This year's Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion drew us even deeper into the rich history of recorded music in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee-Virginia. It's coming up on a century since Ralph Peer's 1927 Bristol Sessions introduced Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family to the world. The performance space inside of the The Birthplace of Country Music Museum - the cultural center dedicated to preserving and carrying the tradition forward - provided the most fitting "studio" location for us to add our own recordings to the already vast catalog.
Shadowgrass warmly welcomed us into their extended backyard, hailing from the Blue Ridge region of Virginia and North Carolina, about a hundred miles East of Bristol. We had crossed paths once before at the Gatekeeper's Museum in Tahoe City for their first No Depression Session, and it felt appropriate to gather in a museum for round two. The band clearly grew up immersed in bluegrass, internalizing the language and weaving their own contemporary threads into the sound. They've been at it for over a decade and it shows, which is why it pickled my brain to find out that the band is made up of musicians in their early 20s.
Please enjoy this No Depression Session, featuring two brand new Shadowgrass originals, followed by a Townes Van Zandt classic.
Big thanks to Charlene, Danielle, Leah, and the whole team at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. To June, Julia, Grace, and everybody at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, thank you for helping to bring these sessions to life. And congratulations to Kris Truelsen and Radio Bristol on their 10th anniversary, here's to 90 more!
Setlist:
Frost Covered Window
Make My Home
Lungs (Townes Van Zandt)
Kyser George - Guitar, vocals
Luke Morris - Mandolin, vocals
Madison Morris - Fiddle, vocals
Clay Russell - Banjo, vocals
Evan Campfield - Upright bass, vocals
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