For most of our readers, Cooper Marona may not yet be a familiar name. A new bluegrass artist, he is a native North Carolinian and a recent graduate of the bluegrass music program at ETSU.
Cooper has released his first recorded project, On My Way Back Home, which features him on guitar and lead vocals. The tracks were cut in the ETSU studio, along with a number of fellow players he knows through the program, including a couple of his teachers.
It shows Marona to be a compelling vocalist, worthy of your attention, with a promising start to a career in bluegrass music.
We are pleased to share the title track, one written by Jacob Metz, who also plays reso-guitar on the song.
Cooper says that he feels like On My Way Back Home was destined to name this project.
“For me, this song encompasses what it was like for me when I moved away to college at ETSU. I had the opportunity to make so many friends, countless memories, and play a lot of great music. However, when I graduated I couldn’t wait get home. Jacob showed me this song about a year before we recorded the project, and I instantly knew this was the title track. Knowing I was ‘on my way back home’ was such a good feeling, and that I would forever cherish the memories I had made.
My favorite line of the song is ‘Counted stars like the places I have been. Wishing that I could start over again.’
This speaks to me of memories that I have made in my musical journey, but with hopes for the future to continue making them.”
With Marona on guitar and lead vocal, studio support came from Metz on reso, Brandon Green on banjo, Troy Boone on mandolin, and Tyler Griffith on bass. Harmony vocals were added by Cooper and Jacob. Ben Bateson, who manages the ETSU Recording Lab, engineered.
It’s an interesting song and these guys do it credit. Check it out…
On My Way Back Home, both the single and the full album, are available now from popular download and streaming services online. Audio CDs can be purchased by contacting Marona on Facebook.
