you know what we’re gonna say… You Gotta Hear This!

Andy Leftwich, “Tom and Jerry”

Artist: Andy Leftwich
Hometown: Carthage, Tennessee
Song: “Tom and Jerry”
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “This song brings back so many memories for me. I grew up competing in fiddle contests all around the southern region of the United States where I met some of the best fiddlers of our day and was introduced to the style of Texas fiddling. ‘Tom and Jerry’ is an anthem and you’ll hear it played in just about every fiddling contest and Texas jam session there is. This arrangement is a development of those experiences and pays homage to my upbringing, reminding me of where I started. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when you play these tunes with those incredible passing chords along with the Texas swing feel. It’s just so much fun!” – Andy Leftwich

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

Old Crow Medicine Show, “Whatcha Gonna Do with the Baby”

Artist: Old Crow Medicine Show
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Whatcha Gonna Do With the Baby”
Album: Long Journey Home: a Century After the 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention
Release Date: August 1, 2025 (single); September 5, 2025 (album)
Label: Appalseed

In Their Words: “Old Crow Medicine Show probably wouldn’t be a band if it weren’t for the time we spent around Johnson County, Tennessee, in the late ’90s. It was there that we learned to love the plain affairs of simple living in the hills, where country music was born. Fiddlers like JB Grayson were an early inspiration to us and the legend of the 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention loomed large, even 75 years later. Now 100 years have passed since this, the first of the big national old-time music conventions, and we are mighty proud to have played a role alongside the great John McCutcheon in bringing this album to fruition.

John first approached me a year ago with the exciting news that he was embarking on a tribute to the Mountain City Fiddlers convention, the event that was so instrumental to the development of the Upper East Tennessee region’s identity as the national headwaters for hillbilly music. I immediately jumped in headfirst, bringing along Old Crow as the first act to sign up for the project. Many of the recordings we helped John make at our own Hartland Studio in East Nashville and now we are honored to finally be able to express our gratitude to Johnson County, Tennessee, an inspirational community for our band.” – Ketch Secor

“I first heard about Mountain City, Tennessee, as a teenager just beginning to play the banjo. I heard the Folkways album Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley’s and it changed the way I thought about the banjo and music as a whole. When I was finally lucky enough to get to Mountain City – doing a concert – I realized how important this little town and its heritage was. When the centenary of the 1925 fiddlers convention was rolling around, I called a bunch of my musical pals and invited them to join me in celebrating this event and, at the same time, benefit the fledgling arts center the town had started. My only request of the musicians was: Don’t make these museum pieces. Own them. I want to hear your fingerprints all over the music. And it turned out way cooler than I ever imagined.” – John McCutcheon

Amanda Pascali, “Amuri”

Artist: Amanda Pascali
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Song: “Amuri”
Album: Roses and Basil
Release Date: July 23, 2025 (single); September 12, 2025 (album)
Label: Amanda Pascali & the Family/Missing Piece Records

In Their Words: “‘Amuri’ is the first song off my new record, Roses and Basil. The song opens the album with a Leonard Cohen-esque guitar part and a stanza of ancient Sicilian verse: ‘Amuri, amuri, chi m’hai fattu fari? M’hai fattu fari ‘na granni pazzia.’ (‘My love, my love, what have you made me do? You’ve made me go mad.’) These centuries-old lines, interpreted by many artists over time, tell the story of someone so overtaken by love that they forget the way to the church. In my version, that sense of losing the path becomes a metaphor for drifting away from what once felt like absolute truth, all in the name of love.

“The song quickly shifts from that quiet opening into a vibrant cumbia rhythm, inspired by the Latin sounds I grew up with in Texas. A spaghetti western-style electric guitar, 1960s and ’70s Italian lounge piano and vibraphone, and the figure of the priest reimagined as a Southern preacher man all come together to bridge my two worlds: Sicily and the American South.

“Though ‘Amuri’ borrows its opening from the past, the song itself is entirely my own. It sets the tone for the album: anchored in tradition, but reimagined for today. How strange and beautiful that something so old can still feel so relatable.

“The album was recorded at Niles City Sound in Fort Worth, Texas. The day before we recorded this song, my producer Robert Ellis came over to the place where I was staying, with a second-hand nylon string guitar he had bought that very same day. He sat at the table with me at golden hour and as the sun shone through the windows, he played the song in a way that resembled Leonard Cohen’s ‘Master Song.’ The wheels started spinning at that moment.” – Amanda Pascali

Track Credits:
Amanda Pascali – Vocals, songwriter
Robert Ellis – Piano, vibraphone, guitar, prodcuer
Jordan Richardson – Drums, percussion
Aden Bubeck – Bass

Queen Bonobo, “Waiting Tables”

Artist: Queen Bonobo
Hometown: Sandpoint, Idaho
Song: “Waiting Tables”
Release Date: August 1, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Waiting Tables’ is my Saturn Return song. It’s about envisioning how I want my life to be and letting go of all that’s not serving me. I’ve been in the service industry since I was 14 years old and this song is my slightly sassy and soothing way of manifesting success in my music career. We all deserve safety, peace, and for our dreams to be actualized.” – Queen Bonobo

Track Credits:
Maya Goldblum – Guitar, vocals, producer
Joe Kaplow – Drums, percussion, engineer
Joel Ludford – Stand-up bass
Kyle Knadinger – Pedal steel
Neil Burns – Keys

Unspoken Tradition, “I’ll Break Out Again Tonight” featuring Danny Paisley

Artist: Unspoken Tradition
Hometown: Western North Carolina
Song: “I’ll Break Out Again Tonight” featuring Danny Paisley
Album: Resilience
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘I’ll Break Out Again Tonight’ was one of the first bluegrass songs I ever learned, largely inspired by the captivating rendition of the song by Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass. It has long been one of my favorite old country ballads to sing and to honor my Mid-Atlantic bluegrass roots and collaborate with Danny on this song is a dream come true. Danny is my all-time favorite bluegrass vocalist, and has been an inspiration to me since I was a child. I’m so excited to have Unspoken Tradition’s version of this classic out in the world, and even more excited to share the track with my bluegrass hero!” – Sav Sankaran

Track Credits:
Audie McGinnis – Acoustic guitar
Sav Sankaran – Bass, lead vocal, harmony vocal
Tim Gardner – Fiddle, harmony vocal
Zane McGinnis – Banjo
Ty Gilpin – Mandolin
Danny Paisley – Lead vocal, harmony vocal
Jason Carter – Fiddle
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes – Fiddle

Vickie Vaughn, “Mama Took Her Ring Off Yesterday”

Artist: Vickie Vaughn
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Mama Took Her Ring Off Yesterday”
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I was having lunch with Mama at a Mexican restaurant in Paducah, Kentucky, one day about three months after my father’s unexpected passing. In her charming and sneaky lil way, she wiggled the fingers of her left hand past the chips toward me. (She’s always had a soft/sweet way of breaking strange news to me and my brother.) I saw that her wedding ring was off, a final signal to me, my brother, and her that life goes on after tragedy. The whole situation struck me so much that I had to write this song with Deanie Richardson about the day we found out Mama took her ring off.” – Vickie Vaughn

Track Credits:
Vickie Vaughn – Upright bass, lead vocal
Cody Kilby – Guitar
Casey Campbell – Mandolin
Wes Corbett – Banjo
Dave Racine – Drums
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Frank Rische – Harmony vocal

Photo Credit: Andy Leftwich by Erick Anderson; Vickie Vaughn by Laura Schneider.

BGS 5+5: Adam Chaffins

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Adam Chaffins
Hometown: Louisa, Kentucky
Latest Album: Trailer Trash EP (released May 16, 2025)
Personal Nicknames: “Chaffins”

Genre is dead (long live genre!), but how would you describe the genres and styles your music inhabits?

I’ve considered myself a multi-genre artist from the beginning. While I feel confident identifying as a country artist, that label doesn’t capture the full range of my influences. Growing up, I listened to country alongside Top 40 hits and classic rock – those styles shaped my ear just as much. In high school, I discovered bluegrass and jazz, and during college I really dove deep into those genres and honed my craft within them.

All of those influences have filtered into my writing today and I think that’s especially clear on this new EP. Music, like culture, is becoming increasingly interconnected and multi-dimensional. It’s exciting to see more country artists exploring new spaces and I want to make music that is part of that evolution.

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

Speaking of multi-genre artists, Willie Nelson is a great place to start. He’s part of the foundation of country songwriting – hell, songwriting in general. His music draws from so many different influences and we wouldn’t have the classic Willie Nelson records without that breadth.

It’s tough to single out just one artist as my biggest influence, but more often than not, when I’m writing a line or delivering a phrase, I catch myself asking, “What would Willie do?” His sound has never felt forced or put on – it’s authentic because he’s lived every word of it. Beyond the music, his lessons in patience and positivity have been a huge influence on me and have played a big part in keeping me grounded and continuing to make music.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I love the outdoors – it’s essential for my creativity. Whether I’m kayaking on the lake, hiking with my dog, or cycling down country backroads, being outside helps me reset. When I’m feeling bogged down by the ‘business’ side of music, stuck on a lyric, or just need a break from a piece I’m learning, nature gives me the space to clear my mind. It’s like a creative reset button – being in the elements helps me return with energy and perspective.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

Some of my earliest memories are of wanting to be a musician – or at least be around musicians. I had toy guitars and drum sets and would just bang away, trying to get the sounds in my head out long before I had any idea what I was doing.

One moment that really stands out happened before I could even read or write. A local DJ I was obsessed with was doing a promo at a car lot and my mom took me to meet him. I thought he was the gatekeeper to all of music. I remember scribbling on sticky notes – what I explained were the instruments and band members I wanted for my future group. He smiled, folded the notes, and tucked them into his shirt pocket with a wink, just before going back on the air.

Looking back, that moment felt like an early manifestation. Even then, I knew music was where I wanted to be – I just didn’t have the words for it yet.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

I love to cook. When the world shut down during COVID and there were no shows to play, I got a big offset smoker trailer and started smoking whole chickens outside a locally owned grocery store. Honestly, I probably earned fans faster with barbecue than I ever have with music…

That said – it’s tough work. Tending fires inside a steel pit during a Tennessee summer isn’t for the faint of heart. But then again, neither is rolling around the country in a van playing songs for strangers. I guess one just happened to be the dream I had first. I still cook and smoke meat whenever I can and, if I weren’t making music, I could absolutely see myself doing that full-time.

Photo Credit: Natia Cinco

GC 5+5: Southern Avenue

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Southern Avenue
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Latest Album: Family
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): We don’t remember any rejected band names, but being from Memphis we definitely call everybody “mane.”

Answers have been provided by Tierinii Jackson, Southern Avenue lead vocalist and songwriter.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

It wasn’t one moment, it was the absence of one. I never imagined not being a singer and a songwriter. I grew up singing in church with my sisters and family and even when I ran away from all of that, the music stayed with me. Beale Street gave me my second education. That’s where I chose to be a full-time musician, even if the world didn’t choose it for me.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

I love musical theater. It’s drama, it’s storytelling, it’s emotion on 10. I used to want to be on Broadway. Sometimes I still do. The song “Flying” on our new album is just about that. My mom actually turned the plane around mid-air so I wouldn’t fly to New York to make my dream come true. I do believe that it all connects and I have plenty of time to still do something special in that world.

What’s one question you wish interviewers would stop asking you?

People always ask how we met and how the band started. It’s everywhere online already. We just hope to get asked about new things now, go a little deeper. But it’s all good, no hard feelings at all. We love it when we have an interview where the person in front of us already has an understanding of who is in front of them.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

When we toured with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp, it was already unbelievable. But then we found ourselves on stage at FarmAid, after two weeks on the road with them for the Outlaw Tour. I remember standing there thinking, “Am I dreaming?” It was one of those moments where everything just hits you, how far we’ve come, and how real it all is.

Genre is dead (long live genre!), but how would you describe the genres and styles your music inhabits?

We like to describe our music real simple. It’s Memphis music. That’s what raised us. We’re a mix of where we come from, how we grew up, and everything we dreamed of becoming. It all comes together in the sound.

Photo Credit: Rory Doyle

KC Johns on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

KC Johns is an incredible singer-songwriter and artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. We had an excellent Only Vans conversation live from the mountain at Steamboat MusicFest 2025! In this episode we get into old fashioneds, cruise ship jobs, Nashville, singing in the mountains, touring overseas, and more.

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KC Johns and I met over social media and we became fast friends. She is a whiskey girl like me and has her own mesquite-smoked Thunder Whiskey. This was a live-audience episode recorded and filmed at MusicFest in Steamboat, Colorado. The audio for her live acoustic performances ended up being unusable, totally on our end, and I am so sorry about that. KC is such a great live singer, but unfortunately the recording was too distorted to use. Please go see her sing live if you can, or check her out on Instagram.

During this episode, I jump into talking about her life as a cruise ship performer, and also provide no context when I bring up her super clever song, “I Wanna Rock for Christmas.” Sorry gal, I just love that tune!

Anyway, this is KC Johns. Check out her new single, “Break From the Heart,” and KC, I will come find your next Key West show at Hogs Breath and crash your stage!

And, happy birthday to Only Vans producer Kyle! You rock.

Photo Credit: Bob Pierce

With Each and Every Album, Extraordinary Mandolinist Sierra Hull Finds Herself

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The traditional path of a musician’s career would say that gaining a record label’s approval reflects a certain level of accomplishment and stature. That’s a good thing, right? It can be, but what makes for the right fit to a musician’s career – whether with a label or as an independent artist – largely depends on how a person wants to navigate the ebbs and flows that come with making music for a living.

Enter Sierra Hull.

Just over five years removed from her fourth full-length album, 25 Trips, the aforementioned fork in the road is exactly the juncture at which Hull recently found herself. Now bearing her fifth full-length album, A Tip Toe High Wire, the Nashville-based mandolinist and songwriter decided that the extra work of an independent release didn’t scare her.

In fact, Hull is someone who keeps busy – “I’m not good with time off,” she says – and A Tip Toe High Wire may turn out to be her most true-to-form album to date. From her collaborators – Béla Fleck, Tim O’Brien, Aoife O’Donovan, Lindsay Lou, Ronnie Bowman, Justin Moses, Ethan Jodziewicz, Geoff Saunders and more – to her co-writers, to production, arrangements, and underlying theme, every aspect of the record evokes Hull’s concentrated instincts as a musician, composer, and experienced public artist.

These songs let the rest of us know just a little more about the “who,” “how,” and “why” behind the music and how it fits into Hull’s life and of the lives of those she holds dear. It’s a multifaceted expression of individualism and independence while also being nowhere near a display of isolated work – truly a balancing act of coexisting contrasts.

BGS spoke with Sierra Hull by phone ahead of a packed tour, about the significance of going independent, embracing new ways of songwriting, how her perspective of making music has changed, and more.

How would you describe where you were creatively, between the release of 25 Trips and leading into this new independent recording?

Sierra Hull: Part of it is that I didn’t really have the opportunity to go out and tour 25 Trips. When things were starting to open up [after the pandemic shutdown], I put together this band that I’m touring with and was able to think about what I wanted the music to feel like on the heels of [COVID]. I tried to think about songs that would would feel fun to stand on a stage and perform, you know? And I think some of the context of moving into [A Tip Toe High Wire] was thinking about that.

[25 Trips] was also my last record as part of my Rounder Records contract. A Tip Toe High Wire just felt like this new chapter. And having fresh songs that I had started to write, having been inspired by the time off the road to write music, I kind of leaned into that. I was loving playing with this band and I felt like I had the freedom to not necessarily have outside chatter in my ear about what the next thing needed to be. It felt like an opportunity to just make music that I felt excited by and capture it. At first I wasn’t sure if it was going to become a record, or a single, or what it might be. But the further we got into it, I would just continue to book sessions that we could get in the studio and record in between all the touring.

I feel like [being independent] gives me more of an opportunity to have a direct offering and connection to my fans in a way that maybe I couldn’t have in another scenario, and it feels really important for me to have that in this moment.

How has your perspective of the music and album making process changed? What kind of goals did you set for yourself in this new career chapter?

I don’t know if my goals felt different, because the goal for me has never been to try to chase a particular thing or to please a certain kind of entity. But at the same time, when you’re independent, you get to call all the shots, you know? You decide when you’re recording, how you’re recording, when the music gets released, how it gets released, all that kind of stuff. It’s kind of like a difference of me deciding what’s on the puzzle pieces and then figuring out how to put the puzzle together, rather than just somebody handing you a puzzle and the picture is there already.

I often say, “If I was only making music for me, I could do that anytime I want.” I can sit at home in a room by myself and enjoy music that way. But I think that we as artists and performers, we create and we make stuff because we want to be able to share with people. We want to be able to share a common emotional experience with people. It’s the struggle between trusting yourself, and being vulnerable enough to receive the good things and knowledge that other people around me have to offer.

In deciding, “I’m going to do what I want to do,” it almost prompts the question, “Wouldn’t she have that figured out already?” It’s a nice reminder that there’s no timeline to connecting with self-discovery.

It’s funny, because I feel like it’s one of those things with every album I’ve made. [People say,] “She’s finally coming into her own” – it’s like that every chapter! But the truth is, that’s the human story at any level. You can be coming into your own your entire life. you know? It looks different at 16, and it looks different at 20, it looks different at 25, and it looks different now in my 30s.

There is a certain amount of weird calm that I feel about more things in my life and I think part of that is when you work hard throughout your 20s and there’s such a grind taking place. For me, I love the grind. I live for the work part of all this. Like I said, I’m not really good at just sitting around doing nothing so I’d rather be working than not. But at the same time, I need to not clench my hands too tightly around the thing that is my art and my career. So much of this is out of my control. People will like it or they they won’t and it’s about trying to find some peace and asking myself, “Do I feel like I’ve done my best?” And how much that really matters, instead of being as validated by the praise one receives. We all long for that – I’d be lying if I said I didn’t, too. But I think there’s just a little bit less worry about that. It kind of feels like age gives you that.

What about your songwriting approach did you change for A Tip Toe High Wire?

I think songwriting is always such a journey. This was the first record that has been primarily made up of my touring band. Some of the songs were written and then performed live before we even recorded them in the studio – not all of them – but a good chunk of them have been road-tested, which is an interesting way of [developing a song]. “Lord, That’s a Long Way,” I wrote that tune because I literally was imagining in my mind the way it would feel to play this live with this band. It’s a different kind of approach when you’re thinking that way. I imagine one instrument kicking it off and then another one joining in on that same riff and kind of building the opening. In this way, sometimes you can almost hear it and feel it in a live experience before you’re even finished writing a song.

“Muddy Water” is a beautiful song with an equally beautiful sentiment about staying true to oneself. How does this mentality applies to your experience as an artist?

I think part of it is about trying to not become jaded by [the life of a musician]. If you’re doing something over and over and it kind of becomes your world, it’s easy to get burned out. I’m always trying to make sure that I don’t get burned out and am finding ways to be inspired. So much of that is about keeping a positive mindset and trying to keep an open mindset to the inspiration around us. The other thing that I’ll say is, I’ve gotten to do so much collaborating over the last few years. That’s been a big part of my musical world and I feel like it’s been really broad-reaching too, in ways that I’m inspired.

Stepping out on tour with Cory Wong – that’s a fun time. It’s way different than what I do, but it’s a fun time. Going to make music with Béla Fleck – that’s about really getting in the weeds and rehearsing and working hard on incredibly complex instrumental music. Getting to go join Sturgill Simpson on something, it’s about not over-rehearsing the songs and making sure there’s something about the freshness of maybe one or two takes in the recording studio. That’s why I love collaboration. Being part of something that’s not yours, but you’re kind of part of it so you’re getting to learn and grow and experience and have that excitement rub off on you.

Several of the songs on A Tip Toe High Wire – “Red Bird,” “Haven Hill,” “Spitfire,” “Lord, That’s a Long Way” – nod to the matriarchs of your family. How would you describe where and how music fit into their lives and shaped each of their relationships with you and how you remember them?

Music was part of everyday life. My whole family is very much rooted in the backwoods of Appalachia, the boonies of Tennessee, as far back as I know. Not a lot of money, no college degrees, but such smart, strong characters and people with a wealth of knowledge and grit and toughness and all that. I think music was a way that they were able to cope and have it be part of their way to pass the time. More a way of life than trying to dream of being a performer.

I remember my Granny singing when I was a kid, hearing her sing in church, and I know [my husband Justin Moses’s] family background was much the same. So certainly a different kind of musical experience. But music has always been a big part of both my family story and Justin’s family story. And I was lucky enough to get to know all of his grandparents – he’s since lost three of them – but I was lucky to get to know them and my grandparents too. Not everybody gets that. So I feel super lucky. And yeah, I think inevitably those stories kind of wind up weaving their way into my songwriting.

How do you balance so many different but interconnected objectives – especially finding space to let out parts of yourself through your music?

I’ve been able to say yes to a lot of things, because [I’ve chosen] to say no to some other things and that feels rewarding because normally I’d be stressing out. So trying to think ahead and find the balance as a human, asking, “How can I be focused in the moment, not stack too many things on top of each other, and instead carve out the balance where I do have time to write, I do have time to record, and I do have time to tour?” Because I love all those things. In a perfect world, you make them exist in a cohesive way and that can inform what the art becomes on the other side of it, because I’ve given myself space to enjoy all these things in their own way, instead of just the constant chaos of trying to do five things at once.

Photo Credit: Bethany Brook Showalter & Spencer Showalter

Basic Folk: Sierra Hull

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

(Editor’s Note: The entire BGS team would like to congratulate Basic Folk on 300 amazing episodes of the podcast! Celebrate #300, featuring GRAMMY nominee Sierra Hull as our guest, with us below.)

When mandolinist Sierra Hull was little, her dad told her she was really good “for a 10-year-old.” The older Hull knew Sierra had a fiery passion for the instrument and he knew exactly how to motivate his daughter. He went on to say that if she wanted to go to jams and porch-play for the rest of her life, she’d learned enough. He gave her realistic advice, saying if she wanted to dedicate her life to music, she would have to work really hard. Because “that 10-year-old cute thing is gonna wear off.” Sierra, who would draw pictures of herself playing at the Grand Ole Opry with Alison Krauss and doodle album covers with the Rounder Records logo, took his advice to heart and got to work.

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Since then, Hull has shared the stage with more heroes than one could count. She’s inspired a new generation of younger players, she’s released five albums, and she’s considered a master of the mandolin. Her new album, A Tip Toe High Wire, is set for release March 7. In our Basic Folk conversation Sierra reflects on how growing up in the small town of Byrdstown, Tennessee, shaped her musical identity alongside bluegrass, gospel, and family traditions. She shares memories of family gatherings filled with music featuring Aunt Betty and Uncle Junior, the profound influence of church hymns, and how these experiences continue to resonate in her playing and songwriting.

Sierra also discusses the significance of A Tip Toe High Wire, her first independent release, highlighting the freedom and growth that come with that independence. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in her music, allowing herself to explore new sounds while remaining grounded in her bluegrass roots. Elsewhere in the episode, she opens up about her personal growth, the pressures of being labeled a child prodigy, and her journey toward embracing imperfection in her art. We also dive into what we’ll call her “Stevie Nicks Era” with the amazing cover art on the new record. Sierra enjoys playing with elaborate styles in her album artwork and red carpet looks (helloooo CMA Awards). With a candid perspective on the challenges of the music industry, she encourages listeners to find joy in the process while appreciating the beauty of vulnerability.

Photo Credit: Bethany Brook Showalter & Spencer Showalter

BGS 5+5: Max Wareham

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Max Wareham
Hometown: Middletown, Connecticut
Latest Album: DAGGOMIT! (releasing February 21)
Personal Nicknames or Rejected Band Names: The Bluegrass Pagans, The Bluegrass Feds, The Bluegrass Paranormal Investigators, The Bluegrass Rats

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

I play in Peter Rowan’s Bluegrass Band – he’s been a pretty big influence on me. His spirit as an artist burns strong; he has a vision that isn’t restricted by parameters of tradition or genre and he has an incredible way of singing and playing from the heart. Who else has played in a band with both Bill Monroe and Jerry Garcia? I was honored to have him produce my album, DAGGOMIT!. He’s also a distant cousin of mine.

What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?

I like to write and practice photography, especially film. The great French photographer Eugene Atget is a huge inspiration to me. His photographs have profound harmony in them – every proportion is perfect and the simplest lines can be so expressive. To me, it’s very musical. I also love the German author W.G. Sebald. His writing often explores themes of decay and loss through a gauzy lens of nostalgia, not unlike bluegrass music.

What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?

I’ve worn lots of different musical hats, so I generally don’t find it difficult to transform creatively. While bluegrass and the banjo are my primary focus, I played electric bass for years in psych-pop band, Sun Parade, and studied jazz guitar performance at school. I write and record some non-bluegrass songs under the name Sir Orfeo and was in the chamber-pop studio band Cousin Moon – to me, it’s all music.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

I’d probably work in archaeology. I quit music for a short while and worked on an archaeological dig in eastern Tennessee, excavating a 16th century Cherokee settlement. There’s something I love about digging, whether that’s literal or uncovering the history of forgotten banjo players.

I crewed for a hot air balloon pilot for a while, too, but that’s a tough gig.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

Well, I did once find myself grilling a steak in a parking lot behind a venue with Dobro legend Jerry Douglas. I thought his company and the steak were a perfect pairing. He was wearing denim and the steak was medium-rare.

Photo Credit: Sasha Pedro

BGS 5+5: Olivia Wolf

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

(Welcome to another 5+5! Hit play, scroll, and get to know artists, creators, and roots musicians of all sorts with five questions and five songs.)

Artist: Olivia Wolf
Hometown: Leipers Fork, Tennessee
Latest Album: Silver Rounds

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

Gillian Welch. She has shown me that lyrics can be both beautiful and dark, honest and true. Her instrumentation is brilliantly simple and to see her play live is to transcend to a different plane.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

We played “The Wild” in Seattle, and I asked if anybody had gone fishing that day. A fella had been out that morning and caught three coho salmon. When the song started he closed his eyes and I knew he was back on the ocean in the breeze and the water. I love to see other people getting to escape through my music.

What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?

Photography, antiquing and home décor design, cooking, and hosting friends.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

I love Daft Punk. Especially their song “Something About Us.” They influenced a lot of the cosmic aspect of my album and I greatly admire their lyrics and musicality.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

There is nothing I could do instead, I am married to the music.

Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen