Jeremy Garrett, fiddle player & vocalist of The Infamous Stringdusters has announced the release of Storm Mountain, the seventh solo album of his career and first album release off of the band’s imprint Americana Vibes. With the release set for June 27th, Garrett gives listeners their first taste of the new album today with the release of the lead single “Fly Away to Your Love.” Listen to the new track HERE.

Storm Mountain follows Garrett’s well-received 2022 release River Wild and is an ode to his current life living “off the grid” in a cabin on 12 acres with his wife and eight-year-old daughter in a remote section of Theodore Roosevelt National Forest outside of Drake, Colorado. The collection of songs was inspired by the mountains he lives in and the idea that holds—whether it be living in joyous nature or the more pointed feeling one can have being surrounded by such intensity. Living in the mountains can be free and easy, yet an unforgiving place for those that aren’t prepared for the elements (and even if you are, it’s never completely easy). It was a metaphor he couldn’t resist when making the record.

“Fly Away to Your Love” sets the scene for Garrett’s new 10-song collection with its pulsating tempo and energetic picking. The song was co-written by one of Garrett’s longest writing partners, songwriter & journalist Jon Weisberger, adding to their expansive repertoire of over 100 songs. Expressed through four short verses in old time language, the track speaks to the idea of preserving a relationship when troubles may come and overcoming with grace.

“This is one of those driving bluegrass songs that speaks about love in an intangible way, using old time language to describe a stormy scene and drama,” says Garrett delving into the lyrical content, “Love birds being lost and hopeless in the storm of life and tragic circumstances.”

While bluegrass is often associated with light-hearted festival sets and late night picking sessions, Garrett aims to dig deeper with more serious, introspective subject matters and musical stylings that veer back into his more traditional lineage in gospel, country, and roots, “This is not a light-hearted record,” he explains, “Bluegrass is a lonesome music. I wanted this album to be more sophisticated than songs about trains and biscuits, to bring out the deeper content.”

Storm Mountain deals with such serious topics as a fall from grace (“Son of Perdition”), the bitterness of fate (“The Cold Hard Truth”), lost love (“Fly Away”), the meaning of life (“Anchor in the Deep”) and hopes for his daughter (“You’re Gonna Fly”). In addition, there are playful stabs at modern phenomena from social conventions (“Don’t Ask’) to UFOs (“Rosewell”). “I love weird stuff like that,” he laughed. “I study quantum physics, too.”

Other highlights include surprising, idiosyncratic covers of songs by Mr. Mister’s Richard Page (“The Border”) and U.K. classic rock band Free (“Fire and Water”).

“I wanted to draw on something a little different than what I do with the ‘Dusters. These are songs that don’t quite fit in with the crowds we usually play for. When I go back to the band, I’m way better and more fulfilled for having done these solo records.”

Garrettt’s collaborators on the record include banjo player Ryan Cavanagh (“a picker’s picker”), guitarist Chris Luquette, singer Lindsay Lou (“The Border,” “You’re Gonna Fly,” “Son of Perdition”), songwriting partner Josh Shilling, fiddle players Luke Bulla and Casey Driessen (“Rosewell”), bassist Travis Anderson, tenor vocalist Ray Cardwell (“Slow Train”) and Stringdusters colleague Andy Hall on Resophonic guitar/dobro (“You’re Gonna Fly”). He recorded the album in a one-room studio outside of Fort Collins, CO, at the foothills of the mountains, before he added his parts at his own Storm Mountain home studio.

With groups like Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident and current phenom Billy Strings updating bluegrass for a new generation of listeners as “jamgrass,” the genre has exploded. Jeremy Garrett, known to the Infamous Stringdusters’ loyal fan base as either G-Grass or Freedom Cobra for his dynamic stage presence, has been at the forefront of the revival.

“Bluegrass is a durable music,” he said.” It’s been around for a long time. It’s down home and hardy and you can play it anywhere. You don’t even need electricity. The Dusters are a traditional bluegrass band that brought in the elements of extended soloing into the mix.”

At 48 years old, Garrett is relatively young for a bluegrass veteran and looks forward to performing his music live for audiences.  “When I write songs now, it’s from the standpoint of someone who’s been through some life experiences over the past 20 years. My goal is for this record to be uplifting at the same time as it’s more reflective in terms of healing.

“You need to have the music serve the song first and foremost, but I still throw down the fiddle because that’s what people expect.”

With the Dusters about to celebrate their 20th anniversary next year with a new album, Garrett looks forward to finding time for the occasional solo performance along with his “day job.” His ultimate inspiration are guys like Larry Sparks (“Slow Train” on the new album is a tribute to him), Del McCoury and the late Ralph Stanley, who have performed into their 70s, 80s and 90s.

“I want to play this music forever,” said Jeremy.  With Storm Mountain, he continues on that path.

TRACK LIST

1.) The Border

2.) Cold Hard Truth 

3.) Roswell 

4.) Slow Train

5.) You're Gonna Fly

6.) Don't Ask

7.) Fly Away To Your Love

8.) Fire and Water

9.) Son of Perdition

10.) Wishful Thinking