Tray Wellington‘s latest single, “Blue Collared Dog and His Green Eyed Friend” (Mountain Home Music Company) revisits the newgrass instrumental genrey. The title, though peculiar, sheds light on Wellington’s unique creative process.
“Blue Collared Dog…” seamlessly integrates musical complexity and simplicity, resulting in an infectious and distinctly bluegrassy composition. Wellington, accompanied by Katelynn Bohn (bass), Josiah Nelson (mandolin, fiddle), and Drew Matulich (guitar), navigates the song’s three distinct sections with fluid solos and ensemble passages within a solid, straightforward arrangement.
This track highlights Wellington’s multifaceted artistic vision and his ability to translate it into music. Despite his youth, Wellington’s creativity is deeply rooted in the sounds and structures that initially inspired him to pursue the banjo.
“One late night while doing some paintings,” Wellington recalls, “we ended the night with two different ones. One featured a dog with a blue collar, and one featured a cat with bright green eyes. I thought about how, if I was still a kid, I would’ve created a whole story within these paintings of how these two were friends and journeyed the world together. Shortly after this thought, I picked up my banjo and just did some improv which ended up being the start of the tune. I just kept going and finished the tune in that improv session, remembered what I could and recorded it right away. I was amazed at how such a simple thought could help me create a piece of music I’m so proud of.”
Author: World Music Central News Room
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