Article Contributed by Mountain Home Music Company
Published on 2026-08-22
Back with his first new music since the release of his acclaimed Aced collection — and celebrating his first IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year award nomination — Andy Leftwich serves up “Cliffhanger,” another intricate yet catchy instrumental that’s liable not only to underline his claim to the title, but to leave a listener feeling he’s got one for his mandolin work, too.
“‘Cliffhanger’ is one of the more challenging songs I have ever written,” Leftwich notes. “It’s very fun to play, but the intricate melody and melodic lines make it tough to maneuver around. It makes me think of the sport of rock climbing and the level of concentration and focus it requires. When you get to the top of the cliff, the view makes it all worth it!”
Kicking off with the aforementioned mandolin, Leftwich lays out the twisty, yet memorable tune and several variations before turning to his fiddle, and then introducing his bandmates for the selection one by one — first banjo phenom Matt Menefee, then award-winning guitarist Cody Kilby (Travelin’ McCourys), and finally, a brief spotlight on legendary bassist Byron House — punctuated by mandolin and fiddle turns that give way to the dazzling interplay and unison passages that close the performance.
Says Andy, “I was thrilled how this song came together, and with the feeling I get when listening back to the finished work!”
“Cliffhanger” is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Music and TIDAL. Listen to it HERE.
About Andy Leftwich
Four-time GRAMMY®-winning instrumentalist Andy Leftwich began playing the fiddle at the age of six, entering his first contest at seven and winning the National Championship for Beginners at the age of twelve. By the time he was a teenager, he had appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and “Music City Tonight” with Crook and Chase, and had established a reputation as a winning contest fiddler throughout the Southeast. At 15, he capped off his contest career by winning Winfield, Kansas’s Walnut Valley Old Time Fiddle Championship, one of the most prestigious contests in the country. At the same time, with mandolin and guitar added to his arsenal, Andy began playing professionally, and before he finished his teens, he had joined Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder in 2001. In addition to 2005’s solo album, Ride, Andy has recorded two critically acclaimed albums as a member of Three Ring Circle (with dobro player Rob Ickes and bassist Dave Pomeroy), and built an impressive list of studio credits as one of Nashville’s top session players.
