Teddy Barneycastle Archives

The Word from Teddy Barneycastle

Some of the holiday bluegrass music we are treated with around Christmas time is light and fluffy – feel good songs about Santa and spending time with family – and we enjoy hearing them year in and year out. Others focus on the religious aspect of Christmas, and its meaning to Christians worldwide.

Others still are simply profound, managing to blend the spiritual and scriptural into something that moves the listener during a hectic season.

The Word, recorded this year by virtuoso bluegrass singer Teddy Barneycastle for Huckleberry Records, is one such, a wonderful song written by James ‘Hobo Jim’ Varsos, a noted Alaskan singer and songwriter who passed away in 2021. It uses the beautiful meme from the opening of St. John’s gospel as its locus, employing it to tell the life story of Jesus Christ across the several verses and chorus.

Barneycastle is the founder of The Goodfellers, a Virginia outfit that specializes in clever bluegrass arrangements of pop and rock music hits, featuring Teddy’s soaring tenor voice out front. But he’s more than just a singer and a band leader; he’s a sincere and deeply believing Christian man as well.

He said that he wanted to sing The Word as soon as he found it.

“The Word is a song that is so well written that it really pulls the listener in. The Bible says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,’ and ‘The Word’ is describing Jesus Christ. When I heard this song I knew I had to record it.”

Studio support came from Pat Flynn on guitar, Andy Leftwich on mandolin, Scott Sanders on reso-guitar, Dave Francis on bass, and Billy Thomas on percussion. Background vocals were provided by Heather Lawson, George Pendergrass, and Pat Flynn.

You may find yourself returning to this one again and again as we approach Christmas Day. Have a listen…

The Word is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via Get It Played.

You can check out all the Christmas bluegrass we have covered at Bluegrass Today by following this link.

All On A Rising Day from Teddy Barneycastle

Turnberry Records has a new single for powerful bluegrass singer Teddy Barneycastle, he of The Goodfellers, a decidedly newgrass number called All On A Rising Day.

The song was recorded previously in 1991 by Peter Rowan, but Teddy give it a retro New Grass Revival feel. That wasn’t too far a stretch, as All On A Rising Day was written by NGR guitarist and vocalist Pat Flynn, who also played on the track. The lyrics tell of the need for humanity to find ways to come together, and overcome all the things that divide us.

Pat and Teddy have been friends for some time, and wanted to work together on a project, when Barneycastle said this song just suggested itself.

“I was hunting one morning, and as I sat in a deer blind the words of All On A Rising Day played over and over in my head. That’s when I knew I had to record the song.”

They have created a quirky arrangement that mixes newgrass with an acoustic Motown sound, provided by Pat Flynn on guitar, Andy Leftwich on mandolin and fiddle, Scott Vestal on banjo, Dave Francis on bass, Scott Sanders on lap steel, and Billy Thomas on percussion. Teddy sings lead with harmony vocals provided by Heather Lawson, George Pendergrass, and Pat Flynn.

It’s a very strong track, and Teddy really wails on this one. Have a listen…

All On A Rising Day is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track through Get It Played.

Teddy Barneycastle to Turnberry Records, with new single

Teddy Barneycastle, the voice and the man behind the fascinating grassified rock cover band, Goodfellers, has signed with Turnberry Records. In tandem with the announcement, a debut single from Teddy’s upcoming solo album has also been made available.

Matthew’s Mansion is one that Teddy wrote with Marty Sands about the reality of homelessness in today’s world. Told as a waltz ballad, the song tries to show the humanity through an actual person the authors have known.

Barneycastle uses the notion of Christian charity to appeal to us as individuals, rather than as a society, to see homeless people as God’s children, and treat them as such.

Or as he puts it…

“Homelessness isn’t just a ‘big city’ problem anymore. It’s a problem in nearly every town in America. Chances are those that read this will probably pass by someone holding a cardboard sign today on a street corner. Regardless of how one views the homeless, that was somebody’s baby.

My hope is that Matthew’s Mansion will remind us all to love one another. Not every homeless person choses to be where they are. Often times it’s mental illness, drug or alcohol addiction, loss of a job, or a bad home life. It can be a number of reasons, or a matter of life’s circumstances.

Either way, Jesus loves them just as He does those passing them by. Shouldn’t we?”

Teddy sings lead, with support from Pat Flynn on guitar, Jason Carter on fiddle, Kyser George on mandolin, and David George on bass.

It’s a lovely song, and Teddy is a skilled and evocative vocalist.

Check it out…

Matthew’s Mansion is available to radio programmers now at AirPlay Direct. It will be offered soon from popular download and streaming services.

Listening to the Rain from Teddy Barneycastle and Kyser George

Bell Buckle Records has a new single from Teddy Barneycastle, leader singer of the Goodfellers, a newly recorded version of The Osborne Brothers classic, Listening to the Rain.

It’s a different sound for Teddy, at least for folks who know him mostly through the band, as the Goodfellers’ oeuvre tends toward grassified covers of pop music standards. But our Mr. Barnycastle has been a near life long fan of the music of Sonny and Bobby Osborne, and grew up emulating Bobby’s high tenor voice as he was learning to play bluegrass. So this is a natural for him.

The track was recorded with assistance of several of the ‘Fellers, including harmony vocals from Kyer George, a young bluegrass artist just starting to make his mark. Kyser is a member of the Virginia band, Shadowgrass, and does sub work with a number of acts in that region. He is the son of David George, who plays bass with the Goodfellers, and has been a part of the IBMA Kids on Bluegrass program, appearing with a select group of pickers called The Salty Dogs who were featured on Steve Harvey’s Little Big Shots on television in 2017.

Teddy says that he has watched George develop into a premier picker.

“Kyser would get up and play a few songs on guitar with us when he was 14. By the time he turned 15, I asked his dad if it would be OK to ask Kyser to join Goodfellers, and David said it was up to him. Kyser came on board and over the last two years has become one of the most amazing musicians I’ve played with. I asked his dad where Kyser got all of his talent, and David said, ‘I don’t know Teddy. He’s gotta be from another planet.’

Kyser plays mando and guitar on the single. When he asked me about cutting Listening to the Rain he was still 15. We mixed the song around his 16th birthday. Besides, I couldn’t say no to a musician as good as Kyser is, regardless of his age. I already know Kyser is a star, it’s only a matter of time before everyone else knows.”

Former Grascal Jamie Johnson sings the third part, with Tommy Moss on banjo, and David George on bass.

It’s a rockin’ track that should please any fan of the Osbornes.

Listening to the Rain from Teddy Barneycastle and Kyser George is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.