Husband-and-wife duo Stephen and Jana Mougin today celebrate the release of their long-lost recording “The Wire,” a sprightly, grass-driven arrangement that first took shape in the early 2000s. Unearthed from the archives of their unfinished duo album, the track captures the couple’s harmony—both musically and personally—swapping verse lines with buoyant interplay on guitar, mandolin, and dual vocals.
“Back when we were dating in the early 2000s, we used to listen to a bunch of Dan Seals music,” explains Jana. “In 2007 we decided to record tracks for our duo album, but we never finished recording our final vocals. There was always something more important…raising our son, building a studio, growing the Dark Shadow record label, supporting our recording artists. Recently, Stephen unearthed the tracks and as we listened, we realized we loved this song the same as we loved it back then. All of it—the ‘grassy up-tempo arrangement, the message and even the key, that allows both of us to sing lead, swapping the lines in verses.”
Stephen adds, “It’s hard to believe so much time has passed since we originally recorded this song, but I’m proud of who we were then—and who we are now. After so many years, it’s great to be making music with Jana again. That’s something we always wanted to do, but never seemed to find enough time for. Following the SiriusXM duo interview and release of ‘Like I Used To Do,’ followed by ‘Frozen In Time,’ we are inspired to find more time to release our own music. In listening to ‘The Wire,’ I’m filled with joyful memories of picking parties, local gigs, and dinner parties with all of the fine players on the track. Although our paths don’t cross nearly enough these days, I appreciate their musicality and friendship. I hope you enjoy listening and that you have someone in your life who is up there with you, when you walk the wire.”
Written by Dan Seals and published by Pink Pig Music (BMI), “The Wire” features Jana Mougin on vocals and Stephen Mougin on guitar, mandolin, and vocals alongside Sim Daley on banjo, Mike Anglin on upright bass, and Aaron Till on fiddle. The single was produced, engineered, and mixed by Stephen Mougin and mastered by David Glasser. ISRC: QMEAX2500301. DJs, broadcasters, and radio programmers can download the single online or request a download link from Jana Mougin directly.
About Stephen Mougin
Stephen “Mojo” Mougin wears many hats in the acoustic-music world. Best known as a member of the Sam Bush Band and a sought-after instructor, he’s also an award-winning producer, engineer, label head, mentor, songwriter, and band coach. His commitment to excellence has made him a go-to collaborator for bluegrass and roots artists, shepherding projects from early demos to polished releases. Stephen released his solo album Ordinary Soul in 2020 and is already planning his next solo venture.
About Jana Mougin
Slovak-born and classically trained, Jana Mougin oversees radio promotion, publicity, and social media for Dark Shadow Recording. With a master’s degree in audio-visual media journalism from Comenius University in Bratislava, she fell in love with bluegrass at fifteen and went on to record and tour for twelve years with European band Fragment. Jana moved permanently to the United States in 2006 and co-founded Dark Shadow Recording in 2009. Her first solo single, “If I Didn’t Love You,” debuted in 2023 and earned substantial airplay. Jana also lends her versatile vocals to label artists from Becky Buller to April Verch.
About Dark Shadow Recording
Perched atop a hill overlooking Music City’s skyline, Dark Shadow Recording is a full-service studio and independent label led by Stephen and Jana Mougin. Since 2009, Dark Shadow has championed the finest in bluegrass, Americana, country, and folk, presenting recordings and instructional offerings by Becky Buller, Henhouse Prowlers, Rick Faris, Laura Orshaw, and many others.
