For much of the past two years, east Tennessee banjo picker Daniel Grindstaff has been appearing regularly on our Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay chart with a succession of tracks from his Heroes & Friends album with Bonfire Music Group.
Daniel’s talents were recognized while he was still a young man, joining up with Jim & Jesse as a Virginia Boy at age 18. Over the next few years he toured the US with the McReynolds, and was also tapped to sub for Sonny Osborne on banjo with The Osborne Brothers when an injury kept Sonny from his instrument. He then spent several years with Marty Raybon’s bluegrass group.
With a young family at home, Grindstaff let music take a back seat for a time while he established a successful insurance business in Elizabethton, TN. During that time he helped form a new act with Tim Raybon known as Merle Monroe. These days he has his own band, The Uptown Troubadours, who have recorded a new album with Daniel, and will be performing a limited number of live shows this year.
Bonfire has this week released a pair of singles ahead of a full, self-titled album set for March 20.
First up is a banjo tune, Castlerock Turnpike, which Daniel wrote. He says the title comes from a nickname given him by the great Jimmy Martin.
“While writing this tune, I felt that its driving rhythm, melody, and feel made it a fitting way to honor his influence on my playing.”
Support comes from Troubadours Kevin Richardson on guitar, Derek Deakins on fiddle, and Kent Blanton on bass, assisted by Johnathan Dillon on mandolin. It’s a driving banjo tune of the sort that Daniels excels at playing.
Also available is We See Love, an uplifting, medium-tempo song written by Rick Lang and Jim Grubbs. Grindstaff says that it stood out to him right away for its message of love.
“My friend and talented songwriter, Rick Lang, was kind enough to pitch We See Love to me for our new project. I love how the lyrics celebrate the importance of real love, sacrifice, character, and faith above all else.”
With Daniel on banjo, we have the same core group with Kevin singing lead, this time with Andy Leftwich on mandolin, Josh Swift on reso-guitar, and Shawn Lane adding a tenor vocal.
Both new singles from Daniel Grindstaff & The Upton Troubadours are available from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
Look for more information on their upcoming Bonfire project soon.
