Ashby Frank’s “Knee Deep In Bluegrass,” his first single since the release of last year’s Leaving Is Believing, has topped this month’s Bluegrass Today radio chart. The song — which has been No. 1 on the weekly chart twice — is both a tribute to a beloved member of the bluegrass community and a compelling example of the musical power that created and sustained it.
“We recorded ‘Knee Deep’ as a tribute to my friend and former bandmate, the great Terry Baucom, and I’m sure he would be so proud of the success this new recording has garnered. I can remember picking this tune as a teenager at local jams and festivals, of course not knowing at the time that I’d eventually have the honor of performing it onstage with Terry with The Mashville Brigade,” says Frank. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the reaction that this tune has gotten from Bluegrass radio and listeners. I’d like to thank all of the DJs and programmers that have spun or added this single, as well as the amazing musicians that joined me on this track. Also, a special thanks to my Mountain Heart bandmate Matt Menefee for his re-interpretation of this classic Bauc tune on the banjo.”
Frank’s arrangement of “Knee Deep In Bluegrass” brings a new, tautly rhythmic prelude and stripped down initial statement of Baucom’s memorable theme followed by the deepest kind of bluegrass tribute — one that pays homage in a sophisticated, nuanced way, resorting neither to simple imitation nor gratuitous re-imagining, but instead serving up an irresistible blend of deeply informed nods to the original and fresh, new touches that honor its creative spirit.
Listen to “Knee Deep In Bluegrass” HERE.
About Ashby Frank
North Carolina-raised, Nashville-based singer/songwriter/mandolinist Ashby Frank stands out from the crowd. Since his arrival in Nashville in the early part of the century, Frank has become known as one of Music City’s most valuable collaborators, and now he’s begun releasing music of his own with Mountain Home Music Company. His first single with the label, “Midnight Highway,” quickly topped Bluegrass radio charts as a broad range of listeners became acquainted with talents that industry observers have known of for years. Frank’s resume includes stints as a collaborative member of the Mashville Brigade and the Likely Culprits, as well as recordings and performances with a wide array of bluegrass and roots music mainstays, including the Earls of Leicester, John Cowan’s HercuLeons, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, the Marty Raybon Band and Special Consensus. He’s scored as a songwriter, too, penning songs for Junior Sisk, Amanda Cook, Dale Ann Bradley, Lindley Creek and more, and even taken on the world of comedy as a member of the Darrell Brothers.
