Unspoken Tradition revisits a regional classic with their rendition of “Katie and Burl,” originally written by Acoustic Syndicate’s Steve McMurry. The song holds personal significance for the band, particularly for lead singer and guitarist Audie McGinnis, who grew up watching Acoustic Syndicate perform at Leatherwoods, a now-closed music venue in Shelby, North Carolina.
McMurry, who wrote “Katie and Burl” for Acoustic Syndicate’s debut album, joins Unspoken Tradition on the track, contributing vocals in the final verse and chorus. For McGinnis, the collaboration is a meaningful return to his musical roots; he first learned the song as a child after receiving his first guitar.
“When I was a kid, probably 11 or 12 years old,” recalls guitarist and lead singer Audie McGinnis, “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!”
The new version retains the song’s reflective spirit while incorporating Unspoken Tradition’s signature style. McGinnis’ guitar leads the arrangement, supported by expressive solos from Tim Gardner (fiddle), Ty Gilpin (mandolin), and Zane McGinnis (banjo), along with harmonies from bassist Sav Sankaran. The result is a warm, understated performance that captures the song’s essence, an ode to a fading way of life in western North Carolina.
“I’ve always been drawn to songs that have a sweet but sorrowful sense of loss,” McGinnis notes. “This one is 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.”
Author: World Music Central News Room
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