{"id":74222,"date":"2026-10-04T13:42:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T13:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/04\/mountain-grass-unit-light-a-new-bluegrass-fire-on-appalachian-smoke\/"},"modified":"2026-10-04T13:42:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T13:42:35","slug":"mountain-grass-unit-light-a-new-bluegrass-fire-on-appalachian-smoke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/04\/mountain-grass-unit-light-a-new-bluegrass-fire-on-appalachian-smoke\/","title":{"rendered":"Mountain Grass Unit Light a New Bluegrass Fire on &#8216;Appalachian Smoke&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tThis past February, rising jam-grass outfit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/mountain-grass-unit\/\" id=\"auto-tag_mountain-grass-unit\" data-tag=\"mountain-grass-unit\">Mountain Grass Unit<\/a> were recording their latest album, <em>Appalachian Smoke<\/em>, at Sputnik Sound in Nashville. Sitting behind the mixing desk was Vance Powell, a master engineer who\u2019s worked with Chris Stapleton, Jack White, and Phish. Leaning back into the studio couch as Powell made his tweaks, guitarist Luke Black and mandolinist Drury Anderson began debating the use of an electric sitar in their song \u201cEagle\u2019s Nest.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tTheir inspiration for taking sonic chances lies in modern-day artists like Billy Strings and icons like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-lists\/best-grateful-dead-songs-1235593953\/\">Grateful Dead<\/a>. \u201cBands that we grew up listening to, they always tried to go to different levels,\u201d Anderson tells <em>Rolling Stone<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>The rest of the quartet, including bassist Sam Wilson and fiddler Josiah Nelson, grab a seat behind Powell and let the tune play back once more. When it\u2019s over, it\u2019s decided that the sitar works just right. The group breaks for lunch and heads to a barbecue joint nearby, where they slide into a large booth and order baskets of smoked wings and meat platters. On the menu for discussion, fittingly? <em>Appalachian Smoke<\/em>, Mountain Grass Unit\u2019s new album.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cIt will definitely be the closest we have to maybe what a Mountain Grass Unit show would [sound] like in this current time,\u201d Anderson says. \u201cBecause it feels more natural. It feels like we\u2019re playing off each other. It\u2019s a little bit more raw, a little more fluctuating in the tempos.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Anderson, the theme for the <em>Appalachian Smoke<\/em> is one of homecoming and a yearning to return to nature, where \u201cit\u2019s generally about just going to the mountains, and how you can\u2019t help but get back there every time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u201cWhen she opens up the sky she speaks through trees\/A distant siren wails, begging to me,\u201d Anderson sings on the title track. \u201cAppalachian smoke, pulling me in\/When the mountains call I start to fall in the lake of sin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cIt feels fresh, like a new era for us,\u201d Black says. \u201cWe\u2019ve had time to sit together and write these new songs and bounce all these ideas we\u2019ve had building up for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mountain Grass Unit - Appalachian Smoke (Live from Boulder, CO)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1mDyP_8Pp-E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t<br \/>Sonically, MGU ride a razor-sharp line between traditional and progressive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/bluegrass\/\" id=\"auto-tag_bluegrass\" data-tag=\"bluegrass\">bluegrass<\/a>, the same tightrope walk that acts like the Infamous Stringdusters and Strings find themselves on. It\u2019s a path blazed by New Grass Revival and expanded by Leftover Salmon. When it comes to vocal harmonies, MGU shift toward the vibe of the Country Gentlemen and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. And yet, there\u2019s a unique approach and follow-through that\u2019s solely MGU<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cObviously, we were big into Billy when he first hit the scene, but a lot of our influence were local musicians [from Alabama],\u201d Anderson says. \u201cWe love [Billy] dearly, but I think he\u2019d be the first to tell you, \u2018Don\u2019t replicate me, do your own thing.\u2019 And I think we try our best to not give people the impression that we\u2019re just trying to be a Billy Strings rip-off, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tMountain Grass Unit are one of the hottest acts on the national festival circuit. Over the past two summers, they\u2019ve made a name for themselves with an unrelenting schedule, whether it be at a bluegrass gathering, dusty Americana throwdown, or backwoods jam-band blowout. In method, it\u2019s an incredibly talented ensemble of young pickers champing at the bit for whatever lies ahead. Anderson is 22, Black and Wilson both 23, with Nelson the oldest at 29 (his bandmates call him \u201cGramps\u201d).<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ editors-pick-module lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAnderson and Black began taking music lessons back in Birmingham, Alabama, when they were just children. \u201cI don\u2019t remember when I met [Luke], it\u2019s been that long,\u201d Anderson says. \u201cOur parents were friends, so we learned our instruments and we\u2019d occasionally get together and play.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAnderson and Black come from families of bluegrass lovers, with Anderson\u2019s father one of the faces behind the Acoustic Cafe, an annual bash in Hayden, Alabama. Started in 1996, the festival ran for 20 years and featured bluegrass greats like Tony Rice, John Hartford, and Doc Watson. One of the acts that made a big impression on the youngsters was the Allen Tolbert Unit, whose namesake would captivate them by buzzing up and down his guitar fretboard like a hummingbird in flight.<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cAllen took Luke into his arms and taught him everything he absolutely knows, and I ended up taking mandolin lessons from him because he\u2019s fantastic,\u201d Anderson says. \u201cAnd that\u2019s when Mountain Grass started, when we reconnected with bluegrass and got onto the Allen Tolbert train.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By middle school, Anderson and Black formed an acoustic duo, Andblack, that performed at restaurants and birthday parties around Birmingham, including an appearance at the final Acoustic Cafe gathering in 2016. At the same time, Black started teaching Wilson bass. The trio eventually ended up playing together for the first time in a short-lived teenage rock band called Rug Monkey. They also put together a jazz\/funk project for a hot minute.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen we decided, \u2018Let\u2019s go back to bluegrass,\u2019\u201d Anderson recalls. In 2018, Mountain Grass Unit were formed. Anderson was 15, Black and Wilson now 16. Once Black got his driver\u2019s license, it was on, with MGU burning up the highways and backroads of Alabama, jumping on any stage that\u2019d hire them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cLiterally any gig we could get, we\u2019d take \u2014 50th birthday parties, lake parties, high schools,\u201d Anderson says. \u201cRight when we got Mountain Grass going to where we felt we were getting some solid gigs every weekend is right when Covid hit. Instead of hanging it up, we decided to get on Facebook and do a bunch of live streams.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The band set up a stage in Anderson\u2019s basement and did regular live broadcasts, jamming out new material or Strings and Grateful Dead covers. They linked a virtual tip jar and started making a good chunk of change. But, more importantly, they began to grow a fanbase. After the pandemic, the members of MGU also went to college. Black attended Berklee School of Music in Boston, Wilson entered the University of Alabama. A year later, Anderson would join Black at Berklee. While being full-time students, they\u2019d fly out and tour each weekend, then hit the road all summer. By 2024, Nelson came onboard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201c[During] my last semester, I took 26 credits so I could graduate with these guys a year early,\u201d Anderson says. \u201cAnd hit the road immediately. I got home, packed up my bags and left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tBut if there was a moment where it became clear that MGU were garnering national attention, it was the 2025 Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Besides playing the main stage, the real litmus test of MGU\u2019s trajectory was an afternoon set on the Elks Park stage tucked away in downtown Telluride. When MGU got behind the microphone, a sea of people flooded the small park. It was obvious something was happening.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Telluride] has been this electric feeling of having people receive your music, and receive it well,\u201d Anderson tells <em>Rolling Stone<\/em>. \u201cOne of the coolest things is to be here and share that experience with basically our heroes.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure   size-large alignnone lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:1024px\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  lrv-u-border-a-2\">\n<div class=\"lrv-a-crop-16x9\" style=\"padding-bottom:calc((683\/1024)*100%);\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-flex-direction-column lrv-u-align-items-center\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"u-border-color-black u-border-lr-2 lrv-u-padding-tb-025 lrv-u-padding-lr-075 lrv-u-border-b-2 lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-text-align-center a-font-basic-secondary-s\">Mountain Grass Unit have been selling out shows on their current tour. Photo: Alex Culbreth*<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tJust four days after Telluride, MGU made their debut at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. From there, they played for the Bonnaroo faithful, opened for country star Dierks Bentley, and made their Grand Ole Opry debut as a guest of Del McCoury, before selling out their album release show at Nashville\u2019s Brooklyn Bowl.<\/p>\n<p>MGU also guested on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/shania-twain-interview-new-album-personal-life-1235595902\/\">Shania Twain\u2019s<\/a> new album, <em>Little Miss Twain<\/em>. The country megastar invited them to her home studio in the Bahamas, where they recorded her songs \u201cRight Time\u201d and \u201cDirty Rosie\u201d with Twain. Between takes, they\u2019d hang out and get to know one another, with Twain eating breakfast with MGU before heading into the studio to work. It was a surreal experience for the young ensemble.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was really crazy that we actually got to work with her,\u201d Anderson says of Twain. \u201cShe\u2019d do a scratch vocal, then we\u2019d play over it, then she\u2019d go back over it and do another take.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tThis past July, at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/under-the-big-sky-festival-2026-review-1235596372\/\">Under the Big Sky festival<\/a> in Whitefish, Montana, MGU did three shows over the weekend, playing both festival stages and a late-night showcase at the Remington Bar in downtown Whitefish. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAt UTBS, Black was asked why bluegrass is expanding into the mainstream. He pointed to a pushback against digital technology and accelerated modernity, where the ancient bluegrass combination of wood, wire, and wisdom fosters organic connectivity between humans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cThere\u2019s this boom in AI, [where] everything is so predictable and generated,\u201d Black tells <em>Rolling Stone<\/em>. \u201cAnd bluegrass is the opposite \u2014 it\u2019s so raw and broken down, just strict playing and improvising.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules trending-in-article lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tEarlier this month, at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Western North Carolina, MGU rolled through an hour-long set of new material from <em>Appalachian Smoke<\/em> and intricate improvisational jams. But they also worked in an unexpected cover: AC\/DC\u2019s \u201cIt\u2019s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll).\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t\u201cWe never sat there and said, \u2018This is too much, I can\u2019t do it anymore,\u2019\u201d Anderson says of the rigors of touring, the kind Bon Scott sang about in the AC\/DC classic. \u201cWe just had our eyes on the prize.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/mountain-grass-unit-on-the-road-appalachian-smoke-1235635451\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This past February, rising jam-grass outfit Mountain Grass Unit were recording their latest album, Appalachian Smoke, at Sputnik Sound in Nashville. Sitting behind the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":74223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pop","article","has-excerpt","has-avatar","has-author","has-date","has-comment-count","has-category-meta","has-read-more","thumbnail-"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}