It could be argued that the very best art is a reflection of the times—and reflect is exactly Jeremy Garrett, the Infamous Stringdusters’ fiddle player, did when he sat down to write “I Didn’t Know” with legendary bluegrass songsmith Jon Weisberger. “This song was written during the pandemic and just after George Floyd was murdered,” says Garrett. “From my vantage point, this song is both a reaction to write about what I saw and what was on my heart, but also about being a white person and being blind to what’s been happening to our Black brothers and sisters and acknowledging this and now being part of the conversation toward change, justice, and healing.” Mark Levy, drummer for Circles Around The Sun, is a welcomed addition musically to this track, which is the album’s third single.
Making it right won’t be a simple thing to do
There’s no turning back or hiding from the truth
Now that I know
I didn’t know that there was a sharp and bitter line
I didn’t know that I was standing on the easy side
I didn’t know that we were going different ways
I didn’t know that we were headed for our darkest days
Once you know the score, what can you say?
How can you just be on about your way?
Is history holding us in place?
A new masquerade that only hides the same old face
Fans are encouraged to also check out the album’s two previously released singles, “Hard Line” which can be streamed here, and the album’s title track “Toward the Fray.” The band will tour consistently throughout the end of the year; catch them sharing bills with friends Greensky Bluegrass and Dustbowl Revival this spring. Toward the Fray releases on February 18, 2022 via Americana Vibes.
