Banjo player Jesse Langlais chuckled when he first saw the question about Town Mountain as a bluegrass finishing school. It is true that the band has had a lot of members come and go over their 11+ years, and many have done quite well after their tenure in this five piece from Asheville, NC. It is also true that once you are Town Mountain member, there is a reunion somewhere in your future. There is never a last ride in the van: once you play in the band, you are like family.

Arthur Grimes buck dances with Town Mountain at MerleFest in 2018

As tightly knit and warm as they are, there is also an edge and a swagger to Town Mountain. All five members are well versed in the bluegrass tradition, but they also have some rock and roll in them, and the dexterity to weave these influences together seamlessly. With the addition of drums, and a song co-written by and featuring Tyler Childers on their latest album New Freedom Blues, they show their ability to stay true to the music of icons like Bill Monroe and Jimmy Martin while building something altogether new. I spoke with Jesse, mandolin player Phil Barker and bassist Zach Smith, their producer Caleb Klauder and others in this episode which features album tracks and live tunes from the band. Plus, a wee bit of The Police and R.E.M. It really does make sense once you hear it, we promise.

Thanks to the friendly folks at The Bywater in Asheville for hosting our interview session, to Sarah Bennett at All Eyes Media for helping set up the interview and for being on the show herself, and to Caleb Klauder and Jerry McNeely for taking the time to talk with me also. Thanks to Osiris for carrying us on their network, and to Bluegrass Planet Radio for airing this series too.

We appreciate everyone who listens, and especially those who spread awareness for this series and the artists and music professionals we profile. Giving us a good rating and comment on podcast platforms like Apple Podcast makes us quite grateful, and we would count you as a total rock star if you joined us as a patron or sponsor.

Next up? A bit of a departure, as we take a deep dive into the song “Wagon Wheel” and talk with artists who played it. Drop us a line if you have a story to tell! - Joe Kendrick

Artist stereotypes do not apply

How many times have parents cringed when their children fell in love with a musician? Let's be honest, the world has looked askance at artists of all stripes (with notable exceptions) for most of our history. Musicians tend to be thought of as people who may be great at their art but who are nonetheless pretty bad at life skills like paying bills, getting to work on time, and sticking with the missus.

Aaron turns all those stereotypes on their head; he is not only a fantastic songwriter and musician, but he also runs his own construction business and is a devoted family man living a stone's throw from where he grew up in the western NC mountains. He is as meticulous and intense about his guitar and ballads as he is about his green built homes and raising his two girls.

As you'll see in our pilot episode, Aaron does both life and art exceptionally well. The folks around him are a big part of that.