Bluegrass band the Grascals put their spin on “Traveling the Highway Home,” a song that dates back seven decades, in a new recording, premiering exclusively on The Boot. Press play below to listen.
The Bailes Brothers, a sibling quartet from the early days of country music, wrote “Traveling the Highway Home,” which West Virginia Music Hall of Fame singer Molly O’Day first recorded in 1951. It’s Ralph Stanley’s recording of the song, though — for his 1997 album Clinch Mountain Gospel — that Grascals vocalist and guitarist Chris Davis cites as a personal favorite.
“The vocals soaring above their hard-driving bluegrass style was one of the highlights of their music,” he explains. “This is a Grascals take on that effort.”
High lonesome bluegrass gospel harmonies from Grascals guitarist John Bryan complement Davis’ lead vocals. Together, they sing over an uptempo melody, propelled forward by lightning-fast banjo picking from Kristin Scott Benson — a Steve Martin Prize recipient and five-time International Bluegrass Music Association Banjo Player of the Year — and solos from fiddler Adam Haynes and mandolin player Danny Roberts. The group also includes upright bassist and vocalist Terry Smith.
A band since the mid-2000s — though Roberts and Smith are the only two remaining founding members — the Grascals are two-time IBMA Awards Entertainers of the Year, as well as three-time Grammy Awards nominees. “Traveling the Highway Home,” which follows the single ”Flowers and Lace,” is due out widely on Friday (April 2) and available to pre-save now.
Listen to the Grascals’ “Traveling the Highway Home”:
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