Young traditional bluegrass artist Wyatt Ellis has a new single today, one that balances his admiration for the music of Bill Monroe with his own youthful enthusiasm and original sound.
Now 17 years of age, Wyatt has accomplished as much as many artists do in a lifetime. A skilled mandolinist, a seasoned songwriter, and a singer with growing confidence, Ellis has performed a number of times on the Grand Ole Opry, tours with his own band, and has a successful recording, Happy Valley, that features some of the biggest names in bluegrass.
This latest is a song he wrote with Mason Via and Brad Rempel called Rocky Top Bottom, which visits a number of traditional bluegrass tropes. There’s the title, of course, along with the girl that left, the Smoky Mountains, a cabin in the hills, and even a trusty dog.
Wyatt adds his plaintive voice to this one, while we wonder how he at his tender age could know such heartbreak. But there you have it.
Supporting him on the track is his touring band: Alex Leach on guitar, Andy Teno on banjo, Noah Goebel on fiddle, and Julia Eversole on bass. Alex and Julia add vocal harmony above Wyatt’s lead.
They deliver some driving grass that sounds so cheerful, yet with a devastating tale of woe. Have a listen.
Rocky Top Bottom is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
