Popular Nashville fiddler Bronwyn Keith-Hynes has a new single released today, which finds her in a new position as a vocalist.
Bronwyn was born and raised in Charlottesville, VA, and became a part of Boston’s Mile Twelve after heading north for college. She moved from there to Nashville where she works now as fiddler with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway. Those of us who have had an eye on her from the start have marveled at how much confidence and bravado she has developed as a performer over the years, nearly stealing the show from Molly with her aggressive and spirited stage demeanor with Golden Highway, not to mention her superb fiddling.
Taking a cue from Jason Carter, another top Nashville fiddler of her acquaintance, Bronwyn has recorded a full project featuring her as a singer, and today’s first single, Can’t Live Without Love, shows that she is as comfortable in this realm as she is with the bow.
Written by another Nashville favorite, Jamie Hartford, the song extols the need to have someone to care deeply for in order to make life worthwhile. Bronwyn has changed the format from a hard-edged, rock-oriented sound to a flowing bluegrass ballad, which suits her voice beautifully. Support comes from Bryan Sutton on guitar, Wes Corbett on banjo, Dominick Leslie on mandolin, Jerry Douglas on reso-guitar, and Jeff Picker on bass. Sam Bush and Molly Tuttle sing harmony.
Bronwyn expressed a bit of amazement at the calibre of artists that she had with her in the studio.
“I’m so grateful to the musicians who played and sang on this track. Every time I listen to it I can’t believe all these legends were willing to record with me, and they brought my version of this song to life in a way that is better than I had even imagined.”
She also shared a reflection on why this song touches her so.
“The first time I heard this song by Jamie Hartford I knew I wanted to sing it. It’s a beautiful meditation on what we can and can’t live without in this life.
Every touring musician knows there’s a near constant lack of sleep when you’re on the road, but when you love the music you’re making, your bandmates and the audiences you’re playing for, you become okay with it, so I can live without sleep.
And we all have to learn to live without winning cause everyone knows you don’t win every time. Some of my most important moments have come about when something wasn’t successful and I was able to learn from the experience. I can live without winning.
I don’t drink anymore and I’ve found my life is better without it. I can live without drinking.
Love is all around us and what a joy it is to be on this earth right now, giving and receiving love. I can’t live without love.”
It’s a lovely track, and shows one of our favorite young artists in a whole new light.
Check it out…
Can’t Live Without Love from Bronwyn Keith-Hynes is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track via AirPlay Direct.
It will also be included on her next full-length independent album, expected sometime next year on her Sugar Petunia Records.
