Mandolin maestro Danny Roberts has released an instrumental track titled “West Virginia Red.” Roberts, a founding member of bluegrass sextet, The Grascals, serves up a speedy original that combines a distinctly contemporary melody and improvisation with a traditional, 2-part fiddle tune construction. The single features 5-string banjo and guitar played by longtime colleague Tony Wray and fiddler Jimmy Mattingly, a friend since childhood who helped to found The Grascals.
“I’ve had this tune bouncing around in my head for several years,” says Roberts, “and decided that it would fit in well on this recording project. My friends Tony and Jimmy, along with my wife Andrea on bass, joined me on this track, and it is really fun to play. I hope it’s really fun to listen to as well!
“The song title has a two-fold story on how it was named,” Roberts reveals. “First, the mandolin that I’m playing on all of the songs (and on the road) is my 2020 Jonathan McClanahan Trinity model F5 that has a beautiful West Virginia red spruce top. The second reason for that song title is after my good friend Amanda Smith (Kenny and Amanda Smith Band) who is originally from West Virginia. I’ve always joked with her that I was going to name a tune after her and her WV red streak, and I decided it was finally time to do it! Ha! Well, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it — and I sure hope everyone enjoys ‘West Virginia Red.'”
Buy West Virginia Red.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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