Bluegrass Music Update February 2021

Industrial Strength Bluegrass

Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Heritage (Smithsonian Folkways) is a new book (University of Illinois Press) and a soon-to-be-released new recording of all-star talent and bluegrass songs connected to Ohio history. The new album includes Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Dan Tyminski, Vince Gill, Doyle Lawson, Lee Ann Womack, Bobby Osborne, and other artists performing classic bluegrass.

Larry Cordle

Larry Cordle has a new album titled “Where The Trees Know My Name.” The album includes three chart-topping singles: “Breakin’ on the Jimmy Ridge” written by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell, “Sailor’s Regret” written by Johnny Williams, and “Cherokee Fiddle” written by Michael Martin Murphey.

Cordle brought together an impressive group of musicians for the album including: Larry Cordle, lead vocals and guitar; Mike Anglin, Bass; Mike Bub, Bass; Casey Campbell, Mandolin; Chris Davis, Mandolin; Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle; Trey Hensley, Guitar; Cody Kilby, Guitar; Kim Gardner, Dobro; Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle; Clay Hess, Guitar; Rob Ickes, Dobro; Jody King, Banjo; and Scott Vestal, Banjo.

Cordle’s original songs have been recorded by some of biggest names in country and bluegrass music including George Strait, Garth Brooks, Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Trisha Yearwood, Mountain Heart, Bradley Walker, and many more. For his new album, he contributed 7 of the 11 tracks and brought in some of today’s best songwriters to complete this highly anticipated album.

Whysper Stephenson

Ten-year old multi-instrumentalist Whysper Stephenson has released her debut album Fiddlin’ A Lilbit Whyspy (Whysper Dream Music) in February 2021.

The album is a mostly instrumental collection of songs, recorded after she and her dad, bluegrass veteran Larry Stephenson (The Larry Stephenson Band) were making videos and posting them online each day when the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year. It had been less than a year when she learned to play fiddle by ear, but she enthusiastically began learning more songs to try and lift the spirits of everyone on lockdown.

Unspoken Tradition

Contemporary bluegrass band Unspoken Tradition has a new single titled “Back On The Crooked Road.” The song makes reference to the rural routes once traveled by bluegrass pioneers to the fast-lane highways taken by contemporary artists.

The song was written by Tim Stafford and producer Jon Weisberger. “I knew there had been songs about Virginia’s musical ‘Crooked Road,’” said Stafford, “but we wanted to invoke something different with this one, something about being ‘out on the rural route’ after living in the city. I think it’s something a lot of folks are living these days!”

For the lead vocal, Unspoken Tradition features its newest member, bassist Sav Sankaran. “Winter’s chill always strikes a tone of reflection on the crooked roads we all walk to where we find ourselves in life,” he said. “Sometimes, by taking the straight and narrow path that seemed the best, we miss the journey in pursuit of the destination. The lyrics of this song perfectly encapsulate that feeling, and I tried to capture some of that wistful introspection in my vocal performance.”

“For me, the Crooked Road is the one less traveled — it’s a route of mystery and adventure, but it’s a two way road,” says the quintet’s mandolinist, Ty Gilpin. “It leads both away from and back to our sense of place. It’s a road that can take us to strange places but always leads us back to the familiar. I think we’ve all traveled the Crooked Road.”

Jon Stickley Trio

Jon Stickley Trio has released a track called “Future Ghost” that mixes jazz, folk, rock, bluegrass and beyond. Guitarist Stickley came up with the title “Future Ghost.” “What would I be like as a ghost?” he asked. “Would I hauntingly terrorize those who deserve it, bless those I love, or selfishly spy on the ones I’m still obsessed with? This song explores those questions while rocking out in the prettiest way we can.”

The Alex Leach Band

The Alex Leach Band is set to release the album “I’m The Happiest When I’m Moving” (Mountain Home Music Company) on March 26, 2021.

Produced by award-winning Americana music star, Jim Lauderdale, the album includes influences that range from Leach’s time as a member of the veteran Clinch Mountain Boys to the sounds of a wide range of obscure and semi-obscure groups that he has been playing on-air since he was a pre-teenaged DJ at Knoxville’s WDVX radio station.

The single “‘Golden Rule’ is a song that has a timeless message. It came from a Bluegrass Tarheels record,” says Leach. “I’ve wanted to record it for many years, and I think the band did a tremendous job of capturing the original feeling of the song. I hope everyone enjoys our version of this obscure classic!”

In addition to Alex Leach on banjo and guitar, The Alex Leach Band includes Miranda on vocals, JT Coleman (bass), Joshua Gooding (mandolin), and Brandon Masur (banjo).

The Gina Furtado Project

The Gina Furtado Project has a new single titled “Gone.” The band is led is banjo player and singer-songwriter Gina Furtado. The rest of the band includes Max Johnson on bass (Molly Tuttle Band, Jacob Joliff Band, Jeff Austin Band); Drew Matulich on guitar (Billy Strings); and Malia Furtado on fiddle. Gina Furtado was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.

Although Gina Furtado has played experimental string band music, lately she has been exploring bluegrass roots, specially the hard driving bluegrass style of southwest Virginia. The group released the album I Hope You Have A Good Life in 2019.

Merle Monroe

Bluegrass band Merle Monroe has released a new single, “I’m Leaving Town Tonight.” The song was written by cofounder Tim Raybon. Merle Mnroe is a traditional country and bluegrass band led by Tim Raybon and Daniel Grindstaff.

Magnus Wiik

Jazz-trained Norwegian musician Magnus Wiik is deeply inspired by bluegrass and Irish folk music. He has a new solo album called Trad. This is part two of a double solo set. The first release was Rad. Wiik’s influences include contemporary bluegrass players such as The Punch Brothers, Jake Jolliff, and Billy Strings.