Article Contributed by IVPR
Published on 2026-07-10
On her upcoming album, Rattlin’ Bones, GRAMMY-winning artist, two-time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, and former Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway member, Bronwyn explores a once unfamiliar musical territory, songwriting. Taking inspiration from personal and fictional experiences, Bronwyn’s latest single, “Johnny Ray,” is a mature take on a deep subject that stays above board in a way only veteran songwriters have managed to pull off.
Released today, “Johnny Ray,” the latest single from Rattlin’ Bones, differs from the rest of its album mates in that it feels a little more urgent and a lot more solemn, but in typical Bronwyn fashion, never feels too heavy. “Hey! Hey Johnny Ray / What were you thinking? / Your boat wanted to float, but it was sinking,” she sings on the song about addiction and substance abuse, and in Bronwyn’s words, “the helpless feeling of watching someone you love down and being unable to stop it from happening.” But the opening lines of “Johnny Ray” recall the happier beginnings of the story with a foreshadowing undertone of grief: “On the kitchen floor by the window having a smoke / Laughing at the afternoon telling a joke / Remembering times so damn fine like yesterday / But I’d be lying if I said I don’t lie awake all night long.”
“Johnny Ray” is a standout of Bronwyn’s new batch of self-penned songs. The song’s chorus feels almost anthemic, somewhat sing-along, which it will undoubtedly end up being once on stage in front of fans. Couple that with the bluesy, Jerry Douglas-led instrumental riff that kicks things off, and “Johnny Ray” is a genre-blurred tale as old as time that stands out as a jewel in Bronwyn’s newly donned songwriter crown.
Fans can stream or purchase “Johnny Ray” today at this link, listen to Bronwyn’s previously released single “Sticks and Stones,” right here, and pre-order or pre-save Rattlin’ Bones ahead of its August 14 release right here. Bronwyn will be hitting the road this summer with dates across the U.S. Nashvillians, mark your calendar for her performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Aug. 19. For more information and a full list of tour dates, please visit bronwynfiddle.com.
Rattlin’ Bones Tracklist:
Sticks and Stones
The Ride
Johnny Ray
Chasing Storms
Gallatin Road (feat. Timbo)
Blink of an Eye
Hold Me Down
End of the Road
Rainbow Trout
The Wishing Well
Virginia Gal
Flower Child
Golden Hour Dream
Catch Bronwyn on Tour:
July 22 - Yee-Haw Brewing - Knoxville, TN
July 23 - FloydFest - Floyd, VA
July 25 - Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival - Stevenson, WA
July 30 - Space - Evanston, IL
July 31 - Sugar Maple Music Festival - Madison, WI
Aug. 1 - Turf Club - St. Paul, MN
Aug. 7 - Roberts Family Farm - Sandwich, IL
Aug. 8 - Alluvial Brewing Company - Ames, IA
Aug. 13 - Turntable - Indianapolis, IN
Aug. 14 - Riverside Amphitheater - Hamilton, OH
Aug. 15 - Woodlands Tavern - Columbus, OH
Aug. 19 - Grand Ole Opry - Nashville, TN
Sept. 2 - The Southern - Charlottesville, VA
Sept. 3 - 118 North - Wayne, PA
Sept. 4 - The Iron Horse - Northampton, MA
Sept. 5 - Crooked River Gathering - Hiram, ME
Sept. 6 - Zenbarn - Waterbury, VT
Sept. 9 - Empire State Plaza - Albany, NY
Sept. 10 - The Stephen Talkhouse - Amagansett, NY
Sept. 12 - Watermelon Pickers Fest - Berryville, VA
Sept. 16 - AmericanaFest - Nashville, TN
Sept. 17 - Appalachian Theatre of the High Country - Boone, NC
Sept. 18 - Eddie’s Attic - Decatur, GA
Sept. 20 - Pickin’ In The Pines Bluegrass & Acoustic Music Festival - Flagstaff, AZ
Oct. 11 - Hillberry Music Festival - Eureka Springs, AR
April 22-24 - BajaGrass - Baja California, MX
