NewFound Road has been a popular group since guitarist and vocalist Tim Shelton started in 2001, initially as a bluegrass gospel act with three successful recordings with Mountain Home Music. Their sound gradually drifted towards a secular, contemporary bluegrass style, which was formalized by the rime they went with Rounder Records in 2006.
At the beginning, it was Shelton on guitar, Jr. Williams on banjo, Rob Baker on mandolin, and Tim Caudill on bass. Other members cycled in and out over the years, notably Josh Miller on banjo, and the Booher brothers, Joe on mandolin, and Jamey on bass.
In 2013, Shelton disbanded NFR to focus on a solo career, and signed with Lonesome Day Records. But demand for reunion shows led Tim to book a few, and by 2015 they were back together on a limited schedule, with Williams back on banjo. They played together several more years in that configuration, until disbanding “for good” in 2019.
Since then both Williams and Shelton have pursued solo recording efforts, Jr. staying in bluegrass while Tim tried cutting in a pop rock vein, made and toured in support of a classic Christmas album, and more recently in country with his Tim Shelton Syndicate.
But NewFound Road just refuses to die. Interest from both fans and band members keeps pushing them back together, and now Tim has officially announced the return of NFR in 2026, with Williams on banjo, Joe Booker on mandolin, Sam Lauderbaugh on bass, and Jared Hensley on guitar.
New music is being prepared, and we’re told to expect some announcements on that front in the near future.
Shelton says that his fondness for NewFound Road has won him over again.
“We built something special together – not just as a band, but with all of you who’ve been a part of this. When the band ended, life moved on. I kept making music in other ways, and I’ve been grateful for that. But if I’m honest, there’s always been an ache for NFR. I missed the songs, the sound, the fans… all of it.”
Thankfully, all the music they recorded in the past is still available online, and with new music next year, there’s no reason NewFound Road can’t be right back on the circuit in no time.
We look forward to more details about their next move.
