That SteelDrivers sound. Those already initiated with the two-decade-running, Grammy-winning quintet The SteelDrivers will know exactly what it means—the bluesy-leaning, stomp inducing, singular style that’s made fans of folks from Adele to Bill Murray to hundreds of thousands more fans across the globe for the past two decades. Between The SteelDrivers’ unique thump and chop of the rhythm section and seamless harmonies and vocal delivery, the Americana sum becomes greater than its bluegrass parts, an x-factor that’s still present in today’s new release, “Outrun,” the title track of a brand new SteelDrivers album due out on May 23rd on the iconic Sun Records.
Written by the SteelDrivers’ own Tammy Rogers (fiddle) and Matt Dame (guitar) along with longtime SteelDriver co-writer Leslie Satcher, “Outrun” was written in the eleventh hour ahead of the recording of Outrun. “I happened to run into [Satcher] the weekend before we were scheduled to go into the studio and told her we didn’t have any ‘Leslie songs’ on the upcoming record,” says Rogers. “She made the time to get together and ‘Outrun’ was written in about an hour and a half!” Mandolinist Brent Truitt calls it his favorite song from the new project, adding, “‘Outrun' has all the elements that will likely elevate it to a SteelDriver classic in short order.”
Part murder-ballad, part getaway thriller, “Outrun” uses verse vignettes to tell its story while the song’s chorus is a universal lesson, or maybe just a warning: “You can't out run the Mississippi River in a Shelby GT Ford / You can’t out run the angels, you can’t out run the lord / You can’t out run a broken heart that gives into a gun / And you can’t out run the grim reaper once the deed is done.” Check out the “Outrun” lyric video right here to dive deeper into the story.
Beyond the ever-evolving musical nature of The SteelDrivers, this seamless ebb and flow between intricate bluegrass and the hardscrabble blues, another key element of Outrun is this underlying tribute to late founding member Mike Henderson. And though Henderson passed away in 2023, his memory and presence is still profoundly felt by the group, onstage and in the studio. “I lovingly refer to Mike as the architect of the band,” Rogers says. “Because he’s the one in the beginning that called us all together. Everybody respected everybody else, and that’s what created our sound and what makes it so unique.”
Fans can stream or purchase “Outrun” today at this link and pre-order or pre-save Outrun ahead of its May 23rd release on Sun Records right here. For tour dates and everything else SteelDrivers, please visit thesteeldrivers.com.
About The SteelDrivers: Only Nashville could give birth to a band like The SteelDrivers, a group of seasoned veterans—each distinguished in his or her own right, each valued in the town’s commercial community—who are seizing an opportunity to follow their hearts to their souls’ reward. In doing so, they are braiding their bluegrass roots with new threads of their own design, bringing together country, soul, blues, and other contemporary influences to create an unapologetic hybrid that is old as the hills but fresh as the morning dew. This is new music with the old feeling. SteelDrivers fan Vince Gill describes the band’s fusion as simply “an incredible combination.”
Specializing in a unique mix of what might be called bluegrass soul, the SteelDrivers have become one of the biggest names in progressive bluegrass after making their debut in 2005. While there’s a strong traditional streak in the SteelDrivers sound, they bring a passion to their delivery that adds a distinctive flavor, and they’re not afraid of adding a forceful grit to the music.
The SteelDrivers have been nominated for four Grammys, the Americana Music Association’s New Artist of the Year, and were awarded IBMA’s 2009 Emerging Artist of The Year. In 2015, The Muscle Shoals Recordings won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Recording.
About Sun Records: Established in 1952 by Sam Phillips, Sun Records is renowned for discovering music legends including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The label moved to Nashville in 1969 where it continued cultivating acclaimed artists Jeannie C. Riley, The Dixie Cups, Linda Martell, and many others. As a member of the newly-formed Sun Label Group under Primary Wave, Sun Records continues to foster musical innovation while honoring its rich history of shaping American music culture. For more information, visit sunrecords.com.
