A musical adventure series emanating from The Caverns in Tennessee's majestic Cumberland Mountains. Celebrating the diversity of America’s musical heritage with artists from the full spectrum of genres: Bluegrass, yes but also Americana, Country, Soul, Blues, Rock N Roll, Gospel, Folk, and everything between.
Dave Rawlings Machine (Episode 1)
Air date: 2016-09-07
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Savor the Underground debut of a group that personifies “Americana”: Guitarist-singer-songwriter Rawlings with Gillian Welch, Punch Brothers bassist Paul Kowert, fiddler Brittany Haas and former Old Crow Medicine Show guitarist Willie Watson.
The Suffers (Episode 2)
Air date: 2016-09-14
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Welcome these relative newcomers, a 10-piece band fresh out of Houston and fronted by the massive-voiced singer Kam Franklin and influenced by classic rock 'n' roll, country, Latin and southern hip-hop as much as Stax/Volt or Muscle Shoals era.
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen (Episode 3)
Air date: 2016-09-21
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Join monster mandolinist (and chef) Frank Solivan and his band, Dirty Kitchen, whose sturdy matrix of bluegrass veined with jazz, blues, country and jam band delivers on their main rule: “No filler.”
Hurray for the Riff Raff (Episode 4)
Air date: 2016-09-28
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Hurray for the Riff Raff - with Alynda Lee Segarra, who hopped freight trains across America before settling in sultry New Orleans - promises to turn the Volcano Room into the French Quarter with a high-energy, funky, folky N'Awlins groove.
Mac McAnally (Episode 5)
Air date: 2016-10-05
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Enjoy a set by this Mississippi-raised musical force of nature-a Grammy winner, eight-time CMA Musician of the Year, soulful singer, hit songwriter and Muscle Shoals session musician who boasts a following of fans devoted to the art of the song.
JJ Grey & MoFro (Episode 6)
Air date: 2016-10-12
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Described as a mash-up of jam band, blues, funk, soul and Southern rock, the songs of JJ Grey, the "North Florida sage and soul-bent swamp rocker," reflect the area around Jacksonville, where he was raised.
The Cox Family (Episode 7)
Air date: 2016-10-19
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Hear the Cox family, who contributed several songs to the soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou?-the best-selling roots music album of all time. They returned to the national music scene recently with their first album in almost 20 years.
The Lone Bellow (Episode 8)
Air date: 2016-10-26
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: As his wife recovered from an accident that nearly paralyzed her, The Lone Bellow was born as a creative outlet for singer Zach Williams. Now a thriving part of Brooklyn’s Americana scene, The Lone Bellow Roots-folk-rock trio was recently nominated for Americana Duo/Group Of The Year.
Drivin' N Cryin' (Episode 9)
Air date: 2016-11-02
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Rolling Stone magazine explained veteran rockers DNC thusly, “Crunching hard rock is the Drivin’ part. Brittle country-ish balladry.” Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Kevn Kinney and Drivin’ N Cryin’ have for 30 years offered die-hard fans a blend that arcs from intimate acoustic folk to soaring (and searing) guitar-laden southern rock.
Sierra Hull (Episode 10)
Air date: 2016-11-09
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: The Tennessee mandolin prodigy is all grown up and comes to Bluegrass Underground fresh from releasing her third solo album, the jaw-dropping, Bela Fleck-produced Weighted Mind. Of her, Fleck notes, “She plays the mandolin with a degree of refined elegance and freedom that few have achieved Her vocals and songwriting matured to the level of her virtuosity.”
St. Paul & the Broken Bones (Episode 11)
Air date: 2016-11-16
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Seemingly born fully formed in 2012, this Birmingham, Alabama Soul band’s career hit the ground as big and strong as their sweat-soaked, seven-piece Soul-Funk sound, earning major raves from major media, including Paste magazine, Garden and Gun, Southern Living, Rolling Stone and NPR.
Jason & The Scorchers (Episode 12)
Air date: 2016-11-23
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Led by Illinois native Jason Ringenberg, the Scorchers crashed out of Nashville and began smashing down the walls between genres with their own brawling brand of country-rock almost 35 years ago. As trailblazers for the cowpunk and alt-rock bands that would follow, Jason and the Scorchers have received the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award.