Valley Flower, an Austin, TX-based band, drops a single today. It is their version of It Rains Everywhere I Go, based on Lynn Morris’s rendition from her 1995 Rounder Record, Mama’s Hand.
The tune features Rose Lichtenfels on lead vocals, Stegall on banjo/lead guitar/rhythm guitar/harmony vocals, Jonah Calvo on fiddle, Cameron Owens on mandolin, and Phill Brush on bass, with special guest Nicklaus Hamburg (of Montana) on pedal steel. Produced by Stegall, the project was recorded by Patrick Herzfeld at Signal Hill Recording in Austin and mastered by Anna Frick.
“We’re releasing it as a single on April 24,” banjoist Scott Stegall expressed. “Super excited for this! We really want to pay tribute to Lynn, who is such a great influence on us, and on the bluegrass community in general. She hasn’t had nearly the recognition she deserves!”
The young ensemble puts their own take on this song penned by Don Cusic. Lichtenfels, who hails from Virginia, has a soothing, folkish voice that draws the listener in. Though both tracks begin with a soft, flowing mandolin kick-off – and Stegall does a fine job emulating Lynn’s banjo break in a lower register – it is Hamburg’s tasteful steel work that adds a ’90s classic country feel to the tune, and truly makes the song their own. As the music fades out, it leaves the listener wanting more.
“It works perfectly for the folks who two-step at our shows,” admitted North Carolina native, Stegall.
Founded in 2023 when the ensemble met while picking in the central Texas bluegrass scene, Valley Flower is making their mark, and their popularity is spreading. They released their first single in July 2024, followed by two more, and their debut, self-titled EP came in January 2025. Last week, the band opened for Brownyn Keith-Hynes in Austin.
KUTX, an Austin-based radio station, shared of the regional favorites, “Valley Flower cross pollinates those iconic Appalachian sounds with the freshest petals of country, folk, and jam…clearly (infused by their) unique regional influences.”
With their distinctive style and innovative songwriting abilities, Valley Flower is headed for national recognition. Their first single, Valley Flower, landed on Spotify Editorial’s Newgrass Playlist. The band continues to gain streaming listeners, and the release of this Morris tribute is sure to draw in even more.
Give it a listen:
