Fresh off their multiple wins at the 2024 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, powerhouse bluegrass group Authentic Unlimited return with their brand-new single, “Cost of Living,” released August 22, 2025 via their new label, Edisonic Records.

Cost of Living unfolds like a late-night journey down the highway, with Colton Baker’s soulful lead vocals capturing the quiet heartbreak and solitude of a life spent chasing music on the road. Penned by bassist Jerry Cole, the track explores the sacrifices musicians make for their art—traded love, fleeting moments, and the silence that lingers long after the lights go down.

The single marks two important firsts: Baker’s debut recording with the band, following his stage debut at the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival earlier this year, and Authentic Unlimited’s first release for Edisonic Records, a new Daywind Music Group imprint championing cross-genre roots and Americana sounds.

“We knew right away this needed to be the first single to kick off my tenure in the band,” Baker shares. “When Jerry brought it in, the hook stopped us all in our tracks.”

Authentic Unlimited—Baker (lead vocals, guitar), Stephen Burwell (fiddle), Jesse Brock (mandolin), Jerry Cole (bass, harmonies), and Eli Johnston (rhythm guitar, harmonies)—have quickly become a defining voice in modern bluegrass. Their accolades include Vocal Group of the Year and Song of the Year (“Fall in Tennessee”) at the 2024 IBMAs, along with GRAMMY nominations and a string of acclaimed releases on Billy Blue Records.

Ed Leonard, President of Daywind Music Group, calls the group “immensely talented and the perfect band to build the Edisonic Records label around.”

🎧 Listen to “Cost of Living” here: Spotify | Universal Link