Emerging from the deep musical soil of Western North Carolina, the Asheville Mountain Boys step onto the national stage today with their spirited debut studio single, “Rollin’ On.” Rooted in Asheville’s storied bluegrass heritage yet bursting with modern energy, the track embodies the band’s mission: to honor the pioneers of mountain music while propelling its raw drive and authenticity into a new era.
The song opens with mandolinist Zeb Gambill’s hard-picking kick-off, followed by John Duncan’s fiery banjo lines, Marshall Brown’s authoritative guitar riffs and close harmonies, and a rock-solid rhythmic pocket from bassist Jacob Brewer. Together they paint a vivid portrait of life on the road—restless, resilient, and relentlessly in motion.
“‘Rollin’ On’ is a song we first heard from the Monroe Brothers, who cut it in Charlotte back in 1938,” says banjo player John Duncan. “Featuring Zeb’s rich baritone, it’s become our set-closer because it captures our traveling spirit. We’re lucky to ramble together, and this tune feels like our anthem.”
Carrying Asheville’s Torch
Long before recent storms put Asheville in national headlines, the city was already a crossroads for hillbilly string bands, fiddle tunes, and Bill Monroe himself, whose first broadcast as the Bluegrass Boys went out over WWNC radio in 1938. The Asheville Mountain Boys—Duncan (banjo), Gambill (mandolin/vocals), Brewer (bass/vocals), and Brown (guitar/vocals)—draw straight from that well, distilling the urgency, drive, and no-frills storytelling that defined the genre’s founders.
A Tradition Re-Energized
While “Rollin’ On” marks their first foray into the studio, the quartet has already spent a year releasing raw, live-off-the-floor singles such as their crowd-favorite take on Reno & Smiley’s “Another Day.” The new track showcases the same fearless picking and brother-style harmonies, now sharpened by studio clarity and a mix that leaps from the speakers.
“We don’t just want to play bluegrass—we want to live it!” the band proclaims. “Every note should sound like a front-porch jam and feel like a Saturday-night barn dance.”
Release Details
“Rollin’ On” is available now on all major streaming platforms. Fans can listen, download, and share via the band’s public link: https://lnk.to/CiUW9B
About the Asheville Mountain Boys
By their name, you know where they’re from; by their sound, you know what they’re about. Formed in 2024, the Asheville Mountain Boys channel the raw emotion, excitement, and honesty of traditional bluegrass—music that reflects the lives and stories of the mountain communities that shaped it. With a relentless touring schedule and a slate of new music slated for release throughout 2025, the quartet is poised to carry the torch of Appalachia’s musical legacy to stages and playlists nationwide.
