Article Contributed by Mountain Home Music Company
Published on November 28, 2025
Releasing my first full-length solo record has been a wild experience,” says Vickie Vaughn of Travel On, her new collection for Mountain Home Music Company. “I have so much to give and so much to say musically, and having Deanie Richardson, Mike Simpson, and Mountain Home help me with this project feels like a true, long-awaited introduction.”
To say that Travel On has been long awaited hardly does its appearance justice, for Vaughn has been among those at the forefront of a new generation of bluegrass-based roots music artists almost since her last release, a six song EP produced by Ronnie McCoury that appeared in 2015. Yet if the wait’s been long, her stunning full-length debut for Mountain Home reveals itself from the very first notes of the opening title track, which features a guest vocal from McCoury, to have been worth the wait. Produced by long time friend and award-winning fiddler, Deanie Richardson (Sister Sadie), it’s a deliciously kaleidoscopic review of Vaughn’s strengths — not only as an award-winning bassist, but as a powerhouse vocalist and accomplished songwriter, too.
Those same strengths are also apparent on the second and focus selection, “Bottle of Wine,” written with ace songwriter Thomm Jutz. A rueful yet witty meditation on drowning one’s sorrows — and the dangers attendant on having too many “head and heartaches” — the song moves along thanks to the band Vaughn and Richardson assembled: Casey Campbell, who appeared on that first EP, on mandolin; banjoist Wes Corbett (Sam Bush Band); award-winning guitarist Cody Kilby (Travelin’ McCourys); Dave Racine on drums; and brother-sister pair Lillie Mae and Frank Rische on harmony vocals.
The small cast (the list is completed with Justin Hiltner, another first EP alum, who turns in a sympathetic harmony on “She’s On My Mind”) gives Travel On an extra measure of consistency to what’s supplied by Vaughn’s sensitive rhythmic foundation, by turns restrained and driving, but always supportive of the song. Whether it’s on the rattling ‘grassers, “Leavin’” and “Sleepin’ in the Rain,” the 90s country vibe of “When Love Comes Knockin” and “Liza Jane,” the emotional ache and authenticity of “Mama Took Her Ring Off Yesterday” and “Still In Love,” or the deeply personal gospel of “The Pilot,” these are musicians whose contributions betray not only deep talent, but familiarity with Vaughn’s musicality — and personality, too.
Indeed, it’s Vaughn’s unique character that ultimately ties together the different strands that make up Travel On’s seamless whole. The years since that first EP’s release have been a whirlwind for the young Kentucky native, who spent years with ultra-traditional bluegrassers High Fidelity, including several that overlapped with her current main gig, the all-woman roots music ensemble, Della Mae. She’s sung with Patty Loveless, played as a guest with an endless array of artists, fronted equally endless permutations of her own band in appearances around Nashville, hosted a long-running Ladies Night show at a popular Music City watering hole and built a reputation as one of the city’s — and bluegrass music’s — brightest stars.
Still, in the end, it’s that personal note that Vaughn returns to as she offers her final thought on Travel On: “I really hope y’all like it, and feel that we have a connection after listening.”
Travel On is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Music and TIDAL. Listen to it HERE.
