After “Knee Deep in Bluegrass,” a fiery instrumental tribute to an old friend that just earned him an IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year award in September, and an evocative story about redemption (“God Gave Me Horses”) that’s climbing the charts, Mountain Home Music Company’s Ashby Frank closes out the year with a blistering rendition of a certified bluegrass classic that holds its own among a decades-long string of acclaimed recordings.
Tackled by the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe, just a year after it was written and first recorded by old-time country guitarist Kirk McGee, “Blue Night” has enjoyed signature performances by artists ranging from Monroe to beloved Nashville singer-songwriter Harley Allen to Colorado bluegrass legends Hot Rize to mandolin phenom Chris Thile. Even so, this might be the most energetic version yet, with Frank’s own mandolin racing through a briskly up-tempo kickoff before his muscular vocals deliver McGee’s iconic opening verse over powerful backing from Seth Taylor (guitar), banjoist Matt Menefee, Jim VanCleve (fiddle) — all of whom deliver virtuosic solos of their own — and bassist Travis Anderson:
Blue night, got you on my mind
Blue night, can’t keep from cryin’
You found someone that was new
You quit someone that you knew was true
Blue night, got you on my mind
Says Frank, “I’ve been performing ‘Blue Night’ on stage since my Mashville Brigade days and still include it on most shows these days with my own band. It’s a staple song in the jam scene, and there have been so many great versions recorded throughout the years since it was written and originally recorded by the great Kirk McGee. When I was doing pre-production for this new record, I started looking for a more traditional sounding uptempo song, only to realize that I have been performing ‘Blue Night’ for 20 years — and the only recordings of my version are live videos floating around the internet. So it made perfect sense to record it, and I am so thrilled about the version we wound up with in the studio. It has a certain in-your-face modern vibe, but also sounds like traditional Bluegrass at the same time. I’m so excited for everyone to hear it!”
"Blue Night" is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Music and TIDAL. Listen to it HERE.
