Mountain Home Music has a music video release today for The Grascals, and their current radio single, Coal Dust Kisses.
Written by Susanne Mumpower and Jerry Salley, this feel-good song will stir up memories for anyone who lives or lived in the coal mining regions of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with its vivid descriptions of a family’s reaction to their husband and father’s days far beneath the surface of the earth.
Jamie Johnson, who sings lead on this number, shared a few words about the genesis of this song.
“Coal Dust Kisses is a true story written about my wife’s (Susanne Mumpower) papaw who worked in the southwest Virginia coal mines, would come to her house during his lunch break, and would always leave the coal soot on her cheek from his kisses.
The song was written nearly twenty years ago, and it just seemed like the perfect fit to include on The Grascals 20 album. Coal Dust Kisses is dedicated to all of the coal miners and their families.”
In the video, we find Jamie and his bandmates – John Bryan on guitar and vocal, Terry Smith on bass and vocals, Danny Roberts on mandolin, Kristin Scott Benson on banjo, and Jamie Harper on fiddle – performing the song in a rustic cabin.
It’s a powerfully emotional song, so keep a tissue handy.
Coal Dust Kisses, and the full 20 album, commemorating The Grascals’ 20 years of recording and performing original bluegrass music, are available from popular download and streaming services online, and on audio CD directly from the band.
Radio programmers will find all the tracks at AirPlay Direct.
