Irish-born bluegrass artist Danny Burns, who puts the grit in gritty and the gin in ginger, has a real hit on his hands in Blue Ridge Blue. The song has spent the past five weeks on our Bluegrass Today Weekley Airplay chart, sitting at #1 last week, prompting the release of a music video from Bonfire Music Group.
We are delighted to offer its premiere showing today, for a song that celebrates the Blue Ridge mountains that gives it its title, while lamenting the loss of that which is most dear.
Burns tells us that he was in the thick of studio sessions with some Nashville hot shots when this one came his way.
“We were cutting the first batch of songs for the record at Station West in Nashville with Luke Wooten, when he reached out to Jim Beavers, who sent over a song called Blue Ridge Blue. I immediately fell in love with it, as did our three daughters, and that’s always a good sign. We shot the music video with Ryan Kay and Ethan Burkhardt up in the mountains of Mill Spring, North Carolina — a truly beautiful part of the world. The concept for the video was all Ethan’s idea.”
Among those hot shots were Sam Bush on mandolin, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle, Justin Moses on reso-guitar, Matt Menefee on banjo, Cody Kilby on guitar, Billy Contreras on strings, Ethan Burkhardt on bass, and Jerry Roe on drums. Danny sings the lead and plays guitar, with Bronwyn and Sam adding harmony vocals.
The music video captures Burns in the midst of a dreary day in the Blue Ridge, perfectly capturing the spirit of the song.
Have a look/listen.
Blue Ridge Blue is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
