Mountain – new single from Andy Lowe

Mountain Fever Records has a new single this week for banjo picker Andy Lowe, one that comes from a wholly unexpected source.

Lowe has been a prominent five stringer in the North Carolina and Virginia scenes for several years, and is the current top finisher at the 2022 Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax. For some time he was playing with Virginia’s Deer Creek Boys, who are currently inactive, but Andy hasn’t slowed down one bit.

For this second glimpse from his upcoming Nervous Energy project, they have selected a song called Mountain. It’s not an unusual topic for a bluegrass number, but Andy says it definitely did not come with a bluegrass backstory.

“In addition to being a bluegrass kid, I also grew up as a young metalhead, and I’ve always tried to include traces of that in my banjo work. This 1996 hit from the alternative rock group, Tonic, has been given the ‘grass treatment.’ Mountain is going to be a new one for many in the bluegrass world, but it shares many of the traits that we’ve come to love: stellar musicianship, exciting vocals, and a killer groove.”

Providing those vocals is Josh Shilling, lead singer for Mountain Heart, with additional support from Jason Burleson on guitar, Aaron Ramsey on mandolin, and Jeff Partin on reso-guitar and bass.

Andy picks it solid, needless to say, and the track provides an insistent drive at a mid-tempo. It’s a good’n.

Check it out…

Mountain is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Nervous Energy is expected later this year from Mountain Fever.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2004 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.