Article Contributed by Ariel Rosemberg
Published on 2026-02-20
From left to right: Ronnie McCoury, Christian Ward, Rob McCoury, Cody Kilby, Alan Bartram
The Travelin’ McCourys have released their new single “Gas and Oil,” available everywhere today. Grounded in lived experience and shaped by the same discipline that defines the band itself, the song reflects the working-class roots and family perspective that have guided the group both on and off the stage.
Listen to “Gas and Oil” on your streaming platform of choice:
https://found.ee/gas-and-oil
Written by bassist Alan Bartram, “Gas and Oil” draws directly from his early years working alongside his father in the timber business.
“‘Gas and Oil’ is a snapshot of fond memories working with my dad in the woods as a young teen,” says Alan. “He has a select timber buying and cutting operation and I spent a few months here and there carrying chainsaw gas and bar oil, saws, dragging cable and chains to skid logs and generally being a ‘gopher.’ It’s hard work and I miss it now and then.”
That sense of responsibility and firsthand experience mirrors The Travelin’ McCourys’ own trajectory. Featuring Ronnie McCoury (mandolin), Rob McCoury (banjo), Cody Kilby (guitar), Christian Ward (fiddle) and Bartram (bass), the band was formed not as a concept but through decades of real-world musicianship on stage, on the road and within one of bluegrass music’s most respected institutions.
As the reigning IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year, the group has built a reputation for balancing deep tradition with forward momentum, blending precision, improvisation and emotional clarity. The release arrives as the band prepares for their Spring 2026 Young Guns Tour, a new run of shows dedicated to introducing emerging bluegrass musicians to audiences nationwide. Inspired by the mentorship and lineage embodied by Del McCoury and carried forward through DelFest and the McCoury family tradition, the tour reflects the same values at the heart of “Gas and Oil” – hard work and the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next.
“My dad showed us what it really means to pass the torch; by trusting the next generation and giving them room on the bandstand,” says Ronnie McCoury. “That’s something we’ve carried with us our whole lives, and it’s a big part of why we do what we do.”
“Gas and Oil” is available now on all streaming platforms. All upcoming Travelin’ McCourys dates, including the Young Guns Tour, can be found at thetravelinmccourys.com.
