(Compass Records) The new single from banjoists Alison Brown and Steve Martin, "Bluegrass Radio," debuted Friday at #1 on the Bluegrass Today weekly airplay chart. The pair's 2023 national bluegrass chart topping and Emmy-award winning collaboration "Foggy Morning Breaking," included in a cameo in the new documentary STEVE! (Martin), also re-entered the chart at #12.
Terry Herd, CEO of Bluegrass Today, explains: "A number one single on the Bluegrass Today charts is a tremendous accomplishment in the industry, attained from actual spins reported at radio by a pool of more than 50 contributing DJ's.
"A #1 debut even more so, and a rare occurrence. Congratulations to Alison and Steve for their #1 debut of Bluegrass Radio, a song that is clearly resonating with bluegrass DJ's and their listeners!"
"Bluegrass Radio" ticks all the boxes for a bluegrass favorite, including a flashy twin banjo solo from Brown and Martin, lyrics that reflect Martin's wry sense of humor and top-flight performances from some of the most iconic players in bluegrass music.
Martin was inspired to write the lyrics after hearing "Foggy Morning Breaking" in heavy rotation across the nation's plentiful bluegrass channels. He comments: "I think of a hit on bluegrass radio with the same exhilaration as a hit movie. It's uplifting to hear your song on the radio, and the thrill never goes away."
Brown set the lyrics to music and brought in a powerhouse band of bluegrass A-listers to bring the track to life: Sam Bush (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Trey Hensley (guitar), and Todd Phillips (bass). Brown comments: "We had an amazing time in the studio recording this track. Each of the musicians brought a lifetime's worth of bluegrass experience to bear and, from the first note, it was almost like we were reading each other's musical minds."
Brown and Martin's last collaboration "Foggy Morning Breaking" from Brown's 2023 release ON BANJO garnered over 22.9 million views on social media, spent 13 weeks at #1 on Bluegrass Today's Grassicana chart and 4 weeks at #1 on the Bluegrass chart.
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