Ashby Frank returns to hard-driving bluegrass territory with Everybody’s Got Their Nine Pound Hammer, a high-octane reflection on labor, hardship, and resilience. Written by three-time IBMA Songwriter of the Year Tim Stafford, alongside Eric Gibson and Greg Cornett, the track draws on one of the genre’s most enduring symbols: the nine-pound hammer. It’s a direct nod to classics like “Nine Pound Hammer” and Ralph Stanley’s “Swinging a Nine Pound Hammer,” but with a modern lyrical slant and raw, contemporary urgency.
At the heart of the song lies a chorus both timeless and unflinching:
Everybody’s got their nine pound hammer / Everybody’s got their load to bear / You ain’t no stranger to trouble / Everybody’s got their share.
Across its compact runtime, Frank inhabits the struggles of a miner, a high steelworker, and a firefighter. Meanwhile, the band tears through the arrangement, unleashing fiery solos on banjo, mandolin, and fiddle.
“I was immediately drawn to ‘Everybody’s Got Their Nine Pound Hammer’ when my good friend Tim Stafford shared a work tape with me,” Frank says. “It captures the everyday struggles we all face and really has that traditional bluegrass feel.”
To bring the song to life, he assembled a powerhouse lineup: Matt Menefee on banjo, Seth Taylor on guitar, Jim VanCleve on fiddle, Tony Creasman on percussion, and Travis Anderson on bass. Harmonies from Tim Stafford and Kelsey Crews add a high-and-lonesome edge. “They truly made the tune come alive,” Frank adds, “and gave it a timeless quality.”
Since relocating to Nashville in the early 2000s, North Carolina native Ashby Frank has earned a reputation as one of the city’s most trusted collaborators. His solo work includes the IBMA award-winning instrumental Knee Deep in Bluegrass, recorded in memory of banjo legend and longtime friend Terry Baucom. That track, which reached #2, led a trio of Frank-penned songs to Bluegrass Today’s Top 50 airplay chart in 2024.
His songwriting credits include material for Junior Sisk, Amanda Cook, Dale Ann Bradley, and Lindley Creek, among others. A versatile entertainer, he’s also made waves in comedy circles as a member of the Darrell Brothers. On stage, he’s shared the spotlight with Mountain Heart, John Cowan, Steve Earle, and the Earls of Leicester.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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