Young mandolinist, composer, and vocalist Thomas Cassell has made quite an impression on the professional bluegrass world in the past few years. Since graduating from the bluegrass program at ETSU, he has performed with Billy Strings, The Bryan Sutton Band, Jim Lauderdale, Missy Raines, and Becky Buller, and is a founding member of the forward looking bluegrass group, Circus No. 9.
He only added to his bluegrass street cred when he won the 2021 National Mandolin Champion at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS. This year he also took first at the 2021 FreshGrass Mandolin Champion, and was named one of the 2020 IBMA Momentum Instrumentalists of the Year, and Rockygrass Mandolin Champion in 2016.
Cassell’s latest single, New November, was released yesterday, a song written by written by Tim Stafford of Blue Highway and Graham Sharp of Steep Canyon Rangers. Dale Ann Bradley and Dan Boner join Daniel on vocals, with Stafford on guitar, Julian Pinelli on fiddle, Jacob Metz on reso-guitar, and Vince Ilagan on bass.
“Tim Stafford first showed me this song, which he and Graham Sharp wrote together, a few years ago. At the time, I didn’t have any plans for a record, but it hung around in the back of my mind and I got to finally record it for an upcoming album. I think it’s a brilliant tune, a warning of the intensely changing climate, delivered through something as familiar to listeners as a bluegrass song. Hopefully this song will help some folks ‘wake up and read the writing on the wall,’ as Tim and Graham wrote.”
Have a listen…
New November is available now from popular download and streaming sites, and to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.
This song, and Thomas’ previous single, Traveling Shoes, will both be included on an upcoming album as well, release date to be determined.
