As I’ve said many times, it’s always great news when new music drops from Kenny & Amanda Smith. Their unique style of bluegrass is always welcome, and the songs they choose are not only well suited to their approach, but also of the highest caliber.
Keny is among the more-awarded guitarists in bluegrass, widely admired for both his rhythm work and his soloing, while Amanda has built a solid reputation as a vocalist to be reckoned with in contemporary bluegrass.
Their latest is called Tears of the Cherokee, a new song written by Dave Summers, that imagines an ancient Cherokee being able to see what the modern world has done in his native lands. Surely, he would have no context for how his Appalachian world has been distorted.
It’s one that touched Kenny deeply, as he has a grandmother who was Cherokee.
Along with he and Amanda, we hear Calib Smith on banjo, Cory Piatt on mandolin, Austin Maynard on bass, and Al Sergel on percussion.
Give it a listen. It’s a good’n.
Tears of the Cherokee is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via Get It Played.
