It’s been quite some time since we’ve heard new music from Jana Mougin. An experienced touring artist, she spent ten years with Fragment, one of the most successful European bluegrass acts in her native Slovakiac, as Jana Dolakova. Now living in the US, and married to Dark Shadow Recording owner and engineer Stephen Mougin, who also plays guitar with Sam Bush, Jana has been busy working for the label, and raising their son, Sammy.
But the time has come at last, and Jana has recorded a new single for Dark Shadow, If I Didn’t Love You, a song written by Jon Vezner and Jack White, recorded by Steve Wariner in 1993.
Mougin explained a bit about how she found this song, and offers gracious thanks to all the fine players joining her in this session.
“I’ve been a fan of Steve Wariner since the ’90s, but I only found this song a few years ago. Inspired by Austrian bluegrass band Nugget and their cover of a similar country song, back when I first started playing bluegrass, I knew If I Didn’t Love You would make the perfect bluegrass song for me.
It’s an honor to have the members of Union Station (Barry Bales, Ron Block, and Dan Tyminski) on this song. They defined bluegrass for me more than 25 years ago, along with Stuart Duncan, who is one of my favorite fiddle players. I met Sierra Hull when she was 12 years old, instantly became a fan, and loved watching her music career. I am also grateful to have my very talented friend Todd Livingston playing resonator guitar, and one of the biggest talents in country music, Lauren Mascitti on harmony, along with my husband Stephen (also the producer and engineer).
This is a dream come true, and maybe even more than that. Looking back on my first two decades of being an active bluegrass artist, I don’t think I even dared to think this big! Thanks to Stephen Mougin, who is a great producer and always encourages artists to make a dream list, this is a reality.”
They turn out a very tasty contemporary bluegrass track, and it’s a real treat to hear Jana sing again.
Have a listen…
If I Didn’t Love You from Jana Mougin is available now as a single from popular download and streaming services. Radio programmers can get the track from AirPlay Direct.
