Take a 15-time IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Dobro Player of the Year and a Tennessee-born guitar prodigy who made his Grand Ole Opry debut at the age of 11, and you have Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, a powerhouse acoustic duo that has electrified the acoustic music scene.

On their new Compass Records album, WORLD FULL OF BLUES, they move beyond the acoustic-centric sound of their previous two releases (including the GRAMMY-nominated BEFORE THE SUN GOES DOWN) and juice things up with Hammond B3 and a horn section. Guests include blues great Taj Mahal, who provides his unmistakable mojo to the title track, and country music legend Vince Gill, who joins the duo on an inspired rendition of The Grateful Dead’s moonshiner song, “Brown-Eyed Women”.  

White-hot picking and stone country vocals are still the driving force of the duo, but now with added grit and a nod to the rootsier side of Americana, all aided by the guiding hand of GRAMMY-winning producer Brent Maher.  Maher, known for his production and engineering of such diverse artists as The Judds, Faces, and Ike and Tina Turner, loved the duo’s demos and signed on to produce immediately upon hearing them.

The album was recorded live at Maher’s Nashville studio, The Blueroom, with minimal overdubs. Maher says, “For me, this record was all about living in the moment...letting spontaneity rule." Despite the diversity in instrumentation and song selection—acoustic blues to jammed out roots rockers, “Hag” country to Duane and Dickey style twin leads reminiscent of The Allman Brothers—the end result is a sound unified in its approach to the broad scope of roots music.  “Ultimately we’re the unifying factor,” says Ickes (rhymes with ‘bikes’.) “It’s obvious we’re into all these different styles, but there’s a commonality in the sound of our instruments that, blended with Trey’s voice, makes it one sound.”

Ickes and Hensley wrote or co-wrote nine of the songs on WORLD FULL OF BLUES and put their own spin on the two covers. Hensley says, “Our songwriting was always present on the last records, but there were maybe three originals and the rest covers. We made a decision on this one to present more of our own material.” 

Ickes contributes the instrumental “The Fatal Shore” and the cautionary “Thirty Days,” while Hensley offers the optimistic life-on-the-road song, “Both Ends of My Rainbow.” Hensley got the idea to write the lively “Nobody Can Tell Me I Can’t” after hearing a friend use that phrase in conversation. That title clearly embodies the duo’s creative streak, too.

“’World Full of Blues’” felt important to me to include from the first time Rob talked about it” says Hensley. “Bill Scholer had written a version of the song, but Rob and I decided to rewrite it, with some help from our friend Jason Eady, to make it more modern, while keeping Bill’s original intent intact: ‘It’s a crazy world and it feels like it’s getting crazier all the time...’ We knew we wanted a guest on this song and Taj Mahal was at the top of our dream list. He loved it and agreed to sing a verse and play some guitar on it. Working with Taj in the studio was a huge highlight for us... what an amazing guy and an absolute legend in every sense.” 

“Brown Eyed Women” has the distinction of not only being one of the duo’s favorite Grateful Dead tunes, but a career first for country legend Gill. “Vince is one of our big musical heroes and it was so awesome having him sing on a Grateful Dead tune, which was the first time he’s recorded a Dead song.”

“Born With The Blues” is a song Ickes and Hensley wrote with their friend Bobby Starnes. “Bobby started it and we finished it up,” Ickes recalls.  “It reminds me of a Clint Eastwood western, and the percussion and horn section really solidifies that. This is a song that gives us room to stretch out musically. It felt like the perfect song to kick off the record. “  

“Suzanne,” written by Hensley with Larry Shell and Larry Cordle, finds the duo swapping instruments, Hensley playing a 1931 National resonator guitar and Ickes playing a 1927 Montgomery Ward guitar that belonged to his grandfather. “We had spent the morning talking about how amazing Lightning Hopkins, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker all were and this song just appeared,” Hensley recalls. “Having Jim Hoke arrange the horns and play on it just really added a Howlin’ Wolf-era/Sun Records vibe.

Closing the project is a rousing rendition of jazz-rock guitarist Robben Ford’s “Rugged Road.”  Few guitarists cross boundaries as deftly as Ford and this rendition firmly places Ickes and Hensley in the same pantheon as the celebrated guitar slinger.  

Ickes grew up in a suburb of San Francisco and discovered the Dobro as a teenager when he borrowed a Mike Auldridge cassette from his brother. He later moved to Nashville to pursue session work for artists such as Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard and Earl Scruggs, co-founded the highly influential bluegrass group Blue Highway, and ultimately won 15 IBMA Awards for Dobro Player of the Year. 

Hensley grew up in East Tennessee and started singing in a gospel group when he was 6 years old. A few years later, his parents took him to a bluegrass festival where the lineup included back-to-back sets by bluegrass legends Charlie Waller and Jimmy Martin. Hensley decided then and there that he wanted to play guitar. By the time he was 11, he had performed on the Grand Ole Opry playing guitar with Earl Scruggs and Marty Stuart. 

When Scruggs played Knoxville not long after the Opry appearance, he invited the young Hensley to sit in. Ickes, who was playing Dobro in Scruggs’ band at the time, remembers Hensley as “a very talented kid”, but it would be roughly a decade before they crossed paths again.  When they did, Ickes was blown away.

“I couldn’t believe the guy!” Ickes says. “I was just so excited about his music that I called everyone I knew in Nashville and told them about him.  Then I suggested that we start playing at (Nashville’s) Station Inn and treat it like a showcase for Trey, just to see what might happen.  I used to tease him and say, ‘I’ll have you famous by Christmas.’ Then, just one year later, our first record was nominated for a GRAMMY.”

Going forward the goal is simply to reach more people and illustrate what the unique talents and down to earth, honest approach of Ickes and Hensley can bring to roots music. “We want to keep doing the music that we love, no matter what the genre, and finding the audience that gets what we're mixing together” says Ickes. Hensley adds, “I love what we're doing, so it’s just continuing on with that, to more and more people.” With upcoming shows at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (including guesting on Buddy Miller’s Cavalcade of Stars) and the 2020 Cayamo Cruise the duo is sure to do just that.

ROB ICKES & TREY HENSLEY ON TOUR:
WE Nov. 13 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
TH Nov. 14 – Baltimore, MD – Union Craft Brewing (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
FR Nov. 15 – Newtown, PA – Zlock Performing Arts Center (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
SA Nov. 16   – Round Hill, VA - B Chord Brewing  (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
MO Nov. 18 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall
WE Nov. 20 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
TH Nov. 21 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
FR Nov. 22 – Norfolk, CT – Infinity Hall Norfolk (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
SA Nov. 23 – Brownfield, ME – Stone Mountain Arts Center (Roots & Branches Tour w/ The Gibson Brothers & Mockingbird) 
WE Dec. 4 – Boulder, CO – Chautauqua Community House 
TH Dec. 5 – Denver, CO – Cervantes’ Other Side (w/ Mark Lavengood Band & Special Guests) 
FR Dec. 6 – Phoenix, AZ - MIM 
SA Dec. 7 – Carlsbad, CA – Museum of Making Music 
SU Dec. 8 – Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s Guitar Shop 
MO Jan. 9, 2020 – Nashville, TN – The Station Inn 
TH Jan. 23, 2020  - New Orleans, LA - Folk Alliance 
MO Jan. 27, 2020 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Parker Playhouse (w/ Taj Mahal Quartet) 
TU Jan. 28, 2020 - Stuart, FL - Lyric Theatre (w/ Taj Mahal Quartet) 
WE Jan. 29, 2020 – Ponte Vedra, FL –  Ponte Vedra Concert Hall (w/ Taj Mahal Quartet) 
TH Jan. 30 – Atlanta, GA – City Winery (w/Taj Mahal Quartet) 
FR Jan. 31, 2020 - Nashville, TN - City Winery (w/ Taj Mahal Quartet) 
MO-MO Feb. 3-10, 2020 – Miami, FL – Cayamo Cruise

photo by Joe del Tufo

A fiddle prodigy who received a GRAMMY nod for his Compass Records release, PORTRAITS IN FIDDLES, Mike Barnett returns with a new album of 14 duets he’s titled + 1. The album, originally slated for a fall 2020 release, was delayed when Mike suffered a brain aneurysm last summer at his Nashville home. Friends and fellow musicians rallied, and Mike's friend and fellow Kentucky Thunder bandmember Jeff Picker started a GoFundMe to assist Mike and his wife, violinist Annalise Ohse, through two successful surgeries and an initial round of rehabilitation in Atlanta. Annalise and Mike are currently doing an intensive round of rehabilitation in Chicago, where he tells The Bluegrass Situation, he is working to “reconnect his brain to his fingers," and is "excited about getting the music on '+ 1' to the fans and community that have offered him so much support."

Listen to his duet "Hybrid "Hoss" HERE (Feat. Cory Walker)

Mike says: “Here’s a good old Bill Monroe classic… oh wait, except for the ‘A’ part. I put one note per ping pong ball and played lottery bingo for that part… just kidding, though it might sound that way. I sometimes enjoy taking tunes outside the box, but still maintain some semblance of where it came from. This is a hybrid of ‘outside’ and ‘in’ based on Bill Monroe’s ‘Wheel Hoss.’ Grounding this in the tradition of banjo/fiddle seemed appropriate. Cory Walker’s instincts and diverse musical pallet make him one of very few people who could tackle this.”

Though he’s a Nashville native who became a professional player at a young age as part of Jesse McReynolds’ band, Barnett can still be considered among the recent crop of breakout talents from the Boston roots music scene that produced the likes of Lake Street Dive, I'm With Her and The Deadly Gentlemen, a newgrass outfit where he held fiddle duties from 2011 to 2014. Now relocated to Nashville where he holds down fiddle duties as a member of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Barnett has been working on +1 over a period of four years. He started recording when he was still living in NYC and was collaborating with fellow artists from his years in the Berklee Music Scene, including Sarah Jarosz; later tracks came once he moved to Nashville and include duets with fellow Nashvillians Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle, and Dominic Leslie in addition to Skaggs. 

Drawing on the deep virtuosic talents of the cast of players, the album’s tracks flow seamlessly from traditional American tunes to newgrass with elements of Celtic music, pop and jazz-tinged improvisation thrown in for good measure. From an instrumental sea shanty performed on fiddle and saxophone (“The Breath and the Bow” featuring Eddie Barbash) to “hopped up bluegrass with a little extra thrown in” (“Hybrid Hoss” featuring Cory Walker) to the plaintive vocal melodies of “Righteous Bell” and “Hollow City,” both featuring Sarah Jarosz, + 1 is a dynamic collection that spans cities, countries, and genres. 

Barnett always intended + 1 to be a studio project. Inspired by some of his favorite duet albums, including two Compass Records releases from the early 2000s – Darol Anger’s DIARY OF A FIDDLER and THE DUO LIVE: AT HOME AND ON THE RANGE with Mike Marshall – coupled with the realization that he enjoyed the musical freedom the duo configuration offers, Barnett began plans for the album. A lot of the music grew out of the time Barnett spent living in Brooklyn.

It was living and gigging in New York City that Barnett started playing a lot as a duo. “The nature of playing around the city is that there are a lot of small venues and I had a lot of friends I enjoyed playing with who were in and out of town,” he says. “It’s one of my favorite contexts to play music in, but it’s a challenging context to record in, especially for a fiddle, which in general, in band context, plays the role of the melodic instrument. In a duo context, when another person is soloing, you have to fill out the music in a different way and get creative there. It was something I thought would be nice to write some music specifically for."

While in NYC, Barnett’s girlfriend, now wife, got a job offer in Austin, TX. “I decided to follow her, but I wanted to stay connected to my NYC friends, so I used writing tunes in these duo contests and going back up there to record, as a way to keep in touch with my friends and keep making music in that scene From there I got a call from Ricky Skaggs to audition for his band.”

Relocating to Nashville, Barnett soon began playing with other young players in the area, including Sierra Hull and Molly Tuttle, and brought them into the project.

“I was playing with different folks around Nashville – old friends and new friends,” says Barnett. “I got to a place with a nice cohesive list of songs that represented different genres of music that I’ve spent time digging into and that I love so much, and a collection of people that I feel proud to know and be friends with.” The project lives as “a nice snapshot in time, a time capsule,” he says.  Barnett also includes a gorgeous duet featuring Ricky Skaggs on clawhammer banjo and vocals on the hauntingly beautiful medley of old time tunes cleverly dubbed "Little Sisters Melodies."

With the perspective of having completed the project, Barnett muses, “There’s always the feeling as an artist of looking back on something you started long ago where you wat toredo this – it’s kind of nice to look back and see it as a moment in time and let it be at a certain point.”  

+1, with its musical breadth, stunning virtuosity, and deep musicality, is an album that is sure to stand the test of time and assert Barnett’s place as one of acoustic music’s greatest fiddle players and musical visionaries of his generation. 

Compass Records is proud to welcome Leftover Salmon back to the label for a release in late spring 2021. For 30 years, the group has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports, picking up where bands like Little Feat, The Band and The Grateful Dead left off and distilling their music into a potent brew of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco, jazz and blues. 

Compass Records, known for its roster of Americana and roots music artists and its award-winning bluegrass releases, released the band’s album LIVE in 2002, as well as several of lead singer/mandolinist Drew Emmitt’s solo projects, and is excited to partner with the forward-thinking roots outfit again. 

“Few bands on the acoustic music scene have withstood the test of time and the changes that come with it,” says Compass Records co-founder Garry West. “Not only has Leftover Salmon managed to do so, they’ve evolved in the process, adding new elements and textures, all coupled with songwriting that just gets better and better. And somehow in the process they have managed to retain their festival campground, bluegrass jam roots. We’re thrilled to be welcoming them back to the Compass fold.” 

Drew Emmitt responded for the band: "After putting out LIVE and three solo albums with Compass Records in the past, it’s a beautiful feeling to be back with Garry and Alison and the Compass family.”

Leftover Salmon have been considered the architects of what has become known as “jamgrass,” and are a band that has continued through various musical fads and label affiliations to maintain a vibrant, relevant and influential voice in the music world. Over that time, Leftover Salmon’s sound has grown and evolved while staying true to the roots and guiding spirit of the band’s founding members – mandolinist/singer Drew Emmitt and guitarist/singer Vince Herman.  

Over the course of their career, Leftover Salmon has collaborated with an A-list of music industry tastemakers: from the cream of American roots artists (1999’s groundbreaking NASHVILLE SESSIONS) and indie oddballs Cracker, to Little Feat’s Bill Payne and Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin (who produced the band’s last album).  And, in spite of enduring the death of a founding member as well as various line-up changes, Leftover Salmon has continued to stay true to their fans and their sonic vision.  
 
Look for an announcement and new music very soon!

Known for their exhilarating live shows and musicianship as well as their eclectic musical tastes, Leftover Salmon has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports, picking up where bands like Little Feat, the Band and The Grateful Dead left off and distilling it into their own potent brew of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco and jazz and blues. As Tim Newby, author of Leftover Salmon: Thirty Years of Festival!, wrote “When listening to Leftover Salmon it is easy to draw a line that runs straight from Bill Monroe to John Hartford to the Grateful Dead to Hot Rize to Little Feat to New Grass Revival to Col. Bruce Hampton and end with Leftover Salmon.”

Leftover Salmon’s new album BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS will street on May 7 on Nashville indie label Compass Records, which released their 2002 album LIVE, as well as three solo projects for lead singer/mandolinist Drew Emmitt. The album will be released on CD, digitally and on limited-edition blood orange vinyl. Today, Relix Magazine is premiering the animated lyric video for the title track.

“It’s a reminder that no matter what kind of trouble we’re in these days, it may not ever be as good as it is right now,” says co-founder Vince Herman.

WATCH THE ANIMATED LYRIC VIDEO FOR "BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS" HERE

The album kicks off with the band’s Salmonized version of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” Emmitt says: “Black Hole Sun” has always intrigued me with its haunting lyrics and very cool chord progression. I also felt like it was appropriate for this crazy time we’re in and that it would make a great bluegrass tune.”

The second song is the title track, “Brand New Good Old Days.” It’s a catchy, instantly memorable song that feels like it’s been out there for years and encapsulates the band’s sound. The track is a perfect example of Leftover Salmon’s genre bending sound which has influenced an entire generation of today’s bluegrass-rooted jam bands, including Yonder Mountain String Band and Trampled by Turtles. It also delivers the timely message to live in the moment.

Members of Leftover Salmon currently include Herman (vocals, guitar, washboard), Emmitt (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar), Greg Garrison (bass, vocals), who also produced the new album, Andy Thorn (banjo electric banjo, vocals) and Alwyn Robinson (drums, vocals), all who contribute songs to the album. This line-up’s diversity and range contribute to the continuing evolution of the band.

BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS also finds the group covering John Hartford (“Category Stomp”) and the late Conway Twitty (“Boogie Grass Band”), all of whom contribute songs to the album.

Leftover Salmon have been considered the architect of what has become known as “jamgrass,” a band that has endured through musical fads and labels to maintain a vibrant, relevant and influential voice in the music world. Over that time, their sound has grown and evolved while staying true to the roots and guiding spirit of the band’s founding members – Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman.

Having collaborated with everyone from the cream of American roots artists (1999’s groundbreaking NASHVILLE SESSIONS) and indie oddballs Cracker, to more recent albums produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, the group has endured the death of a founding member and line-up changes yet  managed to stay true to their fans and their sound.

PRE-ORDER HERE

TRACKLISTING
1. Black Hole Sun
2. Brand New Good Old Days
3. Category Stomp
4. Flyin’ at Night
5. Left Unsung
6. Boogie Grass Band
7. Red Fox Run
8. Sunday
9. Waterfront
10. We’ll Get By

Known for their exhilarating live shows and musicianship as well as their eclectic musical tastes, Leftover Salmon has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports, picking up where bands like Little Feat, The Band and The Grateful Dead left off and distilling it into their own potent brew of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco and jazz and blues. Today, they've released a Salmonized version of Soundgarden's 1994 hit, "Black Hole Sun," the first single from their upcoming Compass Records album, BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS. The song is premiering at American Songwriter magazine along with an interview with band co-founder Vince Herman, who recently relocated to Nashville. BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS will be availble digitally, on CD and on limited-edition blood orange vinyl HERE.

The band's ability to make any song their own is never more evident — the cover features their hyperkinetic musicianship while retaining the emotional impact of the original. Leftover Salmon's Drew Emmitt says, "“Black Hole Sun” has always intrigued me with its haunting lyrics and very cool chord progression. I also felt like it was appropriate for this crazy time we're in."

“Well, we wear flannel shirts, too,” Herman quipped to American Songwriter when asked why they covered the song. “That grunge music is all about flannel shirts. And we’d been wearing flannel shirts for years. That song really came out of left field. Soundgarden is outside of our realm. In looking to do a cover on the record, we thought it would surprise people. It’s a rock ‘n roll bluegrass song, which is kind of what we’re all about.”

LISTEN TO "BLACK HOLE SUN"  HERE

Members of Leftover Salmon currently include Herman (vocals, guitar, washboard), Emmitt (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar), Greg Garrison (bass, vocals), who also produced the new album, Andy Thorn (banjo electric banjo, vocals) and Alwyn Robinson (drums, vocals), all who contribute songs to the album. This line-up’s diversity and range contribute to the continuing evolution of the band.

BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS also finds the group covering John Hartford (“Category Stomp”) and the late Conway Twitty (“Boogie Grass Band”), all of whom contribute songs to the album.

Leftover Salmon have been considered the architect of what has become known as “jamgrass,” a band that has endured through musical fads and labels to maintain a vibrant, relevant and influential voice in the music world. Over that time, their sound has grown and evolved while staying true to the roots and guiding spirit of the band’s founding members – Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman.

Having collaborated with everyone from the cream of American roots artists (1999’s groundbreaking NASHVILLE SESSIONS) and indie oddballs Cracker, to more recent albums produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, the group has endured the death of a founding member and line-up changes yet managed to stay true to their fans and their sound.

PRE-ORDER HERE

TRACKLISTING
1. Black Hole Sun
2. Brand New Good Old Days
3. Category Stomp
4. Flyin’ at Night
5. Left Unsung
6. Boogie Grass Band
7. Red Fox Run
8. Sunday
9. Waterfront
10. We’ll Get By

For over 30 years, Leftover Salmon has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports, picking up where bands like Little Feat, the Band and The Grateful Dead left off and distilling the music  into their own potent brew of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco and jazz and blues. Today, the band is sharing their version of "Boogie Grass Band," a 1978 hit for Conway Twitty, with The Bluegrass Situation; it's also available to stream on all digital service providers. The band's buoyant, Salmonized version starts with their stringband arrangement of the song and propels it with a bass line doubled on a vintage Moog synth. It's one of the tracks on their upcoming album, BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS, available on CD, digitally and on limited-edition blood orange vinyl, and marks the band's return to Nashville label Compass Records.

“This old Conway Twitty song was recommended for the band by our friend Ronnie McCoury years ago," Leftover Salmon co-founder Vince Herman says. "It speaks to where we sit on the musical spectrum. We love country, bluegrass and rock music and like to do them all at the same time! This song acknowledges that while taking it taking it in a uniquely Salmon direction.”

That direction includes contributions by all of the band members as well as covers of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun," the album's single, and John Hartford's "Category Stomp."

Speaking of grass (it's 4/20!), Herman and banjo player Andy Thorn recently spoke to Celebstoner about using their quarantine time to tend to their cannabis plants. 

Cannabis is definitely essential,” says Thorn, who joined the band in 2010 after co-founder Mark Vann passed away in 2002. “We grew more than ever this year.  We even made our own infused indica coconut oil, which helps me sleep. It’s fun to go out there and play music to your pot plants.” 

Members of Leftover Salmon include Herman (vocals, guitar, washboard), Emmitt (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar), Greg Garrison (bass, vocals), who also produced the new album, Thorn (banjo electric banjo, vocals) and Alwyn Robinson (drums, vocals), all who contribute songs to the album. This line-up’s diversity and range contribute to the continuing evolution of the band.

Leftover Salmon have been considered the architect of what has become known as “jamgrass,” a band that has endured through musical fads and labels to maintain a vibrant, relevant and influential voice in the music world. Over that time, their sound has grown and evolved while staying true to the roots and guiding spirit of the band’s founding members – Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman.

Having collaborated with everyone from the cream of American roots artists (1999’s groundbreaking NASHVILLE SESSIONS) and indie oddballs Cracker, to more recent albums produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, the group has endured the death of a founding member and line-up changes yet  managed to stay true to their fans and their sound.

PRE-SAVE / PRE-ORDER HERE

TRACKLISTING
1. Black Hole Sun
2. Brand New Good Old Days
3. Category Stomp
4. Flyin’ at Night
5. Left Unsung
6. Boogie Grass Band
7. Red Fox Run
8. Sunday
9. Waterfront
10. We’ll Get By

Leftover Salmon will release BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS next week, heralding their return to Compass Records. The band, which is widely regarded as one of the architects of the jam band scene, has been brewing its own potent blend of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco,  jazz and blues for over 30 years and continues to be one of the most popular acts on the festival scene. Syndicated radio show Folk Alley premiered co-founder Drew Emmitt’s song “Flyin’ at Night” this week; the track is also available to stream on all digital service providers HERE.

Folk Alley writes: “Leftover Salmon's ‘Flyin' at Night’ rolls up the runway with glances off the snare, gaining speed with jaunty piano rolls, taking off and ascending into the stratosphere as striding banjo rolls weave around bopping organ strains … the song conveys the exhilaration, the wonder, the newness-in-the oldness, the freedom of flying and life on the road.”

Members of Leftover Salmon currently include Vince Herman (vocals, guitar, washboard), Emmitt (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar), Greg Garrison (bass, vocals), who also produced the new album, Andy Thorn (banjo electric banjo, vocals) and Alwyn Robinson (drums, vocals), all who contribute songs to the album. This line-up’s diversity and range contribute to the continuing evolution of the band.

Known for their exhilarating live shows and musicianship as well as their eclectic musical tastes, Leftover Salmon has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports, picking up where bands like Little Feat, the Band and The Grateful Dead left off and distilling it into their own potent brew of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco and jazz and blues.

Leftover Salmon’s new album BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS will street on May 7 on Nashville indie label Compass Records.Having collaborated with everyone from the cream of American roots artists (1999’s groundbreaking NASHVILLE SESSIONS) and indie oddballs Cracker, to more recent albums produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, the group has endured the death of a founding member and line-up changes yet  managed to stay true to their fans and their sound.

PRE-ORDER HERE

TRACKLISTING
1. Black Hole Sun
2. Brand New Good Old Days
3. Category Stomp
4. Flyin’ at Night
5. Left Unsung
6. Boogie Grass Band
7. Red Fox Run
8. Sunday
9. Waterfront
10. We’ll Get By

Leftover Salmon's new album, BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS, is out tomorrow and marks the band's return to Compass Records. With praise from publications including Relix, American Songwriter, The Bluegrass Situation and many more to come, the album reaffirms the band’s ability to keep things fresh while remaining true to their musical heritage. Widely regarded as one of the architects of the jam band scene, Leftover Salmon has been brewing its own potent blend of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco, jazz and blues music for over 30 years and continues to be one of the most popular acts on the festival scene, headlining three sold-out nights Colorado this weekend (two at Red Rocks) before kicking off their 2021 tour dates.

BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS finds the group covering Soundgarden (a Salmonized version of their megahit “Black Hole Sun), John Hartford ("Category Stomp”) and the late Conway Twitty (“Boogie Grass Band”), with songwriting contributions from five of the members including the bluegrass infused title track and the jazzy "Flyin' at Night."

Members of Leftover Salmon currently include Vince Herman (vocals, guitar, washboard), Drew Emmitt (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar), Greg Garrison (bass, vocals), who also produced the new album, Andy Thorn (banjo electric banjo, vocals) and Alwyn Robinson (drums, vocals), all who contribute songs to the album. This line-up’s diversity and range contribute to the continuing evolution of the band.

Leftover Salmon have collaborated with everyone from the cream of American roots artists (1999’s groundbreaking NASHVILLE SESSIONS) and indie oddballs Cracker, to more recent albums produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin. Over the years they've endured the death of a founding member and line-up changes, yet  managed to stay true to their fans and their sound.

Molly Tuttle and Nathaniel Rateliff are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of the Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty classic, "Stop Dragging My Heart Around," with a new official music video of their recently released duet streaming now on YouTube. Tuttle and Rateliff's version comes from …but i’d rather be with you, too, the addendum EP to Tuttle’s acclaimed 2020 covers LP, …but i’d rather be with you, both produced by Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, Andrew Bird) and out now via Compass Records. The EP released this past spring showcases a remarkable trio of creative covers performed with some of Tuttle’s friends and favorite fellow artists, including renditions of Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough” performed with Madison Cunningham, Phantogram’s “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” performed with Iron & Wine, and the aforementioned Nicks/Petty hit “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” performed with Nathaniel Rateliff. Rolling Stone Country premiered the video earlier today.

"Nathaniel has been someone whose music helped get me through the struggles of this past year and it was such an honor to sing with him on this song that I love," says Tuttle. "I have always wanted to work up this classic Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty duet with someone and it was a thrill to do it with one of my favorite singers. We recorded our parts remotely but I hope we get to do it in person someday!"

WATCH "STOP DRAGGING MY HEART AROUND"

The EP was heralded with the official music video for Tuttle's cover of Phantogram's "You Don't Get Me High Anymore," featuring Iron & Wine. It was followed by a beautiful live performance video covering Sheryl Crow's "Strong Enough" with Madison Cunningham. The two took on Crow's tale of relationship frustration all shot in the Santa Monica mountains with just two acoustic guitars.

WATCH "YOU DON'T GET ME HIGH ANYMORE"

WATCH "STRONG ENOUGH"

Released last August to worldwide critical applause, …but i’d rather be with you collects 10 striking cover songs recorded during quarantine and produced with the help of Tony Berg. Among its many riches, the album includes renditions of The National’s epic “Fake Empire,” Rancid’s “Olympia, WA,” The Rolling Stones’ “She’s A Rainbow,” FKA twigs’ “Mirrored Heart,” and the Grateful Dead favorite, “Standing On The Moon,” all joined by official companion videos streaming now via YouTube. The remaining itinerary is below.

MOLLY TUTTLE ON TOUR 2021

07.08.21 - Winston-Salem, NC // The Ramkat & Gas Hill
07.09.21 - Raleigh, NC // AJ Fletcher Opera Theatre
07.25.21 - Floyd, VA // Floydfest
08.22.21 - Chicago, IL // Old Town School of Folk
08.26.21 - Ann Arbor, MI // The ARK 
09.25.21 - Boulder, CO // Bluebird Music Festival

Shannon McNally has shared a new video from her highly regarded new album, THE WAYLON SESSIONS. The Nashville-based artist takes on Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through the Night" with this  vulnerable rendition that captures the original's raw yearning for intimacy. Shannon told Popmatters, who premiered the video, that the song is “a masterpiece. A mountain of a song.

"I never heard Waylon sing this one. I don’t think he recorded it either. I cut it because I wanted to and I wasn’t in the mood for asking permission at the time, which seemed in keeping with Waylon’s modus operandi. When we were tracking it we were definitely aware of having to somehow bring something new or brave to it. I mean, this is a song where you either put up or shut up. We talked about the desperation and losing battle of closing time. The fellas are all barely playing their instruments and I tried to put as much reediness as I could get on my voice. Making a video for this song was a whole other level of vulnerability. I thought of it as a three-minute Sam Peckinpah film to make it as raw and fresh as it deserved to be.”

THE WAYLON SESSIONS finds McNally holding her own on these outlaw country songs, capturing Jennings’ mix of laid-back charm and swaggering bravado but adding a female perspective. “My goal wasn’t to force anything onto the music that wasn’t there already,” she explains.. “There’s a feminine perspective hidden somewhere inside each of these songs. My job was to find a way to tap into that and draw it out.” The result is that rare covers record that furthers our understanding of the originals; an album of classics that challenges our perceptions and assumptions about just what made them classics in the first place.

The album, which features guests Rodney Crowell, Lukas Nelson, Jessi Colter and Buddy Miller, has cracked the Top Ten of the Americana radio album chart and upcoming events include a Country Music Hall of Fame "Live at the Hall" episode that will be airing on July 20. She has also been added to the  Ghost Ranch Festival in New Mexico celebrating pioneering women in the arts along with Carlene Carter, Valerie June, Neko Case, and Margo Price. Look for additional tour dates to be announced soon.

Known for their exhilarating live shows and musicianship as well as their eclectic musical tastes, Leftover Salmon has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports for three decades, picking up where bands like Little Feat, the Band and The Grateful Dead left off.  Still inventive and keeping it fresh after three dacades, Leftover Salmon deliver a great batch of songs on Brand New Good Old Days. Along with the hopeful title track, which celebrates living in the moment,  they deliver upbeat covers of songs made known by Conway Twitty (“Boogie Grass Band”), Soundgarden (“Black Hole Sun” as a bluegrass tune) and John Hartford (“Category Stomp”). There’s also co-founder Greg Garrison's “Left Unsung,” a tribute to Yonder Mountain String Band’s Jeff Austin, who committed suicide in June, 2019; and banjo player Andy Thorn’s “Red Fox Run” which takes a stand on gun violence and the NRA in the wake of mass shootings in Parkland, FL and his hometown of Boulder, CO.

LEFTOVER SALMON
Sunday, September 5
Cervantes Ballroom
2637 Welton St, Denver, CO 80205
(303) 297-1772 | $35 TICKETS
11p doors/11:30p show

Known for their exhilarating live shows and musicianship as well as their eclectic musical tastes, Leftover Salmon has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports, picking up where bands like Little Feat, the Band and The Grateful Dead left off and distilling it into their own potent brew of bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Cajun, soul, zydeco and jazz and blues.The group's latest album, BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS, heralded their return to independent  label Compass Records and co-founder Vince Herman's move to Nashville.

Members of Leftover Salmon currently include Herman (vocals, guitar, washboard), co-founder Drew Emmitt (vocals, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar), Greg Garrison (bass, vocals), who also produced the new album, Andy Thorn (banjo electric banjo, vocals) and Alwyn Robinson (drums, vocals), all who contribute songs to the album. This line-up’s diversity and range contribute to the continuing evolution of the band.

Along with original songs by the band members, BRAND NEW GOOD OLD DAYS finds the group covering John Hartford (“Category Stomp”) and the late Conway Twitty (“Boogie Grass Band”), along with a grassified version of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun."
Leftover Salmon have been considered the architect of what has become known as “jamgrass,” a band that has endured through musical fads and labels to maintain a vibrant, relevant and influential voice in the music world. Over that time, their sound has grown and evolved while staying true to the roots and guiding spirit of the band’s founding members – Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman.

Having collaborated with everyone from the cream of American roots artists (1999’s groundbreaking NASHVILLE SESSIONS) and indie oddballs Cracker, to more recent albums produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, the group has endured the death of a founding member and line-up changes yet  managed to stay true to their fans and their sound.

STREAM/PURCHASE HERE

TOUR DATES:
Fri, 3 Dec Fort Collins, CO -  Washington’s FoCo  
Sat, 4 Dec Fort Collins, CO - Washington’s FoCo
Thu, 9 Dec Puerto Morelos, Mexico - Strings & Sol 2021  
Thu, 30 Dec Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Casino
Fri, 31 Dec Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Casino
Sat, 1 Jan Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Casino
Fri, 14 Jan Basalt, CO - The Temporary
Sat, 15 Jan Crested Butte, CO - Center for the Arts Crested Butte  
Sun, 16 Jan Crested Butte, CO - Center for the Arts Crested Butte   
Thu, 20 Jan Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts  
Fri, 21 Jan Bozeman, MT  - The Elm
Sat, 22 Jan Missoula, MT - Wilma Theatre
Sun, 23 Jan Whitefish, MT - The Great Northern Bar & Grill  
Wed, 26 Jan Boise, ID - The Egyptian Theatre
Thu, 27 Jan Salt Lake City, UT - The Commonwealth Room
Fri, 28 Jan Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom
Sat, 29 Jan Steamboat Springs, CO  - Strings Music Pavilion
Wed, 9 Feb Ashland, OR - Historic Ashland Armory
Thu, 10 Feb Eugene, OR  - Sessions Music Hall
Fri, 11 Feb Portland, OR - Revolution Hall  
Sat, 12 Feb  Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
Thu, 18 Feb Felton, CA - Felton Music Hall
Fri, 19 Feb  San Francisco, CA - The Independent
Sat, 20 Feb  San Francisco, CA - The Independent

The Whitmore Sisters, siblings Eleanor and Bonnie Whitmore, have released the third single from their highly anticipated debut, GHOST STORIES, today via all streaming services. The Bluegrass Situation premiered the song, "The Ballad of Sissy and Porter," inspired by one of the "ghosts" referred to in the title, their late bandmate and friend Chris Porter. The song was written by Bonnie Whitmore with Bonnie Montgomery and features an Acadian feel, with labelmate Dirk Powell adding accordion.

LISTEN TO "THE BALLAD OF SISSY AND PORTER" HERE

Bonnie tells The Bluegrass Situation: "Several of the songs on 'GHOST STORIES' were inspired from the loss of friends. I penned this tune with Bonnie Montgomery via The House of Songs and it was inspired by the love and close friendship of Chris Porter, a singer-songwriter who died tragically on tour in 2016. Porter was many things to a lot of people, but his humor and his ability to spin a yarn was pretty remarkable. Even when you were present in the events of the story, Porter had a way of telling it that always seemed more interesting than what my mind could recall. The tall tales of Porter live on in the song that is dressed in Cajun fiddle from my sister Eleanor and accordion from Dirk Powell.”

GHOST STORIES has been in the making for more than half The Whitmore Sisters' lives and deals with loss, both on a personal level and looking out to the inequality in America. But it took the pandemic, with both sisters off the road for a stretch, to bring the project together. The sisters shared song ideas on Zoom during quarantine and finished the album when Bonnie came to stay with Eleanor in Los Angeles, encouraged by Chris Masterson, Eleanor's husband and co-bandmate in The Mastersons, who produced the album.

Fans of Americana music will recognize the two and their corkscrew curls from their many projects: Bonnie has four solo albums under her belt and has toured with Hayes Carll, Justin Townes Earle, James McMurtry and recorded with John Moreland, The Mastersons and many others. Eleanor has made four critically acclaimed records as one half of The Mastersons and has also been a member of Steve Earle and The Dukes for over a decade. She is also an accomplished session musician and was in the tracking band for Tanya Tucker’s multi-grammy award winning comeback album, While I’m Livin’.

Along with their original songs, "Learn to Fly" (the entire family are pilots), "Hurtin' For a Letdown" and others, tthey lend their harmonies to a cover of “On the Wings of a Nightingale,” a song written by Paul McCartney for the Everly Brothers. There's also a ridiculously catchy version of “Big Heart Sick Mind” contributed by their pal Aaron Lee Tasjan and the title track, dedicated to victims of police violence.

The Whitmore Sisters will be performing in the UK and Europe in early 2022 opening for The Mastersons; for more info go to https://www.thewhitmoresisters.com.

PRE-SAVE/PRE-ORDER GHOST STORIES HERE

Old Salt Union’s lead vocalist, bassist and songwriter Jesse Farrar has been in the Compass Sound Studio working on a solo project slated for release on Compass Records in 2022. In contrast to his work with alt-string-band Old Salt Union, Farrar’s solo debut is a more textured, Americana-leaning affair, placing him squarely alongside angst-driven indie folk singer/songwriter luminaries like Elliott Smith and Sufjan Stevens. Joining Farrar in the studio is a cast of legendary musicians including Dan Dugmore (pedal steel, guitar, dobro), Mark T. Jordan (Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt), Doug Lancio (Bob Dylan). Co-producers Alison Brown and Garry West contribute guitar, banjo and bass respectively.
 
Farrar will embark on a 70 date cross country tour in support of Son Volt beginning this month. A complete list of tour dates can be found HERE
 
Jesse Farrar co-founded Old Salt Union in 2012 and over the past decade, the band has built a reputation as one of the most engaging alt string bands on the scene today playing 200+ shows a year including club dates, theaters and festivals including Bluegrass Underground, John Hartford Memorial Festival, ROMP and Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Festival. In the process, they have shared the stage with the best in bluegrass and string band music including Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon and Greensky Bluegrass. In 2015, the band won the FreshGrass band contest and were introduced to Compass Records co-founder and banjo virtuoso Alison Brown who produced several tracks for the band. They subsequently signed to Compass Records in 2017 and released 2 albums including 2019’s WHERE THE DOGS DON'T BITE which reached #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart. Spotify playlist engagement for their single “Madam Plum” coupled with recent collaboration with veteran bluegrass artist Bobby Osborne on “Tell Me So” has fueled the band’s rapid trajectory.

Compass Records proudly announces Nicki Bluhm's sophomore solo release Avondale Drive, out on June 3.

The Bluegrass Situation premiered the first single "Love To Spare" here. The song will be live on all DSPs on April 1.

Album pre-save link here.

A San Franciscan now calling Tennessee home, Nicki Bluhm possesses a modern, clear-eyed perspective that grabs the heart and keeps you holding on to every word.

Bluhm’s music career began in the Cow Hollow area of San Francisco, where she recorded two solo albums and co-founded Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers. The band wrote and performed their own music and recorded covers nostalgic to their childhoods, including the Hall and Oates classic “I Can’t Go For That.” After gaining widespread attention for their “Van Sessions” on YouTube, they toured internationally and recorded two albums as a band.

The band’s meteoric ascent into the public eye had its obvious blessings, but it came with challenges as well, particularly for Bluhm’s creative process. Says Bluhm, “It’s been confusing learning how to move away from defining success in an algorithmic way; how many clicks and likes and views you can get. These past few years have been a process of trying to articulate my authentic voice, which has taken a lot of self-reflection, vulnerability, and to be honest, therapy.” In 2017 Bluhm made the decision to leave California to forge a career as a solo artist in Nashville. Her ensuing solo album, To Rise You Gotta Fall (2018), plumbed the depths of hard goodbyes and hopeful beginnings. Produced by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Calexico) and recorded in the legendary Sam Phillips Recording Services in Memphis, the album exhibited a natural blending of Tennessee sound and Bluhm’s West Coast roots, which she jokes as being her ‘CaliMemphis’ sound.  

In 2020, Bluhm embarked on creating her new album with Los Angeles producer Jesse Noah Wilson. Releasing in June of 2022, Avondale Drive is a masterful exploration of what it means to be fully yourself, rather than a vessel for the expectations of others. “This album is a lot about building trust back in myself. Finding my own inner compass and aligning it to my authentic self,” she says. “When you go through a lot of trauma, divorce, estrangement… you learn that you don’t have to repeat the patterns of the past or continue to identify with the old story.”

Recorded in Bluhm’s home in East Nashville, and featuring the talents of luminaries like Oliver Wood, James Pennebaker, Jay Bellerose, Jen Condos, Erik Slick, Erin Rae, Karl Denson, A.J. Croce and more, Avondale Drive combines nostalgic country-rock with distinctly modern, sharp lyricism—an apt contrast for the process of studying one’s past in order to make a better future. Opening the album is “Learn to Love Myself,” about the self-reflection that comes when you don’t have a person around to distract you from your own flaws. “A friend and I joked about how when you revert to living alone you realize that a lot of your frustrations weren’t really about the other person, they were merely projections of our own insecurities.” The song’s 60s country-pop naiveté is perfectly tongue-in-cheek as Bluhm sings: “I guess I’ve perfected the art of placing the blame / it’s just so easy cursing your name.” A rousing chorus of “If I don’t have you / I guess I’ll have to learn to love myself” has all the perfect happy-sad contradiction of Leslie Gore insisting on crying at her own party.

Bluhm’s deft self-awareness is all the more apparent in “Love to Spare” which Bluhm co-wrote with songwriter A.J. Croce. “We came up with the line ‘I’ve got love to share but none to spare’ out of the sheer confusion of middle-aged dating and the idea that it’s OK to share love without giving it away.” The song’s easygoing manner and the friendly back-and-forth between Bluhm and Croce convey the comfort and sometimes humor in knowing your personal boundaries.

The heat is kicked up a notch for “Feel,” a juxtaposition of sentiments and time signatures. When Bluhm developed the song with producer Jesse Noah Wilson, Wilson said: “it was like two different songs…I thought they sounded cool as two totally different things working together.” That tension between the blues and funk, between frustration and knowing that ‘this too shall pass,’ is followed by the satisfying exhale of “Sweet Surrender” which aptly defines a crucial lesson in the human experience – ‘It takes a lifetime to learn who we are and you gotta earn every scar."

“Writing songs is often a way for me to talk myself down when my ruminating mind won’t stop,” Bluhm says, “I have to remind myself that it’s important to sit with hard feelings, to know what I’m in control of and more importantly of what I’m not. To learn how to be comfortable within the discomfort. The songs I tend to write are typically what become the mantras I need to hear most.” Eric Slick plays the drums on this track, and the Wurlitzer piano adds to the song’s sepia-toned, lean-back-and-let-go sensibility.

Bluhm’s folk influences shine in “Juniper Woodsmoke,” where she looks back at her 10-year marriage to musician Tim Bluhm. The song begins as a 6/8 ballad as Bluhm recalls good memories. “Who says it’s a failure?” she sings, shifting into a sentimental waltz signature. A gorgeous fiddle solo played by James Pennebaker evokes a heartfelt goodbye. “Though we may never ever settle the score,” Bluhm sings, “It don’t matter / ‘Cause it won’t be what it was before.”

The second half of the album shifts more to the present day, bringing in texture and fresh energy. “Friends (How To Do It),” a duet with Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers), is an amusing shake of the head at the follies of dating in the modern world, while “Mother’s Daughter” is a rallying cry for survivors of harassment and sexual assault. “How long till you believe her?” Bluhm wonders. “She is a woman / She is her mother’s daughter / only getting stronger.” “Fool’s Gold” is a stylistic nod to the theatrical sonic landscape of Ennio Morricone as it laments the many false promises and ulterior motives women navigate through in the male-dominated recording industry.

The final two tracks of Avondale Drive are reminiscent of the beginnings and endings in Bluhm’s previous album, but there is a distinctly new, mature perspective. “Leaving Me (Is the Loving Thing to Do)” is a heart-wrenching ballad about the moment of realization that a relationship is over. “Speaking the truth and hearing the truth isn’t easy, but it’s better than prolonging the inevitable,” Bluhm says. “At the end of a relationship, sometimes the truth is the only scrap of kindness we have left to offer.” Finally, Bluhm looks ahead with high hopes in “Wheels Rolling,” a windows-down, hit-the-gas banger. “This song really goes back to the overarching theme of trusting yourself, trusting the universe and trusting it’ll all work out as it should. Calling off the war with what IS.”

Following appearances and collaborations with artists such as Phil Lesh, Dawes, The Band of Heathens, Little Feat, and The Infamous Stringdusters, Bluhm’s creative confidence is well-won, and her authentic voice and songwriting is all the more apparent on Avondale Drive.

TOUR DATES:

05/07/22                       PELHAM, TN                The Caverns w/Bill Nershi
05/17/22                       JOSHUA TREE, CA      Bahootenzie Folk Fest w/Steve Poltz
06/10/22                       LAYTONVILLE, CA       Hog Farm Hideaway 2022
07/08/22                       ANN ARBOR, MI           The Ark
07/09/22                       PETOSKEY, MI             Blissfest  2022
09/09/22                       BRISTOL, TN               Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion 2022
More dates will be announced.

Mr. Sun brings together four of the most virtuosic musicians in acoustic music. Led by Darol Anger, an iconic fiddler and founding father of new acoustic music, the four musicians in the band span three generations and offer some of the most jaw-dropping instrumental prowess to be found in any genre. Their sophomore release EXTROVERT picks up where their much-lauded debut left off, exploring the grooves and melodies that exist at the intersection of bluegrass, jazz and swing. In spite of their technical chops, Mr. Sun never loses sight of the light-hearted, musical playfulness that has made them a must-see act on the roots music scene.

EXTROVERT opens with the funky, blues-inflected “Tamp ‘Em Up Solid,“ which offers a tongue-in-cheek tip of the hat to the classic “Muleskinner Blues” featuring mandolinist Joe Walsh on lead vocals. Anger offers a sweet reimagining of Lennon and McCartney’s “Blackbird” while guitarist Grant Gordy and newest member, bassist Aidan O'Donnell, get a chance to stretch on the angular “A Real Dragon.” The swinging “Just a Little Loving” gives each soloist a chance to play the perfect instrumental foil to Anger’s fiddlistic flights of fancy and the Anger original “Breaker’s Breakdown” showcases the quartet’s mastery of the fiddle tune tradition. At the end of the day, more than the chops and instrumental prowess on display, it’s the pure joy emanating from Mr. Sun’s music that will keep EXTROVERT on repeat.
 
CD track listing:
1. Tamp ‘Em Up Solid
2. Danny Barnes
3. Blackbird
4. The Fiddler Of Dooney
5. Breaker’s Bakedown
6. A Real Dragon
7. Better Git It In Your Soul
8. The Amen Corner
9. Murmurations
10. The Traveler’s Prayer
11. Just a Little Lovin’

Tour dates:
5/17 New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall
5/18 Boston, MA - Passim
5/19 Saratoga Springs, NY -  Caffe Lena
5/20 Northampton, MA -  Parlor Room
5/21 Rockport, MA - Shalin Liu PAC
5/22 Portland, ME - One Longfellow Square
6/25 Mount Solon, VA - Red Wing Roots Music Festival
6/26 Wilmington, DE - Arden Concert Gild
7/12 Ridgefield, CT - CHIRP Concerts
7/13 Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater
7/14 Ticonderoga, NY - Don Sheldon concert
7/15 Rudolph, VT - The Chandler
7/16 Oak Hill, NY - Grey Fox Festival
7/17 Lake George,  NY - Silver Bay Concert
7/29 South Hiram, ME - Ossippee Valley Music Festival

As the daughter of a blues musician, Chastity Brown was born with an innate ability to channel complex circumstances into beautiful, uplifting songs. But after surviving the isolation of the early pandemic and witnessing the global racial reckoning that manifested itself in the riots mere blocks from her South Minneapolis home, even she is surprised to hear the way her new album Sing To The Walls turned out.
 
“It’s a love album, in a way I didn’t plan on,” Chastity says.
 
Like so many artists who endured the uncertainty of the 2020 lockdown, Chastity’s instinct was to turn inward, at first out of self-preservation, and then because the new songs kept coming and coming. Since finishing her last album, 2017’s Silhouette Of Sirens, she estimates she’s written nearly 100 new songs, 10 of which found their way onto Sing To The Walls.
 
These songs unfold with Chastity’s expressive voice and expansive melodies, leading the listener through intertwining tendrils of atmospheric sounds. Even the titles hint at the album’s sense of optimistic yearning, from the dreamy opening track “Wonderment,” to her ode to healing a broken heart post-breakup “Curiosity,” to the pulsing promise of “Hope.”
 
With the exception of “Golden,” a searing indictment of white complacency and a cathartic release of post-uprising rage that comes halfway through the album (and was released in an earlier form in mid-2020), Sing To The Walls is ultimately an album about hope, connection, and love; an ode to the sweetness of life, even amidst a pandemic, even in a city that’s experienced so much pain.
 
“I think it’s an audacious response,” says Chastity. “Like how funk music came after Malcolm, Martin, and everybody got murdered in the ‘60s. Then the ‘70s popped off, and there was funk! This isn’t funk, but it’s rooted in that same kind of response. I just want to feel good. Straight up.”
 
The album was started in Stockholm, Sweden with revered session drummer and producer Brady Blade and completed at Chastity’s own home studio with her longtime drummer Greg Schutte. Additional production and mixing was done by Chris Bell in Austin, Texas.
 
For the first time, Chastity also served as the lead producer on some of the tracks, and co-producer on all of them. “I just was like, ‘why can't I do it?’ It maybe meant that some things took longer, but it was like, ‘Where am I going now anyway?’ The way I've worked since the pandemic began, as far as songwriting and arranging and composing, I've never been so productive. Whatever touring life becomes going forward, I want to always carve out writing time. I'm addicted to it. And it's such a cool high,” she says.
 
Sing To The Walls is a sonically expansive album; it mines the roots of Americana, folk, and soul music, but Chastity’s stories are delivered in a style that feels remarkably timely, modern, and forward-thinking. "I celebrate the emotional richness in the tradition, but in my music I’ve committed myself to moving forward and reflecting the experiences of those overlooked by tradition."
 
In the same way, her lyrics seek to reach across a great divide. “I will sing to those walls, hope it gets through / And I will sing to your scars, they need healing too,” Chastity sings on the album’s title track, a pandemic love song about breaking through the physical, emotional, and social barriers that have been constructed around all of us in recent years. By the next track, “Like the Sun,” she breaks through into a melody that rises like a wide-open prairie sunrise—a heart-rending moment that demonstrates her talent for expressing big, beautiful ideas in her music, and to create songs that radiate bliss.

Even amid the chaos, while delivering the release-valve verses of “Golden,” she remains steadfast. “I’ve got joy even when I’m a target, if you think that’s political don’t get me started,” Chastity sings, demanding to know: “Why have I got to be angry?”
 
Between writing sessions she’s been vibing to chilled out, forward thinking artists like Leon Bridges, H.E.R., SZA, and Daniel Caesar, taking their cue to expand beyond genre and her folk/roots history to encompass her appreciation of all Black American musical art forms. “I also want to poke at what the blues is,” Chastity reflects. “It has a lot of stereotypes, like it’s mostly only played by blue-eyed white guys now. But what about Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey? I feel so closely connected, in a pure, undeviating lineage, to the heritage of being a Black, queer blues woman. I want to share this music with them, to say that I’ve listened, and I’ve done something new.”
 
“This album does not serve sorrow,” Chastity says bluntly. “And in that way, it’s my trying to emulate Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God—seeking personal spiritual fulfillment while rejecting expectations. What matters to me is my survival—and for my survival, it’s been necessary to try to embrace some joy.”

As Amelia Earhart is to aviation, as Julia Child is to the culinary arts, Alison Brown is to the five string banjo. The trailblazing banjo pioneer announces her forthcoming album ‘On Banjo,’ an inventive tapestry of music and culture led by one of the most storied instruments in American music.

‘On Banjo’ is due May 5th via Nashville-based Compass Records, which Brown co-founded. Today, she shares a performance video for the first track “Sun And Water,” which is available everywhere today. The song is an enchanting fusion of The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” and Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Jobim's “Águas de Março."

Watch Brown perform "Sun and Water" here:

“[Sun And Water] was inspired by the stories of the NYC hospitals during the early days of the pandemic that played 'Here Comes The Sun' as they discharged recovering covid patients,” says Brown. "By happy accident, the melody seems made for the banjo. Even better, as I was playing around with it, I discovered that it has a musical kinship with another of my favorite melodies, Jobim’s anthemic 'Waters of March,' so I couldn’t resist weaving them together.”

“Sun And Water” features Brown on her "Julia Belle" low banjo, an instrument she constructed alongside Deering Banjos, which pays tribute to Country Music Hall of Fame musician John Hartford.

‘On Banjo’ nods to Brown’s bluegrass roots as an artist who grew up influenced by banjo icon Earl Scruggs, yet expands the instrument into new territories on songs that combine sounds of Latin, swing-era jazz, Celtic, classical, Brazilian choro, chamber and more. Across ten tracks, she continuously breaks the instruments stereotypes and genre boundaries in some of her most innovative music to date.

‘On Banjo’ was recorded at Compass Sound Studio, Nashville TN and produced by Brown alongside her husband, frequent collaborator and Compass co-founder Garry West. The record features collaborations with GRAMMY Award-winning musician/actor/author Steve Martin, virtuoso mandolinist Sierra Hull, Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen, multicultural chamber group Kronos Quartet, GRAMMY-winning classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, and fiddle stalwart Stuart Duncan.

“When I think about where the banjo can go, I can’t help but think about where it has been,” adds Brown. “Most people know the banjo from bluegrass music and have heard the enormous influence Earl Scruggs had on the instrument. But many aren’t as aware of the banjo in early jazz or of its immense popularity in late 19th century America. In a twist I find fascinating,during that period the banjo was the parlor instrument of choice for demure, young white women to play with their legs crossed,‘just so.’ All that history before Earl Scruggs ever played a lick!”

Brown is an individualist at heart, and her distinctive voice as a performer blazed a trail for other women playing the instrument. In 1991, she became the first woman to win an IBMA in an instrumental category, creating a seismic shift in the instrument’s and the awards' history; in 2019 she  became the first female 5-string banjoist to be inducted into the American Banjo Hall of Fame Her one-of-a-kind approach makes the banjo feel just as much at home at a high-brow symphony hall as it does at an old-time, back porch picking party.

Brown will make appearances at festivals including MerleFest, Grey Fox, and Freshgrass this year, with more to be announced. For more information on Brown, visit alisonbrown.com.

‘On Banjo’ Tracklist:
Produced by Alison Brown and Garry West

1. Wind the Clock
2. Choro ‘Nuff (with Anat Cohen)
3. Foggy Morning Breaking (with Steve Martin)
4. Sweet Sixteenths (with Sierra Hull)
5. Sun and Water (Here Comes the Sun/Waters of March)
6. Old Shatterhand
7. Regalito (with Sharon Isbin)
8. BanJobim
9. Tall Hog at the Trough (with Stuart Duncan)
10. Porches (with Kronos Quartet)

Out today, Robbie Fulks offers a witty and autobiographical take on the bluegrass festival scene of the mid 1970s with “Longhair Bluegrass,” the second track from his upcoming album Bluegrass Vacation (out April 7 via Compass Records).

Reminiscing about the newgrass festivals of his youth, Fulks writes: “While Mom and Daddy were getting’ fried, I was sittin’ there with my eyeballs wide,” describing the music as a “Hypno-ray, stealin’ my mind away.” Original Newgrass Revival members Sam Bush (mandolin/harmony vocals) and John Cowan (vocals) join Fulks on the track as well as banjoist Alison Brown who channels John Hartford for good measure.

Stream/Download “Longhair Bluegrass” here.

Listen via YouTube here.

Pre-Order/Pre-Save Bluegrass Vacation here.

Fulks gained immediate recognition from Bluegrass Today and No Depression for the upbeat lead single “One Glass Of Whiskey.” Driven by Wes Corbett’s banjo, powered by Ronnie McCoury’s mandolin, along with Chris Eldridge’s guitar — the track is worthy of becoming a standard in the bluegrass genre. Written shortly after his move to Los Angeles in 2019, the song is a “contradiction of the stereotypical view of LA,” says Fulks, ditching the common pre-conceived notion of palm trees, beaches, and traffic for Fulks’s more serene reality of porch side mornings, mountain vistas, and running horses.  
 
While bluegrass music has always been a part of Fulks’s musical vision, Bluegrass Vacation marks his first full-length bluegrass endeavor. The album combines Fulks’s brilliance with some of bluegrass’ greatest names including Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, Ronnie McCoury, Tim O’Brien, Alison Brown, John Cowan, and Jerry Douglas resulting in one of the most remarkable bluegrass albums of the century. Bluegrass Vacation proves that this is much more than a musical detour for Fulks.
 
In the end, Fulks plants his flag firmly in the bluegrass tradition, a genre that built the stepping stones Fulks walks on today. He muses, “Electric guitars might give way to computers, as seems to be happening now, but the mountains will still be right there.” It’s abundantly clear that Bluegrass Vacation is more than just a musical dalliance for Fulks. He owns the music as much as it owns him and the listener is left hoping that this bluegrass vacation will end up becoming a staycation.
 
Bluegrass Vacation Tracklisting:

“One Glass Of Whiskey”
“Molly And The Old Man”
“Lonely Ain’t Hardly Alive”
“Angels Carry Me”
“Longhair Bluegrass”
“Backwater Blues”
“Sweet Li’l Cora-Mae”
“Silverlake Reel”
“Momma’s Eyes”
“Nashville Blues”
“Let The Old Dog In”
“Old Time Music Is Here To Stay”

Robbie Fulks’s adventurous spirit has defined a critically acclaimed 30-year career that has included 15 solo albums and two GRAMMY® nominations. He came to national attention as a defining artist of the alt-country scene in the 1990s, with releases on the Chicago-based indie Bloodshot Records, North Carolina’s Yep Roc, and Los Angeles’s Geffen Records. While Fulks’s aversion to genre constraints and conventions has sometimes made him hard to pigeonhole, American country music, in the widest sense, is his home base — whether the country of Doc Watson, Bill Monroe, Merle Haggard, Bobby Charles, or Mississippi John Hurt. For the last ten years, he has focused on his writing and performing with homespun tales and acoustic instruments.

Tickets on sale now for his spring tour in the following cities:

Friday, April 14: Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
Saturday, April 15: Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse
Sunday, April 16: Charlestown, WV – Mountain Stage
Tuesday, April 18: Vienna, VA – Jammin Java
Wednesday, April 19: Wayne, PA – 118 North
Thursday, April 20: Metuchen, NJ – Old Franklin Schoolhouse
Friday, April 21:Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
Saturday, April 22: Northampton, MA – Parlor Room
Sunday, April 23: New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
Friday, April 28: Walla Walla, WA – Echolands Winery
Saturday, April 29: Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
Sunday, April 30: Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
Thursday, May 4: Columbus, OH – Natalie’s
Friday, May 5: Indianapolis, IN – Duke’s
Saturday, May 6: Nashville, TN – The Station Inn
Tuesday, May 9: Evanston, IL – Tues Night Sociopath Club
Wednesday, May 10: Minneapolis, MN – The Cedar Cultural Center
Thursday, May 11: Madison, WI – Kiki’s
Friday, May 12: Milwaukee, WI – Colectivo
Saturday, May 13: Evanston, IL – SPACE
Thursday, May 18: Berkeley, CA – Freight and Salvage
Friday, May 19: Sacramento, CA – Goldfield Trading Post
Saturday, May 20: Los Angeles, CA – Hotel Cafe
Wednesday, June 14: Fort Worth, TX – The Post at River East
Thursday, June 15: San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint

Few bands have as enduring a legacy in the acoustic/newgrass/jam band scene as Colorado-based Leftover Salmon. Carrying the torch passed down by the progressive bluegrass pioneers, The Seldom Scene and Newgrass Revival, Leftover Salmon are true architects of the contemporary jam grass scene, inspiring the careers of a generation of artists including Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass and Yonder Mountain String Band.

On GRASS ROOTS, Leftover Salmon reflect on their bluegrass and festival campground origins with a set of songs that draws from the repertoires that The Salmon Heads and The Left Hand String Band played when they first jammed in a Telluride Bluegrass Festival campground. Collaborating with jam scene icons Billy Strings, Oliver Wood, and Darol Anger, and with the recent addition of Jay Starling on resophonic guitar, lap steel and keys to the band’s official line, Leftover Salmon have all the instrumental firepower needed to deliver hard driving versions of bluegrass standards and grassed-up versions of songs from Bob Dylan, David Bromberg, and The Grateful Dead.

On the album's lead single, "Simple Twist of Fate," Leftover Salmon reach into Bob Dylan’s catalog to deliver an up-tempo version that features co-founder Vince Herman on lead vocals. The track showcases   and spotlights the band’s all-around instrumental prowess while also allowing Herman to channel Dylan through his storied and gruff vocal delivery.

Listen to Leftover Salmon play "Simple Twist of Fate" below:

Known for her ability to broaden the banjo’s sound and identity, GRAMMY-winning musician Alison Brown has created a distinct, individualist voice as an instrumentalist and composer. On her new track “Porches,” out today, she collaborates with critically acclaimed multi-cultural chamber group Kronos Quartet to deliver a melodically seductive, unexpected and innovative composition showcasing the banjo in a string quartet setting.

Watch Brown and Kronos Quartet perform “Porches,” HERE.

“Porches” was composed by Brown and pianist Chris Walters who also wrote the string arrangement. Walters’ credits include stints with JD Souther, Jeff Coffin Mu’tet and Alabama. While many have come to know the banjo in the context of country and bluegrass music, its popularity dates back to late 19th century America, when it was go-to instrument for demure, high-class young women. “Porches” harkens back to the classic banjo repertoire of the late 1800s and highlights the range of the banjo’s voice, alluding to both its past and its future.

“Collaborating with Kronos Quartet to record 'Porches' came very naturally,” says Brown. “I first met David Harrington and the other members of Kronos at the FreshGrass Festival in North Adams. They were in the midst of recording Long Time Passing, a celebration of Pete Seeger’s music, and we were all staying at a boutique hotel called Porches. I knew Kronos had a very wide-eyed musical vision but, once I discovered their affinity for Pete Seeger, I asked if they would consider collaborating and, happily, they embraced the idea right away.

David Harrington, violinist and Kronos' Artistic Director adds: "In the fall of 2020 Alison Brown’s banjo brought Kronos together after months of isolation and helped propel us through the pandemic. Although we were not able to record together in the same room, her playing generated so much happiness that it felt as though she was right there with us."

Brown continues, “I have a great love for Stephen Foster’s melodies and my goal with the piece was to channel some of his melodic sensibility to evoke the imagined ease and rustic elegance of a late 19th century American soirée.”

“Porches” follows Brown’s recently released tracks “Sun And Water" ("Here Comes The Sun"/"Aguas de Março”) and “Foggy Morning Breaking” (feat. Steve Martin), which she spoke about with PEOPLE Magazine. With On Banjo, due May 5th via Compass Records, Brown offers additional notable collaborations including tracks with virtuoso mandolinist Sierra Hull, Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen, GRAMMY-winning classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, and fiddle stalwart Stuart Duncan.

Whether it’s classical or jazz, bluegrass or Brazilian choro, Brown’s elegant take on an instrument that is often pigeonholed in bluegrass music can draw in even the most skeptical listener.

Brown will tour across the US with shows in Nashville, her hometown of San Diego, Phoenix, Cleveland and more, including appearances at MerleFest, Mountain Stage, the Grand Ole Opry, FreshGrass, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion and Grey Fox. For more information on Alison Brown, visit alisonbrown.com.

ALISON BROWN ON TOUR:
28-Apr Merlefest – Wilkesboro NC
5-May Grand Ole Opry – Nashville TN
6-May Bluegrass Hall of Fame – Owensboro KY
7-May Mountain Stage – Marietta OH
19-May Analog at The Hutton – Nashville TN
20-May FreshGrass Festival – Bentonville AR
22-Jun Park and Market Series – San Diego CA
23-Jun Musical Instrument Museum – Phoenix AZ
14-Jul Grey Fox Festival – Hillsdale NY
11-Aug The Ark – Ann Arbor MI
12-Aug Cain Park – Cleveland Heights OH
13-Aug Homer Center for the Arts – Homer NY
14-Aug Chattaqua – Chattaqua NY
8-Sep Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival – Bristol VA
23-Sep FreshGrass Festival – North Adams MA

Few bands have as enduring a legacy in the acoustic, newgrass, jamband scene as Colorado-based Leftover Salmon. Out today, the band’s second single, “Blue Railroad Train,” — from their upcoming album GRASS ROOTS (May 19 via Compass Records) — features special guest and long-time Leftover Salmon pal Billy Strings who steps out on the track, the perfect vehicle to showcase Drew Emmitt and Strings’ tight vocal harmonies. Co-founder, guitarist and lead singer Vince Herman explains the track is a tip of the hat to old Nashville, and particularly to Doc Watson and Tony Rice, who helped to define the path for contemporary bluegrass.

Listen to "Blue Railroad Train"

Herman shared with The Bluegrass Situation, who exclusively unveiled the track, about recording the new album: “We had a good time making this record. Compass Records has a great studio in Nashville, where some great records have been made. Let’s just say Aereo-Plain by John Hartford was recorded there and Outlaw Country was born there. It’s a good place to make an album about roots, which is what we were after on this one. We cover the music that inspired us to be on this Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass highway all these years. With guests Billy Strings, Oliver Wood and Darol Anger, we stop in on visits with Bob Dylan, David Bromberg, Link Wray, Dock Boggs and more of the sounds that made us who we are. Hope you enjoy our Grass Roots.”

Carrying the torch passed down by the progressive bluegrass pioneers, Leftover Salmon is a true architect of the contemporary jam grass scene, inspiring the careers of a generation of artists including Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass and Yonder Mountain String Band. On their new project, Leftover Salmon reflects on their bluegrass and festival roots with a set of songs that were among their earliest inspirations. Grass Roots is due for release on May 19 via Compass Records.

Pre-Order/Pre-Save GRASS ROOTS

Drawing from the songs and tunes that The Salmon Heads and The Left Hand String Band played when they first converged in a Telluride Bluegrass Festival campground, ultimately merging to form Leftover Salmon. Over the course of their 30+ year run, the band has explored a variety of ‘grass hybrids, creating their own musical culture and earning legions of fans in the process.

Collaborating with jam scene icons Billy Strings, Oliver Wood, and Darol Anger on the new album, and with the recent addition of Jay Starling on resophonic guitar, lap steel and keys to the band’s official lineup, Leftover Salmon has all the instrumental firepower needed to deliver hard driving versions of bluegrass standards and grassed-up versions of songs from Bob Dylan, David Bromberg, and The Grateful Dead. And as co-founder, guitarist and lead singer, Vince Herman says, “when you think of an album title as good as that, that hasn’t been used in our genre, you pretty much have to make the record.”

On the album's lead single, "Simple Twist of Fate," Leftover Salmon reaches into Bob Dylan’s catalog to deliver an up-tempo version that features co-founder Vince Herman on lead vocals. The track showcases and spotlights the band’s all-around instrumental prowess while also allowing Herman to channel Dylan through his storied and gruff vocal delivery.

Listen to "Simple Twist Of Fate"

GRASS ROOTS asserts Leftover Salmon’s place at the crossroads of bluegrass, newgrass and jamgrass, and the importance of their shared musical vision which has helped to broaden the audience for all traditionally-rooted music. The album’s 10 tracks capture the energy and fun of the band, which is central to every Leftover Salmon show. But even more importantly, Grass Roots shines a light on the bluegrass heart, which beats strongly at the core of Leftover Salmon’s music. And it’s an ear-opening pleasure.

Today (5.5), Alison Brown, Banjo Hall of Fame member and one of the world’s foremost banjo players, releases her new album, On Banjo (Compass Records).
The collection is both innovative and daring, with Brown venturing beyond her bluegrass roots to offer a unique take on the banjo through forays into Brazilian choro, swing era jazz, bossa nova and more. It’s a broad palette for an instrument associated most often with “pickin’ and grinnin’”, but Brown is more than up to the task. She is a master of the banjo and a musical pioneer, as well as a trailblazer for women on the instrument.

“When an innovator like Béla Fleck or Alison Brown comes along, it’s a refreshing reminder of banjo’s intrinsic magic.” —NPR/KUTX

"[a] banjo pace-setter” —WMOT

Listen to On Banjo here: found.ee/onbanjo

Brown comments: “One of my great passions is pushing the envelope for the banjo and exploring new musical possibilities. Because the instrument is so predominant in bluegrass, most people don’t realize that, in addition to its African origins, it has had a long history in other genres of music — from the classic banjo repertoire of the late 19th century, to the birth of jazz in the early 20th century. I like to try to pull some of those influences forward into a modern acoustic band setting, hopefully shining a light on the lyrical side of the banjo and drawing new fans to this endlessly fascinating instrument in the process.”

Brown is respected by the long list of tastemaker vocalists with whom she has collaborated, including Alison Krauss, Keb’ Mo’, Colin Hay, Indigo Girls, and many others. On her new record, she turns her focus to a set of primarily original instrumental compositions and, in addition to featuring her band (pianist Chris Walters, flutist John Ragusa, drummer Jordan Perlson, and bassist/co-producer Garry West) she welcomes a cast of stellar guests, including some of her favorite fellow female virtuosos: mandolinist Sierra Hull, jazz clarinetist Anat Cohen, and GRAMMY-winning classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, as well as GRAMMY-winning musician/actor/author Steve Martin, multicultural chamber group Kronos Quartet, and long-time fiddle pal Stuart Duncan.

On the first track released from On Banjo, “Sun And Water” (“Here Comes the Sun”/”Waters of March”),” Brown creates an enchanting fusion of The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” and Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Jobim's “Águas de Março.” Watch the video for the tune featuring Brown’s quintet, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, here.

On “Choro ’Nuff,” Brown dives into Brazilian choro music, a genre that originated in 19th century Rio de Janeiro. Alongside clarinetist Cohen, as well as Brazilian musicians Alexandre Lora on pandeiro and Douglas Lora on seven-string guitar, she merges Scruggs-style 3-finger banjo technique with Cohen’s warm and reedy sound to create a joyous rhythmic dance, proving that the banjo can be equally at home south of the equator. She continues the Latin-infused theme with “Regalito,” a tune she wrote for and recorded with guitarist Isbin. The end result is a seemingly impossible yet wholly accessible display of deft technique.

On “Foggy Morning Breaking,” Brown celebrates two of her biggest influences — Earl Scruggs and John Hartford — on a twin banjo tune she co-wrote and recorded with Martin, who calls Brown “the great lyrical genius of modern banjo.” The open C-tuned 3-finger style and clawhammer banjo styles tip a hat to Earl Scruggs’ and John McEuen’s collaboration on 1971’s Will The Circle Be Unbroken. “Sweet Sixteenths,” with Hull, offers a blistering “chamber-grass” duet that somehow manages to span the fingerboards of both the banjo and the mandolin — from the lowest note to the highest on both instruments while “Tall Hog at the Trough,” a duet with Duncan, pays homage to the Southern California bluegrass scene in which both she and Duncan cut their musical teeth, and which serves as a tribute to their mentors, banjoist John Hickman and fiddler Byron Berline.

On an album full of eclectic compositions, Brown’s collaboration with Kronos Quartet, “Porches,” stands out as one of the most unexpected, delivering a melodic and evocative journey in multiple micro movements that makes the banjo seem perfectly at home on both the front porch and in a string quartet setting.

Brown is a trailblazer in modern music, becoming the first woman to win an International Bluegrass Music Association “Best” award as an instrumentalist (Banjo Player of the Year in 1991), and the first woman to be inducted into the American Banjo Hall of Fame as a 5-string banjoist (2019). Across the ten tracks on On Banjo, she creates artwork on her fretboard while opening the listener’s mind to the musical breadth of the banjo.

Brown and her band will take the stage at the legendary Grand Ole Opry tonight, Friday, May 5th, before continuing on to Owensboro, KY’s Bluegrass Music Museum and Hall of Fame, a taping of the long running radio show, Mountain Stage, an album release show in Nashville at Analog at The Hutton, a hometown show in San Diego, festivals including FreshGrass, Grey Fox, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, with many more shows to come. Click here for a full list of tour dates.

On Banjo Tracklist:
Produced by Alison Brown and Garry West
1. Wind the Clock
2. Choro ‘Nuff (with Anat Cohen)
3. Foggy Morning Breaking (with Steve Martin)
4. Sweet Sixteenths (with Sierra Hull)
5. Sun and Water (Here Comes the Sun/Waters of March)
6. Old Shatterhand
7. Regalito (with Sharon Isbin)
8. BanJobim
9. Tall Hog at the Trough (with Stuart Duncan)
10. Porches (with Kronos Quartet)

Alison Brown On Tour:
Fri., May 5 | Grand Ole Opry | Nashville, TN
Sat., May 6 | International Bluegrass Music Museum Hall of Fame | Owensboro, KY
Sun., May 7 | Mountain Stage | Marietta, OH
Fri., May 19 | Analog, The Hutton Hotel | Nashville, TN
Sat., May 20 | FreshGrass | Bentonville, AR
Sat., Jun. 3 | WMOT Benefit at Two Rivers Mansion | Nashville, TN
Thurs., Jun. 22 | UC Park & Market | San Diego
Fri., Jun. 23 | Musical Instrument Museum | Phoenix, AZ
Fri., Jul. 14 | Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 2023 | Oak Hill, NY
Fri., Aug. 11 | The Ark | Ann Arbor, MI
Sat., Aug. 12 | Cain Park | Cleveland, OH
Sun., Aug. 13 | Homer Center for the Arts | Homer, NY
Mon., Aug. 14 | Chautauqua Institution | Chautauqua, NY
Fri., Sep. 8 | Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival | Bristol, TN/VA
Sat., Sep. 23 | FreshGrass Festival | North Adams, MA

On the third single from their upcoming record GRASS ROOTS, Leftover Salmon collaborated with Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers) to deliver a high octane version of the Link Wray classic "Fire and Brimstone". The band originally learned the song from The Neville Brothers' but, when they were in the studio recording the album, Salmon's bassist and the album's producer Greg Garrison had the idea to lean the track more in the style of the mid-twentieth-century rock guitarist Wray. Recruiting Oliver Wood for the track came very naturally. Salmon's mandolinist Drew Emmett met The Wood Brothers years ago at the 10,000 Lakes Festival years ago and immediately shared a musical kinship.  Although the track is the only non-bluegrass song on the album, it shines an important light on Leftover Salmon's musical foundaton and ties to their self-decribed 'poly-ethnic-Cajun-slamgrass' musical hybrid.

Few bands have had as enduring a legacy in the acoustic, newgrass, jamband scene as Colorado-based Leftover Salmon. On their upcoming album GRASS ROOTS (May 19 via Compass Records), Leftover Salmon reflects on their bluegrass and festival roots with a set of songs that were among their earliest inspirations. Band co-founder and lead singer Vince Herman comments: "We cover the music that inspired us to be on this Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass highway all these years." On the new album, the band digs into songs from the catalogs of Bob Dylan, The Seldom Scene, Doc Watson, David Bromberg, Dock Boggs and more. Special guests include Billy Strings, Darol Anger and Oliver Wood. The album’s 10 tracks capture the energy and fun of the band, which is central to every Leftover Salmon show. But even more importantly, GRASS ROOTS shines a light on the bluegrass heart which beats strongly at the core of Leftover Salmon’s music. And it’s an ear-opening pleasure.

GRASS ROOTS will be released on Compass Records May 19th.

Pre-Order/Pre-Save GRASS ROOTS here.

Leftover Salmon On Tour

Fri, 26 May - Surf Hotel - Buena Vista, CO - Tickets

Sat, 27 May - Surf Hotel - Buena Vista, CO - Tickets

Sun, 28 May - Surf Hotel - Buena Vista, CO - Tickets

Sun, 4 Jun - Back Country Festival 2023 - Gardnerville, NV - Tickets

Fri, 9 Jun - Hog Farm Hideaway 2023 - Laytonville, CA - Tickets

Thu, 15 Jun - Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2023 - Telluride, CO

Thu, 22 Jun - McMenamins Grand Lodge - Forest Grove, OR - Tickets

Fri, 23 Jun - The Cuthbert Amphitheater - Eugene, OR - Tickets

Sat, 24 Jun - Hayden Homes Amphitheater - Bend, OR - Tickets

Sun, 25 Jun - Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery - Woodinville, WA - Tickets

Thu, 6 Jul - Blue Ocean Music Hall - Salisbury, MA - Tickets

Fri, 7 Jul - Jeezum Crow Music Festival 2023 - Jay, VT - Tickets

Sat, 8 Jul - Narrow Gauge Cinemas - Farmington, ME - Tickets

Thu, 13 Jul - Iroquois Amphitheater - Louisville, KY - Tickets

Fri, 14 Jul - The Grove - Glasgow, KY - Tickets

Sat, 15 Jul - Chesterfield Amphitheater - Chesterfield, MO - Tickets

Sun, 16 Jul - Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater - Decatur, IL - Tickets

Tue, 18 Jul - McGrath Amphitheatre - Cedar Rapids, IA - Tickets

Wed, 19 Jul - Orpheum Theater - Omaha, NE - Tickets

Fri, 21 Jul - Fiddlers Green Amphitheater - Greenwood Village, CO - Tickets

Sat, 22 Jul - Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park - Grand Junction, CO - Tickets

Sun, 23 Jul - Red Butte Garden - Salt Lake City, UT - Tickets

Fri, 4 Aug - Salmonfest Alaska 2023 - Ninilchik, AK - Tickets

Wed, 9 Aug - Bell's Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI - Tickets

Thu, 10 Aug - Taft Theatre - Cincinnati, OH - Tickets

Fri, 11 Aug - Rose Music Center at The Heights - Huber Heights, OH - Tickets

Sat, 12 Aug - Driftless Music Gardens - Hillsboro, WI - Tickets

Sun, 13 Aug - THE FORGE LEMONT - Lemont, IL - Tickets

Thu, 24 Aug - Tønder Festival 2023 - Tønder, Denmark - Tickets

Tue, 29 Aug - Scala - London, United Kingdom - Tickets

Sat, 7 Oct - The Caverns - Pelham, TN - Tickets

Wed, 6 Dec - Strings & Sol 2023 - Puerto Morelos, Mexico - Tickets

Special Consensus gives listeners a sneak peak at their upcoming album GREAT BLUE NORTH set to be released May 12th, 2023. The two-time GRAMMY-nominees and six-time IBMA Award winners tribute our northern neighbors on the new project which showcases the band on thoughtfully curated set of well-known and lesser-known songs, all penned by Canadian songwriters.

The Gordon Lightfoot classic "Alberta Bound" is the first single and thematic centerpiece of the new album. The track features a cast of Canadian guests including Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon and John Reischman (The Jaybird Trio), and Pharis & Jason Romero trading lead vocals with Special Consensus's mandolinist Michael Prewitt. New Brunswick-based fiddler Ray Legere and newly-minted Canadian Claire Lynch also bring their talents to the track alongside Special Consensus members Greg Blake (guitar), Greg Cahill (banjo) and Dan Eubanks (bass).

Band leader Greg Cahill shares: “Special Consensus has toured regularly in Canada since our earliest days and counts many great Canadian bluegrass players and singers among our musical friends. After we released Cape Breton-based J.P. Cormier's song “Blackbird” last year, we began to think that recording an album of all Canadian songs would be a great way to tip our hats to the immense talent in the Canadian bluegrass community. Getting to collaborate with some of our northern friends on the project was the icing on the cake.”

GREAT BLUE NORTH follows on the heels of the band's award-winning 2020 release CHICAGO BARN DANCE. The album's 10 tracks feature Special Consensus in collaboration wtih an array of Canadian and US guests including April Verch, Leonard Podolak, Rob Ickes, Darol Anger, John Showman, Dale Ann Bradley, Amanda Smith and the album's producer Alison Brown as well as the guests who contributed to "Alberta Bound."

GREAT BLUE NORTH is slated for release on May 12th via Compass Records and is available for pre-save and pre-order HERE.

Few bands have as enduring a legacy in the acoustic/newgrass/jam band scene as Colorado-based Leftover Salmon. Released May 19, they continue to expand on their legacy with the release of their new full-length album, GRASS ROOTS (Compass Records), which arrives to early acclaim. Carrying the torch passed down by the progressive bluegrass pioneers, The Seldom Scene and Newgrass Revival, Leftover Salmon is a true architect of the contemporary jam grass scene, inspiring the careers of a generation of artists including Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass and Yonder Mountain String Band.

Drawing from the songs and tunes that The Salmon Heads and The Left Hand String Band played when they first converged in a Telluride Bluegrass Festival campground, ultimately merging to form Leftover Salmon. Over the course of their 30+ year run, the band has explored a variety of ‘grass hybrids, creating their own musical culture and earning legions of fans in the process.

Collaborating with jam scene icons Billy Strings, Oliver Wood, and Darol Anger on the new album, and with the recent addition of Jay Starling on resophonic guitar, lap steel and keys to the band’s official lineup, Leftover Salmon has all the instrumental firepower needed to deliver hard driving versions of bluegrass standards and grassed-up versions of songs from Bob Dylan, David Bromberg, and the Grateful Dead. And as co-founder, guitarist and lead singer, Vince Herman says, “when you think of an album title as good as that, that hasn’t been used in our genre, you pretty much have to make the record.”

GRASS ROOTS asserts Leftover Salmon’s place at the crossroads of bluegrass, newgrass and jamband, and the importance of their shared musical vision which has helped to broaden the audience for all traditionally-rooted music. The album’s 10 tracks capture the energy and fun of the band, which is central to every Leftover Salmon show. But even more importantly, GRASS ROOTS shines a light on the bluegrass heart, which beats strongly at the core of Leftover Salmon’s music. And it’s an ear-opening pleasure.
Tracklisting for Grass Roots:

    Country Blues
    Blue Railroad Train
    Riding On The L&N
    Simple Twist Of Fate
    California Cottonfields
    Fire And Brimstone
    Black Peter
    The New Lee Highway Blues
    Nashville Skyline Rag
    Fireline

Compass Records artists won three awards last night at the 2023 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards in Raleigh, NC.

Special Consensus celebrated two wins. "Alberta Bound" from their latest project GREAT BLUE NORTH won for COLLABORATIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR. “Alberta Bound” features appearances from some of Canada's best bluegrass musicians including John Reischman and the Jaybird Trio, Pharis & Jason Romero, Ray Legere and Claire Lynch, and highlights the musical connections between the US and Canadian bluegrass communities. The track has received extensive airplay and the album is currently #2 on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey. Lead singer and guitarist Greg Blake received his first award for MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR. Band leader Greg Cahill comments: "We were so thrilled to see Greg Blake win Male Vocalist of the Year Award. He is so deserving and has touched people with his fabulous singing for many years. We were completely surprised by our win of the Collaborative Performance of the Year award and greatly appreciate our Canadian friends who appeared on the recording with us. Thanks to Compass Records, our producer and great friend Alison Brown and all the IBMA members who voted for us."

Guitar phenom Trey Hensley took home his first award for GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR last night. The award is a highlight of what has been a stellar year for Hensley with the release of Ickes & Hensley's critically-acclaimed project LIVING IN A SONG and coast to coast touring in support of the new album. Hensley comments: “I’m so incredibly honored to have received the Guitar Player of the Year award from IBMA. I was thrilled to be nominated with four of my favorite guitar players and to be recognized this year is a lifetime highlight. Thank you all so much for the continued support!”

To cap off the show, banjoist Alison Brown, together with Steve Martin, performed a version of their nominated song "Foggy Morning Breaking" joined by an all star band including Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Trey Hensley and Todd Phillips.

The awards were voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). The show was aired live on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction channel, and was available to livestream through: IBMA’s Facebook Live, YouTube, and via Swapcard, the official event platform for IBMA World of Bluegrass.

Singer/songwriter and banjo player Kelly Hunt announces the release of her new album OZARK SYMPHONY out today. The new album is the eagerly anticipated follow up to her 2019 Folk Alliance International Album of the Year-nominated release, EVEN THE SPARROW, and fully delivers on that promise.

OZARK SYMPHONY was produced by Dirk Powell (Rhiannon Giddens, Our Native Daughters) whose musical pedigree runs deep in Celtic, Cajun and old-time music, and who drew from across a diverse community of musicians in the US and UK, to cultivate a lush soundscape around the album’s 12 tracks. Guests on the project include cellist Natalie Haas, Irish flute master Mike McGoldrick and Kai Welch on trumpet and accordion.

About the new project, Grateful Web wrote: “If you've ever been enchanted by the lyrical power of Lucinda Williams or felt the emotional tug of Nanci Griffith, then you're about to meet your next obsession. With OZARK SYMPHONY, Hunt carves her name alongside these legends... not just a collection of songs but a collaboration of pure musical genius.”

The Bluegrass Situation premiered the album's first single and video "On the Bayou". Hunt describes the song as a modern-day adaptation of the "Evangeline" tale which is a centerpiece of Louisiana folklore and which she first encountered in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem by the same name. She expalins: "The chorus is an invocation of sorts: 'Evangeline, tell me what you know…' A plea for guidance across time and space from one lovelorn woman to another."

Other stand-out tracks include the title track, “Ozark Symphony,” which ties Hunt to the Ozark region which she says is reflective of “the uncanny cross between the earthy and classical influences of my upbringing.” The Delta landscape of her Memphis roots-inspired “Lost Highway”, a song that grew out of a deep dive into Hank Williams' catalog and which Hunt wrote one perfect summer evening, banjo in hand, on the front porch of her childhood home.

The album ends with the acapella song “Over the Mountain”, inspired by a Southern adage Hunt adopted from a friend’s grandmother: “There’s a comin’, there’s a goin’.” The track weaves in the sounds of cicadas to create a veritable Ozark symphony, as timeless and true as the mountains themselves.

Hunt will be on tour during the coming weeks in support of the release. Tour dates follow below:

10/13: Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads w/Sara Morgan
10/16: St. Louis, MO – Jack’s Joint @ O’Connell’s Pub
10/17: Rocky River, OH – Tartine Bistro
10/18: Cuyahoga Falls, OH, – Jenks 1929
10/19: Thomas, WV – The Purple Fiddle
11/02: Madison, WI – Harmony Bar
11/03: Des Moines, IA – xBk Live
11/05: Weston, MO – The Whiskey Snug
12/16: Kansas City, MO – Black Box
02/08: Panhandle, TX – Buffalo Grass Steakhouse
02/09: Santa Fe, NM – GiGi Performance Space

As the co-founder and former lead singer/frontman/guitarist with the Grammy-Award winning Steep Canyon Rangers, as well as a musical collaborator with comedian/actor/banjoist Steve Martin, Woody Platt is an artist who has helped to define the trajectory of bluegrass music in the 21st century.

Today, Platt releases the debut single from his upcoming solo project—his first stepping away from the Rangers. The track is a collaboration with Del McCoury on the Blind Willie McTell classic, “Broke Down Engine" and it was premiered this week by Bluegrass Today.

Stream BROKE DOWN ENGINE

According to Platt, the collaboration was a dream come true and was years in the making. Platt was still in college when he traveled across the country to a bluegrass festival in Colorado to see Del McCoury. Many years later, with Steep Canyon Rangers, he had the opportunity to share the stage with his hero at the iconic Ryman Auditorium. Platt says: “What an honor to record 'Broke Down Engine' with a legend like Del McCoury. This ride has literally taken me from the ground floor to dream come true.”

The new single features McCoury and Platt sharing lead vocals, accompanied by a top-flight band that includes Bryan Sutton (guitar), Barry Bales (bass), Daren Shumaker (mandolin), and Bennett Sullivan (banjo).

The new album (title TBA) is slated for release in spring 2024 on Compass Records.

On the heels of their national bluegrass chart-topping and Emmy-Award winning instrumental collaboration “Foggy Morning Breaking,” banjoists Alison Brown and Steve Martin return with “Bluegrass Radio.” The new single ticks all the boxes for a bluegrass favorite, including a flashy twin banjo solo from Brown and Martin, lyrics that reflect Martin’s wry sense of humor and top-flight performances from some of the most iconic players in bluegrass music.

Watch Alison, Steve and the band recording "Bluegrass Radio" below:

Martin was inspired to write the lyrics after hearing “Foggy Morning Breaking” in heavy rotation across the nation’s plentiful bluegrass channels. He comments: “I think of a hit on bluegrass radio with the same exhilaration as a hit movie. It’s uplifting to hear your song on the radio, and the thrill never goes away.”

Brown set the lyrics to music and brought in a powerhouse band of bluegrass A-listers to bring the track to life: Sam Bush (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Trey Hensley (guitar), and Todd Phillips (bass). Brown comments: “We had an amazing time in the studio recording this track. Each of the musicians brought a lifetime’s worth of bluegrass experience to bear and, from the first note, it was almost like we were reading each other’s musical minds."

Brown and Martin’s last collaboration “Foggy Morning Breaking” from Brown’s 2023 release ON BANJO garnered over 22.9 million views on social media, spent 13 weeks at #1 on Bluegrass Today’s Grassicana chart and 4 weeks at #1 on the Bluegrass chart.

“Bluegrass Radio” is out today, March 15th, on all digital platforms via Compass Records.