Bluegrass artist Luke Shamblin has chosen a Hazel Dickens classic, Hills of Home, for his latest single, as a personal tribute in this 100th anniversary year of her birth. Like Hazel, he is a West Virginia native, now living in North Carolina.

The song is a heartfelt tribute to home, both the place and the concept, something felt deeply by Hazel’s generation. Those who left the small towns and rural regions in Appalachia knew they had given up a great deal in order to access the larger opportunities of the cities, and they often felt it deeply.

Luke retains the simplicity of the song as written, a ballad where emotion rises above melody. It takes a secure vocalist to bring this one home, and Shamblin does so quite well.

He says of this release…

“This song has always hit me in the heart, and is the first song of Hazel’s I ever learned to sing. Hazel captured something that every Appalachian knows deep down—that no matter how far you go, those hills never really leave you. I wanted this version to feel like coming home.

When I started thinking about the arrangement, I wanted to keep it simple and let the lyrics and melody of this beautifully sad song stay front and center. I had to have my favorite singing partner and fellow West Virginian, Corey Hensley, join me—and when Suzanne Cox agreed to sing the high harmony above Corey, it was an absolute dream come true because Suzanne is one of my all-time favorite singers of ANY genre.

I really hope people enjoy this one…I certainly enjoyed making it!”

Shamblin plays guitar, Hensley bass, and Jason Barie adds fiddle.

Have a listen.

Hills of Home by Luke Shamblin is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via Get It Played.

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Bonfire Music Group has a new single for South Carolina singer/songwriter Andrew Crawford, one that takes a look at a tragic and bloody event that took place about a hundred years ago in his home state.

The song is called The Millworker’s Wage, and it tells the story of a time shortly after the Great Depression, when textile workers all along the east coast went out on strike. On September 6, 1934, the Mayor of Honea Path ordered strikebreakers to fire on striking workers at the Chiquola mill, who were picketing outside their workplace. Seven workers were killed and 30 more injured on what came to be known as Bloody Thursday.

Believe it or not, it got worse. Other striking workers were evicted from their company-owned homes, which they were forced to rent, and municipal authorities even prohibited the local churches from providing funerals for the slain men.

The strike was officially broken on September 23, with the union obtaining none of its demands, a most disheartening end to a disastrous ordeal.

Andrew says that this song hits close to home.

“I wrote this one with my wife, Brandi Colt. It’s about the rarely talked-about Chicola Massacre in Honea Path, South Carolina, when a textile strike turned violent and seven mill workers were killed, one of whom was a distant relative of mine. I grew up hearing stories about mill life: the hard work, the long hours, and the way generations of families gave everything to those factories. This song is about that fight for dignity, about how some things change and some don’t.”

Crawford sings lead, and plays guitar and mandolin, with support from Tim Crouch on fiddle and bass, and Brandi Colt on harmony vocals.

Check it out.

The Millworker’s Wage is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

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Here’s a Christmas offering from Dear Maribella & the Pigkickers, the Trakimowicz siblings from Hampstead, NC, who have made a mark of late with their family bluegrass sound. They have created a grassy arrangement of the holiday classic Silver Bells, which was first released in 1950, sung by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards.

It’s delivered here by big sister AnnMari Trakimowicz, who plays guitar, supported by Isabella Trakimowicz on fiddle, Peter Trakimowicz on banjo, Chris Trakimowicz on mandolin, and their dad, Joel Trakimowicz, on bass.

They’ve put together this clever video to share the song. Everybody sing!

Silver Bells from Dear Maribella & the Pigkickers is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

You can check out all the Christmas bluegrass we have covered at Bluegrass Today by following this link.

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Engelhardt Music Group has released another single from big bad banjo man Russ Carson, he of Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder and the popular YouTube and Instagram profiles 81Crowe, where he is well known as both a banjo instructor and proponent of Gold Star banjos.

Even before his time with Skaggs, Russ made a name for himself as a strong and consistent banjo player, with a sterling stint with Audie Blaylock and Redline, and on a number of strong solo projects.

The new single, Look Me Up By The Ocean Door, comes from his current album, Songs That Birds Don’t Sing, and features Ron Block on lead vocal. Most any other artist would bring Ron in to pick the five, but as Russ has that well covered, he wanted to simply highlight Ron’s singing. Block does a fine job on this superb Cox Family number, written by Sidney and Suzanne Cox.

Carson says of the new album, his first in some time…

“This is an amazingly exciting collaboration of some of the genre’s top musicians and vocalists. Some of these guys I’ve been honored to play with for years; others are artists I’ve dreamed of working with. We’ve cut some traditionals, some originals, and some fantastic songs that have been forgotten for 20+ years. It’s taken five years for this project to become a reality, and the creative powerhouse that came together to make this happen, along with the intent to honor those we’ve lost along the way is what kept this dream alive.”

On Look Me Up By The Ocean Door, Russ has Jake Workman on guitar, Aaron Ramsey on mandolin, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, and Mike Bub on bass. Harmony vocals are provided by Tina Adair and Dennis Parker.

It’s mighty good. Have a listen.

Look Me Up By The Ocean Door, and the full Songs That Birds Don’t Sing album, are available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can contact EMG via their web site.

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The Brothers Young, teen grassers out of Roanoke, Virginia, have released their new bluegrass Christmas album, and it holds treasures you will want to add to your playlist.

Ayden (banjo, vocals, production) and Blane (mandolin, vocals, humor, and ‘Michael Jordan-esq’ leaps into the crowd) are joined by Steve Farmer (bass) and Stefan Kraft (guitar) on their second full album. Good friend Charlie Milliron, sits in on the dobro, and church friend David Thacker adds some first-rate fiddle.

The twelve songs on this project range from tender and holy (What Child Is This and Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem) to sassy (Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, Run Rudolph Run ) to driving bluegrass, (Breakin’ Up Christmas, Christmas Time’s A Comin‘) which are great picking by anyone’s standards. Breakin’ Up Christmas is an instrumental that was made popular by old-time fiddle player Tommy Jarrell, who played around Mt Airy, NC.  

Hard to believe, given their ages, but The Brothers Young have given nearly 1,000 performances and are well known up and down the Crooked Road, especially at The Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax, where the boys continue to impress. This past summer, Blane won the youth mandolin division, and Ayden placed second in the adult division. Back in 2021, the boys won best band in the youth division at Galax.

Blane, who had the unenviable task of singing harmony while going through puberty, does a phenomenal job singing Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. This is his coming-of-age album. Instrumentally, he can pick with anyone and hold his own.

Or as Blane put it…

“The true enjoyment came when recording Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, by showcasing my comedic talents in a song.”

Ayden is a true Renaissance man. Aside from being an outstanding traditional banjo player and jazz pianist, he taught himself how to record, mix, edit, and master recordings. And Ayden carries the additional weight of being the band leader and visionary. Anyone who has ever tried to record and mix knows that this young man is a quick learner.

He humbly recognized the achievement.

“Working on two albums in one year has helped make me a better producer.”

And Ayden, who knew you spoke Hawaiian, shared a boisterous Mele Kalikimaka.

Because Christmas albums only tend to get a month of seasonal play each year, you will want to see the Brothers Young live. The brothers have a busy 2026 festival schedule, which is happy news for us!  They are one of the most entertaining bluegrass bands out there. Crowds love them not only for their musicianship but also for their humility, humor, and brotherly banter.

You can check out all the Christmas bluegrass we have covered at Bluegrass Today by following this link.

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Mountain Fever Records has dropped a debut single from their upcoming album for Colin & Kathleen Ray, the young husband-and-wife singing team that is recently signed to the label.

The couple met cute while studying in the Bluegrass, Old Time & Roots Music program at ETSU, and after some time performing together with Kathleen’s family group, The Burnett Sisters, she and Colin left to launch their own career.

Given Colin’s high tenor voice, these two offer unique duet opportunities as he can sing quite close to Kathleen’s range. The two favor more traditional bluegrass and early country sounds, which they demonstrate beautifully on this new release.

They have chosen Somewhere Among the Briars, written by Hugh Moffatt and John Scott Sherrill, a lovely song with a Louvin Brothers feel. Colin sings the lead and Kathleen adds harmony, with support from Aynsley Porchak on fiddle, Justin Alexander on banjo, Max Etling on bass, and Randy Kohrs on reso-guitar and percussion. Colin plays guitar and mandolin.

It’s a delightful track. Give it a listen.

Somewhere Among the Briars is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers may contact Mountain Fever for airplay copies.

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Blue Highway’s Jason Burleson has a new single released today, his version of the Honey Babe Blues.

This is an old song, often credited to Clarence Ashley, though some musicologists believe it actually dates back to the 19th century. Despite the name, the song doesn’t follow the standard 12-bar format, but a more typical 16-bar configuration. In any event, it has spawned any number of similar pieces.

Let’s have banjo man Jason describe what he’s done with this chestnut.

“Honey Babe Blues is a song I heard Doc and Merle Watson do years ago. I always thought it would make a great bluegrass song. Keith Garrett has been my favorite singer forever, and I always wanted to record something with him, so this was the perfect song. He absolutely nailed it!

I wanted fiddle on it, so who better to call than Aubrey. I sent it to him and he sent it back in a couple of days, and I absolutely love what he did with it!

My son Jacob played bass and mandolin. I couldn’t be any prouder of the young man and musician he’s become. Anyone that knows him knows he can play any instrument extremely well. He encouraged me to play a guitar break on it, so I tried to pay homage to Doc and Merle but still put my own twist on it.

We cut the track at Alan Maggard’s studio in Big Stone Gap, VA. I just love the vibe of that place and the tones Alan gets. Jim Price did his usual great job mixing and mastering.”

Everyone does a bang-up job here, turning in a sparkling track.

Check it out.

Honey Babe Blues from Jason Burleson is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers are invited to contact Jason on Facebook or Instagram to obtain an airplay copy.

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Consistent bluegrass hitmaker Milan Miller has a new single as we begin the holiday season, one he wrote with frequent co-writer, Beth Husband.

This one, The Sun is Setting in Barrow, carries an unusual topic for a bluegrass song, to wit, the long polar night in the upper northern hemisphere where the sun may only appear for a few minutes to an hour each day during the winter, or not at all, for weeks. For those who suffer from light deprivation, that sounds like a nightmare.

Milan says that the song is a rumination about enduring such a scenario, from people far from the actual events.

“The Sun is Setting in Barrow is a tune that Beth Husband and I wrote based around the polar night in the town of Barrow, Alaska. I’ll admit, I’d never even heard of Barrow until a photo on social media stopped me mid-scroll one evening. There was this tiny town, covered in snow and complete darkness, with a caption about the sun setting in Barrow and not returning for two months. That image definitely piqued my interest and sent me off to learn more about the town and the polar night.

The song isn’t really a story; we approached it more as a series of reflections and snapshots from someone watching the sun go down knowing they wouldn’t see it again for a long while, and pondering life through the stretch of continuous darkness at the top of the world.”

The arrangement is a simple one, letting the lyrics stand out front. Miller plays guitar and mandolin, and sings the lead, with Scott Vestal on banjo, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and Buddy Melton on bass. Adam Wright sang harmony vocals.

Wrap up in a blanket or light the fire, and give this one a listen.

The Sun is Setting in Barrow is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct or Get It Played.

The post The Sun is Setting in Barrow from Milan Miller appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

Volume Five has announced Jared Hensley of Weaverville, NC as their new guitarist, replacing Jacob Burleson who had been in that position for several years.

An experienced pro at a young age, Jared has stints with several touring bluegrass acts under his belt. Growing up in a family of pickers helped, as did studying in the bluegrass program at ETSU. While still in college, he went to work for Alecia Nugent, and then with The Next Best Thing. Hensley spent eight years as a member of the Darrell Webb Band, and played with both NewTown and The Tim Shelton Experience.

He says that he is psyched about joining up with Volume Five.

“I’m super excited for this next chapter. I’ve been a fan of Volume Five for a long time. They’re a great group of guys, and top notch players across the board, and I look forward to what the future has in store.”

That is a sentiment shared by V5 leader, fiddler and vocalist Glen Harrell, who is happy to have Jared starting with them right away.

“I have known Jared for about 15 years or so. He is one of the most dynamic and explosive guitar players I have ever been around. We are looking forward to having him share the stage each night with us.”

Alongside Harrell, Hensley joins Chris Wade on banjo, Nick Keen on mandolin, and Wyatt Harman on bass.

Check the Volume Five web site for when they might be in your area.

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Rebel Records has produced a music video for their latest single with Rrinaco, Two or More.

The oddly-named outfit is a sort of alter ego for Corrina Rose Logston Stephens, fiddler and vocalist with arch-traditionalist grassers High Fidelity. She created it to record songs she writes that wouldn’t fit the band’s trademark style, and the music has found a good many avid listeners through a debut album, Little Songs.

Two or More is a reflection on a well-known line of Scripture, Matthew 18:20 to be exact, where Jesus expresses the fact that he will be present among any gathering of two or more people praying in his name.

Corrina says that the song got its start from a moment of prayer she shared with her good friend, Laura Ray, like Stephens a Nashville-based player and singer.

“One day after we’d been hanging out and ended our time together with a little prayer, Laura exclaimed, ‘Two or more, man!’ I knew she was referencing a Scripture spoken by Jesus that refers to gathering together and Him being present, and right then this song started stirring in me. I ended up doing a deep dive into that phrase and everywhere in the Bible that it appears. Instead of trying to explain the sense of comfort, reassurance, and security that I felt in that moment when Laura said it, I ended up just letting it speak for itself, and this song is the result.”

She plays fiddle and sings the lead, supported by her husband, Jeremey, on guitar, Casey Campbell on mandolin, P.J. George on bass, and Kevin Buchanan on percussion.

The music video was created by Warren Swann, who has filmed and edited previous work by Stephens and the band, based on a concept that Corrina had developed.

Upon seeing the finished video, she said…

“The song has always felt like a traveling song to me, and I love that the video really depicts a sense of journey, friendship, and fellowship, underpainted by the sense that something – or Someone – even greater connects it all.”

It’s lovely visually, and the music is superb as well!

Have a look/listen.

Two or More, and the full Little Songs album, are available from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

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