Article Contributed by Yep Roc Records
Published on 2026-10-27
Acclaimed North Carolina band Chatham County Line announces Wilder Beauty, a 12-track collection that explores memory, the passage of time, and the complexities of human connection. Their 11th studio album is set for a February 5, 2027 release on Yep Roc Records and is now available for pre-order.
They unveil the first single “Blackeyed Boy,” a tender, quietly hopeful meditation on redemption, resilience, and the lessons learned through life’s missteps. Anchored by Dave Wilson’s warm vocals, the song draws inspiration from a childhood encounter with Albert Lamorisse’s acclaimed short film The Red Balloon.
“I was lucky enough as a kid to have an inspired elementary teacher show the short film. The art and the vision of this work imprinted itself upon me and has been a touchstone I return to,” offers Wilson. “The human form is a continually evolving medium, constantly shifting and redirecting energy to create a clearer path through the quicksand. We fall, we pick ourselves up, reassemble the pieces, and put one foot forward yet again.”
Produced by Dave Wilson, Wilder Beauty began taking shape during a creative retreat in Konnarock, VA, before the band returned to Overdub Lane in Durham, NC, the same studio where they made their self-titled debut in 2003. Capturing much of the album live, including vocals and instrumental solos, the band drew on decades of shared musical chemistry to bring a sense of spontaneity and immediacy to the performances. “The song has to be good, but you’ve really got to capture an electric moment,” says Wilson. “You have to catch lightning in a bottle.”
Featuring founding members Dave Wilson (vocals, guitar), John Teer (mandolin, fiddle), and Greg Readling (bass, pedal steel), alongside drummer Darren Jessee (Ben Folds, Sharon Van Etten), the new album finds the band embracing the creative freedom that comes with experience, expanding its musical palette while retaining the intuitive chemistry and thoughtful songwriting that have long defined its sound. Building on the musical exploration of 2024’s Hiyo, Wilder Beauty reflects a band increasingly comfortable moving beyond its acoustic roots. Following the departure of founding banjo player Chandler Holt in 2019, Chatham County Line began reimagining its sound, a transformation further energized by Jessee.
“We loved the acoustic vibe of CCL but 19 years in to be given the license to shake things up was golden,” Wilson explains. “You have to keep learning and moving forward. You can’t ever think you’ve reached your peak.”
The reflective “Walkman” ruminates upon a teenage mixtape that profoundly shaped Wilson’s relationship with music, while “Rhythm/Street” finds moments of calm amid the bustle of everyday life. Longtime friends and collaborators Aoife O’Donovan and Phil Cook add further depth to the album, with O’Donovan lending her distinctive vocals to “Breaking Wild Horses” and Cook contributing keyboards throughout, anchoring both the rollicking “Holy Roller” and blues-inflected “Windowsill.”
For more than two decades, Chatham County Line has built a devoted following with its exceptional musicianship, inventive songwriting, and genre-bending live performances. Since releasing their self-titled debut, the band has topped Billboard Bluegrass charts, shared stages with artists from Lyle Lovett to The Avett Brothers and Steve Martin & Martin Short, and have collaborated with Judy Collins, Sharon Van Etten, and Jonas Fjeld. Their musical evolution has earned critical praise, with Pitchfork highlighting the “more expansive cinematic atmospheres” of their 2024 album Hiyo, while The Bluegrass Situation noted they “have pushed boundaries of American roots music, but with their new album, Hiyo, they’ve finally knocked them down.”
For Wilson, Wilder Beauty also reflects a growing appreciation for the friendships and experiences that have sustained the band through nearly three decades of making music together. “Every time we play a show, I try to clock that moment in my life and realize how special it is to be up there playing music with these guys,” he says. “That’s what I try to do when I write songs: I try to capture those moments in life that are mindbendingly momentous.”
Chatham County Line will wrap up the year with two special North Carolina performances as part of their “Winter Wilder” Holiday Tour, joined by Johnny Irion. The two-night run kicks off December 11 at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, followed by a December 12 performance at Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw. Tickets are now on sale here.
Wilder Beauty Tracklisting
Blackeyed Boy
Mollie Hardin
Walkman
Holy Roller
Breaking Wild Horses (feat. Aoife O’Donovan)
Calculator Blues
Rhythm/Street
Roll Your Own
Shine
Narrow Gauge
Sail Away
Windowsill
