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.
