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You Gotta Hear This: New Music from the HercuLeons, the SteelDrivers, and More

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Are you ready for some excellent new music? This week, You Gotta Hear This includes a heaping handful of stellar new tracks and a new music video, too.

Husband-and-wife duo Oh Jeremiah share an intimate performance video for “Rust,” a song about aging, maturing, and the rapid clip of time that features French horn by Corin Dubie. In a similar sonic space, the Couldn’t Be Happiers’ “Brown Mountain Lights” is a co-written eerie original about the mysterious lights that linger around Brown Mountain in North Carolina. You’ll also find a new track from singer-songwriter Olive Klug. “Train of Thought” is folky, bluegrassy, old-timey, and more, and is Klug’s favorite song from their upcoming album, Lost Dog. (You’ll quickly find out why, when you listen.)

Mandolinist Ashby Frank has a new single, “The Bug,” a traditional-meets-jammy rendition of a Mark Knopfler song that, like Frank, you may recognize from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s discography. It’s hilarious, rollicking, and so much fun. Frank’s longtime friend and brand new labelmate Vickie Vaughn unveils her debut single with Mountain Home Music, “Leavin’,” her rendition of a Bruce Robison song with a stacked roster of musicians and singers.

We have a couple legendary bluegrass lineups represented herein, as well! The SteelDrivers, purveyors of “uneasy listening” and bluesy bluegrass for decades now, announce their brand new album, Outrun – their first with Sun Records – by sharing the title track for the upcoming project, a Tammy Rogers and Leslie Satcher co-write. And the cherry on top of it all is the HercuLeons (that is, the duo of veteran multi-hyphenate roots musicians John Cowan and Andrea Zonn) giving us a sneak peak at their new album, John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons, with a rare full album stream on their momentous release day.

It’s all below, so get scrolling and enjoy listening. You Gotta Hear This!

Couldn’t Be Happiers, “Brown Mountain Lights”

Artist: Couldn’t Be Happiers
Hometown: Currently Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Song: “Brown Mountain Lights”
Album: Couple(t)s
Release Date: March 20, 2025 (single); June 13, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “So many different explanations exist for the faint flickering lights that sometimes appear floating around the atmosphere of Brown Mountain in North Carolina. One theory is that the lights are lanterns from the ghosts of miners who died in their quest for gold and jewels in those hills. Maybe so, but we think the heart of every good ghost story, usually, is a love story.” – Couldn’t Be Happiers

Track Credits:
Jordan Crosby Lee – Vocals, acoustic guitars
Jodi Hildebran – Vocals
Doug Davis – Mandolin, high-strung acoustic guitar, melodica, Omnichord, Hammond organ, bass, percussion

Ashby Frank, “The Bug”

Artist: Ashby Frank
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Bug”
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I grew up listening to the great country music of the ’90s and first heard this song when it was recorded by one of my favorite singer-songwriters, the great Mary Chapin Carpenter. I wasn’t aware that it was a cover until several years later when I heard the original recording by Dire Straits and discovered that it was written by Mark Knopfler. That band had such a deep groove on that original cut that I really got into and I immediately started thinking about how a bluegrass arrangement might work. I brought the song up in the studio when we started recording my new album and we bounced it around until we came up with a groovy traditional-meets-jam band version that I’m super proud of. Seth Taylor (guitar) and Matt Menefee (banjo) added some wicked solos and my friend and labelmate Jaelee Roberts added some killer harmonies. I even threw in a couple of yodels, which is a career first for me. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!” – Ashby Frank

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

The HercuLeons, John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons

Artist: The HercuLeons
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Album: John Cowan & Andrea Zonn Are The HercuLeons
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: True Lonesome

In Their Words: “For me, the making of this record was not about career, revenue streams, or anything else. I had been singing with, around, and listening to Andrea Zonn for 20 years. Like most of us, we were stranded during the pandemic. This record was truly born out of our combined desire to once and for all record our voices singing together.” – John Cowan

“Like John, I was only too happy to make an entire record with one of my favorite singers, musicians, and humans. With the help of our dear friend [producer] Wendy Waldman, we began exploring ideas, crafting a sound, and pursuing a collection of songs that spoke to our creative and spiritual centers. We’re so thrilled to be sending out into the world, at long last.” – Andrea Zonn

Olive Klug, “Train of Thought”

<a href="https://oliveklug.bandcamp.com/album/lost-dog">Lost Dog by Olive Klug</a>

Artist: Olive Klug
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Train of Thought”
Album: Lost Dog
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Label: Signature Sounds

In Their Words: “This is actually my favorite song on the album. Written in Sisters, Oregon, during a songwriting workshop that I led about writing a song inspired by the style of your favorite artist, ‘Train of Thought’ is my take on Paul Simon’s wordy magical chaos. Breaking out of my usual literal storytelling lyrical style and breaking into the world of abstract metaphors, I let the listener into what it’s like to be neurodivergent and how I’ve recently embraced this internal chaos instead of trying so hard to control and repress it.

“With lyrics like ‘and they try to button up my suit and tie in an attempt to hold me back but I’m this strange old conductor wearing pearls and a backwards baseball cap,’ I highlight how my nontraditional gender presentation is intrinsically linked to this neurodivergence and desire to resist societal pressures.” – Olive Klug

Oh Jeremiah, “Rust”

Artist: Oh Jeremiah
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Rust”
Album: Jones County Ghosts
Release Date: March 21, 2025 (single); June 13, 2025 (album)
Label: Baldwin County Public Records

In Their Words: “I don’t know how it happens, one day you’re a kid getting your first kiss in sixth grade on the peewee football field and the next you’re in your mid-thirties. When Erin and I sat down to write ‘Rust,’ we wanted to capture the feeling of time running in a full sprint. Your only hope, it feels like, is to hang on to those things that keep you feeling young at heart. ” – Jeremiah Stricklin

“Most people think, because we’re married, that we write all the songs together, but this is actually the first co-write we’ve ever done.” – Erin Stricklin

Video Credits: Shot by Tim Sutherland. French Horn by Corin Dubie.

The SteelDrivers, “Outrun”

Artist: The SteelDrivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Outrun”
Album: Outrun
Release Date: March 21, 2025 (single); May 23, 2025 (album)
Label: Sun Records

In Their Words: “Leslie Satcher is a longtime SteelDriver co-writer with me. I happened to run into her the weekend before we were scheduled to go into the studio and told her we didn’t have any Leslie songs on the upcoming record. She made the time to get together and ‘Outrun’ was written in about an hour and a half! It was the last song we recorded. It is another song that really showcases that ‘SteelDriver Sound.'” – Tammy Rogers

Vickie Vaughn, “Leavin'”

Artist: Vickie Vaughn
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Leavin'”
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Leavin” is a song that Kimber Ludiker showed me when she was playing fiddle with its writer, Bruce Robison. I immediately fell in love with the stream of consciousness style of writing and the emotion present in the song. I’m a pretty emotional gal myself, so singing this and getting to record it felt cathartic. It is definitely a heartstring tugger.” – Vickie Vaughn

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

Photo Credit: The HercuLeons courtesy of the artist; the SteelDrivers by Glenn Rose.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Andy Leftwich, Carter & Cleveland, and More

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Okay but really, You Gotta Hear This! Our weekly premiere and new music roundup is simply packed with entirely legendary bluegrass in this edition of the column.

Kicking us off, award-winning husband-and-wife duo Benson – made up of Kristin Scott Benson and Wayne Benson – offer their rendition of a Harley Allen song, “Things Have Changed,” with Dustin Pyrtle lending a perfect lead vocal to the track. The Seldom Scene, an iconic bluegrass band for now more than 50 years, release their brand new album today. We’re celebrating Remains to Be Scene by highlighting “Hard Travelin’,” a Woody Guthrie-written number that you, like Ron Stewart, may recognize from Flatt & Scruggs’s discography.

Fiddle is represented in force this week, too, with fiddler and multi-instrumentalist Andy Leftwich racing through an original, “Highland Rim,” with Cody Kilby, Matt Menefee, and Byron House along for the ride. Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland are releasing their debut duo album today as well, so we’ve cued up “In the Middle of Middle Tennessee” from that stellar project. Written by Darrell Scott, it features Carter’s tasty baritone and country star Charlie Worsham (who has strong bluegrass roots) on harmony.

To round out our collection this week, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers preview their new bluegrass gospel album, Thankful and Blessed, set for release next week on March 21. “He Sees the Little Sparrow Fall” is a superlative example of the gospel and sacred traditions in bluegrass, a little concentrated dose of Friday revival for the end of your work week.

Every single track herein is bluegrass of the highest quality, so you know what we’re going to say… You Gotta Hear This!

Benson, “Things Have Changed”

Artist: Benson
Hometown: Boiling Springs, South Carolina
Song: “Things Have Changed”
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “We’re excited for this song to finally come out. We love the lead vocal by Dustin Pyrtle and the sentiment of ‘Things Have Changed’ is universal. It seems things do change so fast these days. Downtown Nashville is different every time I go! But even in small towns, you feel it, both physically and relationally with the people who live there. I love the line, ‘I’m sort of glad that Mom and Dad ain’t around.’ That melancholy embodies the mood of this guy who goes back home and feels an overall sense of loss. Wayne and I love to play this slower tempo on mandolin and banjo. He gets to tremolo and I get to play fun chord-based banjo. I always enjoy playing this kind of banjo backup.” – Kristin Scott Benson

“I’ve always loved Harley Allen and certainly do love this song. Dustin Pyrtle seemed like the perfect singer to reach out to and man did he ever deliver the goods on this one!” – Wayne Benson

Track Credits:
Wayne Benson – Mandolin
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Cody Kilby – Acoustic
Tony Creasman – Drums
Kevin McKinnon – Bass
Dustin Pyrtle – Vocal

Carter & Cleveland, “In the Middle of Middle Tennessee”

Artist: Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee (Jason); Charlestown, Indiana (Michael)
Song: “In the Middle of Middle Tennessee”
Album: Carter & Cleveland
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Fiddle Man Records

In Their Words: “This is a fun song that transports me to a place in my mind where I’d love to be – stuck in the middle of Middle Tennessee. Special thanks to Charlie Worsham for singing with me on this track. It’s one of the highlights of the entire record for me! I never had the chance to meet Darrell Scott’s cat, Bobtail, but somehow, I feel like I’ve seen him before. Thank you, Darrell, for writing this song about him!” – Jason Carter

Track Credits:
Jason Carter – Lead vocal, fiddle
Michael Cleveland – Fiddle
Charlie Worsham – Harmony vocal
Sam Bush – Mandolin
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Bryan Sutton – Guitar
Cory Walker – Banjo
Alan Bartram – Bass

Andy Leftwich, “Highland Rim”

Artist: Andy Leftwich
Hometown: Carthage, Tennessee
Song: “Highland Rim”
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I’ve always loved the intensity of a fast-paced instrumental and we hold nothing back on this one. Named after a raceway close to home where I grew up, I thought this one perfectly described the rush that you get from going fast. I wanted a song on this new project where we can go absolutely bananas and I feel like we captured it on this one!” – Andy Leftwich

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

Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, “He Sees the Little Sparrow Fall”

Artist: Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Hometown: Xenia, Ohio
Song: “He Sees The Little Sparrow Fall”
Album: Thankful and Blessed
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Label: Billy Blue Records

In Their Words: “It’s so easy to sing a song of gratitude and celebration when we consider the beauty of creation. Our friend, songwriter Conrad Fisher, lives in a gorgeous valley surrounded by the mountains of Pennsylvania. No matter where we look around the world, seeing God’s magnificent beauty in creation is easy and worthy of our praise. A new song with an old-time flavor and a universal message opens our new album, ‘He Sees the Little Sparrows Fall.’” – Joe Mullins

Track Credits:
Joe Mullins – Vocal, banjo
Adam McIntosh – Lead vocal, guitar
Chris Davis – Vocal, mandolin
Jason Barie – Fiddle
Zach Collier – Bass

The Seldom Scene, “Hard Travelin'”

Artist: The Seldom Scene
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Song: “Hard Travelin'”
Album: Remains to be Scene
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Label: Smithsonian Folkways

In Their Words: “This song comes from a Flatt & Scruggs album of the same title, circa 1963. Written by Woody Guthrie, the song was first recorded in 1947. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Flatt & Scruggs and this is one of my favorites from the early 1960s when they were still plowing bluegrass, but using material from a broad range of writers.” – Ron Stewart

Photo Credit: Andy Leftwich by Erick Anderson; Carter & Cleveland by Emma McCoury.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Danny Roberts, Dallas Ugly, and More

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

The music release cycle marches on, bringing us to our first premiere roundup of March!

Below you’ll find new tracks and videos from artists like Big Love Car Wash, who take us on a tour of our collective subconscious with a bluegrassy-folky track, “Dream Journal.” Plus, mandolinist Danny Roberts – who you may know from The Grascals – pays tribute to two of his mandolin heroes with his new instrumental, “Lawson Sizemore.” And Dallas Ugly bemoan a bit too much indulgence and “sweets” with “Sugar Crash,” a deliciously saccharine number produced by Justin Frances from their upcoming album, See Me Now.

Country rocker Joel Timmons returns to his recent release, Psychedelic Surf Country, with a lyric video that tells the story of his dad burning piles of Christmas trees on “Just a Man,” complete with vintage 8mm family footage. Don’t miss singer-songwriter Grayson Jenkins turning over aging, mortality, and the constants of life on “Taxes & Time” with a charming video and a clean honky-tonk sound.

It’s all right here on BGS! Scroll for more, because You Gotta Hear This.

Big Love Car Wash, “Dream Journal”

Artist: Big Love Car Wash
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Dream Journal”
Album: Daydream
Release Date: March 14, 2025 (single); June 6, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “For me, ‘Dream Journal’ is about a fork in the road, about making a pivotal decision. The decision that inspired this song was between attending law school and dedicating myself to music. At its heart though, ‘Dream Journal’ is about really listening to yourself. When you’re dreaming peacefully, where are you?” – David Rabinowicz, songwriter, guitar, lead vocals

Track Credits:
David Rabinowicz – Guitar, lead vocals, songwriter
Sol Chase – Mandolin, harmony vocals
Everett Wren – Fiddle, shaker
Taylor Turner – Double bass
Joseph Holguin, Arlyn Studios – Recording, mixing engineer
Andrew Oedel – Mastering engineer

Dallas Ugly, “Sugar Crash”

Artist: Dallas Ugly
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Sugar Crash”
Album: See Me Now
Release Date: March 6, 2025 (single); April 18, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “This song was inspired by the reliability of a low showing up after a high, specifically in a romantic setting. You know if you keep playing with fire you’re going to get burned, but it’s just so much fun. Besides, even when things are going well, falling for someone is a mix of fear and excitement. Sonically, we wanted to make this a sweet little candy bop and our producer, Justin Francis, nailed it with the warbley synth sounds he added. We also went for some cheekier arrangement choices to just really drive the playful aspect home. Hope this little twangy, twee song makes you dance!” – Libby Weitnauer

Track Credits:
Libby Weitnauer – Acoustic guitar, vocals
Owen Burton – Electric guitar, vocals
Eli Broxham – Bass
Brandon Combs – Drums, percussion
Justin Francis – Programming, percussion, acoustic guitar, keys

Grayson Jenkins, “Taxes & Time”

Artist: Grayson Jenkins
Hometown: Greenville, Kentucky
Song: “Taxes & Time”
Release Date: March 7, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Taxes & Time’ spilled out onto my notebook page early one morning after a restless night of sleep spent on an air mattress at a family member’s house. Nine times out of ten, those things go flat in the middle of the night – no fault to my hosts. This time, though, it also happened to be in the middle of the pandemic and one of the first times I had left home and my own bed in many months. I woke up at 5:00 am or so thinking about my grandfather, including a very distinct memory from my childhood of someone saying something to the effect of, ‘Papaw doesn’t travel outside of this many miles from home, because he has to get back to sleep in his bed.’ In about five minutes, I’d written the whole song with no melody or instrumentation in mind. This all happened around the time I turned 30 and it was cathartic to put my thoughts on paper about getting older, feeling and looking older, and thinking about what the important things in my life should be moving forward.” – Grayson Jenkins

Track Credits:
Grayson Jenkins – Songwriting, acoustic guitar, vocals
Paddy Ryan – Drums
Aaron Boehler – Bass
Jesse Aycock – Dobro
Fats Kaplin – Fiddle
Kevin Gordon – Backing vocals

Danny Roberts, “Lawson Sizemore”

Artist: Danny Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Lawson Sizemore”
Release Date: March 7, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “While I was putting together songs for this record I knew that I wanted to salute two of my favorite mandolin players – Doyle Lawson and Herschel Sizemore. Both of these men not only had an impact on me musically, but personally as well, and I wanted to pay tribute to them by writing a song that would show their influence on my playing and ‘Lawson Sizemore’ is it. I really enjoyed writing this tune and I hope I did two of my mandolin heroes justice with ‘Lawson Sizemore.'” – Danny Roberts

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

Joel Timmons, “Just A Man”

Artist: Joel Timmons
Hometown: Folly Beach, SC
Song: “Just a Man”
Album: Psychedelic Surf Country
Release Date: February 7, 2025 (album); March 7, 2025(video)

In Their Words: “‘Just a Man’ is the true story of my early childhood introduction to pyromania. The lyrics tell the story (fairly accurately) of my father gathering a pile of Christmas trees in our backyard and setting it on fire, nearly burning down our house and neighborhood. Woven through this humorous recollection is the realization that my dad is ‘just a man.’ Though he seemed like a flame-wielding mythical god to me as a little boy, he was full of his own dreams, doubts, questions, hubris, and fears. I edited together the lyric video with some vintage 8mm movie film footage that my mother shot. The final result feels like an intimate home movie night and it’s a visual love letter to my dear dad, Clyde. The recording features fantastic fiddling from another sweet man that I love, Jason Carter.” – Joel Timmons

Video Credits: Videography by Carlin Timmons. Edited by Joel Timmons.

Photo Credit: Danny Roberts by Sandlin Gaither; Dallas Ugly by Betsy Phillips.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From David Starr, Darren Nicholson, and More

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

For our final New Music Friday of February and as we look ahead to March, here are a half dozen brand new songs and videos you simply gotta hear.

Kicking us off, JD Clayton reminds himself and all of us that the speed of the internet, the news cycle, and social media is too damn fast. His new video reminds us of the power of “Slow & Steady” with a glitzy and gritty alt-Americana sound. A modern blues picking icon David Starr brings a new video for “Hole In The Page” as well, writing the book on lost love, lessons learned, and a liberal dose of longing with wailing organ and plenty of licks. Rounding out our videos this week is a frolic by Miss Georgia Peach, “Dusty,” that was inspired by her independent Maine Coon cat, Dusty Springfield, but ultimately celebrates autonomy and agency soundtracked by Americana meets Southern rock.

From the bluegrass realms, Darren Nicholson and band perform an original that Darren penned with Charles Humphrey (Songs From the Road Band). The pair regard their number, “Any Highway,” as a “modern classic” – and we think you’ll agree when you’ve heard this propulsive traveling song. Nicholson’s labelmate, Jaelee Roberts, can be found with a new track below, too. This gospel selection, “He’s Gone,” was written by Kelsi Harrigill (formerly of Flatt Lonesome) and features special guest vocalists Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White, and Cheryl White Jones joining Roberts.

You won’t want to miss a new single from new acoustic-infused Colorado string trio Salomé Songbird, who debut the lovely and contemplative “I’m Alright.” It’s a bit of a musical mantra, pushing through darkness and precipitous mental health to find strength with mandolin, violin, and guitar lending bluegrass and old-time touches.

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

JD Clayton, “Slow & Steady”

Artist: JD Clayton
Hometown: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Song: “Slow & Steady”
Album: Blue Sky Sundays
Release Date: February 28, 2025
Label: Rounder Records

In Their Words: “‘Slow & Steady’ is about a young carefree couple taking life easy in the summertime, living in the moment, fully content with living the slow life. My generation is crippled by depression and anxiety with me chief among them. We’re addicted to our phones and the attention we receive from strangers on the internet. I can’t go more than five minutes without checking to see if someone texted me or shared my post. I don’t want this for my life anymore. I want to change. I know things can be better! ‘Slow & Steady’ is more than a song, it’s a mindset. It’s a movement. I’m going to love and live in each moment. Slow and steady, easy does it. This is going to be the greatest summer of our lives.” – JD Clayton

Video Credits: Drifters Productions
Directed by Hannah Gray Hall.
Director of Photography – Ryan Mclemore

Miss Georgia Peach, “Dusty”

Artist: Miss Georgia Peach
Hometown: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Song: “Dusty”
Album: Class Out The Ass
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Label: Rum/Bar Records

In Their Words: “Technically, this song is about our feral, gorgeous Maine Coon cat, Dusty Springfield. The song practically wrote itself, following the opening hook, ‘Dusty’s goin’ out tonight,’ which came to me as she ran in looking perfectly happy and unworried after being gone for a number of days. The lyrics are for any wild independent beauty who can’t or won’t be tamed and knows what’s best for herself. She’s going out all night, doing exactly what she feels like doing, and despite your worries, she knows what’s what. She is mysterious and unknowable and incredibly fascinating. The music conveys love and frustration, confusion and devotion. The one left [at] home is the one going crazy and trying to figure out what’s going on, not experiencing the adventure Dusty is having. The video puts it in the context of a teenage girl living with her grandma in the country, testing her boundaries, wondering when her life will start. Like most teens, I felt trapped at home, ditching school and running wild at night with my friends. I was home in the morning and for dinner, but the in-between times were mine.” – Miss Georgia Peach

Track Credits:
Miss Georgia Peach – Vocals
Ruyter Suys – Guitar, backing vocals
Blaine Cartwright – Guitar
AJ Srubas – Fiddle
Mark Hendricks – Bass
Travis Ramin – Drums
Heather Parrish – Backing vocals

Video Credits: Directed and shot by Miss Georgia Peach.
Edited by Wendy Norton, Norton Video.

Darren Nicholson, “Any Highway”

Artist: Darren Nicholson
Hometown: Canton, North Carolina
Song: “Any Highway”
Release Date: February 28, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Any Highway’ is one of the first songs I ever wrote with Charles R. Humphrey III. Not only is it one of my favorites, but the No Joke Jimmy’s always had this one in the set list, so I felt I needed to get a good studio recording of it. It’s a story of a man who is so heartbroken by a free-spirited young lady he feels compelled to leave immediately. No plan, no direction, he just knows he has to go elsewhere. Sometimes, the best way to get over a heartache is by just getting to a place where you don’t have to stare it in the face it anymore.” – Darren Nicholson

“‘Any Highway’ is the first song Darren and I wrote. We had met years ago in Alaska while playing in separate bluegrass bands together. I was, and still am, a long time admirer of Darren’s singing, picking, and larger-than-life personality. These are qualities I look for in co-writers. In my opinion, the song itself is a historical fiction account of ‘the one that got away.’ The song style pays tribute to the bluegrass greats that perfected the hard-driving slick style of playing. I think it’s a really cool song, and it’s been the start of a fruitful co-writing friendship with Darren. ‘Any Highway’ is a modern day classic!” – Charles Humphrey III

Track Credits:
Darren Nicholson – Mandolin, lead vocal
Zach Smith – Upright bass
Colby Laney – Acoustic guitar
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Tony Creasman – Drums
Kevin Sluder – Harmony vocal
Jennifer Nicholson – Harmony vocal

Jaelee Roberts, “He’s Gone”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “He’s Gone”
Release Date: February 28, 2025

In Their Words: “As the songs were coming together for my new album, I was still in need of a gospel song to record so I reached out to my very dear friend and mentor, Kelsi Harrigill, to see if she had written anything recently. She sent a few songs to me that I really liked but none of them felt like ‘the one.’ However, a few days later while she was vacuuming, she was inspired to write the song ‘He’s Gone’ and I knew after the first listen it was absolutely the one for me to record. This gospel song tells the incredible story of how Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose again. ‘Praise God the tomb’s empty, He’s Gone.’

“I am so happy that I got to record this special song and thrilled to be joined by amazing musicians: Ron Block (banjo), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Cody Kilby (guitar), Andy Leftwich (mandolin), Justin Moses (dobro), and Byron House (bass/producer). To top it off and make a dream come true, three very special people in my life came to the studio to sing with me – Sharon White Skaggs, Cheryl White Jones, and Ricky Skaggs. I feel very blessed and honored to have their voices on ‘He’s Gone.’ I love this song so much and I am thankful for the message of ‘He’s Gone’ and I hope that each of you will love it, too.” – Jaelee Roberts

Salomé Songbird, “I’m Alright”

Artist: Salomé Songbird
Hometown: Colorado
Song: “I’m Alright”
Release Date: February 28, 2025

In Their Words: “Broadly, ‘I’m Alright’ is about being stuck someplace and needing to escape. It is full of imagery from every place I’ve ever been desperate to leave. There are a lot of references to following the sun or heading west, which would be a return home in my mind. On a personal level, this song is about suicide. I hope anyone listening who is also feeling that kind of darkness feels a little less alone. There is always someone who wants to help you and there is always another door that’s not that one.” – Joy Adams, songwriter, mandolin, vocals

“‘I’m Alright’ is a song that has been an important part of finding our voice and an audience that voice resonates with during live performance over the last couple years. I’m glad it’s now one of the first songs we’re releasing as a band.” – Bryan Dubrow, guitar

Track Credits:
Joy Adams – Songwriter, vocals, mandolin
Ariele Macadangdang – Vocals, violin
Bryan Dubrow – Guitar

David Starr, “Hole In The Page”

Artist: David Starr
Hometown: Cedaredge, Colorado
Song: “Hole In The Page”
Album: Must Be Blue
Release Date: January 24, 2025 (song); February 28, 2025 (video)
Label: Quarto Valley Records

In Their Words: “I am so excited to share my first release with Quarto Valley Records! It’s kind of ironic, because this song was the last song written for the album that happened by accident. The idea came about because of something I misheard on a radio show, thinking they said ‘hole in the page,’ which got the wheels turning. While I can’t remember what they actually said, I am so grateful for that spark of creativity. It’s funny that this song then turned into being the one to kick off the rest of the project. I love the energy of the track and that it packs a punch. Jason Lee Denton and I have collaborated on a number of videos together and I knew he would knock this one out of the park. I love the direction he took, it is the perfect visual representation of the song!” – David Starr

Track Credits:
David Starr – Acoustic guitar, vocals
Greg Morrow – Drums
Jeff King – Electric guitar
Mark Prentice – Bass, keyboards
Michelle Nicolo Prentice – Background vocals
Joe Starr – Electric guitar

Video Credits: Jason Lee Denton, Solar Cabin Productions

Photo Credit: David Starr by Jason Lee Denton; Darren Nicholson by Jeff Smith.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Sister Sadie, Big Country Bluegrass, and More

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Your weekly dose of brand new music is here! Check out this Friday’s roundup of track, song, and video premieres from bluegrass, Americana, country, folk, and beyond.

From the bluegrass camp, Southwest Virginia string band Big Country Bluegrass bring us their new track, “Heading for the Mountains,” which they pulled from the catalog of fellow Virginians, the Bluegrass Kinsmen, from just over the mountains. Plus, supergroup Sister Sadie return with another new single, “Do What You Want,” which was co-written by band members Dani Flowers and Deanie Richardson as well as Music Row songwriter and artist Erin Enderlin.

Chicagoan Chris Walz debuts his new number, “Alabama Bound,” a solo blues outing that references a classic recording by Long Cleve Reed and Little Harvey Hull while still putting his own spin on it. From the country and honky-tonkin’ realms, Pug Johnson bemoans a “Hole in Me” with an acoustic performance of that new track that’s full of hurt and tinges of Texas. Plus Iowa-based Katie and the Honky Tonks give the direction to “Mind Your Business” – especially when it comes to social media. Check out a new video from The Mallett Brothers Band, too, featuring stunning views of their Maine home turf and cameos from their own “Dogs and Horses.”

From the genre-blending fringes of indie, folk, and Americana comes Anne Harris’ new artful video for “I Feel It Once Again,” a broad and lush track that centers on violin and is built around a haunting guitar riff. Also, singer-songwriter Luke Sital-Singh delivers a truly unique sound with “Little River,” a song about learning to ride the flow of life wrapped up in an indie-folk-pop package that defies categorization while still feeling down to earth and real.

There’s a little bit of something for roots music lovers of all stripes here. You know what we think… You Gotta Hear This!

Big Country Bluegrass, “Heading for the Mountains”

Artist: Big Country Bluegrass
Hometown: Independence, Virginia
Song: “Heading for the Mountains”
Album: Carry Me Back To The Bluegrass
Release Date: February 21, 2025 (single); March 28, 2025 (album)
Label: Rebel Records

In Their Words: “Back in 1989 when I heard the Bluegrass Kinsmen perform this song, I immediately loved it! When it came time to look for music for this album, I dusted off my recording and played it for the band. They loved it too and so here we are. ‘Heading for the Mountains,’ an upbeat song, is a great fit for Eddie Gills’ distinctive tenor and makes for a memorable duet when Teresa Sells joins him on the chorus. And like the chorus says, ‘the city life is not for me.'” – Tommy Sells

Track Credits:
Eddie Gill – Guitar, co-lead vocal
Teresa Sells – Guitar, co-lead vocal
Tommy Sells – Mandolin
Daniel Martin – Banjo
Billy Hawks – Fiddle
Tony King – Upright bass

Anne Harris, “I Feel It Once Again”

Artist: Anne Harris
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Song: “I Feel It Once Again”
Album: I Feel It Once Again
Release Date: February 21, 2025 (video); February 25, 2025 (single); May 9, 2025 (album)
Label: Rugged Road Records

In Their Words: “A while back I unearthed a guitar riff that my friend, blues artist/producer Dave Hererro, had sent me. It had been sitting in my inbox for a long time but I hadn’t got around to listening to it.

“One day I was sorting through my inbox and finally listened down to it and I was immediately swept up by that haunting riff; in one sitting I wrote the lyrics and arranged a song around Dave’s sketch. It was one of those rare instances for me where I felt as if I was channeling the song.

“The song is about the resurfacing of grief during the night, when the veil is thin. It reveals itself at a time when the mind begins ruminating over all that stays hidden during the light of day.” – Anne Harris

Track Credits:
Anne Harris – Vocals, violin
Colin Linden – Guitars
John Dymond – Bass
Jerry Roe – Drums

Video Credits: Stan Miskiewicz – Video producer, director, director of photography
Ara Krossovitch – Dancer

Pug Johnson, “Hole In Me”

Artist: Pug Johnson
Hometown: Beaumont, Texas
Song: “Hole in Me”
Album: El Cabron
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Label: Break Maiden Records / Thirty Tigers

In Their Words: “A simple honky-tonk hurting song with a Texas shuffle and fiddles to boot! I pulled from some past experience and tried to take the Willie approach by saying a lot with very little. I think it is the most country thing I’ve ever done, and it’s one of my favorites on the record.” – Pug Johnson

Track Credits:
Pug Johnson – Vocals, guitars
Paul “Sweet P” Walker – guitars
Jason Baczynski – Drums
Josh Hoag – Bass
Caleb Melo – Pedal steel
Jan Flemming – Keys
Patricia Badgett – Backup vocals
Cody Braun – Fiddle

Video Credits: Directed by David Allison and Joel Malizia.
Produced by Pilot Moon Films.

Katie and the Honky Tonks, “Mind Your Business”

Artist: Katie and the Honky Tonks
Hometown: Waterloo, IA
Song: Mind Your Business
Album: Ain’t No Shame
Release Date: February 28, 2025 (single); June 27, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “‘Mind Your Business’ came into fruition after years of participating in the social media game. From witnessing one meaningless argument over the internet to the next. We all have opinions, but what entitles us to think our opinion is 1) correct, and 2) needs to be spoken publicly? Minding our own business is something we all could do a little more of, myself included. Like the song says, if it ain’t hurtin’ anyone then why don’t you just let me have my fun? I think that’s a mantra that we could all live by.” – Katie Jo

Track Credits:
Katie Jo – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Brian McCarty – Bass, backing vocals
Bryan Hendrickson – Lead guitar, lap steel, backing vocals
Luke Jerry – Drums
Danny Mitchell – Hammond B3

The Mallett Brothers Band, “Dogs and Horses”

Artist: The Mallett Brothers Band
Hometown: Portland, Maine
Song: “Dogs and Horses”
Album: Higher up in the Hills
Release Date: April 4, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Dogs and Horses’ is a song that came from my real life, trying to balance the drastically different lifestyles of a touring musician and a working farm. My wife runs a horse farm here in Maine, where we keep anywhere from 13-18 horses on the property. Hay needs to be put away every season, fences always break, water systems need maintenance, etc. Meanwhile, I spend over 100 days a year in a van traveling to gigs and have to play catch-up when I get home. The song is about supporting each other and building an unconventional life that suits us both. This music video was filmed at our farm; the dogs and horses are actually our dogs and horses and it was fun to capture a day in life when the grass was still green. The counterpoint to the farm shots was our annual show at the State Theatre here in Maine, which is one of the coolest shows we get to play. Our friend CC at Just One Look Media did a great job with the video, and it was a lot of fun to shoot

“This is the only track on the record to have a special guest, featuring the legendary Chuck Leavell of the Allman Brothers Band and Rolling Stones fame on keys. We were lucky to be a part of the Maine episode of his PBS show America’s Forests With Chuck Leavell, and we were very excited when he agreed to contribute to this song. His parts added the perfect finishing touch and really brought it to another level.” – Luke Mallett

Sister Sadie, “Do What You Want”

Artist: Sister Sadie
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Do What You Want”
Release Date: February 21, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Do What You Want’ came from Dani Flowers, Erin Enderlin, and myself sitting around talking about life. How hard it can be. How we have so many expectations put on us, especially being women. How we are all divided. No matter what you do, someone is going to have something good or bad to say about it. So don’t worry about what everyone thinks. ‘Just Do What You Want.’ This was a very fun and somewhat therapeutic song to write. Maddie Dalton, being the youngest in the band, was the perfect voice for this one.” – Deanie Richardson, fiddle

“I absolutely love this song and I’m super happy I’m the one that got to sing it. I relate to it as I’m sure so many other people do too. I’m just excited for the whole world to hear it.” – Maddie Dalton, bass and lead vocals

“’Do What You Want’ was a really fun song to write. We’re all just tiny dots on a planet, spinning around a sun, in a gigantic galaxy for a tiny blip of time. When I zoom out and look at it that way, it makes the things I spend so much time worrying about seem pretty silly. This song is about keeping that perspective.” – Erin Enderlin, co-writer

Track Credits:
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle, gang vocals
Gena Britt – Banjo, gang vocals
Maddie Dalton –Upright bass, lead vocals
Jaelee Roberts – Harmony vocals
Dani Flowers – Harmony vocals
Mary Meyer – Mandolin, piano
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gang vocals
Dave Racine – Drums, gang vocals, percussion
Jon Weisberger – gang vocals

Luke Sital-Singh, “Little River”

Artist: Luke Sital-Singh
Hometown: London, England, United Kingdom
Song: “Little River”
Album: Fool’s Spring
Release Date: February 21, 2025
Label: Nettwerk Music Group

In Their Words: “‘Little River’ is a song about learning to flow with life no matter what is happening to you. I was inspired by a quote from meditation teacher Stephan Bodian: ‘You’re not sitting on the bank of the river, waiting for a better moment to float past. You are the river itself – filled with being, filled with infinite potential.’ This idea became a guiding theme in my life as I was making this record.” – Luke Sital-Singh

Chris Walz, “Alabama Bound”

Artist: Chris Walz
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois (since 1988)
Song: “Alabama Bound”
Album: All I Got and Gone
Release Date: February 28, 2025 (single); March 14, 2025 (album)
Label: Chris Walz Music

In Their Words: “I’ve heard various versions of ‘Alabama Bound’ for years. The one I recorded is inspired by a version done by two guitar players and singers named Long Cleve Reed and Little Harvey Hull. The duet recording was put out on the box set The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records. I tried to make this two-guitar-and-vocal duet into a solo piece. There are so many versions of this song that the point of origin is hard to pin down, although Jelly Roll Morton claimed to have written it in 1905. The Kate Adams in the song was a Mississippi riverboat line. Jackson is in Central Mississippi and McComb is south of there about 80 miles. Half the time, the song title is ‘Don’t You Leave Me Here,’ taken from the recurring line that ends with, ‘Just leave a dime for a beer.’ Times have changed.” – Chris Walz

Photo Credit: Sister Sadie by Allister Ann; Big Country Bluegrass by Brenda Killon.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Cristina Vane, Shelby Means, and More

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Now, our premiere roundup is pretty stellar each and every week – if we do say so ourselves – but this week feels especially excellent!

Below, you’ll find a slew of bluegrass song and video premieres. First, check out “Paris” by Aaron Burdett (a longtime rootsy singer-songwriter and recent addition to the Steep Canyon Rangers), who took an offhand comment about one of the world’s most-visited cities and turned it into a song. Greensboro, North Carolina, string duo Chatham Rabbits bring a track from their brand new album, Be Real With Me, which released today; it’s called “One Little Orange.”

Multi-instrumentalist and singer Jesse Smathers – who you may know from the Lonesome River Band – releases his solo debut today, as well. It’s his version of “Sleepy Eyed John” that draws inspiration from his friend, banjo player Gene Parker. Plus, Grammy Award winner and in-demand bluegrass bassist Shelby Means is also stepping into the spotlight with her first-ever solo music, “Streets of Boulder,” a burning heartbreak track which features her Golden Highway bandmates Molly Tuttle, Kyle Tuttle, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, and even more names you’ll recognize.

In a similar sonic space, Cristina Vane previews the title track for her upcoming album, Hear My Call, with an official video for the song. It’s an old-timey number built around clawhammer banjo with a tinge of blues and a dash of Americana – and it also features the inimitable Molly Tuttle. Folk duo Edie Carey & Sarah Sample can be found below as well, returning to their late 2024 release, Lantern in the Dark: Songs of Comfort and Lullabies, with a new video for its title track, “Lantern.”

To round us out, just in time for Valentine’s Day Hudson Mueller shines on his new track, “Love Is Love,” which celebrates love in all its forms and no matter who may be its recipient or subject. And Jeremy Dion has a bit of adoring tunnel vision on “All I See Is You,” a song with a video that celebrates all of the love and loved ones in his life.

It’s a full slate of impeccable roots songs and videos! You know what we think… You Gotta Hear This.

Aaron Burdett, “Paris”

Artist: Aaron Burdett
Hometown: Saluda, North Carolina
Song: “Paris”
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Label: Organic Records

In Their Words: “I like shiny things, new things. I always think that new thing is going to make something different. It does, but just for a few moments, and then I’m the same and everything around me is the same. There wasn’t any real change, I only distracted myself briefly. ‘Paris’ is a song about yearning, looking outside of oneself, and hoping there’s more out there in some exotic place. It might be the next town down the road or the big city two states over, or maybe even somewhere across the mountains and an ocean. I hear a longing in this song now, but I also hear hope. My bandmate Barrett said ‘I’ve got a feeling about Paris’ a couple years ago during a soundcheck at the Bijou Theater in Knoxville, and when I heard that, I did what I do and I wrote it down. That line grew into this tune.” – Aaron Burdett

Track Credits:
Aaron Burdett – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Kristin Scott Benson – Banjo
Carley Arrowood – Fiddle
Tristan Scroggins – Mandolin
Jon Weisberger – Upright bass

Edie Carey & Sarah Sample, “Lantern”

Artist: Edie Carey & Sarah Sample
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado (Edie) and Sheridan, Wyoming (Sarah)
Song: “Lantern”
Album: Lantern in the Dark: Songs of Comfort and Lullabies
Release Date: October 18, 2024 (album); February 14, 2025 (video)
Label: Groundloop Records

In Their Words: “Written by our friends and Nashville songwriters Dustin Christensen and Jill Andrews, ‘Lantern’ was a song that Sarah brought to the table. Sarah and Dustin are longtime friends from the Salt Lake music scene and he played a major role as a musician and harmony arranger on our first album in 2014. We both fell in love with the melody, the message, and the harmony possibilities for this tune. It’s a song that says, ‘I’ve got you, no matter what.’ The ascending bridge sounds like someone stepping out of wreckage after a disaster, blinking their way back into the light: ‘Shadows falling / Sirens calling / I’ll be holding on to you.’ We didn’t originally intend for the album title to come from this song, but it was the perfect symbol for what we wanted this record to be: a light in the dark for when you’re feeling lost; a beacon to guide you back to the familiar and remind you that you’re never alone along the way.” – Edie Carey & Sarah Sample

Track Credits:
Edie Carey – Vocals, baritone acoustic
Sarah Sample – Vocals, acoustic
Dustin Christensen – Acoustic
Maren Gayle – Keys

Video Credits: Directed by Rachel DeWeber.

Chatham Rabbits, “One Little Orange”

Artist: Chatham Rabbits
Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina
Song: “One Little Orange”
Album: Be Real With Me
Release Date: February 14, 2025

In Their Words: “My maternal grandfather Ronald holds a mythic place in my mind. He died from years of drug and alcohol abuse when I was just a kid. I only have one memory of him and it’s what I wrote the song about. I think it’s only natural to want to know more about your blood relatives as you get older. My genetics and personality are tied to those that came before me and I want to know as much about them as possible. My grandfather is no different. This is a song about trusting the limited memory you have, accepting that you’ll have to live from stories instead of the real thing, and recognizing that people can be both troubled and full of life.” – Sarah McCombie

Jeremy Dion, “All I See Is You”

Artist: Jeremy Dion
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
Song: “All I See Is You”
Album: Bend in the Middle
Release Date: October 18, 2024 (album); February 14, 2025 (video)

In Their Words: “This is my favorite video to make so far and it welcomes the viewer all the way into my personal life. Since ‘All I See is You’ is a love song, I wanted to provide an unvarnished view of my own current experiences of love. Viewers will see some beautiful shots of nature juxtaposed with recently captured images of my home, my daughter, my husband, my dog, and some of my closest friends. It gives me warm fuzzies every time I see it and I hope it has the same effect on everyone.” – Jeremy Dion

Track Credits:
Jeremy Dion – Guitar, lead vocals
Kate Farmer – Backing vocals
Christian Teele – Percussion
Bradley Morse – Bass
Kyle Donovan – Guitars
John McVey – Guitars
Enion Pelta-Tiller – Fiddle

Video Credits: Shot and produced by Daniel Herman, Mineral Sound.

Shelby Means, “Streets of Boulder” (Featuring Molly Tuttle, Kyle Tuttle)

Artist: Shelby Means
Hometown: Folly Beach, South Carolina
Song: “Streets of Boulder” (Featuring Molly Tuttle, Kyle Tuttle)
Release Date: February 14, 2025

In Their Words: “I wrote this song in college. It was my first attempt to write a heartbreak song and it became the first original song I performed in a band. In 2008, I was asked by my professor of world music to assemble a bluegrass band to represent the United States at an International Folk Music contest in Nitra, Slovakia. I formed High Altitude Bluegrass band and taught them ‘Streets of Boulder.’ Courtney Hartman, Sterling Masat, Reid Buckley, and my brother, Jacob Means, played in that band and helped create the instrumental line that is repeated throughout the song.

“I really wanted Jacob to play mandolin on this recording and he did a great job in the studio with Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, Ron Block, and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. I invited Molly Tuttle and Kyle Tuttle to sing harmonies with me and we spent one afternoon in a hotel room with Ethan Standard, our front-of-house engineer, recording the harmony vocals. That room sounded pretty darn good! After a few years of touring together we have developed a unique vocal blend and I think it suits this song perfectly. ‘Streets of Boulder’ has been performed live a handful of times with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway over the 2024 Down the Rabbit Hole tour.” – Shelby Means

Track Credits:
Shelby Means – Lead vocal, bass, songwriter
Bryan Sutton – Guitar
Jacob Means – Mandolin
Ron Block – Banjo
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes – Fiddle
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Molly Tuttle – Harmony vocals
Kyle Tuttle – Harmony vocals

Hudson Mueller, “Love is Love”

Artist: Hudson Mueller
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Song: “Love is Love”
Album: Welcome to Earth
Release Date: February 14, 2025 (single); March 28, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “This is a love song – but not just about the romantic kind we typically celebrate on Valentine’s Day. It’s about radical inclusivity. We each get to define love for ourselves and decide who it applies to. Love can extend to neighbors, friends, and even those who may not look, think, or believe as we do. This song was inspired by my friends Bird and Carsten. We were lucky enough to attend two of their three wedding celebrations (parties) in New York and Germany. Each was a beautiful tribute to the bond between two incredible souls who just happened to share the same gender. Initially, the song leaned more into its LGBTQ+ theme, with a verse about Carl and Steve, Joan and Janet. But in the end, that felt a little too on the nose. Still, the sentiment remains: ‘Find the place where your love ends and then extend love just a little bit more.'” – Hudson Mueller

Jesse Smathers, “Sleepy Eyed John”

Artist: Jesse Smathers
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “Sleepy Eyed John”
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “My friend Gene Parker, the legendary banjo player of Lost & Found legacy, inspired my version of ‘Sleepy Eyed John.’ Originally written by Kentucky fiddler Tex Atchison and made a hit by country singer Johnny Horton, I wanted to give this fun, bouncy number a suitable mountainous string band flavor. I hope you enjoy listening to it, as much as I did picking and singing it!” – Jesse Smathers

Track Credits:
Jesse Smathers – Guitar, lead vocal
Hunter Berry – Fiddle
Corbin Hayslett – Banjo
Nick Goad – Mandolin, harmony vocal
Joe Hannabach – Upright bass
Patrick Robertson – Harmony vocal
Dale Perry – Harmony vocal

Cristina Vane, “Hear My Call”

Artist: Cristina Vane
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Hear My Call”
Album: Hear My Call
Release Date: February 21, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Hear My Call’ was written on tour and is the title of my album as well, because I feel that it reflects this refocused sense of purpose and intention I was channeling both in my life and in the writing of this record. It’s an assertion, a shift from my constant role of observer to someone with something to say herself. Molly Tuttle sings and plays guitar on the track and she lends such a stunning flair to it, I’m so grateful for her mastery!” – Cristina Vane

Photo Credit: Cristina Vane by Stacie Huckeba; Shelby Means by Hunter McRae;

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Ashleigh Flynn, Carter & Cleveland, and More

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Happy Friday! We’ve got another excellent premiere round-up for you to finish out your week with a roots music high note.

Check out brand new tracks like “Heartless” from singer-songwriter Dustin Brown. It’s a song about finding redemption in self-doubt in an alt-country meets Americana package. Plus, North Carolina bluegrass outfit Unspoken Tradition pay tribute to Acoustic Syndicate and Steve McMurry with their new cover of “Katie and Burl.”

Just in time for Valentine’s Day next week, Nick Taylor debuts his video for “Lover’s Dream,” a lovely number built around tender fingerpicking that came to Taylor in the middle of the pitch-dark night. We’ve also got a honky-tonkin’ music video from Portland, Oregon’s Ashleigh Flynn & the Riveters. Their new track, “Drunk in Ojai,” retells a story of too much tequila and an unlikely guardian angel named Dutch.

You won’t want to miss “With a Vamp In the Middle,” a brand new single from Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland from their just announced debut duo album (due in March) that premiered on BGS earlier this week.

It’s all right here on BGS. Scroll now to find all these songs and more, because You Gotta Hear This!

Dustin Brown, “Heartless”

Artist: Dustin Brown
Hometown: Moody, Texas
Song: “Heartless”
Album: Dustin Brown
Release Date: March 28, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “Everyone comes into this life clean, unmarked, and full of love. Unfortunately, on the other end, some come out dirty, marred, and heartless. This song comes from a place of resolve, in accepting that at times you must be a little crazy especially when dealing with folks that suffer from a heartless nature. I suppose it’s a redemption song about self-doubt and how powerful of a driving force that can be in life and love.” – Dustin Brown

Track Credits:
Dustin Brown – Lead vocal, songwriting, guitar
Rachel Cole – Backing vocals
Joel Allan – Lead guitar
Christopher Smith – Drums
James Bartosh – Bass

Carter & Cleveland, “With a Vamp In the Middle” (Live at the Grand Ole Opry)

Artist: Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee and Charlestown, Indiana
Song: “With A Vamp In The Middle”
Album: Carter & Cleveland
Release Date: February 5, 2025 (single); March 14, 2025 (album)
Label: Fiddle Man Records

In Their Words: “This song has always felt like a national anthem for fiddle players and it’s our tribute to the legendary John Hartford and Vassar Clements. It’s long been a favorite for Michael and me to jam on – perfect for twin fiddles and a blast to improvise and trade licks on. Having Darrell Scott’s harmony vocals on [the studio version of] this track was an absolute honor, and his contribution took it to another level. I hope y’all enjoy it!” – Jason Carter

More here.

Ashleigh Flynn & the Riveters, “Drunk in Ojai”

Artist: Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Song: “Drunk in Ojai”
Album: Good Morning Sunshine
Release Date: April 4, 2025 (album)
Label: Blackbird Record Label

In Their Words: “This song wrote itself – it’s a true story! Nearly a decade ago, I crashed Nancy’s (record producer) wedding with our mutual friend who had introduced me to her. I had played a solo gig the night before at the Deer Lodge in Ojai. After the show, the owner at the time was losing his mind (in a good way) because the entire cast of Mad Men had just shown up for dinner – likely to celebrate the show wrap. He came up to my friend and me, and invited us to the bar, as we all marveled at ‘Don Draper and Co.’ filing into the back banquet room.

“The owner proceeded to offer us a taste of nearly every tequila at the bar after which he pointed us toward the late-night hang, ‘The Cantina,’ where, for better or worse, we continued to imbibe tequila. As the night wound down, we opted not to drive ourselves back to the hotel, because we were clearly too tipsy. We asked the Cantina bartender for taxi suggestions and she handed us a card that simply said ‘Dutch’ and included a number… We called the number, and minutes later an off-white Bronco with ‘Ojai Fire and Rescue’ painted in red across the doors pulled up. ‘You gals called for a ride?’

“When I got to the wedding the next day, a friend there asked, ‘So what did you do last night?’ I said, ‘I got drunk in Ojai. I didn’t know where I was. Caught a ride from the fire and rescue; the driver’s name was Dutch.’ That friend literally sang that line back to me and that was that – took five minutes to finish it as soon as I got my hands on a guitar. The band adds, ‘We are grateful to Dutch for getting us home safely.'” – Ashleigh Flynn

Track Credits:
Ashleigh Flynn – Lead vocal, acoustic guitar
Nancy Luca – Electric guitar
Carmen Paradise – Bass
Leila Chieko – Drums
Kat Fountain – Harmonica
Kathryn Claire – Harmony vocals, violin
Jenny Conlee – Piano, organ

Video Credits: Art direction, animation by Lupo Studio.
Videography, editing by Polly Lisicak, Cai Indermaur.
Special thanks to the staff of Laurelthirst Pub and Music Portland/EchoFund.

Nick Taylor, “Lover’s Dream”

Artist: Nick Taylor
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Lover’s Dream”
Release Date: February 14, 2025

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Lover’s Dream’ in the early days of a relationship. I was living in a first-floor apartment that was basically a cave and came home one night with a song in my head. I sat down in the dark and played the song all the way through without stopping. When I woke up in the morning I realized I hadn’t written any of it down, so I got to work trying to reconstruct what I could remember. I still have no idea what how similar this version is to what I played that night, but I have been waiting a long time to release it out into the world as a single.

“We recorded this one in Nashville, just me and my guitar in the studio with Bryce, the recording engineer. We set up in the middle of the biggest room and it felt just like the first time I played it, quiet and still. The song is mostly stream of consciousness, reflecting on my own faults while declaring a true and lasting love – which is any lover’s dream I think, to be accepted and loved with all their imperfections.” – Nick Taylor

Video Credits: Produced by Charlotte Avenue Entertainment.
Shot by Dominick Sotis and Hayden Westberry.
Color Grading by Color Sync Visuals.

Unspoken Tradition, “Katie and Burl”

Artist: Unspoken Tradition
Hometown: Cherryville, North Carolina
Song: “Katie and Burl”
Release Date: February 7, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “When I was a kid, probably 11 or 12 years old, there was a local music venue called Leatherwoods in Shelby, North Carolina. It was in the back of this old comic book store and there was a door in the back that opened into a listening room. Acoustic Syndicate used to play there all the time. My dad knew the McMurry boys and fished with Steve some when I was a kid, so we went to Leatherwoods every time they played there. Steve wrote ‘Katie and Burl’ for their first album and this was about the time I got my first guitar. I learned several songs on that album and ‘Katie and Burl’ was one of them. I was so honored that Steve was willing to come sing a verse on our version of his own song!

“I’ve always been drawn to songs that have a sweet but sorrowful sense of loss. It’s a song about two young people against the world, experiencing joy and sadness along the way. Symbolically, Burl the farmer returns ‘to the earth where he came from’ and today he wouldn’t understand the farm he once owned as it’s been repurposed for modern men. In fact, when I wrote ‘Land‘ back in 2016, the themes of ‘Katie and Burl’ served as inspiration: that our existence here is both meaningful and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.” – Audie McGinnis

Track Credits:
Audie McGinnis – Acoustic, lead vocals;
Steve McMurry – Guest vocals
Sav Sankaran – Bass, vocals
Tim Gardner – Fiddle
Zane McGinnis – Banjo
Ty Gilpin – Mandolin

Photo Credit: Ashleigh Flynn by Christine Lupo; Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland by Sam Wiseman.

WATCH: Carter & Cleveland, “With A Vamp In The Middle”

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

(Editor’s Note: Today, award winning fiddlers Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland announce their upcoming debut duo album, Carter & Cleveland, out March 14. To celebrate the announcement and the project’s lead single, we’re premiering a special live performance of the track, “With A Vamp In The Middle,” from the fabled stage of the Grand Ole Opry.)

Credits:
Jason Carter – Fiddle, vocals
Michael Cleveland – Fiddle
Alan Bartram – Bass, harmony vocals
Cory Walker – Banjo
Bryan Sutton – Guitar
Harry Clark – Mandolin

Photo Credit: Sam Wiseman

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Lonesome River Band, Lily Talmers, and More

Posted on January 31, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Where did the first month of 2025 go!? Wherever it went, we’ve got an excellent batch of premieres for your final New Music Friday of January.

Below, check out brand new music and performance videos like Amanda Bjorn’s “Until We Become Earth,” a song about searching for yourself set to a gorgeously warm and retro video shot on film. Pitney Meyer (a duo of longtime country and bluegrass pals, John Meyer and Mo Pitney) bring a live performance of their new single, “Bear Creek Clay,” as well.

Bluegrass mainstays Lonesome River Band bring back a Jimmy Yeary song that Sammy Shelor turned into a classic, “I’m On To You,” with the full LRB on this new rendition. Plus, Dave Murphy calls on Mark Erelli for his new number, “Planet of Pain II,” a sequel to the original “Planet of Pain” from his 1998 album, Under the Lights.

Elsewhere, don’t miss Joshua Finsel’s “Before the Snow,” about through hiking the Appalachian Trail and cresting Mount Katahdin in Maine before wintertime hits. And, Lily Talmers celebrates release day for her new album, It’s Cyclical, Missing You, by bringing us that project’s lush and deep folky title track.

It’s all right here on BGS – we’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: You Gotta Hear This!

Amanda Bjorn, “Until We Become Earth”

Artist: Amanda Bjorn
Hometown: Los Angeles, California and Spain
Song: “Until We Become Earth”
Album: That Kind of Woman
Release Date: January 24, 2025 (single)

In Their Words: “‘Until We Become Earth’ is the first single off my upcoming debut album, That Kind of Woman, which is set to release in April 2025. A blend of blues and folk with a bit of Americana, the new album reads like a diary touching on major changes in my life – balancing motherhood with artistry, finding and losing myself within relationships, postpartum mental health, and the transformation that happens from living abroad and returning home.

“The song was written in a School of Song workshop with one of my favorite songwriters, Adrianne Lenker, exactly one year ago. Without ruining it, the song is about that search for self-identity within a relationship, the vulnerability of building your own voice, and the risk it takes to keep expanding.

“With the help of my old friend, producer Aaron Stern, I recorded the album this past summer in Los Angeles at Verdugo Sound. With the help of some very talented musicians, we performed live together in the same room for most of the album, our aim was to capture the magic of improvisation and the authentic energy that arises from truly listening and connecting, free from a click track.” – Amanda Bjorn

Track Credits:
Phillip Krohnengold – Guitar, keys
Michael Villiers – Drums
Aaron Stern – Bass
Amanda Bjorn – Vocals
Adam Ayan – Mastering
Aaron Stern – Producer

Video Credits: Filmed by Giacomo Gex; color by Ruben Sogomonian; film processed by Kafard Films, Paris, France.
Starring Amanda Bjorn and Brando Wild.

Joshua Finsel, “Before the Snow”

<a href="https://joshuafinsel.bandcamp.com/album/no-honey">No Honey by Joshua Finsel</a>

Artist: Joshua Finsel
Hometown: Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Song: “Before the Snow”
Album: No Honey
Release Date: February 6, 2024

In Their Words: “‘Before The Snow’ is a song about an Appalachian Trail through-hiker whose river meditation is interrupted by a daydream. Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park in Maine is the northern end of the trail, and a hiker must get there ‘before the snow’ in order to be allowed to finish the journey.

“The lyrics are autobiographical. I teamed up with the famed string trio Bizarre Star Strings (Brandi Carlile, Madison Cunningham, The Shins) for the lush, theatrical river-like passages. Award winning fiddle player Katelynn Casper and mandolinist Quentin Fisher of Serene Green added to the arrangements. Finally, David Bowie producer and bass player Mark Plati mixed the record and played fretless bass.” – Joshua Finsel

Lonesome River Band, “I’m On To You”

Artist: Lonesome River Band
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “I’m On To You”
Release Date: January 31, 2025
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘I’m On To You’ is a song written by my friend Jimmy Yeary, who has become one of the most in-demand writers in Nashville. I recorded this song back in 1997 and it was the first song Jimmy had featured on an album. The album is long out of print, but this song kept making its way into sound checks and the show every now and then. It has that ’80s country vibe that we felt would lend itself to the sound we are doing for this upcoming album. We hope you like this version!” – Sammy Shelor

Track Credits:
Sammy Shelor – Banjo, vocal
Jesse Smathers – Acoustic guitar, lead vocals
Mike Hartgrove – Fiddle
Adam Miller – Mandolin, vocals
Kameron Keller – Upright bass

Dave Murphy, “Planet of Pain II” (Featuring Mark Erelli)

Artist: Dave Murphy
Hometown: Madison, New Jersey
Song: “Planet of Pain II” featuring Mark Erelli
Album: A Heart So Rare
Release Date: January 31, 2025

In Their Words: “The song is a rumination on the fragility of life, disappointment, lessons learned, and carrying on. This theme is illustrated in my lyrics, ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust/ Sometimes it feels like it’s all just too much/ When something is lost (they say) something is gained/ Still finding my way on this planet of pain.’ The original ‘Planet of Pain‘ appeared on my first album, Under the Lights. It was just one voice, one acoustic, and a lap steel. Part II borrows some lyrics, but elevates the song to a different level with the support of Chris Tarrow’s mysterious pedal steel playing, Shawn Pelton’s percussion, and Mark Erelli’s haunting vocals.” – Dave Murphy

Track Credits:
Dave Murphy – Vocals, acoustic guitar
Shawn Pelton – Drums
Chris Tarrow – Electric guitar, pedal steel
Richard Hammond – Bass
Mark Erelli – Backing vocals

Pitney Meyer, “Bear Creek Clay”

Artist: Pitney Meyer
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Bear Creek Clay”
Album: Cherokee Pioneer
Release Date: January 10, 2025 (single); April 18, 2025 (album)
Label: Curb Records

In Their Words: “‘Bear Creek Clay’ is a song brought to the group by Danielle Yother from North Carolina. It’s a snapshot of a pioneering Daniel Boone-type of character, blazing a trail to a home in the mountains. ‘Bear Creek Clay’ was the title we settled on, which in the moment I figured was something we would come back and edit later, but come to find out, there are creeks and rivers by that name all over Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri. Driving through Bon Aqua, Tennessee, I noticed on the map I was nearing a Bear Creek. This was just a few miles from the log cabin where we would be recording. When we cut the song to tape a few days later, I knew we had to drive down to the creek first. The water was brown and rushing fast, swollen from the rains the night before. We made it back to the cabin a bit soaked but ready to step in and sing this song that seemed to be coming to life in the landscape around us.” – John Meyer

Track Credits:
Mo Pitney – Guitar
John Meyer – Banjo
Nate Burie – Mandolin
Blake Pitney – Bass
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle

Lily Talmers, “It’s Cyclical, Missing You”

Artist: Lily Talmers
Hometown: Birmingham, Michigan and Brooklyn, New York
Song: “It Is Cyclical, Missing You”
Album: It Is Cyclical, Missing You
Release Date: January 30, 2025

In Their Words: “This song is sort of meant to mirror the experience of running up and down a hill, continuously. It was born of witnessing two brothers arguing in a parking lot– the younger, around five years old, was sobbing trying to get his older brother’s attention. The older brother, around age seven, clearly had the awareness that ignoring someone only makes them more desperate for your attention, and wouldn’t look his brother in the eye. The whole record is sort of a big statement of what it means to be in both of these positions, cyclically. I am both the desperate, reaching brother, and the power-hungry, indignant brother who hasn’t learned the responsibility of loving other people.” – Lily Talmers

Track Credits:
Lily Talmers – Vocals, acoustic guitar, music, lyrics
Raffi Boden – Cello
Konstantinos Revelas – Bouzouki
Alec Spiegelman – Clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
David Ward – Drums, percussion

Photo Credit: Lonesome River Band by Sandlin Gaither; Lily Talmers by Bailey Lecat.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Max McNown, Miss Tess, and More

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Justin Hiltner

Wherever you are on this wintry week, we hope our collection of roots music premieres warms you all the way up. We expect it will!

In this edition of our premiere roundup, don’t miss a brand new track from stupendous string trio, The Devil Makes Three, who debuted “Ghosts Are Weak” from their upcoming album on Wednesday on BGS. Plus, there’s straight-ahead bluegrass to be found, too, from Tyler Grant, who pays homage to a towering train bridge on “Goat Canyon Trestle.”

Singer-songwriter Bre Kennedy has reimagined “Before I Have a Daughter,” a song co-written with Lori McKenna about breaking generational cycles, healing, and motherhood. (A theme shared with another premiere this week.) And, Tobacco & Rose repurpose a love song infused with a Buddhist twist with their new track, “Tara.”

In the mood for some music videos? Catch Leslie Jordan’s new video for a Sarah McCracken co-write, “The Fight,” that also grapples with parenthood, discipline, and family. And, the sensational Max McNown brings us the video for the title track for his brand new album, Night Diving, which releases today.

Just in time to shepherd out the once-in-a-lifetime blizzards across the Deep South, Miss Tess showcases her music video for “Louisiana,” a centerpiece of her upcoming album, Cher Rêve. Then Sarah Quintana, who calls New Orleans home, brings us down the road to the Big Easy with an artful music video made with Kat Sotelo for the title track of her soon-to-be-released project, BABY DON’T.

It’s all right here on BGS and, you know the drill – You Gotta Hear This!

The Devil Makes Three, “Ghosts Are Weak”

Artist: The Devil Makes Three
Hometown: Santa Cruz, California
Song: “Ghosts Are Weak”
Album: Spirits
Release Date: January 22, 2025 (single); February 28, 2025 (album)
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “‘Ghosts Are Weak’ is about breaking free from destructive habits and patterns. It reflects on how leaving behind a substance or lifestyle often comes with losing certain friends along the way…” – Pete Bernhard