Article Contributed by Missing Piece Group
Published on 2026-04-09
Photographer Credit: Chris Brennan
Today, the Susto Stringband, led by frontman Justin Osborne of the highly lauded alt-country band SUSTO, releases their new single “Hands In The Dirt.” The track comes from their upcoming Susto Stringband (Volume 2) LP, which is out on May 29 via Missing Piece Records.
The album features bluegrass and old-time reworkings of SUSTO favorites alongside a couple of tracks that have never been released, including today’s new single, which Osborne wrote before SUSTO began to take shape. Built around a mournful fiddle, the song reminds the listener to literally touch grass in times of turmoil and despair. According to Osborne, sometimes all you need is to get out to the country and put your hands in the dirt.
To accompany the release, the band has also shared a performance video of the track filmed while the band was in Austin for SXSW last month.
Listen to “Hands In The Dirt”
Pre-order/pre-save Susto Stringband (Volume 2) HERE
“‘Hands In The Dirt’ is an older tune of mine that actually predates SUSTO,” says Osborne. “I wrote it based on some advice my dad gave me in my 20s, when I was feeling burned out from DIY touring and ready to give up on the dreams of writing and performing that I’d been pursuing. His advice was basically to work harder (lol), which over time has proven to be sound advice. My dad passed away back in 2020, and since then I’ve enjoyed bringing this one back into the sets from time to time, because it really reminds me of my dad and makes him feel closer. It was a blast to work up this Susto Stringband version of the song for Volume 2, and I’m really proud to finally be re-sharing a song that I’ve had such a personal connection to for many years.”
To preview this project, the group has already shared the first single “Hard Drugs (featuring Morgan Wade),” a heartwrenching reimagining of the classic SUSTO track. The upcoming LP follows last year’s Susto Stringband (Volume 1), which was praised as “a fantastic experiment and evolution of [Osborne’s] work” by Glide Magazine and earned further acclaim from American Songwriter, The Bluegrass Situation, and many more.
The Susto Stringband was born in 2022 when Osborne relocated to Asheville, NC, and met some of the key players of the Asheville bluegrass scene at an open mic night. The solidified lineup includes Clint Roberts and Jackson Grimm of Holler Choir, Nat Copeland, Helena Rose, and Joey Brown. On this volume, they’ve added the help of friends like Morgan Wade, Joshua Hedley, and Madeline Dierauf.
Still steeped in the emotive punch of the traditional string band sound, Susto Stringband presents an Arcadia-like vision of pastoralism and harmony with nature, but with Osborne’s lyrics, there are landmines to dodge and mountains to climb.
Loosely translated from Spanish, “susto” means “an intense fear understood as a condition of the soul.” This defines Osborne’s creative output since the beginning, when he founded the band in 2013 while living in Havana, Cuba. Steeped in Southern Gothic and psychedelia, SUSTO has released five studio albums along with a collection of live, supplemental, and special releases. SUSTO’s catalogue features a revolving cast of Osborne’s friends and creative partners, including Wolfgang Zimmerman, Johnny Delaware, Ben Bridwell, Madi Diaz, Babe Club, Rose Hotel, dkyama, Persona La Ave, She Returns From War, and others. As an artist from the rural community of Puddin’ Swamp, South Carolina, inspired at an early age by gospel, bluegrass, and folk, Osborne has come full circle with Susto Stringband.
Susto Stringband (Volume 2) Tracklist
1. Gloryland
2. Diamond’s Icaro
3. E-350 featuring Joshua Hedley
4. Hard Drugs featuring Morgan Wade
5. Hands In The Dirt
6. County Line
7. Work Away featuring Madeline Dierauf
8. Black River Gospel
9. Last Chance Linda
10. Don’t Feel Right
11. Tell My Blues
SUSTO Tour Dates
April 2 – Greensboro, NC – Flat Iron #
April 3 – Wilmington, NC – Live at Ted’s #
April 19 – Savannah, GA – Service Brewing Co. #
May 28 – Nashville, TN – Skinny Dennis *~ (Album Release Show)
May 29 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall * (Album Release Show)
May 31 – Atlanta, GA – Eddie’s Attic * (Album Release Show)
June 4 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater ^+
June 5 – Austin, TX – Continental Club ^
June 7 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler ^+
June 10 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo’s Wednesday Campground Kick Off Party ^
August 21 – Falkenberg, Sweden – Rootsy Summer Fest *
August 26 – Tønder, Denmark – Tønder Festival *
# – SUSTO Solo
* – Susto Stringband
^ – SUSTO & Friends
~ – w/Joelton Mayfield
+ – w/Katie Pruitt
