Genre
Bluegrass
Bluegrass is a high-energy acoustic genre rooted in Appalachian tradition, defined by lightning-fast fingerpicking on banjo, mandolin, and guitar, combined with tight vocal harmonies and storytelling that cuts right to the heart. Born from a blend of Scottish, Irish, and African musical influences, bluegrass takes the raw energy of folk and country and amplifies it with technical virtuosity and emotional depth. On The Rugged Revival, artists like Smilo & The Ghost, Spencer Hatcher, and the Dogwood Brothers Band represent the genre's contemporary pulse, proving that bluegrass remains vital and inventive.
Artists
Addie Levy
Virginia, USA
Bluegrass · Country
Ben Morrison
California, USA
Bluegrass · Americana
Brennan Edwards
Virginia, USA
Country · Bluegrass
Dalton Dailey
Kentucky, USA
Country · Bluegrass
Dogwood Brothers Band
Virginia, USA
Americana · Traditional Country
Evan Golden Hopper
United Kingdom
Bluegrass · Roots
Gracie Yates
Kentucky, USA
Americana · Country
Jackie Straw
California, USA
Honky Tonk · Bluegrass
Kindred Valley
West Virginia, USA
Folk · Americana
Logan Moore
Virginia, USA
Americana · Bluegrass
Smilo & The Ghost
USA
Folk · Americana
Spencer Hatcher
Virginia, USA
Bluegrass · Traditional Country
Episodes
Jackie Straw
From Bluegrass Banjo to Honky Tonk: Jackie Straw on Music, Style & Reinvention
From playing Scruggs-style banjo in an all-female bluegrass band to carving out her own lane in honky tonk music, Jackie Straw joins Camden for a candid conversation about her musical journey, performing live, and embracing fearless self-expression. Jackie shares how she transitioned from bluegrass to guitar, the challenges of being a solo performer, and what she's learned from years of playing Nashville's Broadway scene. The conversation also dives into her passion for fashion design, stage aesthetics, and how moving to California has inspired a bold new creative direction. If you love independent country music, honky tonk, Americana, bluegrass, and conversations with artists who are forging their own path, this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Meeting Jackie Straw 00:36 From Bluegrass Banjo to Honky Tonk Guitar 03:03 Performing Live: Touring, Solo Shows & Nashville Stories 06:42 Stage Style, Fashion & Creative Expression 10:00 New Music, Touring Plans & Where to Follow Jackie #honkytonk #nashville #bluegrass Subscribe to The Rugged Revival. Share it with your friends. Support independent music! Listen to the full podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wnHcgA73o1aiiKaz882vH?si=30aabdaa220a4628 Follow The Rugged Revival: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theruggedrevival/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theruggedrevival Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094507520679 Website: www.theruggedrevival.com Email: ruggedrevival@hotmail.com
Ben Morrison
The Brothers Comatose: Ben Morrison on 18 Years of Music, Family & Touring
Ben Morrison of The Brothers Comatose joins the Rugged Revival Podcast for an honest conversation about nearly two decades ...
Dogwood Brothers Band
Country & Americana Music From The Shenandoah Valley | Dogwood Brothers Band | Braden Dahmer
Dogwood Brothers began in 2019 when a group of friends from the Shenandoah Valley came together in Richmond, VA to pursue a classic country sound. The band made its debut performance on CPA-TV's Blue Ridge Barn Dance in May 2021 and subsequently added new members, expanded its repertoire and began performing original songs composed by lead singer and guitarist Braden Dogwood.In November 2022 the band released “Here for the Time” an EP of all original material with a stripped down, bluegrass tinged flavor. The group's latest EP “Valley Songs” (released Aug. 23, 2025) showcases their full, Americana country sound in a collection of tunes inspired by people and places in their native Shenandoah Valley.
Spencer Hatcher
Spencer Hatcher - Virginia Bluegrass Country Star | “When She Calls Me Cowboy” | Honky Tonk Hideaway EP | Rugged Revival
Stone Country Records’ Spencer Hatcher is a bluegrass-influenced country artist who was raised on a farm in the heartland of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. By the age of 11, he was already playing his five-string banjo in his family’s bluegrass band. In 2020, Hatcher formed his own country band, backed by younger brother Connor Hatcher, a bass prodigy and “blood harmony” supporting vocalist. Dubbed the “String King” by his hometown newspaper and quickly developing a reputation across Virginia and neighboring states as an exciting live performer, Hatcher played more than 150 shows a year in both 2023 and 2024, often setting venue attendance records. He has also built a strong online fan base, including more than 900,000 social media followers. Hatcher’s debut EP, Honky Tonk Hideaway—a good-time destination for music fans who prefer their country served stone cold—is available now. The EP features Hatcher’s debut single, “When She Calls Me Cowboy,” which was a Top 10 Most Added Song at U.S. Country Radio (Mediabase) out-of-the-box. Saving Country Music has lauded the young old-fashioned gentleman as “one of the most promising up-and-coming voices in traditional country music.”
Logan Moore
Logan Moore - Low Water Bridge Band | Americana, Bluegrass & Country Music | Rugged Revival
here’s a sound the Shenandoah River makes as it rumbles over old stones in the shallows. It sings songs the way they used to be – plain and honest. No frills, buckle that belt before you head to the hills and hollers. It’s there under a Virginia moon that you’ll find the Low Water Bridge Band.Forged by firelight picking, the band’s romping, stomping, country - grass Americana ain’t for the faint of heart. Since their founding in 2020, they’ve gone from barnstorming the Shenandoah Valley to festival stages along the East Coast. Venues from the Carolinas to Kentucky and, yes, Nashville, Tennessee ring with their sound and are asking for more. They’re led by guitarist and lead singer Logan Moore’s searing melodies. The precision thump of brothers Alex and Riley Kerns’ bass and drums and their pitch-perfect vocal harmonies fill out the sound. Justin Carver’s pedal steel and banjo swirl through songs like smoke from the campfire while multi-instrumentalist Rudy Bee deftly provides sparks of pian, fiddle and trumpet and it’s all brought together with the crunch and crackle of James “Chainsaw” Montgomery’s electric guitar riffs.
Evan Golden Hopper
Evan Golden Hopper - From Bluegrass Roots to Punk Rebellion | Rugged Revival
From bluegrass porches to punk basements, Evan Golden Hopper has lived a wild musical evolution.In this episode, Camden dives into Evan’s early influences, from his grandparents’ old‑time picking sessions to recording his first DIY punk demos on a Yamaha analog deck. They talk about creative honesty, finding identity through sound, and how artists like Townes Van Zandt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Sierra Ferrell still shape his songwriting today.Evan also teases new music from his project Quell, with a brand‑new single dropping around Thanksgiving - plus insight into what it means to stay real in a world full of noise.
Dalton Dailey
Dalton Dailey - 14-year Prodigy From Southeast Kentucky | Rugged Revival
Kenzie from The Rugged Revival catches up with Dalton Dailey at The Burl in Lexington, Kentucky. Dalton is a 14-year-old singer-songwriter from Rocholds, Kentucky, who’s quickly making a name for himself with a voice well beyond his years. Though new to the music scene, Dalton is a natural talent whose smooth tone and soulful delivery give his country sound a fresh and heartfelt edge. With raw talent and a genuine love for music, Dalton Dailey is a rising star you won’t want to miss!
Gracie Yates
Gracie Yates - Live at The Burl | Rugged Revival
At the legendary Burl in Lexington, KY, five incredible artists stepped onto the stage for the "For The Love of Appalachia" showcase - each competing for a life-changing opportunity: a fully-funded UK tour. In this interview, Rugged Revival's Kenzie Traylor sits down with Gracie Yates to talk music, dreams, and what is means to represent Kentucky's thriving independent scene. This is just the beginning - we'll be sharing interviews with all five artists from this unforgettable night. Hit subscribe and join us in celebrating the voices that keep independent music alive! #kentuckymusic #independentmusic #countrymusic #appalachianmusic
Addie Levy
Addie Levy – Bluegrass Mandolin Virtuoso
Meet Addie Levy, a captivating American bluegrass-country artist who effortlessly weaves tradition and vision into exciting, progressive movements. Hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Addie has emerged as a true multi-talent in the world of music, captivating audiences with her powerful vocals and exciting mandolin improvisation. From the early age of 10, she has been a powerful performer mentored by the bluegrass and old-time community. Enchanted by the resonating tales and camaraderie embedded within the "happy music" of Bluegrass, Addie swiftly cultivated a deep love for its rich history and stories. Her radiant energy and boundless enthusiasm have transformed her into a sought-after collaborator, drawing the attention of organizations, fellow musicians, businesses, and festivals. Through her music, Addie Levy has breathed new life into traditional sounds and forged a vibrant and ever-expanding landscape for its future.
Kindred Valley
Kindred Valley – Indie Folk from West Virginia
Indie folk band Kindred Valley started when three friends with a passion for music met at Marshall University in 2020. Initially under the name Back Row Baptists, Blake Lacy, Noah Freeman and Brett McCoy met in Huntington, West Virginia, and began writing and recording music together. The band released its first singles as a trio but found its footing in 2021 with three new members - Husband and Wife Rachael and Jadon Hayes and Kaden Salmons. After releasing their self-titled debut album at the end of 2022 the band took to traveling and playing shows as often as they could manage. More time together meant new ideas and songs shared amongst each other - many of which felt like expansions on the ideas of their self-titled release. As the band continued to refine and develop their live show, each song took on a new sound more closely resembling a more experienced and practiced Kindred Valley. Though it took time to decide how to properly share these songs with the world, the band agreed that the sooner it was able to, the better. Recorded between Noah’s unfinished - and now finished - basement as well as the Hayes’ home studio, the project showcases a dynamically contrasting collection of songs that not only displays the growth of the band up to now, but also points towards potential creative directions of future works as well.
Brennan Edwards
Brennan Edwards – Virginia Country-Bluegrass Folk
Brennan Edwards is a singer-songwriter hailing from Winchester, Virginia. His music is a heartfelt, relatable blend of country, bluegrass, and folk. All delivered with BE’s unmistakable, soulful voice. His new EP "Stones" is out now, go and download it!#countrymusicartists #newcountryartist #musicpodcast #virginiamusic #appalachia #appalachianmusic #folkmusic #bluegrass
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FAQ
What exactly is bluegrass music?
Bluegrass is an acoustic roots genre characterized by rapid instrumental picking, prominent banjo, and close vocal harmonies, traditionally rooted in Appalachian folk music. It emphasizes technical musicianship and emotional storytelling, as exemplified by artists like Ben Morrison and Brennan Edwards.
Who are some of the best bluegrass artists making music right now?
The Rugged Revival features an exciting roster of contemporary bluegrass talent including Gracie Yates, Kindred Valley, Evan Golden Hopper, and Jackie Straw, each bringing their own voice and innovation to this timeless tradition.
Is bluegrass just old-time mountain music?
While bluegrass has deep roots in Appalachian tradition, modern artists like Addie Levy, Logan Moore, and Dalton Dailey are proving it's a dynamic, evolving genre that speaks to audiences today with fresh perspectives and contemporary songwriting.