We have had occasion to comment several times that a chief reason for the enduring popularity of bluegrass music is its agelessness. And by that we mean that its appeal is not limited to a particular age group, in the way that pop music of most every kind depends on a very young audience. Sure, there will be certain bluegrass artists who generate a fan base among certain age groups more than others, and similarly with certain songs, but all demographics mix at festivals and concerts, as they must for a mature music genre to survive and grow.
I say all that to set the stage for Kathy Stommel, an artist new to the bluegrass world, but one with a lifelong passion for singing, and a newfound one for songwriting. Kathy was involved deeply in music as a young woman, but found her life shaped by events beyond her control. Always a singer, Stommel had been strongly encouraged over the years to keep at it, as so many people had commented that her voice had an ability to touch people in a very personal way.
After marrying and delivering three boys, she lost her husband to cancer, and had to raise the children on her own. To support her family she returned to school and obtained a therapist’s license, built a new career, and remarried.
But music still called, especially through her father, Paul Greier, a country singer who just before his recent passing, had encouraged Kathy to attend one of Donna Ulisse’s songwriting camps, which she did. The two hit it off, and not only completed a song together at the camp, but also this new single, Wild, Wild Heart, released on Bell Buckle Records.
She explained a bit about the message of this song.
“Co-written with Donna Ulisse, Wild, Wild Heart tells the story of a woman struggling to believe in her own worthiness of love and respect. Inspired by one of my clients, the song explores the emotional conflict she faces while entangled in a relationship with a married man who repeatedly promises that one day they’ll be together—after his children are grown. With a heart as big as the moon, shaped by an upbringing that makes it hard for her to accept she deserves true, honest love, she remains caught in a cycle of hope and heartache. This song speaks to the vulnerability of a ‘wild heart’ yearning for love, yet hesitant to demand the love she truly deserves.”
Kathy is supported on this track by Jake Stargel on guitar, Harry Clark on mandolin, Jason Carter on fiddle, and Jeff Partin on reso-guitar and bass. Nate Burie and Donna Ulisse add harmony vocals.
They turn in a lovely version of Kathy’s song with a distinct acoustic country feel, well-served by Partin’s bendy reso kickoff.
Check it out…
Wild, Wild Heart is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
