Wyatt Ellis with The Knoxville Symphony (7/4/26) – photo © Tyler Seaman
We’ve written many times about what a remarkable young bluegrass artist we have in Wyatt Ellis. A mandolinist and vocalist, just turned 17, he’s also a noted songwriter and tunewriter who has been embraced by the top pickers in our business, as both a unique talent and a personable young man.
Wyatt has recorded with, and been mentored by, players like Sierra Hull, Christopher Henry, Bobby Osborne, Peter Rowan, and more. He’s performed on the biggest stages available, from the Grand Ole Opry and MerleFest to the Newport Folk Festival and Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.
His debut solo album, Happy Valley, was released in 2024, and several singles from his next project have been radio hits over the past year or so. Happy Valley featured Ellis alongside some of his mandolin heroes, like Sierra Hull, Jake Workman, Scott Napier, Alan Bibey, Mike Compton, and Marty Stuart, all of whom were only too pleased to record with him.
He now tours with his own band while he completes his high school education through an online school that allows him to work at his own pace.
This past few weeks have brought a couple of truly unique opportunities his way. Wyatt was a featured performer with The Knoxville Symphony for their July 4 concert, and he got to play at the Lincoln Center in New York.
We caught up with Ellis a few days ago to talk about these special events, and asked how the symphony gig came about.
“A couple of years ago I played Rhapsody in Blue with them, and got to know the conductor, Aram Demirjian, really well. He asked if I would like to play a few of my originals with them, and I said yes.
It was an outdoor show at world fair’s park in Knoxville. They set up a bigger stage on the lawn, and maybe 5,000 people were there. It was also broadcast live on WBIR for free in Knoxville.”
He says they played three of his tunes, Blue Smoke, Two Rivers Waltz, and Rocky Top Bottom, all arranged with parts for the orchestra.
“It was different, but it felt more natural than you would think.
The concertmaster actually played the fiddle part that Jason Carter played on my album. He had it transcribed and played it on the concert.
It was good to be able to reach a wider local audience, and there were some surprise attendees, like my very first piano teacher.
The symphony players loved it. I heard one of them hollerin’ like Jack Cooke back there.”
Music Director and conductor Aram Demirjian said that he hopes to keep working with Wyatt in future.
“It was so meaningful for the KSO and for me to collaborate with Wyatt, who is a hometown star and such a talent. Fusing our two genres was a testament to music’s ability to bring people together and spark joy. Everyone in the audience and on stage loved his set, and I’m excited to keep deepening our musical relationship going forward.”
Before that, Ellis did a couple of shows with pianist Laura Downes, including the prestigious Aspen Ideas Festival, and the equally prestigious Lincoln Center. He was among a number of artists she featured in Aspen.
We asked whether it was a concert or more like a TED Talk.
“It was little bit of both. I went out with Laura Downs. We each brought music styles from different cultures. We all talked about music and our particular style.”
Then at the Lincoln Center, Wyatt was one of several young musicians Laura was highlighting, each of whom kept the oldest musical traditions as much younger players. The finale was Wyatt and Friends, where he performed with the Jalopy School Bluegrass Lab, a group of teen grassers in Brooklyn associated with the Jalopy Theater, who had learned a bunch of his tunes.
And there is more to come. Later this month, Wyatt and his band will play a hometown concert in Maryville, TN, as part of the Leavitt Series at Charles T West Amphitheater. It’s a free concert and he invites everyone to come on out and enjoy the music.
Wyatt Ellis tour with Alex Leach on guitar, Noah Goebel on fiddle, Andy Teno on banjo, and Julia Eversole on bass.
Expect to hear more news soon about his songwriting, which is rapidly blossoming as well.
Keep an eye on this young man!
