Article Contributed by Missing Piece Group
Published on 2026-03-16
SUSTO, the alt-country group led by frontman Justin Osborne, returns with a new chapter on May 29 when Susto Stringband (Volume 2) arrives via Missing Piece Records. Expanding on the warm, roots-driven spirit of last year’s Susto Stringband (Volume 1), the forthcoming LP continues Osborne’s collaboration with Asheville’s Holler Choir circle while further deepening the chemistry of a lineup that now includes Clint Roberts, Jackson Grimm, Nat Copeland, Helena Rose, and Joey Brown, along with contributions from friends Morgan Wade, Joshua Hedley, and Madeline Dieruaf.
To introduce the new collection, SUSTO has shared “Hard Drugs (featuring Morgan Wade),” a heart-wrenching reimagining of a classic SUSTO track. The band will support the release with a run of dates this spring and summer, including an appearance at Luck Reunion on March 19.
Listen to “Hard Drugs (featuring Morgan Wade)” here.
Watch “Hard Drugs (featuring Morgan Wade)” below:
Pre-order/pre-save Susto Stringband (Volume 2) here.
On the upcoming LP, Osborne reflects, “This album was so much fun to make over the last year. The band really came together on the road after the release of Volume 1, and this new record naturally came together too, along the way. Between shows we were writing songs in the van, and squeezing in studio time whenever we could. It was a really fun and natural process, and I’m really proud of the finished product.”
About “Hard Drugs (featuring Morgan Wade),” he adds, “Having Morgan join us for ‘Hard Drugs’ was a dream come true. I’ve been a fan of her music and who she is as a person, for a long time, and I was so glad she was interested in collaborating for this project. She picked ‘Hard Drugs’ as the song to feature on, and I’m so glad she did, because her vocals brought that song to life for me in a whole new way, and I’m excited to finally be sharing this version with the world!”
In 2022, a series of major life shifts brought Osborne to Asheville, North Carolina, where, at an open mic night, he was met with the warm embrace of local powerhouse Americana vocalist Clint Roberts, clawhammer banjoist Helena Rose, and upright bassist Joey Brown.
Lightning struck immediately, and that artistic chemistry opened up a new sound and vision now unfolding on Susto Stringband (Volume 2). Osborne’s introspective songs about love, devastating loss, mortality, and transcendence paint a sensual land-and-soundscape. Steeped in the emotive punch of traditional string band music, Susto Stringband presents an Arcadia-like vision of pastoral harmony with nature, though in Osborne’s world there are still landmines to dodge and mountains to climb. Lauded by Glide Magazine as “a fantastic experiment and evolution of his work,” the first volume also earned praise from American Songwriter, The Bluegrass Situation, and more.
Loosely translated from Spanish, “susto” means “an intense fear understood as a condition of the soul,” a fitting phrase for Osborne’s creative output since founding the band in 2013 while living in Havana, Cuba. Rooted in Southern Gothic songwriting and psychedelia, SUSTO has released five studio albums alongside a collection of live, supplemental, and special releases. Over the years, Osborne has worked with a revolving cast of friends and creative partners including Wolfgang Zimmerman, Johnny Delaware, Ben Bridwell, Madi Diaz, Babe Club, Rose Hotel, dkyama, Persona La Ave, She Returns From War, and others. As an artist from the rural community of Puddin’ Swamp, South Carolina, inspired early on by gospel, bluegrass, and folk, Osborne comes full circle on this latest stringband outing.
Susto Stringband (Volume 2) Tracklist:
1. Gloryland
2. Diamond’s Icaro
3. E-350 featuring Joshua Hedley
4. Hard Drugs featuring Morgan Wade
5. Hands In The Dirt
6. County Line
7. Work Away featuring Madeline Dieruaf
8. Black River Gospel
9. Last Chance Linda
10. Don’t Feel Right
11. Tell My Blues
SUSTO Tour Dates:
March 19, 2026 / Spicewood, TX / Luck Reunion *
March 21, 2026 / Wilmington, NC / Music For Military Heros ^
April 2, 2026 / Greensboro, NC / Flat Iron #
April 3, 2026 / Wilmington, NC / Live at Ted’s #
April 19, 2026 / Savannah, GA / Service Brewing Co. #
May 28, 2026 / Nashville, TN / Skinny Dennis * (Album Release Show)
May 29, 2026 / Asheville, NC / Asheville Music Hall * (Album Release Show)
May 31, 2026 / Atlanta, GA / Eddie’s Attic * (Album Release Show)
June 5, 2026 / Austin, TX / Continental Club ^
June 10, 2026 / Manchester, TN / Bonnaroo’s Wednesday Campground Kick Off Party ^
August 21, 2026 / Falkenberg, Sweden / Rootsy Summer Fest *
August 26, 2026 / Tønder, Denmark / Tønder Festival *
* Susto Stringband
^ SUSTO & Friends
# SUSTO Solo
