Nashville, Tenn.-based jamgrass quintet The Infamous Stringdusters have seen a dynamic start to 2023, balancing an ongoing national tour with the roll-out of their upcoming album A Tribute To Flatt & Scruggs, which is set for release on April 21. Yesterday, the ensemble gave fans a first listen to what will be their 13th full-length studio project by sharing a cover of the iconic bluegrass duo Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs’ 1954 single “I’d Rather Be Alone.”
This release is not The Infamous Stringdusters’ first major nod to their musical forefathers. The group–Travis Book (bass), Andy Falco (guitar), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Andy Hall (Dobro), and Chris Pandolfi (banjo)–received a Grammy nomination for their 2021 album “A Tribute to Bill Monroe”, and their vision for the new project runs along the same lines.
The Infamous Stringdusters bassist Travis Book delivered a statement detailing the group’s brainstorming process for A Tribute To Flatt & Scruggs, which read, “The concept of paying tribute to the Grandfathers or originators of Bluegrass is one we bounced around for a while and after Bill Monroe, the most logical, I think any bluegrass musician would agree, is Flatt & Scruggs.”
Brook shared that all five of the Infamous Stringdusters played a part in deciding which tracks would be featured on the album, with every member of the band proposing a song that they wanted to sing. Notably, the release of “I’d Rather Be Alone” features vocals from Book.
“I reached out to my friend, Jon Weisberger, and asked him if he’d suggest a song that he thought hadn’t been overdone and would suit my voice,” Brook explained. “I was thrilled when he suggested ‘I’d Rather Be Alone’ because I was familiar with it but hadn’t really played it much or learned the lyrics and it was a perfect fit.”
“I’d Rather Be Alone” is available for streaming now here. Listeners can also pre-order A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs (including a specialty vinyl pressing) and shop album merch on the Americana Vibes website.
Fans also have the opportunity to catch The Infamous Stringdusters live as they continue their U.S. tour. On Feb 11, the group will make their next stop in Killington, Vt. before heading west for an extensive run through the Colorado mountains.
A complete list of tour dates and ticketing information is available on the Infamous Stringdusters’ website or below.
Check out The Infamous Stringduster’s Tour Diary on Relix.com here.
Scroll to view the A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs tracklist and upcoming tour schedule.
A Tribute To Flatt & Scruggs Tracklist:
I’d Rather Be Alone
Will You Be Lonesome
Blue Ridge Cabin Home
Earl’s Breakdown
Cabin on the Hill
Down the Road
Listen to “I’d Rather Be Alone” below.
The Infamous Stringdusters 2023 Tour Dates
Feb. 11–Killington Ski Resort–Killington, Vt.
Feb. 24–10 Mile Music Hall–Frisco, Colo.
Feb. 25–10 Mile Music Hall–Frisco, Colo.
Feb. 26– Sheridan Opera House–Telluride, Colo.
Feb. 27 – Sheridan Opera House–Telluride, Colo.
Feb. 28 – Center for the Arts–Crested Butte, Colo.
March 1– Center for the Arts– Crested Butte, Colo.
March 3–WinterWonderGrass–Steamboat Springs, Colo.
March 4–Washington’s–Fort Collins, Colo.
March 5 –Fox Theatre–Boulder, Colo.
March 23-26–Suwannee Spring Reunion–Live Oak, Fla.
April 20-21–Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room–Crystal Bay, Nev.
April 22–Felton Music Hall– Felton, Calif.
April 23–Sweetwater Music Hall– Mill Valley, Calif.
May 5-6 –Charm City Bluegrass Festival–Baltimore, Md.
May 19-20–Greenbelt Music Festival–Clive, Iowa
May 25-28 –DelFest–Cumberland, Md.
June 1-3 –Mountain Music Festival–Oak Hill, W.Va.
June 15-18 –Telluride Bluegrass Festival–Telluride, Colo.
June 21-24–ROMP Fest–Owensboro, Ky.
June 22-24–Blue Ox Festival–Eau Claire, Wis.
June 29-July 2–High Sierra Music Festival–Quincy, Calif.
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