19-year-old fiddler and vocalist Mei Lin Heirendt is one of the brightest young lights in the California bluegrass scene. A co-founder of Broken Compass Bluegrass, this Grass Valley native is simultaneously pursuing a solo career, and has a third single available today from an upcoming project on her own.
The song is How Much He Loved Her, one she wrote, which Mei Lin jokes walks some well-trod territory.
“I’ve grown up listening to bluegrass songs about heartbreak and leaving. In a way, I felt obligated to contribute at least one to the ever-expanding arsenal.”
In this case, a woman contemplates leaving her husband, sure that her absence will rekindle the deep affection that she is missing in their relationship.
On this uptempo grasser, Heirendt gets support from Shaun Richardson on guitar, Maddie Witler on mandolin, Max Allard on banjo, Joshua Lee Turner on bass, and Tim Bulkley on drums. Harmony vocals are provided by AJ Lee and John
Bryan.
Showing a wisdom greater than her years, Mei Lin shares how building a reputation of her own is as important as the stellar work she does with Broken Compass.
“The three tracks I’ve written and released under my own name have given me an identity outside of the band setting. As much as I adore collaborating with my brilliant and versatile bandmates, it’s crucial for me, especially as a young person, to have a creative outlet that is completely my own, no matter how big or small. It’s scary and challenging, which is what I love about it. These songs have meant a lot to me because they’ve been like pillars in my life, each representing where I was as a musician and person when I wrote them – a sonic photo album, if you will.”
See what you think of How Much He Loved Her.
How Much He Loved Her is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers are invited to contact the artist directly for broadcast copies of the track.
