40 Horse Mule Archives - Bluegrass Today

Back On My Knees – new single from 40 Horse Mule

40 Horse Mule, Nashville-based remote bluegrass recording artists, have a new single, again featuring the singing of Billy Troy.

The band, which at one time performed and tracked together in one spot, still gets together using modern technology to participate in new recordings. Troy now lives in Omaha, where he is entertainment director at a casino there. Born in Nashville, he is the son of bluegrass reso-guitar icon Josh Graves, who chose Billy Troy as a stage name some years ago.

Billy’s partner is Bennie Bolling, Nashville musician-at-large, who plays banjo, bass, and reso-guitar on this new single.

For their latest release, Billy and Bennie have resurrected a song that Troy wrote years ago with Lee Bach and Dave Lindsey called Back On My Knees, recorded by David Frizzell in 1987. Jason Roller adds fiddle and guitar, and Keith Tew sings harmony with Billy.

Unsurprisingly, it has an ’80s country vibe, done bluegrass style. Have a listen…

Back On My Knees by 40 Horse Mule is available now from popular download and streaming sites online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

Ann The Dreadful Snake from Bennie Boling and 40 Horse Mule

Banjo man Bennie Boling has released another track from his upcoming album with 40 Horse Mule, an instrumental he wrote called Ann The Dreadful Snake. Bluegrass history buffs will get the sideways reference in the title to the Bill Monroe classic.

We’ve seen Bennie on bass most often of late, but since he was a youngster he has been playing the banjo with power and passion. These days he does as much building as picking, working at the Huber Banjos shop outside of Nashville.

Boling plays the five and the bass, with Jason Roller providing fiddle and guitar. Have a listen.

Ann The Dreadful Snake is available now wherever you stream or download music online, and to radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.

Papa Gene’s Blues video from 40 Horse Mule

We’ve seen a number of social distancing videos from our favorite bluegrass artists during the shut down, but here’s an interesting twist. Billy Troy & 40 Horse Mule have created a music video, with each member filming from their separate locations, for one of the tracks from their debut EP.

It’s their cut of Papa Gene’s Blues, written by Mike Nesmith and originally recorded by The Monkees in 1966. Since then, it’s been recorded multiple times as a bluegrass song, and is a common jam standard in many parts of the world.

The Mules went for a black and white motif for their video.

Papa Gene’s Blues is available wherever you stream and download music online, as is the full 5-track EP, Grass With Some Kick.

Papa Gene’s Blues drops for 40 Horse Mule

40 Horse Mule has released another single from their upcoming full-length project.

The band is a collaboration between Nashville songwriter and banjo player, Bennie Boling, and Billy Troy, a multi-genre vocalist and producer in Omaha. Both have been in the industry most of their lives, with credentials as sidemen and frontmen in a number of different groups. Billy actually has a top level bluegrass pedigree, as he is the son of Josh Graves, pioneering reso-guitar artist who worked with Flatt & Scruggs during the group’s hey day.

This latest single is their arrangement of Papa Gene’s Blues, written and recorded by Mike Nesmith with The Monkees in 1966. For those too young to remember, The Monkees were initially a “made up” band, put together for a television show of the same name for NBC. It was quite popular with young audiences, performing and recording music selected for them by the show’s producers. But as they became well known, the group became determined to write their own music, and this song is an example of that.

It works quite well as a bluegrass number, and Troy’s vocals are especially impressive.

You can find Papa Gene’s Blues wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can get the track from AirPlay Direct.

Jack The Tobacco Farmer from 40 Horse Mule

Nashville’s 40 Horse Mule is back with a second single to follow up on Hell, Fire, and Brimstone which spent several weeks on our Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay chart last year.

The band is a joint effort by songwriter and bass player, Bennie Boling, and primary vocalist Billy Troy. They are assisted by Steve Huber on banjo, Marc MacGlashan on mandolin, and Jason Roller on guitar and fiddle. Billy sings lead, with vocal harmonies from Keith Tew. They recorded at Gorilla’s Nest Recording in Ashland City, TN, with Chris Latham engineering.

The new single is one Boling wrote called Jack The Tobacco Farmer, the story of a man who found a new crop to grow based on the changed smoking habits of the 21st century.

Billy’s full name is Billy Graves, and he is the son of bluegrass royalty. His dad was Josh Graves of Flatt & Scruggs fame, and Billy grew up around the music from his earliest days. Bennie has also been involved in bluegrass from an early age, playing banjo in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN as a youngster. He worked for a time with The Farm Hands, and is now a luthier with Huber Banjos.

The new single will be available for download purchase on March 29 from all the popular sites, and is offered to radio programmers now at AirPlay Direct.

Look for a 5-song EP from 40 Horse Mule next month.

Introducing 40 Horse Mule

Not everyone who moves to Nashville to work in the music business comes thinking that they will hit the big time, but an awful lot do. Some arrive just hoping to find a gig as a sideman, and many never even make it that far.

And some who ply their trade in the music world are born and bred Nashvillians, doing company work in a company town.

Such is the story of 40 Horse Mule, a new group formed in the Nashville area made up of industry veterans. A couple moved to town and have found success, and one sprang up from bluegrass royalty.

The band is based around the singing and songwriting of Billy Troy, born Billy Graves, the son of Uncle Josh Graves of Flatt & Scruggs fame. He grew up watching his dad from backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, and now works as a producer and singer in Omaha, NE.

Bennie Boling on bass and Steve Huber on banjo form the rest of the group, with assistance from a number of Nashville grassers to complete their first record. Huber is well-known in the bluegrass world, both as a top-flight picker whose stellar banjo drove the early recordings from Kenny & Amanda Smith, and also as the builder of Huber Banjos, pre-war replica instruments of the highest quality. Boling, also a fine banjo player, has been working in bluegrass since he was a teen living in Pigeon Forge, TN. He’s found success as a songwriter in Nashville, with songs recorded by artists like Gene Watson, Jeannie Seely, and The Oak Ridge Boys. He also works with Steve at Huber Banjos and decided to put 40 Horse Mule together when he departed The Farm Hands Quartet after several years on the road.

Their first single, Hell, Fire, and Brimstone, is one Bennie wrote with Billy on the lead vocal. It has a bluesy, acoustic country sound that should find favor on bluegrass and Americana radio.

Boling shared the new single with us, along with a few words about working with Troy.

“I have always liked a heavy bass sound, along with a strong lead vocal, when I listen to music. That’s why Billy Troy makes this project so much fun for me. He has that powerful, experienced voice that only comes with time and talent. Billy and I have written several songs together throughout the years, and now are rediscovering how some of those songs work great for this project.”

Playing guitar on the track is Jason Roller, who also provided fiddle, with Marc MacGlashan on mandolin, and Keith Tew singing harmony.

Hell, Fire and Brimstone is available now to radio programmers at Airplay Direct. Expect to hear more from 40 Horse Mule when the debut album is released later this year.