Birmingham-born quartet Mountain Grass Unit will release their debut album, Appalachian Smoke, on August 28 via Dualtone Records. Produced by six-time Grammy winner Vance Powell—known for his work with Chris Stapleton, Jack White and Phish—the 13-track collection will be available for pre-order on limited-edition vinyl variants, including Earthquake Vinyl via the MGU Online Store, signed Mountain Mist Vinyl and 180g black vinyl via Dualtone and Smoke Vinyl via Seasick Records in Birmingham, AL. In advance of the LP’s release, the group has also dropped the four-track Mountain Grass Unit EP and released a video for the song “Window for a Friend.”
According to the band, “The accompanying video draws from years of archival footage, tracing Mountain Grass Unit’s journey from childhood jam sessions and school-day rehearsals to festival stages and sold-out headline shows. A moving career retrospective, the video captures the friendships, trust and collective ambition that have defined the band from the beginning, revealing a group whose story is rooted as deeply in lifelong bonds as it is in music itself.”
Appalachian Smoke was recorded nearly entirely live and without a metronome, mixing tracks the ensemble has been performing live with material developed in the studio. Now a full-time band after balancing touring with college responsibilities, the record also features contributions from Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck, pedal steel player Karl Smakula and Grammy-winning fiddler Michael Cleveland.
Mountain Grass Unit will spend much of the summer on the road. Their ambitious schedule includes stops at Railbird Music Festival, Bonnaroo, High Sierra Music Festival, Under the Big Sky Festival, Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival and Earl Scruggs Music Festival. Looking ahead they will also appear at Hulaween and Panic en la Playa, as well as on select dates supporting Dierks Bentley.
Here’s a look at Mountain Grass Unit’s upcoming dates
6/4 – Vail, CO – GoPro Mountain Games *
6/6 – Lexington, KY – Railbird Music Festival *
6/11 – Hamilton, OH – RiversEdge Amphitheater (FREE SHOW)
6/13 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo *
6/17 – Kansas City, MO – recordBar
6/19 – Bellevue, CO – The Mishawaka Amphitheatre
6/20 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
6/21 – Casper, WY – The Rialto
6/24 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge
6/25 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater ^
6/26 – Sisters, OR – Big Ponderoo *
6/27 – Woodinville, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery %
6/29 – Bellingham, WA – Wild Buffalo House of Music
6/30 – Trout Lake, WA – Trout Lake Hall (SOLD OUT)
7/1 – Enterprise, OR – OK Theater
7/3-4 – Grass Valley, CA – High Sierra Music Festival *
7/18 – Whitefish, MT – Under the Big Sky Festival *
7/18 – Whitefish, MT – The Remington Bar #
7/25 – Hiram, ME – Ossipee Valley Music Festival *
8/8 – Alta, WY – Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival *
8/12 – Harrisburg, PA – XL Live
8/13-14 – Manchester, VT – Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots *
8/26 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry
9/6 – Mill Spring, NC – Earl Scruggs Music Festival *
9/18-20 – Flagstaff, AZ – Pickin’ In The Pines Bluegrass Festival *
9/20 – Annapolis, MD – Annapolis Baygrass Festival *
10/10 – Eureka Springs, AR – Hillberry Music Festival *
10/22-25 – Live Oak, FL – Hulaween *
1/19-23 – Puerto Aventuras, MX – Panic en la Playa *
(*) Festival Appearance
(^_ Supporting Dierks Bentley & Cole Goodwin
(%_ Supporting Dierks Bentley & Kaitlin Butts
Here’s a look at Appalachian Smoke’s tracks
Earthquake
Homebound Troubadour
Appalachian Smoke
Wait for Me
Window for a Friend
Darkness Rollin’ In
Forest Mississippi
Suspicion
One Last Time
Eagle’s Nest
Take Your Time
Where Steamboats Go to Die
Another Sunday Again

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