Ashby Frank has returned to traditional bluegrass with “Stokes County Buck Dancing Man,” his new single for Mountain Home Music Company. The release follows his version of Foo Fighters’ “The Pretender.”
Frank wrote the song with Mason Via. In a statement, he said the track honors Todd “The Bod” Inman, a well-known figure at fiddlers’ conventions and bluegrass festivals in North Carolina and Virginia. Frank and Via both attended those events as children, where buck dancing, flat-footing, and clogging were essential parts of the culture.
Frank said they sent Inman a work tape of the song before he died of cancer in 2024. He added that Inman was known for his humor, his presence at Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention, and his distinctive dance style.
The track opens with banjo from Matt Menefee and leans into a lively, classic bluegrass arrangement. Frank leads the recording on mandolin. He is joined by former Mountain Heart bandmates Travis Anderson on bass and Seth Taylor on guitar, along with Jim Van Cleve on fiddle and Tony Creasman on drums. Together, they give the song a brisk, grounded performance.
“I was so pleased that Mason agreed to sing harmony with me on this track,” Frank shared, “and I’m so very proud of how it turned out. This one’s for The Bodman!”
Author: World Music Central News Room
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