With a name like Songbird Road, the latest single and title track from the upcoming project by bluegrass veteran Valerie Smith, you might be expecting something light and airy, full of bluebirds and sunshine. Nope. This one is mighty lonesome, coming from the pen of Donna Ulisse, about how sorrow and sadness have driven all the pretty birds away, to be replaced by crows and mourning doves.
Ulisse co-produced the track, and the album, along with engineer Scott Vestal, and this song in particular offers a different side of an artist we have been hearing from for more than 30 years. The depth and maturity resonate in her voice, and the crack band of Nashville pickers turns this one into a memorable track.
Vestal is on banjo, with Cody Kilby on guitar, Nate Burie on mandolin, Jason Carter on fiddle, Jeff Partin on reso-guitar, and Evan Winsor on bass.
Hve a listen…
Songbird Road is available now from Bell Buckle Records at popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.
Val is also excited about her next big effort following the album release for Songbird Road, a one-woman show, Maggie’s Journal, a musical production based on her great grandmother. It is expected to debut over the winter of 2026-’27.
